A few years ago I published two children’s books, and I had the third written but not published. Over the last few days I have felt the urge to get the last one completed and ‘out there’.
Now I have to see if I can get my illustrator, who happens to be my son-in-law and who leads a busy life, to find the time to complete his illustrations.
I absolutely love writing children’s stories. I enjoy the free rein it gives me as I let my imagination take over. I love creating little creatures and love creating whole new worlds for them to live in.
My little creatures often have human attributes and they take on lives very similar to our own. They experience all the emotions we do and I relish creating exciting adventures for them.
Writing is my absolute pleasure – my daughter often comments that reading my writing feels to her as though we are having a one-on one-conversation. I guess I don’t hold back and when a stream of thought comes along I tend to go with the flow, and go back and make my corrections once the piece is completed.
Writing also gives me a real sense of freedom. I don’t like being interrupted and my family now know to just leave me to it when I am ‘in the zone’. I generally keep on writing for a few hours or a few days while everything is fresh in my mind. Sometimes I wake up at night with an idea for a story but feel I can’t really get up and disrupt the house. Sometimes I have a pen and paper by my bed so I can jot an idea down, as with dreams by morning they are often gone.
Imagination is a wonderful thing and for me it’s really a good way to escape real life – it gives me quiet and inner peace, which is something I think we all crave for in this ultra-busy life we lead.
The other pleasure in life for me is music. I love musical theatre, opera and swing music. If I am uptight or stressed, putting on some lovely music puts me in a happy place. My family think I am totally crackers but I love pretending to conduct an orchestra. Maybe I was a conductor in a former life, but I just love it.
I am so fortunate to be good friends with Gary Daverne, who conducted the Auckland Symphony Orchestra for many years. He always inspired me. When I was young I had piano lessons for several years – I think I was too young to appreciate the opportunity I was given and I failed miserably. I just adore piano music so I am hoping my grandson will play one day.
For me, a life without music or colour and imagination is no life at all. To rob yourself of these pleasures with indeed be tragic.
So wish me luck as I set out to write some more children’s books before I get too much older.
By Kay Rayner. Read more here.