About the Author - That's Me!
Hi, I’m Nicole Mechem — writer, mom, and lifelong believer in the power of stories to make us feel, dream, and connect. Before becoming an author, I worked as a leader in the tech start up space and spent nearly twenty years working in international development, including time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Georgia. Those experiences taught me that hope and kindness can be found everywhere, even in unexpected places.
Today, I live in California, with my husband and our two daughters, who constantly spark new ideas and remind me to see the world through a child’s eyes. Their curiosity and imagination are at the heart of my writing.
My Inspiration
While my work over the years has been fulfilling, it was missing the creative outlet that comes so naturally to us as children but often fades as we grow older.
Every day, I watch my girls effortlessly shift between drawing, crafting, and imaginary play. They not only remind me to notice the magic in everyday life, they also inspired me to reconnect with the creative spark I’d been missing.
One bedtime in early 2024, my daughters and I were talking about how the Tooth Fairy manages to collect so many teeth from under kids’ pillows. My eldest suggested that the Tooth Fairy uses her magic to make the teeth fly to her. That idea completely overtook me, and I spent the rest of the night writing Lizabeth and the Great Tooth Fairy Blunder.
My eldest caught my excitement and drew these sketches of the Tooth Fairy that served as inspiration for my amazing illustrator's images for the book.
About the Name
A name can hold a lot of meaning. My book title, Lizabeth and the Great Tooth Fairy Blunder, has a few elements to unpack. “Tooth Fairy” and “blunder” are pretty straightforward, they give context for what the story is about and who is involved.
“Lizabeth,” the main character, is named after my mom, a beautiful soul who always wanted to write a book of her own. While she never ended up publishing one, she left hundreds (if not thousands) of beautifully handwritten notes in books, cards, and letters to the people lucky enough to know her. It was her way of sharing love and a little bit of magic with the world.
I chose her name for the main character for a few reasons. First, I love its uniqueness and elegance. Second, the character reflects the deep care and kindness she brought into the world. And finally, my mom was a huge book lover, so naming the main character after her felt like the perfect way to honor that.
I can’t wait for you to meet Lizabeth, the protagonist, very soon!
