Issue 2 | September 2026
September always feels a little like a turning point. The days may still be warm, but there are hints of fall around the corner—a new season, new routines, and that familiar feeling that things are beginning to shift.
There's a little of that happening at Curious Whisker Press, too. After months of writing, revising, planning, and preparing, we're moving into some exciting new stages and getting to experience parts of the publishing journey we've been looking forward to for a long time.
This month, we're sharing some of what's happening behind the scenes, along with the everyday discoveries that have made us stop and look a little closer. I'm glad you're here to follow along.
Have any questions? Contact us at hello@curiouswhiskerpress.com
🐾Hot Off the Press
We’re fall lovers, through and through. And we’re loving this fall even more because of this month’s milestones!
Our illustrator is working on illustrations for Book 1!
Charlie is beginning to come to life on the page! Illustrations for the first book in The Adventures of Charlie the Cat series are officially underway.
After spending so much time imagining Charlie’s world (and even more time finding the right illustrator to bring it to life), it’s exciting to finally reach this part of the process. Over the coming weeks, we’ll begin seeing characters, settings, and scenes move from words on a page to actual artwork.
Edits for Book 2 have begun.
Charlie’s second adventure has officially entered the editing process!
This story has already been through some meaningful changes. After receiving early feedback on the series, I went back through the manuscript and took a closer look at how the adventure was unfolding—especially the connection between what sparks Charlie’s curiosity at the beginning and the discovery waiting for him later in the story.
Now, with the book in the hands of my editor, we're taking another close look. Her feedback is helping me make sure every part of Charlie's adventure is working together while preserving the quiet curiosity at the heart of the series.
One thing this process keeps reminding me: a story can feel finished and still have room to become better.
We’ve been doing a lot of yapping.
The Curious Whisker team has been dropping by a ton of independent bookstores… for research, of course. We want to meet as many local book lovers as we can, just because we can. If you have a favorite bookish spot in Texas, contact us to let us know!
🔎Curious Whisker Moments
Oftentimes, curiosity begins with an ordinary moment that makes your whiskers twitch to find out more. Here are a few things that sparked our curiosity this month.
🐦 Kimberly's Curious Whisker Moment
One of my favorite things about sending the first issue of The Curious Column was hearing what sparked your curiosity.
After the August newsletter, a reader wrote to tell me about a strange sound they'd heard coming from some bushes. They couldn't figure out what kind of animal was making it—until they discovered the culprit was a catbird.
A catbird? I'd never even heard of one!
Naturally, I had to look it up. I found an adorable little gray bird—and then I listened to its call. Sure enough, one of its distinctive sounds really does resemble a cat mewing. The name made perfect sense!
And I loved the whole thing: a mysterious sound made someone curious enough to investigate, their discovery made me curious enough to investigate, and now I'm sharing it with you.
Curiosity really is contagious.
🍌 Elena's Curious Whisker Moment
I currently work in a holistic bistro, where we make a ton of delicious and allergy-friendly treats. Recently, we started adding sun butter (which is like peanut butter but made of sunflower seeds) to our banana bread. But when we cut into the loaves, they were green!
My coworkers and I did a bit of research and discovered that this was because of a chemical reaction. The chlorogenic acid in the sun butter reacted with the baking soda to create a green pigment called chlorophyllin. The reaction intensifies as the baked goods cool down (or are refrigerated, like we do at work), making them an even darker green over time.
While unexpected, it was such a joy for me to find my favorite color in one of my favorite treats. And since it’s almost October, maybe we’ll just start calling it zombie bread…
What made you curious this month?
We'd love to hear! Hit "Reply" and tell us about something you noticed, wondered about, or learned recently. Your curiosity might even inspire a future Curious Whisker Moment!
🐾Behind the Whiskers
By: Kimberly Welsh
Earlier this month, Elena and I spent a day exploring some of Houston's independent bookstores. I've always loved being surrounded by books, but this time I found myself looking at those spaces a little differently.
Instead of simply noticing what I wanted to read, I was paying attention to children's sections, displays, local-author shelves, and all the little things that give each bookstore its own personality. Building Curious Whisker Press has a funny way of changing the way I look at places I've visited all my life.
There's something pretty special about walking through a bookstore while you're in the middle of creating a book of your own. It makes this whole adventure feel just a little more real.
And, of course, there was plenty of browsing (and dare I say purchasing) just for fun. Some things don't change.
🌿Keep Exploring
The adventure doesn't end here! If you'd like to follow along between newsletters, we'd love to connect with you.
🌐 Explore Our Website
Find our latest publishing updates, learn more about Charlie, and discover everything happening at Curious Whisker Press. Click here to visit our website.
📚 Read the Blog
Go beyond the books with posts about the publishing journey, our creative inspiration, and other stories from the Curious Whisker team.
📱 Follow Our Journey
Join us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for even more Curious Whisker content. Our social media is where you will get the first updates on publishing, behind-the-scenes moments, and even more curious whisker moments between newsletters.
🐈⬛About Curious Whisker Press
Curious Whisker Press creates children's books that transform everyday moments into adventures. Through gentle storytelling, we encourage readers of all ages to slow down, observe the world around them, ask questions, and discover the wonder hiding in ordinary moments.
Kimberly and Elena Welsh are the two-person team putting their paws to the ground to run the press. You can learn more about us here.
🌼Something to Wonder About…
What places near your home have you never visited?
You don’t have to go very far from home to have an adventure. Try visiting a local park or other public place to see what you can discover.
Stay curious,
Kimberly Welsh
Founder | Curious Whisker Press
📧 Questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you! hello@curiouswhiskerpress.com
