(A little literary side note: the lighthouse in the distance here, Godrevy Lighthouse, is the very one Virginia Woolf wrote about in To The Lighthouse.) In fact, I’m writing this blog with the sound of seagulls outside my window while white, curling waves crash onto the beach. See why I have to pinch myself? If you have never been here, take it from me: Cornwall is beautiful! I now live twenty minutes’ drive from this magical place. I was instantly enthralled and, shortly afterwards, set off to spend a week in a hotel overlooking the castle as I researched what was to become my third book, Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist. The funny thing is, years ago, a friend told me about a magical place in Cornwall, where there’s a castle on a hill on a tiny island that is sometimes connected to land and sometimes cut off from it depending on where the tide is. I could not imagine living anywhere better. I’ve always adored the sea, I’ve always loved messing about on boats, and for over fifteen years I’ve written books about a part-time mermaid. I genuinely pinch myself every day – not only because I love it here, but also because it is so perfect for me and my books. Over the last decade, I still haven’t got used to the fact that I am allowed to live in a place that looks like this: We eventually found ourselves in St Ives, and by the end of an afternoon on the beach and an evening in the harbourside pub The Sloop, we had fallen in love with the place and decided to live there. Here’s the van, the dog and a temporary office I set up on a long term pitch in Spain. It was an incredible year of adventuring, exploring and getting inspiration. Ten years ago, my partner and I rented out our house, packed up a few belongings, got the dog a pet passport and set off for a year in a campervan. In fact, one friend, Keris Stainton, has SUCH a head start that she actually made a whole book out of things her sons had said.īut when it comes to being inspired by your surroundings, I have to hold my hands up and admit that, yeah, maybe I have a bit of a head start too. I’ve got writer friends whose children say such funny and original things that I’ve often thought it gives them a head start when it comes to writing books. Liz lives in the beautiful St.Ives in Cornwall which just happens to be my most favourite place in the world, so I was interested to hear how she was inspired by these stunning surroundings. So when pirates kidnap her friends she realises it’s within her power to save the day. Emily begins to recognise the importance of becoming self-reliant and staying true to herself.
‘Emily Windsnap and the Pirate Prince,’ features a transformative moment for our young heroine.
Today I am delighted to welcome Liz Kessler to the blog with a special guest post on her writing inspiration to celebrate the release of the eighth adventure in the ‘Emily Windsnap’ series.
0 kommentar(er)
