The Story Behind “Donald and His Pyrotechnic Trumps”

Some stories are born from imagination — others from life turning upside down and reminding you just how strong and creative the human spirit can be. Donald and His Pyrotechnic Trumps is a little bit of both — a story that started with a dragon, a few fiery farts, and a whole lot of love.

During the Covid lockdowns, my dad had not one, but three strokes within six months. It was a terrifying and isolating time — hospitals were closed to visitors, support was limited, and the world already felt uncertain enough without our family being thrown into the deep end of stroke recovery.

There was no formal rehabilitation, no physio team coming in and out — just us, doing everything we could to keep his mind and body active. My mum deserves a medal for the way she stepped up; she was incredible, creating daily routines, memory games, and even quick-reaction challenges. One of the favourites was with a hacky sack — Connor loved that one. It became part of Dad’s therapy, laughter echoing through the house as they tried to outdo each other’s catches.

Somewhere in the middle of all that, something unexpected started to happen. Dad’s creative brain kicked back into gear — stronger, funnier, and more imaginative than ever. He’d always had a way with words (a bit of a poet in his younger days), but now, ideas started bubbling up again — quirky, clever, and full of humour.

One day, he started talking about a dragon named Donald who had a rather explosive problem. The idea made us all laugh — that perfect mix of silly and clever that only Dad could dream up. From there, the poem took shape: Donald and His Pyrotechnic Trumps.

What began as a funny family moment soon became something much bigger — a shared project that brought us all together. Dad wrote the verses, Mum worked her editing magic and kept everything organised behind the scenes, and I brought Donald to life through illustrations.

We spent hours at the kitchen table, cups of tea going cold as we debated rhyme choices, colours, and page layouts. There were moments of chaos, moments of pride, and plenty of laughter. Creating this book gave us focus and connection when the world outside felt small and uncertain.

Every page of Donald and His Pyrotechnic Trumps carries that story — of resilience, recovery, and the healing power of creativity. It’s proof that imagination doesn’t fade with hardship; sometimes, it burns brighter.

It might be a funny little tale about a dragon with a fiery backside, but behind the laughter lies something precious — the reminder that even in our hardest moments, love and creativity can spark magic.

A Little Note from Me

Bringing this book to life has meant more to us than I can really put into words. It’s a celebration of my dad’s strength, my mum’s quiet determination, and the strange, beautiful way creativity helps us heal.

When we opened the proof copy for the first time, we all just sat there smiling — a bit stunned, a bit teary, and very, very proud. To see Dad’s words printed on the page, with my illustrations dancing around them, felt like a full-circle moment — something truly special that grew out of such a difficult time.

If you’d like to follow along as we share more about Donald’s story (and maybe catch a few sneak peeks from the book itself), you can sign up to the Tales & Verses mailing list here: 
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I only send updates now and then — just little bits of behind-the-scenes life, creativity, and the odd heartfelt ramble like this one.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading and for being part of our story. 💛