What was your process for creating illustrations?
Rawdon: I did all my own illustrations. I have always drawn and sketched as a hobby. I had two years of one-on-one painting lessons years ago and actually managed to sell a few paintings. The spare bedroom is full of unsold paintings. As I wrote my story, certain images would come into my head, and I decided to use oil pastels and not overwork the sketches.
How has your craft evolved from when you first started writing?
Rawdon: I have attempted to write a story a few times over the years but this is actually the first one I have been able to complete. I had a lot of help and advice from Victoria Wharfe McIntyre who I was put in touch with through friends. She also edited the book for me.
How do you balance keeping a story simple for young readers while still dealing with complex emotions?
Rawdon: I started to write during Covid. To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind, but the content of the adventures will hopefully intrigue younger readers. My story is a series of adventures with my slightly rogue grandparents during an English summer in the early 1960s. It contains magic, both real and imagined. Modern young readers all have access to the internet so I’m sure they are far more sophisticated than my generation and will be able to cope with the emotions.
My book is a love letter to nan and grandad.
How do you decide what language to use so it connects with modern kids?
Rawdon: This is a hard one for me to answer because this is something I never considered. Victoria gave me great advice and said to her, the book would appeal to ‘tweens’.
I would also like to add that hopefully adults may find it amusing. A retired solicitor friend of mine read it and told me how much he enjoyed it. One of his comments was, ‘It took me right back.” He also called me Enid Blyton!
How does your own childhood or personal background influence the stories you write?
Rawdon: It is set in the early 1960s which was such an optimistic time. The way people dressed and looked and the way music changed inspired my story.
Once I started to write, the synapses started to fire and the memories just came flooding back.
Life in this English village is far from ordinary. Beneath the routines of gardening and herding escaping chickens lies genuine magic. Sparked by mysterious green flashes, this family of grandchildren and grandparents are periodically transported into impossible adventures!
