Krina Patel-Sage
Author
She/Her
Q&A
Tell us something interesting about yourself:
I love pottery, gardening and The Beatles!
Current job title:
Author, Illustrator, Designer.
How would you describe your identity?
British nationality, Indian heritage, London born and raised.
Tell us your favourite medium for reading:
Real books always.
Tell us your favourite location for reading:
Outside on a sunny day with my children around to listen.
Book title:
Watch Me Bloom and My Mindful A to Zen.
What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book?
Both books were inspired by my children. I wanted to write something to help them navigate life’s challenges and take joy from their surroundings.
Favourite character or moment from the book – and why?
The image of the little girl watering a sunflower in My Mindful A to Zen means a lot to me. It represents the joy of nurturing and waiting for things to bloom! It’s a nice link to the next book Watch Me Bloom as well.
What themes or messages does your book raise?
Community, friendship, family, kindness, resilience, nature, and emotional wellbeing. The pages reflect a diverse society in which we live together in harmony. I also promote interaction with and appreciation of nature and the small things all around us that keep us present and grounded.
How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words?
Vibrant, heartfelt, and relatable.
What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations?
I connected with the emotions felt by each character, which was reflected in facial expressions and body language.
Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations:
I used digital media, drawing with a Wacom pen in Photoshop.
Favourite illustration – and why?
I really like the cover illustration for Watch Me Bloom because the design with the child wearing flower glasses that made up the O’s in “Bloom” started as a tiny pencil sketch of an idea I had, and it was a lot of fun developing it into the final cover art.
This book is the sequel to My Mindful A to Zen, so I love the fact that the same child appears on both covers but in ways that reflect each book individually.
