KINSHIP: When I was dreaming up ‘The Broken Dragon‘, I knew I wanted to write about Kinship Care, where children are ‘fostered’ by family members, an arrangement that’s more common than many people realise.
And as three people I know are bringing up their grandchildren, it meant a lot to me to cheer on these kinds of loving families! So the relationship between Tyra and her nan is central to this story.
KINDNESS: Tiny Tyra is a BIG character who was teased at her old school. Now that she’s living with Nan, she has to start at a new school and is worried about fitting in. At first, there doesn’t seem to be too much kindness around from where Tyra’s standing, but eventually, acts of kindness large and small begin to make her relax and feel like she’s welcomed.
KINTSUGI: When I was plotting out the story, I happened to read an article about the Japanese art of Kintsugi, mending broken things with gold, which makes them more precious and unique. It felt like a perfect fit for Tyra’s story, and for Tyra’s disaster with her beloved dragon!
And on that note, I’m off to Google Kintsugi repairs, since I have a few precious-but-slightly-bashed vintage bits and pieces around the house. Though – ahem! – I’ll be cheating and using glue and gold paint, instead of the real thing!
Karen McCombie :c)
