This interview is a Turning the Tide spotlight on Tracy Blom, author of the Wonder Lens Friends series. The first book, Lissa Loves Bugs, illustrated by Cathy Morrison, is out June 4 by Paw Prints Publishing.
Mary: Hi Tracy, and welcome to Dragonfly! Tell us something about your life that not many people know about.
Tracy: Almost all of my book ideas come to me in dreams. I’ve kept dream journals for years and years, and always have one beside my bed. I’ve dreamed up entire stories, from character names to places and time periods.
Mary: What led you to the creative outlet of writing?
Tracy: I think having artistic, creative parents helped me find the joy of creating when I was a kid. I remember being in the backyard and my dad pointing at the clouds and asking me what shapes I saw. We’d come up with stories about them, and I think it was things like that that helped me become a bit more creative.
My first real experience with expressive and creative writing was during college when I started writing poetry. I loved poetry, and eventually someone recommended that I put artwork with my poems and try to create a book.
Mary: Tell us about your new book and what inspired it, or was it accidental?
Tracy: Like most of my books, The Wonder Lens Friends: Lissa Loves Bugs was inspired by a dream that I had about a little girl with magic glasses. I didn’t really know what she was exploring in the dream or what the book was supposed to be about until later that day I was out in my garden (one of my favorite places) admiring some monarch butterflies on the milkweed. Upon further inspection I realized that there was an entire ecosystem of bugs on and around the milkweed, that all had a reason for being there. In that moment I thought about the girl from my dream and what bug-related facts she might uncover with her magic glasses. The rest is history.
Mary: How does your book align with nature and place?
Tracy: Lissa Loves Bugs is all about nature, bugs, plants and teaching kids the importance of things like ecosystems, pollinators, and protecting our environment. It also teaches important lessons about community and standing up for the things you love. While this book focuses on fireflies and protecting pollinators, it also has information about community gardens and why it is important to keep a pesticide-free space.
Mary: What’s your greatest experience in nature that somehow profoundly moves your work?
Tracy: Two years ago, I went on a backpacking trip with my childhood best friend along the Appalachian trail. We were completely off grid for three days and hiked over 22 miles. I’ve never done anything like that before and was nervous about whether I could do that many miles, camp in the woods, filter water, or—insert list of doubts. Without any phones or internet, the small group of us bonded and had time to sit and observe just how incredible nature is. From big, majestic views to a tiny flower growing out of a tree trunk, I truly experienced a sense of stillness and connection to nature I’ll never forget.
Mary: It’s my dream to hike part of that trail! What other writers and books do you enjoy and why?
Tracy: The great thing about hosting a podcast on the Authors on the Air Network is that I am always interviewing other authors (mostly children’s authors) and get to read so many incredible books. My show is called Books, Kids & Creations and features people who inspire children with their work. Outside of books for my podcast, I really enjoy books that teach you how to do something… for example, I’m reading a book about fashion and how to find your look. I’m also reading a book on the Navajo Code Talkers as part of research for a book I am writing.
Mary: When you were growing up, what was your favorite story?
Tracy: When I was a little kid my favorite book was called A Squirrel’s Tale, which featured a paper squirrel that would slip between the pages. It was super cute. I also still own the book.
Mary: What’s next for you?
Tracy: I am working on book 2 in the Wonder Lens Friends series, which is all about outer space! Be on the lookout for Luna Loves Space in 2026.
Mary: That sounds awesome. Best of luck to you, and thank you for writing Earth stories for kids.
Tracy Blom is an award-winning author of over forty published books. Her work has received STEM accreditation, Teacher’s Pick Awards, Reader’s Favorite Awards, and has appeared in magazines and blogs internationally and domestically. She is very involved in her community and offers creative writing workshops through The Girl Scouts of Ohio, The Ohio Learning Project, Ohio Wesleyan University, and the Arts Castle. In the Spring of 2024 she co-created the Byrd & Blom Storytelling Contest to boost literacy rates across Ohio, and offer one child the chance to have their story turned into a cartoon. Tracy is a host on the Authors On The Air Global Radio Network, which is available in 153 countries and has over 4 million unique listeners. Her show, Books, Kids & Creations, features people worldwide who inspire future generations with their work. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two rescue dogs. Learn more at Tracy’s website.
Illustrator Cathy Morrison is passionate about nature, science and the environment. Combining her degrees in fine arts and education along with her background in animation and graphic design she researches and illustrates a variety of books, including picture books, chapter books and creative nonfiction. Cathy’s studio is in the foothills northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado, with a panoramic view of Rocky Mountain National Park.
