{"id":7024707,"date":"2026-08-03T11:13:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T11:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/author-elaine-kachala-on-building-homes-for-all-plus-a-giveway-lydia-lukidis\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T11:13:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T11:13:17","slug":"author-elaine-kachala-on-building-homes-for-all-plus-a-giveway-lydia-lukidis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7024707","title":{"rendered":"Author Elaine Kachala on Building Homes for all- plus a GIVEWAY! \u00ab Lydia Lukidis"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Author Elaine Kachala on Building Homes for all- plus a\u00a0GIVEWAY!<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Hello world!!<\/p>\n

Welcome to my kidlit blog, Blissfully Bookish. This week, I got to interview a fellow Canadian author who loves to write nonfiction. Please say hi to Elaine Kachala<\/strong>, here to discuss her new middle grade nonfiction novel, Building Homes for All: Technology for a Fair and Green Planet<\/a><\/strong>, illustrated by Catherine Chan<\/strong>, and published by Orca Book Publishers<\/strong>. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

BUT first- YAY! Elaine is generously giving away a FREE copy of the book! Simply comment on this blog- contest ends June 26, 2026. (Canada \/ USA only)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Please describe the journey to publication and inspiration for Building Homes for All: Technology for a Fair and Green Planet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I enjoy writing books about how people working together with technology can shape a better world. My ideas usually develop over time, and Building Homes for All <\/em>grew from several meaningful experiences.<\/p>\n

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My background in health promotion was a strong influence. As a health policy advisor, I wrote extensively about how social and environmental factors affect our health, so I naturally view issues through that lens. A pivotal moment came while I was volunteering at a youth shelter with my dog, Tucker, who was a St John Ambulance-certified therapy dog. One of the kids told me, \u201cTucker makes our place feel like a home.\u201d That comment stayed with me and deepened my thinking about what \u201chome\u201d really means\u2014something many of us take for granted.<\/p>\n

As I was researching STEAM topics for middle graders, I came across an article about 3D construction printers as a potential solution to the global housing crisis. That connection sparked the idea: a book exploring how technology could help to address housing inequity. I dug into the research and developed a proposal for my editor at Orca Book Publishers, who immediately saw its potential.<\/p>\n

Over the next year and a half, I immersed myself in research, drawing on hundreds of sources and creating multiple drafts to shape the manuscript. Transforming complex information into an engaging, accessible narrative for middle-grade readers is always a challenge\u2014but it\u2019s also the part of the process I find most rewarding.<\/p>\n

What message would you like the book to impart to children?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope children take away three big ideas. First, that with teamwork and technology, even some of the world\u2019s toughest problems can be solved. Second, that construction, which has long been meaningful, important work, is now part of an exciting, high-tech STEAM future, with growing career opportunities open to everyone. Third, the innovators tackling these challenges don\u2019t get it right the first time. As readers learn about their persistence and dedication, I hope they see that even experts fail\u2014but they learn from it, try again, and find the experience deeply rewarding. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Affordable housing is often discussed as an adult issue. Why was it important for you to introduce these topics to children and young readers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a great question. Affordable housing and homelessness are often seen as adult issues, but they\u2019re issues that young people are already aware of. As I mentioned early in the book, some readers may know family or friends who are facing housing challenges\u2014or may be experiencing it themselves. Talking about these issues gently, openly, and with accurate information helps dispel myths and reduce stigma.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s students are growing up in a world shaped by complex challenges, from housing to climate issues, which can feel overwhelming and contribute to a sense of helplessness. STEAM books can shift that perspective by showing that problems have solutions and that innovation is already making a difference. That sense of hope is powerful.<\/p>\n

Building Homes for All<\/em> is part of Orca Book Publishers\u2019 Orca Think nonfiction series. It invites middle-grade readers to explore real-world issues, ask questions, and see how they can be part of the solution. Books like these are empowering for young readers because while these challenges are real, so are the possibilities for change, and young people have a role to play.<\/p>\n

You write about the concept of 3D printing human settlements on the Moon and Mars in order to help us tackle housing challenges here on Earth. This is fascinating! Please share more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, it is fascinating! NASA is planning long-term exploration of the Moon and Mars through its Artemis<\/a> and CHAPEA<\/a> missions. It partnered with ICON<\/a>, a construction technology company in Texas, and the architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group<\/a> from Denmark to design and build 3D-printed habitats for space.<\/p>\n

