The fabulous organisers of the York Book Award have sent me some photos of the students amazing work. I’ve printed these off to put up on the wall in my writing space, they bring me so much joy!
One incredible student had a sketchbook with pages and pages of a Stitchwort movie storyboard. I LOVE the styling of Viola here. Just phenomenal work, Kene you’re amazing! Please keep drawing and telling stories!
Then this beautiful watercolour portrait of Etta…
The most adorable, fluffy, needle-felted spider!
All of the art and writing the students created inspired by the book was amazing, I hope they were all very proud of the hard work and effort they put in. Everything was to such an exceptionally high standard, one student had made a griffin for Impossible Creatures!
I had a plan for the New Year. Every week I was going to get a book from the library, read it, and put a review online. Since my first book published I’ve realised how incredibly important reviews are!
I managed the book borrowing and reading part. The reviewing part… well, we’re halfway through March, and this is the first time I’ve managed it.
I’m far too easily distracted. One of my many distractions are our pets. We have a collie, who needs much walking, two elderly cats (who don’t), and at Halloween last year my mum found a cat with 5 kittens living under her garden shed. They were very wary of people, it took three weeks to get them all in mum’s house at the same time. At which point we realised we couldn’t close the door behind them, as they were between us and the door handle…
We had to set up a piece of string, and is was another week before we were able to trap them. Luckily we caught them just ahead of two big winter storms, one of which ripped the fence away from the shed and exposed where the kittens had been sleeping. As soon as we got them all indoors it promptly snowed!
Kittens first snow!
We were so relieved to have them safe and warm indoors. My parents were also relieved that they didn’t have to keep their doors open at all hours in the cold anymore!
We ended up keeping two of the kittens. This is Professor Cecil B. Heimerdinger, looking longingly at the remains of breakfast;
Heimerdinger is not a fan of the ‘no cats on the table’ rule. If you’re wondering about the name, he’s named after a character in the Netflix show ‘Arcane’.
This is Willow, who is absolutely tiny! Willow is named after Willow from Buffy.
In between the endless litter cleaning and cat feeding I did manage a trip to the library, where this beautiful cover immediately caught my eye;
How could I not pick it up?! When I got home and started reading I realised this is the second book in the series. It was so good I kept going with it, for a start the main character lives in a bookshop so how could I not! I definitely want to find out more about the ‘Uncles’ and the magic system in this world. The villain was so malicious and evil, I hated her! I was in silent fury at the treatment of some of the characters; the injustice!
I really enjoyed it, and I definitely have to go and read the first one. I suspect there’s going to be more so if we get to three books (fingers crossed) I’ll be on a binge-read weekend!
I was also busy frantically crocheting in January, trying to get ready for the arrival of my first niece! She’s now here in the world, and absolutely beautiful! I’m looking forward to being the weird, old, goth aunt in her life. I just hope she likes really brightly striped blankets…
I also received many lovely bookish presents. I read ‘Assistant to the Villain’ in the ‘Betwixtmas’ period, while stuffing my face with cheese and chocolate. I didn’t know this was a TikTok thing, apparently there’s a video series that the book has grown out of? But without knowing anything about it I really enjoyed it. It was light and fun, perfect easy read after a busy Christmas (with kittens) I enjoyed the setting of an office, but it’s in a fantasy kingdom, and your boss is the villain. There was much casual murder, death and beheading. Sort of like a fantasy Midsomer Murders.
If I’m reading while sat at my laptop that counts as me writing, right?
I’m also trying to get back into drawing again, there never seems to be time and I’m getting rusty. I’m trying to do some little sketchbook pages, just so I don’t totally forget how drawing works!
I will *try* to get more regular at posting. Unless I’m reading, drawing, crocheting, writing…..
Oh, and everyone who loves books should read and share this article!
I loved making props and models. Every day was different, the people I worked with were brilliant. I made trees for Hogwarts, weapons for Chucky, palm trees for Tracey Island. The hours were long, but the job was fun and well paid. I would have cheerfully kept doing it forever. Unfortunately….
There was a lot of uncertainty during this time, it was hard to find props work. I started temping in an office. I was used to leaving home at 5.30am, and getting home at 9pm. Suddenly I was getting home from work four hours early!
During my extra free time I came across a few of my old drawings. They… maybe weren’t that terrible?
So I tentatively started drawing again. Just a little bluebell faery at first. I showed my husband, and he thought it was good.
Watercolour bluebell faery, by Alexandra Dawe
In between temp jobs I drew more. One of my temp jobs was at Palgrave Macmillan. With no sign of the film industry picking up, (pre- streaming boom. I have the worst timing.) I stopped trying to find work and took an editorial assistant position at Palgrave. When I got home from work I’d paint. A year after the bluebell faery came this one…
Damselfly, watercolour painting by Alexandra Dawe
Mr Dawe is one of the best people, and the most supportive husband in the world. He bought me a scanner and printer, and encouraged me to try and sell cards and prints of my artwork. Some local shops stocked them, freinds and family bought them. I had a few commissions. I kept drawing and painting, and thought maybe I was getting better?
We decided to have a go at a faery themed craft fair, and booked a stall.
And there I met Brian and Wendy Froud, the artists responsible for Labyrinth, the movie that got me out of the oubliette. I stammered out a few words, afterwards Mr Dawe muttered, ‘You were practically curtseying.’
Somewhere Mr Dawe and I got married, had children, and moved to Devon. I painted around childcare, sold my work online and at craft fairs. I’ve been lucky enough to meet the Frouds several times, and many other Chagford artists and residents. I’ve even been invited to exhibit with some of them at the Widdershins exhibition in Moretonhampstead.
Props, models, art, fantasy, film, and stories have woven through my life and allowed me to meet wonderful people and have incredible experiences.
As I painted my head would be filled with stories. But it was a while before I thought to write any of them down.
