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Behind the Lens
Life Inside an Author’s Room and Haven...
Every story begins somewhere. For me, it begins in a little nook filled with coffee cups, scattered sketches, and a heart overflowing with both ideas and prayers. This is where Lenny the Lizard and His Backyard Adventures first crawled onto the page and into my life.
But this nook isn’t just about creativity. It’s also about the real life happening just beyond the desk - the struggles of caregiving, the weight of unexpected challenges, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up one heartbeat at a time. I don’t hide from those things here; I lean into them, and I’ll share them with you in posts that invite you to walk beside me.
This space is a blend of whimsy and reality - laughter, tears, prayers, and paint smudges. It’s not a picture-perfect studio, but a lived-in haven where I sort through both joy and heartache, learning how to breathe life into characters while walking through my own valleys.
One heartbeat at a time, I’ll invite you behind the curtain of my everyday life. You’ll find candor, courage, and little sparks of hope that God plants even in the hardest seasons. This haven is as much about surviving the storms as it is about celebrating the light.
Here, between sketchbooks, prayer journals, and the soft glow of a candle, I wrestle with words and with life. This is where stories are born, but it is also where I face the daily trials of caregiving, unexpected hardships, and the ache of unmet expectations. And yet - this retreat is not just for creating stories. It is for seeking God’s presence in the middle of the mess.
Some days are colored with joy, others with sorrow, but all of them are shaped by His steady hand. Through the posts I share here, you’ll glimpse both the whimsy and the weight, the light and the shadows - not polished or perfect, but real and raw.
My hope is that by opening the door to this haven, you’ll find not only the inspiration behind the books, but also encouragement for your own walk. May these reflections remind you - and me - that God is faithful, even when the path feels hard.
The Backyard That Built a Book
Where Fiction Meets Ferns...
Come, pull up a chair on our back porch and take a little walk with me. This isn’t just any backyard - it’s the heart of Lenny the Lizard’s Backyard Adventures. Among the ivy, flowerpots, and shady corners of the Carr home in Cypress, Texas, stories were waiting to be told. Here is where I sip coffee with Brian, tend to herbs and flowers, and watch the critters scamper, fly, and crawl about. With every snapshot I take, every candle we light, and every bird we watch, I see glimpses of God’s creation come alive - and those glimpses slowly found their way into a storybook world, one heartbeat at a time.
“Every corner of the backyard has a story - and every critter has a lesson. I’d love for you to join me as we explore them, one friend at a time.”
This Is Us
Finding God’s grace in every chapter...
Our story is not picture-perfect, but it is deeply ours. For 36 years, Brian and I have walked this road together - through laughter, love, and the kind of challenges we never imagined we’d face. We once dreamed of retirement filled with travel and freedom, but instead we’ve been given a different path: one of caregiving, resilience, and leaning harder into God’s steady hand. Through it all, our son Ryan has been the joy and heartbeat of both of us - his life, his work, and his love remind us daily of the goodness of God’s blessings. Our backyard has become both our retreat and our inspiration - a place where we watch the critters scurry, the birds sing, and life keep blooming, even in the hardest seasons. It’s here that faith, family, and love hold us together, reminding us that every chapter, no matter how unexpected, is still part of a greater story written by God.
“Our story is one of faith, family, and love - held together by God’s grace, one heartbeat at a time.”
Stay Tuned
From porch to page, there’s always another tale around the corner...
Love this little glimpse? Keep watching... This is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes peeks into the backyard, the critters who live here, and the heart behind Lenny’s adventures. Behind every page is a heartbeat, and behind every critter is a story, every backyard corner holds another story. Thank you for joining me here! There’s so much more to share - from backyard inspirations to the faith-filled lessons that shaped these books. Stay tuned for the next peek inside the writing room, pages to come and the author.
Stay close… the next adventure is already peeking out from the ivy.
One heartbeat at a time,
Janet