For Merritt author Catherine Wayne, inspiration for her first children’s book is at once near and far.

The idea for Too Many Pets came all the way from Iceland via her nine-year-old granddaughter.

The book tells the story of Edda Melkorka (Wayne’s granddaughter’s namesake), an Icelandic girl who decides to keep a few lice she picks up at school as pets.

However, she soon realizes that lice don’t make very good pets.

Wayne said the decision to use her granddaughter as the main character in her stories was an obvious one, as the real Edda has all kinds of interesting stories, ideas and anecdotes.

The two keep close with weekly “meetings” over Skype.

“We get on Skype and we talk about what’s going on at school, what part she has in the school play, what she learned at dance classes,” Wayne said.

The culture in Iceland also features in the book, as Edda collects more lice and searches for names by the dozen for her new ‘pets’, using Icelandic volcanoes and the names of the 13 Icelandic Yule Lads.

She said her books can introduce kids in B.C. to the culture of Iceland, which could capture their imaginations with its creative lore.

The book is also being translated into Icelandic and will be for sale there as well, Wayne said.

Too Many Pets is the first instalment in a series of books about Edda co-authored by Wayne and her daughter (Edda’s mother) Robyn Mitchell.

The book was illustrated by Pennsylvania-based Cindy Strosser, who Wayne met through Virginia-based Mascot Books.

Strosser’s illustrations bear a striking resemblance to the real Edda, Wayne said.

“We sent her some photos of Edda and she just took it from there,” she said. “The illustrations are just fabulous — vibrant colours and this goofy little girl.”

Wayne, a recent retiree from a career training institution, said she’s excited to be working on a creative endeavour.

“I went from being Ms. Bylaw Enforcement Officer to grandma who writes books,” she said with a laugh.

And as for what the real Edda thinks about being the main character in a series of books?

“She wants to know if she’s famous,” Wayne laughed.

Wayne will be launching the book at Creative Company on Saturday between 2 and 4 p.m.

She’s also got a reading lined up at Collettville Elementary School on Dec. 17.