This is just the most delightful story of being true to yourself and trusting your instincts. The absolute dream team of Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley have created a belter of a beaver tale. Nora is a bit different from the other beavers. She saws and hammers rather than gnaw and nibble and the others despair of her.
However, when Nora figures out a massive problem, she needs to be herself and find the solution!
As part of the blog tour, I am thrilled to welcome Lu Fraser sharing a typical but strange day in the life of an author! It’s a brilliant read, just as The Busiest Beaver is!
Check out the gnaw-some activity pack for parents and teachers! https://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net/assets_uk/a4-activity-pack.pdf
A Day in the Life of a Writer
By Lu Fraser
There’s no doubt about it, I’m not the sort of writer who sets a good example, or who leads the kind of writing-life you’re going to want. I have read some lovely articles about writers who lead idyllic lives in the middle of nowhere (or wonderfully organised bookish lives in the buzz of a city) and all I can say is that I’m not one of them.
My average day? Well, it looks a little bit like this…
4:50 am
‘That opening spread is rubbish. Maybe I should write another opening spread? But I’ve already written nine opening spreads. My agent would tell me to STOP (she’s always right). OK, I’m getting up… and I am absolutely NOT going to write another opening spread.’
5:30 am
‘I’m still in bed. That’s not great. But on the plus side I’ve got another four versions of spreadone done. Definitely time to get up, plus I need a litre of tea (what have I packed in my laptop case? This thing weighs a TONNE!).’
8:30 am
‘Hmmm… so that’s 17 versions of spread one now, and 47 pages which each have a single line on them. This is going well, I think!’
11:30 am
‘I’ve been writing for seven hours now and everything that I’ve written is terrible – terrible! I am a truly TERRIBLE writer! I should give up! Maybe a break will help? I wonder if I’vehad any exciting mail? Ooooh! Helen, my marvellous editor, has sent me something WITH AN ATTACHMENT! Maybe it’s artwork?! Just one quick look – won’t take me a second…’
12:30 pm
‘ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOOK AT THE TIME!’
2 pm
Brrrrrrrng Brrrrrrng
‘Errr… no, darling… I haven’t seen the traffic… I’m working… No, I don’t know where you put your favourite socks…’
3 pm
Knock knock
∼ ‘Oh, hello! Um… I’m sorry?! WHAT did you just say?!?!’
∼ ‘There’s a COW in the garden?’
∼ ‘Escaped? How many? Really? REALLY?! Wow! That’s A LOT of sheep, isn’t it?!?!’
∼ ‘A pig? No, officer… that is not mine…’
∼ ‘A goose, this time, officer? Yes, it does look rather cross, doesn’t it?!’
∼ ‘The horse has done… WHAT?!?!’
∼ ‘A duck? Under the sofa? OK, which one of you put a duck under the sofa?!’
∼ ‘OK, that is a VERY big snake! Put it down! PUT IT DOWN!’
∼ ‘GET YOUR HOOVES OFF MY WINDOWSILL!’
(Strange but… ALL TRUE!)
5 pm
Brrrrrrrng Brrrrrrng
‘Hello! Er… how’s it going?! Uh… very well! Yes, fantastically, wonderfully well! Completely in hand, not out of control AT ALL! What was that? Can I send you the manuscript? I can send you spread one, does that help? All 54 versions of it?!?!?!’
10 pm
‘So… that’s the dogs fed and the cooking, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, garden, phone calls, cleaning, tidying, daughter, husband, grandparents, chums, birthday presents, anniversaries, bills, online shopping, stuff DONE! Just going to lock up in my officeand maybe have one last little fiddle with those words…’
12:30 am
‘ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOOK AT THE TIME!’
… And that is how my average day looks! And, just to be clear, I wouldn’t change a single thing! Except, maybe, that opening spread…
My Shelves Are Full 