Эйко Кадона (Eico Kadono)About the Author
Kiki’s Delivery Service was inspired by one of my daughter’s drawings. It was a picture of a witch flying through the sky, listening to a radio. Musical notes danced around her. It reminded me of photos of New York City from a bird’s-eye view that I’d seen in Life, an American magazine. They were beautiful images, and I felt there was a story there. If I wrote about a witch like the one my daughter drew, I could see the world through the eyes of a bird. I knew I would fly as an author, because writing fiction made me feel as though I had wings. I chose to make the protagonist witch a twelve-year-old, just like my daughter at the time. That’s how Kiki’s Delivery Service got its start.
I decided one thing right from the beginning: Kiki’s sole power would be flying through the sky on her broom. With only one type of magic, Kiki would need to use her brain to solve problems. Overcoming conflicts would help her grow, add some ups and downs to the story, and make her journey more interesting.
Kiki’s magic is as close to normal as possible—it’s everyday magic. She is a witch, but she’s also a perfectly ordinary girl. She has the same worries, disappointments, and joys as anyone else, so I knew readers around her age would relate to her. And as I continued writing Kiki’s story, I realized that even if you can’t fly through the air like Kiki, you have your own unique power that is equally important.
As I wrote and revised, wrote and revised, I discovered that I loved writing. As long as I created stories, I could live an exciting life with new discoveries every day. And I decided that, if nothing else, I would continue writing as long as I live. I’ll never forget the peace of mind I felt at that moment—I sensed the magic inside myself. I’ve come to believe that everyone has some type of magic inside them. If a person can find their magic and lovingly cultivate it, they’ll truly feel alive every day.
There is magic inside each and every one of you, too—I believe that.
Now everyone in the United States can read Kiki’s story. As the author, there is nothing that could make me happier.
Get ready, as Kiki is prepared to fly from Japan and deliver her story to you.