Meet Alaster MacGregor, author of “The Wonders of Anna the Droid: Book One, The Stone of Wonder”
Tell us what your book, “The Wonders of Anna the Droid: Book One, The Stone of Wonder,” is about!
Sure! Here’s the summary:
Annadroid is a little droid created to understand the world. When she discovers a mysterious stone she cannot explain, it begins a journey through curiosity, friendship, discovery, and wonder. As she moves through a world filled with strange places, unusual companions, and hidden possibilities, she learns that not everything meaningful can be understood with logic alone.
What did you love most about writing this book?
I loved being able to return to a sense of wonder. As adults, life can become centered around work, bills, schedules, and responsibilities. Writing this book allowed me to return to the imagination I had as a child, when an ordinary basement could become another galaxy. I wanted to create that same feeling for young readers and remind them that growing up does not have to mean losing curiosity, imagination, or wonder.
How did you start writing?
I started writing in January 2025 after realizing how easily people can lose their sense of wonder as they grow older. As a child, I could spend hours imagining entire worlds and adventures. Writing became a way for me to reconnect with that part of myself and create a world where children can dream, explore real ideas, and still hold onto wonder.
Tell us a little bit about your self-publishing experience.
This was my first experience publishing a book, so I had to learn an entirely new system. The writing itself came naturally, but publishing required me to learn about formatting, distribution, ebook platforms, print editions, ISBNs, retailers, libraries, and international distribution. It has been a learning process, but it has also given me a much greater understanding of what independent authors are capable of doing today.
What was your biggest challenge in bringing the book to market, and how did you solve it?
The biggest challenge was learning the publishing and distribution process. I had never published a book before, so I had to learn each step as I went. I solved it by taking one problem at a time, learning the platforms, correcting issues when they appeared, and continuing until the book was available in both ebook and paperback formats.
What's one piece of advice you have for other writers?
Do not wait until you understand everything before you begin. Write the story first. The publishing, formatting, marketing, and business side can all be learned one step at a time. Protect the reason you wanted to write in the first place.
Anything else you want folks to know?
The Stone of Wonder is the first book in The Wonders of Anna the Droid series. The series follows Annadroid through different worlds while exploring curiosity, friendship, technology, imagination, and the idea that there may be more possibilities around us than we realize. Above all, I want young readers to feel that wonder is something worth keeping.
Where can people find your book?
