The Origin of the Orange Fish

People may ask where the Orange Fish came from.

Some may assume it’s symbolic.

Others may think it must represent something deeper.

The truth is much simpler.

Meet the real Orange Fish.

The tunnel belongs to my cat, who claimed it as his personal fortress. If anyone walks by, he launches surprise attacks from inside like it’s his full-time job. Somewhere along the way, that ridiculous Orange Fish tunnel found its way into my imagination. It became the “rude fish” in The Changed Series — the one young Evie insists stared at everyone in the waiting room.

Sometimes the strangest pieces of fiction begin with something sitting in your living room.

The cat still guards the tunnel.

Evie still insists the fish was rude.

I think they’re both right.

People sometimes wonder wether Professor Hops was inspired by a real stuffed rabbit.

The answer is no…and yes.

He’s not based on one toy.

He’s inspired by something I came to understand while raising my children.

Every child seems to have that one thing they refuse to leave behind. A stuffed animal. A blanket. A favorite pair of pajamas. To everyone else, they’re ordinary objects. To a child, they’re comfor, safety, and home.

When I created Professor Hops, I wasn’t creating a toy.

I was creating the thing that reminds us that home isn’t always a place.

Sometimes it’s something we’re lucky enough to carry with us.