Behind the scenes...

Sage and Felicity Faithful are the protagonists in my children’s adventure, Lady Grace.

A “sage” is a person whose life is characterized by wisdom and discernment; someone who is prudent and understanding. In my story, Sage Faithful is an educator who wants his students to succeed in life, and to do so he believes they will need more than just knowledge, they will need the wisdom to appropriately apply it.

Felicity Faithful is a teacher of the arts: she is an accomplished pianist. Her name simply means “happy.” This character finds great contentment in her surroundings, joyfully demonstrating her love for others in the selfless acts of kindness she performs that mark her life.

When Lady Grace is born, she is received into their family with delight and thanksgiving; her name becomes a mark of their gratitude to God for her. “Grace” is a word that means unmerited divine favor, and since every child is a gift from God each should be welcomed with great joy.

In choosing a surname for my chipmunk family, I looked for one that would reflect the characters commitment to one another and God, and therefore choose the name Faithful.

As teachers, Sage and Felicity Faithful endeavor to help their students develop self-respect while learning to live in harmony with other woodland creatures. They also strive to teach them the importance of caring for the environment and their community.

Biblical values, currently abandoned by the public school system, are also an important part of their student’s education. Learning to abide by the laws sewn into the fabric of our world by our Creator are extremely important, and one lesson the Faithful students are all taught, is the law of sowing and reaping. Making wise choices is essential to being blessed, and each must learn that they must chose wisely as they will reap the consequences of their decisions.

The Faithful family lives a charming life in the forest surrounded by friends and relations. Jane and Jasper Stothard, Felicity’s aunt and uncle, act as surrogate grandparents to Lady Grace. They provide good role models for their young niece to emulate, in addition to the positive example set by her parents.

I’ve included a section in the story where shared living-space becomes a necessity because it is so prevalent in society today. Actually, until the industrial revolution, it was rather common for one home to encompass two or three generations. It was during this time period that many young people began to leave their homes on the farm to pursue careers in our nation’s cities.

The names I give my fictional characters vary. I occasionally use a historical name, or one that reflects a friendly association. In Lady Grace I decided to use many ancestral family names, and the names of the children of several close friends.