Back in July I wrote a blog
called Summer on Picture Book Island. A
number of people said ‘Oh, you lucky thing!’
But Jonathan Allen, ever the
sceptic, said ‘Yeah, but I bet it’s not like that in the depths of winter.’ So here’s an update.
7 a.m. Dog yapping downstairs - ‘I want my
breakfast!’ Writer puts earplugs in,
and tries to ignore her.
7.15 a.m. Dog ups the decibels. Writer tumbles from warm bed. In dressing gown and slippers, he descends
to the chill of the kitchen. (It's the artist's dressing gown, by the way. Writer's one got peed on by the cat and is in the washing machine. Long story. And I know I look silly in it.)
7.30 a.m. Menagerie now fed. Time to feed writer – muesli, orange juice, lapsang souchong,
toast and tawny orange marmalade.
Writer is a creature of habit.
Reads last of the last Alice Munro, and sighs. (Watched over by grandson - who came to stay over Christmas, bringing untold delight).
8 a.m. Writer riddles rayburn (not allowed to do so
before eight as it wakes the artist, sleeping above). Gets the heat of the house going and brings artist her first mug
of tea.
8.30 a.m. Writer switches on
computer. Checks email. Has quick read of current picture book. Changes ‘gone’ to ‘flown’. Hyphenates ‘hot-air’. Smiles.
9 a.m. Writer brings tea two
to artist. Dons running gear. Running is writer’s latest obsession. He aims to celebrate his 60th
birthday, in June, by completing his first marathon. Is writer mad?
9.10 a.m. Sets out, with
dog, into the crisp, chilly air. Up
the lane, past the holiday cottages, along the road, over the sand dunes,
across the beach, past the cemetery and home.
5k. Under 25 minutes. Not bad for an old fella.
9.50 a.m. Writer lets the
ducks out. Two eggs. Artist has risen, as has the temperature
(inside). Time for shower and second
breakfast.
10.30 a.m. Back to the story. Working on it for two months now. Initially it involved a trip to the zoo. Agent liked the idea, but felt that zoo was
‘tacked on’ and asked writer to ‘find an adventure that grows organically out
of the core idea… so it all ties indivisibly together and resonates with that
core idea more directly and more meaningfully’ Serious business, this
picture book lark. Doesn’t get any easier,
no matter how long you’ve been at it.
So the zoo disappeared. Prose turned to rhyme - sometimes you just
can’t stop it - and a new plot appeared, involving cupcakes. Agent’s view? ‘It’s starting to get somewhere.
The domestic set-up is beautifully done, and funny too. But the second half feels undercooked.’ A pun on cupcakes, presumably - agent
has a wry humour. ‘Ending feels more
like a twist or punchline than a real ending that ties things up. It feels closer to the core of the idea, but I need you to dig deeper!’
Thunder, lightning and
emotional depth added. Agent liked
it. Tried it out on publisher. Who said, ‘Here we have the beginning of a potentially
appealing character around whom an emotionally expansive story could be written. But, as it currently stands, it doesn’t
take the reader far enough. In fact, it doesn’t really take them
anywhere.’ Oh dear.
Agent said, ‘Go find a new
story that gets right to the core of what it feels like to be that
character. DIG DEEPER!’
The story has to fly, and that’s where the hot-air
balloon comes in. I’m digging, digging,
digging, and I know I’ve got to get there this
time. There’s only so many times you
can to-and-fro a piece before people lose faith in it.
12.30 p.m. Lunchtime. Sitting round the rayburn, with soda bread
and beetroot soup. It’s winter on
Picture Book Island. A time of wind and
rain, of hail and storm, of occasional frost and even more
occasional snow. A time for wrapping up
warm. For bedding down and digging
deeper.
But already snowdrops are
peeping up through the cold cold soil.
Already daffodils are shooting, and montbretia, a blaze of orange later in the year, is
pushing its way out.
And my story’s finding its
form. At last it's finding its form.
P.S. Snowy pix are from a previous winter. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Malachy is pleased to announce that The Snuggle Sandwich, his picture book with the illustrator Gwen Millward, has been shortlisted for the Dundee Picture Book Award.
Also his most recent picture book, Too Noisy, with Ed Vere, has been nominated for the Greenaway Award.
