THE END OF THE BEGINNING?

When the pre-publication package from Austin Macauley arrived, I just stared at it for a few minutes. It was a few days before the official publication date of 29/4/22. When I finally opened the box, I couldn’t help but smile at the collection of books, leaflets, posters and flyers, all featuring the superb illustration of Ellie and Grace in the forest at night by Gill Gill.

I started writing ‘Thank you, Ellie’ two years earlier, in early 2020. I’d never had any pretensions to be an author, but I had previously written a book, not commercially available, for my grandson. That was not planned and literally just grew! Before he was born in the spring of 2016, my wife bought me a thin journal entitled, ‘Notes for my Grandson’, and I began making entries under the various headings. I very quickly realised I had far too much to say and got out the laptop instead! In the summer of 2019, I finished what had become a 100,000-word family history using my early life as a basis. With no time to bask in the glow, I almost immediately learned that a granddaughter would be joining us in the spring of 2020. I was thrilled with the news, but I imagined reproachful stares in years to come from the neglected grandchild who did not have a book written for her. So I remarked to my daughter something along the lines of: ‘Thanks very much, I’ve got to write another one now!’ Easier said than done! The family history ship had well and truly sailed, so I needed to come up with a different idea. But what? Sensibly, but with no obvious alternative, I decided to put my trust in an almost organic process. Other life events requiring my time and energy had to be confronted, but I didn’t realise how those strands would gradually fuse to create the inspiration I sought. Join me soon for the next instalment.

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