An exciting time for me – here’s what I put on Facebook last night at 11.57:
It’s 11.57 pm and I have just written The End on my manuscript! Finally. 🙂 I began this book, the fourth in The Barn Chronicles series, on the 27th January 2012. Whew. It’s taken a long time (and it’s not finished yet! I still have 60 more illustrations to do) but this is a momentous moment (is that good ‘England’??) for me. I’ve been on a ten day tour – am in Christchurch at the moment – and I’ve had hours of free time when I could just sit and write. A real Godsend. So, I just wanted to share the good news with someone – anyone. 🙂
I’d better add here that I have LOVED writing these books – what I wrote above makes it sounds like I couldn’t wait to finish. It’s not like that at all. 🙂 But it will be wonderful when I can tell my little fans that it’s ready for them. Here’s a photo of two young fans that I met today. Precious.
I’ve had a lovely day today doing some illustrations in between speaking at the conference. In fact, when I sat at a desk this afternoon and spread out my pencils, I had a wonderful feeling come over me…the same feeling I had in the opening scenes of Miss Potter, when she opens her little paint tin, and then puts her paint brushes in a jar. I can’t really describe what I felt when I went to the movies and saw that…I sat forward on my seat, filled with a feeling of excitement, anticipation. I think it reminded me of my childhood when I used to do drawing with my mum. And now here I am illustrating my own books (trying to!). I have enlisted the help of my children (some more willing than others), and Kate has been doing some beautiful ones. I’ll attach one for a sneak preview. 🙂 Withing seconds of spreading my pencils on the desk today, I had a little audience. Children came and sat with me and got out their crayons and colouring in pencils – it was so special.
Only 58 more to go!!! 🙂
Rosie – 16 March 2013