I’m often asked where my characters come from. Great-Grandma was imagined when I set out on this journey back in 2013. My twin grandkids had moved with their parents halfway across the globe to Brazil and I began writing letters to them. My mum wasn’t too well at the time, so I was relaying family news, sparking a realisation that I could write children’s fiction. That is where the similarity to my quirky character and my mum ends.
Simultaneously, Great-Grandma’s devoted companion Mincemeat, a kind human-sized ginger cat stepped onto the page. But this blog is a character sketch about Great-Grandma.
I decided right from the get-go that she had to be nuts! She was crafted as exceptionally rascally and someone who likes exceedingly yucky food such as beetle and apple pie, crispy fried ants, and cheese-flavoured chocolate! She is always up for a challenge and pretty much fearless, climbing trees being one such pursuit! Her persona has evolved over time into the character she is today. Great-Grandma has a style quite all her own! Crazy colourful clothes. She sports a real bird in her hair, with pencils at the ready stuffed into her hair for when she needs to suddenly write something down. Well, what did you expect?! Her creator is an author after all!
One of Great-Grandma’s favourite expressions is “Oh how positively exciting!”
From ‘Mincemeat and A Train Called Zayn’…
As Zayn headed back down the track away from the sea, he gazed at the railway line in front of him. He didn’t want to keep chugging along as he usually did, sensible and steady. He still longed to be an express train. It was his dream. And today, as he saw the line stretching away in front of him, Zayn decided now was the time to make that dream come true.
Berkeley was steering him as usual, when Zayn unexpectedly accelerated. Just a little at first, then faster and faster. Before long, he was travelling much more quickly than he’d ever travelled before.
He sped under bridges. He whizzed past fields, going so fast the trees along the side of the track blew furiously about.
Berkeley couldn’t stop him. Zayn was having so much fun, he was laughing! The passengers couldn’t believe it as the countryside shot past the windows!
Great-Grandma thought it was wonderful. “Oh, how positively exciting!”
*****
One thing I do seem to have inherited from my mum is that I move quickly! In turn, Great-Grandma has inherited it from me! She is an extremely active lady, loves gardening and pottering about the greenhouse, happily leaving all the cooking to dear old Mincemeat! One lucky lady! And I have to leave you with one of my most favourite illustrations to date.
