Editorial Commssions

Strange thoughts and images cloud my waking vision. They overpower my every waking thought making it near on impossible to think of anything else, they need releasing onto the innocent and unknowing paper lay out before me. The hand trembles as the sharpened pointed lead hits the surface making the pointiest bit break off smirring the innocent paper with it's grey smudgey debris, but then a dance happens with the pencil and the paper. Sometimes the dance is a slow dance, sometimes it's a Foxtrot - you never know. These are what they are the 'not knowing' drawings. I still don't know.

It was early 2011. I'd recently been reading quite a lot of Murakami novels. I suddenly struck up on an idea for my own book. I never thought in a million years that I had the ability to progress on it, let alone write 44,000 words. But I did - with a little help from my friends and a couple of special sofas, which my bum has permenantly imprinted.

Below are roughs of work that I had created to try and get a true feel for the characters. Also I had other peoples work up on my wall that I also found very inspiring. All this helped spurn on the writing process and create a piece of work I am truely proud of

Here is the synopsis:

Betsey Wren and the Satin Thief is a contemporary, fantasy novel for young woman (12+) but also can be enjoyed by the whole family. It follows the journey of self discovery for the boyishly elegant, 14 year old Betsey Wren - an adventurous outsider on the cusp of woman hood and Walter - a dapper Bowerbird and avid collector of all things blue.

Betsey, upset by her constantly bickering parents and ostracised by her school peers who don't understand her unique nature, fashion, and talents as much as she doesn't understand their banal normality, sees her religiously venturing into the woods where she feels protected by it's many wooden arms. Here, she paints; exercising her unique thoughts and developing her visual and audio voice, without feeling ashamed or restrained.

Walter the Satin Bowerbird who steals her favourite coloured paint. Not wanting to part with her prize possession, Betsey scrambles deeper into the forest after him, stumbling upon his bower which is decorated with many other blue jewels stolen from the forests treasure chest. She eventually finds hers and steels it back. Once Walter learns his precious object has been taken, he is devastated but learns to deal with it. What he can't deal with is the curse that his rejected son Saul places on him, which is the removal of colour from his sacred vision, sending Walters' world into a colourless, monochromatic orbit, and deeper into the darkest depths of the forests gassy stomach - striving to find the 'Shaman Beaver' a mystical but evil creature who has the ability to undo this life altering curse.

Betsey returns to the bower and is confronted by a sobbing Saul who scatteringly tells her that Walter has put life and limbs at risk to find what was taken from him. Betsey thinks he is referring to the paint she took, so she mercilessly pursues him, trying to find him before he meets certain death. Constantly, she is one chapter behind him, meeting the creatures that marvel in the reluctant hero's path along the way. These include the 'Cockney Pigs', the 'Queen Bee', and the feathery residents of 'Shellbyville'.

As the solo bird experiences companionship and love, he understands what it feels like to be cared for. As Betsey charters unknown territories - facing her fears, she starts to realise the importance of having two loving parents, as well as embracing her unconventionality and individuality. The end sees them re-united as Betsey saves Walter from his pending doom by putting her own neck on the line. In return, she is saved by the selfless deeds that she has performed in the forest people, by the forest bird god 'Totempollus', who offers her a gift which she keeps – ready for the next 'Betsey Wren' novel.

Above you will find the first three chapters of my delightful book. If you are wanting to read more; please get in touch, and we'll see what we can do.

The below clip is of a Satin Bowerbird, and this is what inspired the whole book.

My story