Writing, illustrating, and publishing a children’s book is no small task. When my wife and I first set out on this journey, we had no idea it would take us more than two years to bring our idea to life. But now, holding the finished book in our hands, we can honestly say every late night, every mistake, and every lesson learned was worth it.

Our book, The Fox Family Adventures: A Day at the Beach, is the first in what we hope will be a series of heart-warming stories. At its core, it’s a tale about forgiveness and friendship—values we wanted to share with our daughter, and with children everywhere. But the story behind the story is just as meaningful, and we’d love to share it with you.

Inspiration Strikes

The seed for the book was planted in early 2018, shortly after the birth of our daughter. As any new parent knows, those early days are filled with wonder, exhaustion, and a swirl of emotions. For my wife, those emotions became fuel for creativity. She decided she wanted to dedicate a children’s book to our daughter—something personal and lasting, a story that could capture the joy and lessons of childhood.

So, even while healing from childbirth and managing sleepless nights, she poured her heart into writing what would eventually become A Day at the Beach. It was a story meant not just for our daughter, but for any child learning about kindness, mistakes, and the power of forgiveness.

Bringing the Story to Life

Once the words were written, it became my turn to help transform them into a book. That’s when we realized just how much goes into children’s publishing. Rough sketches, layouts, dimensions, typography—every detail matters, even the ones most readers never notice. I tinkered with tools like SketchBook and Photoshop, slowly piecing together how each page might look.

But it didn’t take long to discover my own artistic limits. What I could imagine in my head wasn’t quite what came out on paper. Thankfully, we made one of the best decisions of the entire project: hiring an illustrator.

The Gift of Collaboration

Our talented friend Chris Cervantes agreed to illustrate the book, and from the very first sketch, we knew we’d made the right choice. His watercolor style brought warmth and charm to the Fox family, and his vision elevated the story far beyond what we could have achieved on our own. His early concept art of Ben Fox building a sandcastle practically leapt off the page—it was as though he had reached into our imaginations and given them life.

A Family Effort

When it came time to publish, we leaned on the wisdom of my mom, Julie Gorges, who has written and published multiple books herself. With her guidance—and more trial and error—we navigated the world of Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark. There were formatting issues, technical hurdles, and plenty of moments of doubt. But step by step, the project moved forward.

Finally, the day came when our first review copy arrived in the mail. Opening that package was surreal. To see years of work condensed into a slim, colorful book we could hold in our hands was nothing short of magical. Even more moving was reading it to our daughter, knowing that it had all begun with her.

More Than a Book

At the end of the day, The Fox Family Adventures: A Day at the Beach is more than just a story about foxes at the shore. It’s a story about family - a story born from a mother inspired by love, a father learning new skills, the friends who shared their talents, and the daughter who inspired it all.

We set out to create something meaningful for her, but along the way, we created something we can share with countless other families. Our hope is that as kids read about forgiveness, friendship, and fun at the beach, they not only enjoy the adventure but also carry its lessons into their own lives.

That’s been the journey from inspiration to publication. From one family to another, we hope you’ll enjoy joining the Foxes on their very first adventure.