When Josie was eight, going on nine, she asked her dad if he'd write a story for her. She'd be noticing him tapping away on his computer, as he was currently working on one of his books. Dad's reply was 'no Josie, but we can write one together'. Every other Saturday morning (and often before it was light) Josie and her dad would share their ideas for a story, create characters and themes, and plot storylines, and Sky and the Bell Guardians began to take shape. It was such fun to do and both daughter and dad have fond memories of spending those Saturday mornings collaborating on their book.

Ian then approached his dear friend Richard who he knew liked to spend time creating illustrations for his own pleasure and Sky and the Bell Guardians became his first book commission.

Sky and the Bell Guardians was a project that Josie and Ian wanted to do purely for the enjoyment of getting creative and doing something special together.