Friday, July 21, 2006

Guinea Pigs

Those who know me, also know that my next book, Being Bee, coming out in September features guinea pigs. Two guinea pigs, Fifi and Lulu, play important roles in Bee's life. Now, part of this book was inspired by my younger step-daughter, Belinda who, after a bit of a show-down, wrote in the dust on my car, 'Guinea pigs rule the world!'

Imagine my surprise when I turned up to do a gig at Fintona when I discovered behind the library desk a guinea pig puppet! An amazingly good guinea pig puppet. I wanted it - but good manners prevailed and I didn't put it in my backpack, however, I did take all the details and came home and googled and then ebayed - and yes, I am nearly the proud owner of my own. Now, all I have to do is think up some writing workshops in which the said puppet can feature...

At times like this, I find myself thinking I have a fabulous life - Diana Whynne Jones on knitting one day, guinea pigs the next, a poetry reading tomorrow (ad break - if you read this while there is still time, come to the Dan O'Connell hotel, Fitzroy, where they serve guiness on tap, and here Maurice McNamara read his laconic but lyrical poems.) and the sheep and wool show! What more could a knitterly writerly still childish kind of woman want? (Oh, Black Books - they must be repeating it. My cup spilleth over and out!)

2 comments:

Gregory Brett Hardy said...

Bah ha! Black Books rules!

Gregory Brett Hardy said...

Interestingly, my nickname for my sister Bethany, is Bee...