One late August night, I penned the first lines of what was then “Secret of the Magic Veggies,” completing a draft in a single day. Imagining Macie in the grocery store marked the story’s beginning. I later added a line for Mom, humorously ensuring my wife gets a speaking part if this ever hits the big screen. Plus, I had already thought about a prequel where we’d see more of Mom as she and Grandpa helped Macie discover her love of vegetables. That story would become Before the Magic: Macie and Grandpa’s Carrot Quest. 

So, I had my working title, a first draft, and some ideas for the scenes. Despite my initial rhymes not meeting Dr. Seuss’s standards (see ‘wide’ and ‘wide’ circled in red above), I decided to produce a children’s rhyming picture book. Thanks to several helpful editors, I quickly discovered that I had much to learn about rhyme and rhythm. However, my original draft included “veggies here, veggies there, veggies everywhere,” which later inspired Macie’s Veggie Song and would drive the chorus to be written and composed many months later. 

Not bad for a first-timer! 

Peter Contardo