Because transporting materials to space is so expensive, researchers are developing ways to use lunar soil (regolith) as a 3D-printing material. They\u2019ve also built a 3D printed a habitat<\/a> called Mars Dune Alpha<\/a>. Crews are taking turns living in this simulated environment to learn what it\u2019s like to live and work on Mars for long periods of time.<\/p>\n

What makes this especially exciting is how these innovations translate back to Earth. Pushing the limits of construction in space is driving new ideas in materials, technology, and design that could help address housing challenges on Earth.<\/p>\n

Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can solve this combination of human need and the planet\u2019s need at the same time,\u201d says Architect Michael Green.<\/p>\n

Technology helps people reimagine how to design and construct buildings. Teamwork puts projects on the path to success. But innovating is hard. It takes guts, risks, and money, and a lot of people challenging old rules and ideas\u2026The future is about scaling up from one-off prototypes to building entire neighborhoods and communities. ICON CEO, Jason Ballard, says, \u201cIf we can 3D print 100 homes, we can do 1000 and then 10,000. We want to build a house per day, then a house per hour, per minute, and then per second. At a house per second, we can solve the global housing crisis in our lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What is your writing process and does it vary depending on the project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I write STEAM nonfiction books for middle-grade readers, and my process is fairly consistent across projects. It always begins with deep research, focusing on primary sources. I watch presentations and listen to podcasts by experts to better understand the technologies, current issues, and potential interview subjects. These steps help me shape the book\u2019s structure, build an outline, and identify gaps where I still need to dig further.<\/p>\n

I also read other middle-grade nonfiction to understand the market and see how authors I admire present complex ideas. Photo research is another key part of my process\u2014something that Orca Book Publishers requires, but that I genuinely enjoy. Seeing the technologies helps me better understand and explain them.<\/p>\n

I typically write three or four drafts before submitting the manuscript\u2014the first draft my editor sees.\u201d From there, we revise collaboratively through a few more rounds. That\u2019s really where the book comes together. The magic is in the revision!<\/p>\n

Please share your favorite nonfiction books that inspired you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is probably the hardest question\u2014there are so many! For adult nonfiction I\u2019ll say The Empathy Diaries<\/em> by Sherry Turkle. For middle-grade I\u2019ll say the Story of Science and Hope<\/em> by Andrea Curtis.<\/p>\n

What is the best piece of advice you would give to other writers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I treat writing like a job, with a daily routine and structure to keep things moving forward. When the topic feels overwhelming, as it sometimes does, I set small, manageable goals, such as creating an outline or completing a couple of subsections. Most of all, be patient. The writing and publishing process takes time. Seek advice from other authors and choose a topic you truly love\u00a0because you will be living with it for a long time!<\/p>\n

And a bonus question just for kicks! What was your favorite book when you were a child?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If I had to pick, I\u2019d say Nancy Drew mysteries by Caroline Keene were my favorite fiction books as a middle-grade reader. Born Free by Joy Adamson was my favorite nonfiction book.<\/p>\n

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Photo credit: John Carvalho<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Bio<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elaine Kachala writes bold, curiosity-fueled STEAM nonfiction that empowers young readers to imagine\u2014and build\u2014a better world with technology. Her newest book, Building Homes for All: Technology for a Fair and Green Planet<\/em> (March 2026), is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and earned glowing reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Journal. Her debut, Superpower? The Wearable-Tech Revolution<\/em> (2022) was named a Best STEM Book K-12 by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the Children\u2019s Book Council (CBC) and was a finalist for several major awards, including the AAAS\/Subaru SB&F Prize, the Red Cedar Young Readers\u2019 Choice Awards, and the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards.<\/p>\n

Before writing for children, Elaine spent over 20 years as a health policy writer and adviser. With degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of Toronto and a master\u2019s in environmental studies from York University, she weaves her knowledge into stories about real-life inventors who dream big while considering the health, social, and ethical impacts of their innovations. Elaine lives in Toronto with her family.<\/p>\n

Links<\/strong><\/p>\n

Website: https:\/\/www.elainekachala.com\/<\/a>
YouTube Channel: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@elainekachala2009<\/a>
LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/elainekachala\/<\/a>
Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/elainekachala\/<\/a>
acebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/elainekachala<\/a>
Book Purchase: https:\/\/bit.ly\/4gcXiVw<\/a><\/p>\n

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