Sneak peek at Silver Linings.
And the strings story.
Hello,
In the short life of The Woodcock Dispatch, this is the first time I’m writing to share some actual news!
Silver Linings
I started working on a story for Pip and Parker in 2018 and I’m pleased to say that in one week Silver Linings will be published in the US and it will be out in the UK on April 13th. (You can pre-order here if you so fancy).
I’ll tell you more about the book in a later post, but here’s the cover and a little sneak peek of a favourite wordless spread.
Turkey-Syria Art Raffle
I’ve donated a signed hardback copy of Silver Linings along with a signed copy of my debut book Hiding Heidi and a Hiding Heidi sofa print. And there are loads of generous bookish prizes donated by UK children’s book authors and illustrators.
The raffle is organised by KidLit4Crisis to raise much-needed funds for the DEC’s Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. It runs until 24th February, and all the info can be found here if you feel able to donate.
Strings story and Aftersun
I’d like to share a story of an unexpected day I had in Turkey. Whilst in Istanbul in September 2010, we went on a day trip to the island of Büyükada on an incredibly overcrowded ferry. I spoke to a Turkish lady sitting next to me who managed to explain that we were very lucky to have come today as it was a "special day". As we made our way with the crowds up the steep hill, people were laying coloured threads amongst trees and bushes along the side of the path, all the way to the top where there was a small Church and stunning views.
It was only later that we discovered we'd managed to stumble across a pilgrimage that happens on two days a year. Each colour string represents a different wish or aspiration. (there’s a picture book idea in there somewhere, I’ll keep trying!) This drawing below created soon after, was inspired by that day and I think it's a memory that is likely to appear in my work again. I often create work loosely based on a distant memory. That’s how the idea for my book Look evolved and the raincoats in Silver Linings. (But more on that another day)
I wrote on my old blog at the time that my holiday read was Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk. There is a whole chapter devoted to hüzün, the Turkish word for Melancholy. He writes - "hüzün, which denotes a melancholy that is communal rather than private. Offering no clarity; veiling reality instead, hüzün brings us comfort, softening the view like the condensation on a window when a tea kettle has been spouting steam on a winter's day."
This also makes me think of Aftersun, a film (set in a Turkish holiday resort) that I enjoyed in January and am still thinking about. I came across this post from the film’s Director Charlotte Wells who writes beautifully about the slippery nature of memory and another Turkish word - “In Turkish, a language rich in vocabulary not easily rendered into English, hasret means some combination of longing, love, and loss”. It seems particularly appropriate in this context and to this film.”
My quick update to tell you about the new book evolved just a bit! Thank you so much for reading and see you again soonish! Also a big thank you to the new subscribers!
Fiona
I very much enjoyed the strings story - what a lucky day! And I am looking forward to Silver Linings too...