“Thematically, I was attempting to write a story that would explore all the different meanings of this word ‘settle’: making a home, shifting ground, acceptance and compromise, paying off a debt, getting even, and settler vs. Indigenous.” ~ Rajinderpal S. Pal
“Her story drew me in, and I felt it was one that needed to be told.” ~ HAUI
“I hope the readers enjoy the stories. They were gifted to me, and I was given the responsibility to write them. So I now gift them to you to enjoy.” ~ Interview with Amanda Peters
Weedon was inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, particularly the motif of women dressing as men to “to get things done in a man’s world. I was working with the idea of disguising gender as a story point…” Interview with Emily A. Weedon
“I write escapist rom-coms but, like many of us, my characters struggle against the challenges presented by racism, sexism, and mental health issues.” ~ Lily Chu
“This one, as you said, is about the twists and turns.” ~ Stephanie Wrobel
“It was a joy to be able to express some of the things I had seen and experienced in a playful way (like the very smelly sea lion herd, for instance) in this book.” Interview with Caroline Woodward
“Instead of mourning what had been, we chose to live fully in the moment.” Interview with Michelle Wang
“Women are still preyed upon more than men, and so I wanted to write a book that highlights the gaps and imbalances that still exist…” Interview with Roz Nay
“We hope that Khadija’s story allows children to maintain that curiosity throughout their life…”
