My Story
Once upon a time... there were stories that were never meant to leave the children's room where they were born.
I have always been fascinated by beautiful books, stories and drawing. I grew up in a small country village, surrounded by the animals that inhabit our forests and gardens. Books by Beatrix Potter, Antoon Krings and Kenneth Grahame, in particular, fed my imagination and inspired me to create my own world.
Fifteen years ago, I moved to Zoufftgen. It was here that I created my very first book, an illustrated story for my niece, in which she was the heroine. Then my son was born, and every day, whether in the car, while cooking or at bedtime, he would ask me tirelessly for stories. They took place exactly where we live, in the streets of Zoufftgen, in the heart of the surrounding forest, or near the rivers where we went for walks. He listened, captivated, and for the ones he particularly liked, I promised myself I would turn them into a book so that he could keep them forever, just for him.
But stories have a mind of their own, and some decide not to stay locked away... In 2023, while I was illustrating one of my stories for Christmas, St Nicholas and the Zoufftgen Town Hall decided to distribute it to all the children in the village. The local newspaper reported on the event and the book had to be reprinted to meet the new orders. The second book was published the following year, and the adventure continues...
My work
Whenever my son liked a story, I wrote it down and kept it, until I had accumulated about a hundred ideas. But a story only really comes to life when it is told, so I hope that they will all manage to escape from my drawer and find their way to you.
I like to draw and paint using different techniques: pencil, watercolour, felt-tip pens on glass, etc. The illustrations for my first books were created using Procreate, a digital tool that allowed me to bring my world to life while juggling my busy life as a working mum.
My books
To date, I have published my first two Zoufftgen stories. Each book in this series is a window onto the local heritage, which is an endless source of inspiration for me. The places illustrated in these stories really exist, and so do the characters. Don't believe me? Why not come and see for yourself?
And now…
Today, I'm working on the third story in the collection, which will introduce you to the animals that live in the forest of Zoufftgen and the adventures that take place there. In particular, those of a very old family of wild boars...
My dream? To continue to take my stories on a journey and offer a little poetry to the world around us.