People ask me where the idea for Herbert the Chicken and the Great Waffle Adventure came from. The answer takes me back many years to a simple bedtime routine with my daughter.
Every night before bed, I’d read her stories. One evening she looked at me and said, “Daddy, tell me a story.”
So I began making up a story on the spot. A story about a chicken that was tired of eating seeds, and wanted to eat waffles instead. That night, Herbert the Chicken was born.
Years passed.
The idea of turning Herbert’s adventure into a published book stayed in the back of my mind. Eventually, with urging from my family, I decided to bring Herbert to life in a way that other families could enjoy. What began as a spontaneous bedtime story became a project that involved writing, illustration, editing, design, and learning the ins and outs of self-publishing.
The journey wasn’t always easy. Creating a children’s picture book requires much more than writing a story. Every page, illustration, layout decision, and printed proof matters. There were many revisions along the way, but seeing Herbert gradually become a real book made every step worthwhile.
Today, Herbert the Chicken and the Great Waffle Adventure is available as a self-published children’s picture book. What started as a simple bedtime story has become something that can be shared with families, grandparents, teachers, and young readers everywhere.
Looking back, it’s amazing to think that it all began with one simple request from a little girl:
“Daddy, tell me a story.”
Sometimes the best stories don’t start with a publishing plan or a business idea. Sometimes they start with a child, a bedtime routine, and a little imagination. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, those stories find their way into the hands of a whole new generation of readers.
Here are a few images from the book:
I hope you enjoy it!