Headphones On - or Fill the Space for Everyone to Enjoy
“We only meant to listen for half an hour… but we stayed in the car until the chapter finished.”
One of the unexpected things I’ve discovered since publishing Luna’s Adventures is how many families don’t experience the stories sitting quietly with a book. They experience them together
- A long car journey.
- The school run.
- A holiday flight.
- A rainy afternoon.
- Camping.
- Waiting at the airport.
- Bedtime after a busy day.
Somewhere along the way, a child puts on their headphones, or the audiobook fills the car and for a little while everyone is sharing the same adventure.
As an author, I love that.
When I began writing Luna’s Adventures, I wasn’t trying to write books that only children would enjoy. I wanted to write stories that respected young readers while giving parents, grandparents and carers something to enjoy too.
Children hear the adventure.
Adults often hear the questions underneath.
Both are right.
The Moonlit Waters become a place where families can experience curiosity, courage, friendship and belonging together, each taking something slightly different from the same story.
One comment has always stayed with me:
“We only meant to listen for half an hour… but we stayed in the car until the chapter finished.”
I smiled when I read it. Not because someone had listened to my audiobook, but because for one small moment a family chose to stay together just a little longer.
In a busy world, that’s a gift.
Stories have always brought people together.
I’m simply grateful that Luna, Orion and the Moonlit Waters have become part of a few of those shared journeys. Whether you’re travelling across the country or simply driving home from school, I hope they make the journey feel just a little more magical.
Because sometimes the destination isn’t the most memorable part of the journey.
Sometimes…
…it’s the chapter you listened to along the way.