I have always wanted to write a book. From the moment I first put pen to paper before starting primary school, this has been a life goal of mine. As an adult, I have written for a range of audiences, including academic publications, newspaper articles, and a starting manuscript for my memoir. I always scoffed when people suggested that I write a children’s book. I thought it would be too far removed from all of my previously published works, which were often quite serious and certainly not child-friendly.

However, in undertaking the first part of my IVF journey, I realised how desperately I wanted to own a book that represented my future child’s truth and path to existence. There didn’t appear to be any book that explained how same-sex conception worked, at least not in language that would be child-friendly with cute illustrations. As I have travelled through my primary teaching career, I have realised how important it is for a child to feel represented in the literary world. It makes them feel that their joys and challenges do not isolate them from the human experience. In wanting this book to exist, I remembered the words of one of my favourite filmmakers, which is something to this effect: if the image you want in the world doesn’t exist yet, that is your call to create it.

From the time I first started IVF until exactly a year later, the manuscript sat on my laptop. “Someday,” I would always say, shelving that dream for a later stage. I understood the reality of working in a very conservative system where it would have been difficult to stand behind the content of this book. Mid-way through 2017, I gave myself the very best gift I ever could: to walk away and not look back. In the 48 hours between leaving that job and starting another, I finalised my manuscript into a narrative format and sent it to some careful eyes to see how it could be made into its best form with book-publishing magic. That is where Tadaa Book came in. After doing my research, I realised that I needed someone who could illustrate beautifully and also work at some of the soft skills of book publishing, where I had no experience at all.

I have now seen my characters and story in full colour with beautiful text and page numbers. It was such a proud and gratifying moment. Sometimes you just have to go forth towards the crazy ark that God and life are begging you to build, and keep faith that it will all work out. Thank you, Anil and Ozan, for working your magic through this project.