Welcome to 2025. This post came as a pleasant surprise, as it was inspired by a dear friend. The above title is, in fact, a quote from J. P. Lawrence. He is the author of the two books above plus some podcasts from the first book, The Private Lives of Teddies.
The books are available from any good bookshop, including (for example) Waterstone's, and are suitable for children of any age from 5 and up if read to, or 7 and up if reading for themselves.
The reason I've started this post is to inspire you to do something creative because you can and because you enjoy it, and not because of any New Year's resolution!
Leonardo Da Vinci was fond of writing backwards - probably because he could. He was not permitted to complete university as he was an illegitimate child, instead taking an apprenticeship with another artist, which his father arranged for him. Fortunately he was grateful for the opportunity not to have to finish university!
'Gorgeous' George Lucas made Star Wars films 4, 5 and 6 before the first three episodes of that saga because the technology did not exist in 1977 to create the films that he wanted to. So he made episodes 4 to 6 first - because he could. Also, by the way, he was not very gorgeous.
The Japanese art of kintsugi consists in repairing broken pottery with adhesive mixed with gold dust, creating a beautiful - gorgeous, even - mended piece that is often more attractive than the original unbroken object. It is also often worth more in monetary terms. Presumably at some point someone saw a broken piece of pottery and, instead of sweeping it into the bin while cursing his or her grandchildren, realised that it could be mended and beautified further.
I am writing this short blog post because I can, and it is being made possible by a new co-writer, the one and only Mr. J. P. Lawrence. And what you need to understand about my friend is that he is a good friend, and great fun to be around. As yet he has published two books, but with your support and my encouragement, maybe, just maybe, he'll write another, because he can.
Many composers and musicians write their music by simply improvising endlessly until something comes along that they want to take further. Having just watched the film on Bob Dylan, he didn't seem to go anywhere without his guitar. Elgar's Nimrod, from the Enigma Variations, was famously picked out by Mrs Elgar from a meandering improvisation he was playing on the piano one day. He scored it into a full orchestral piece and composed the other variations around it.
"Well done, dearie," Mrs Elgar said, "now come in here and have your tea. It's pilchards and blancmange."
"Yum yum," said Mr Elgar.
And there we have it. I am incapable of writing anything factual without making it silly at the end. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no record of that conversation having happened between Mr and Mrs Elgar, although I think it's very likely it did, don't you? I write this kind of drivel because I can. I like to think of it as a talent. I hope you do too.
Final three paragraphs and opinions about the gorgeousness or otherwise of George Lucas written by the aforementioned Mr. J. P. Lawrence
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