As a children’s author who loves finding magic in everyday life, Tia Martina (aka: Martina Faulkner) inspires everyone with her creative process. Below, Martina shares the story behind ‘Princess Wigglebottom And The Forgotten Christmas’—her most recent children’s book—and stay tuned for more creativity tips and stories from Tia Martina!
The Story Behind Princess Wigglebottom
Years ago, my parents had a beautiful golden retriever named Healey. They “won” her at a fundraising auction for their alma mater, Georgetown University. Apparently, as soon as she landed in my dad’s lap at the black tie dinner, she was going nowhere. Dad was smitten, and nobody could blame him. She was a puff ball of fur and love… a welcome addition to any family.
As a tiny puppy, Healey was full of spunk and playfulness—Just like most puppies, especially golden retrievers. As she grew, however, her temperament mellowed through training and she lost a lot of the impulsive and rambunctious goofiness of being a puppy… except in her hind quarters!
Healey could stand completely still on her front legs and stare at you with complete calm while her bottom would be swaying rapidly behind her. The back half of her body wiggled the same way other dogs wag their tails. It was hilarious to see, and as a result, I very quickly started calling her Princess Wigglebottom!
I wrote the first three Princess Wigglebottom children’s books while she was still wiggling in our hearts and our lives. Unfortunately, Healey died an untimely death from bloat (when the stomach flips over on itself) when she was still young, and so it became even more important for me to bring the series to life so others could giggle at her wiggle. And so, the Princess Wigglebottom series was born!
