I Still Exist!

I was beginning to wonder whether or not I did .... but I do!

This is because I am between cataract operations so my eyes are very differen,t which makeswriting and illustrating a chore. Besides, it was frustrating to have to behave like a convelescent!

As I am away for two weeks, shortly, I wanted to make contact.

Here is the first Bird of Paradise to appear in the garden. It looks rather nosey to me!

And here is Spare - a cat that turned up and has decided to make its home with us!

Hope you enjoy his efforts to be a tame cat!

Looking forward to catching up on all your posts.

The 'Violet Jelly Trilogy' book covers

Here are the three book covers:

And here is a tricky character ... the Hornswoggle

And now I am off to catch up on your posts. 

2013 ........... just waiting

Heading into a New Year, I am excited to see the variety of your new posts and am inspired to create afresh.

Wishing each of you a New Year of special memories

As you can see, I have finished my drawing of daisies, which is awaiting a frame.

But what I shall say is not so much to do with drawing but looking outwards from writing. In December I pencilled the final words of my 'Violet Jelly Trilogy'; it was with some satisfaction that I had seen it through and surprise that I had managed to gather the loose ends and the time differences to bring them to the end. There is now editing and the illustrations to create, but just to know that it is complete is an inside 'yes! I did it!'
I say that this is an inward exclamation as it is hard to share writing and the 'mind's experience' of writing until it is there ... even then, it is such an individual experience (all the 'x' words appearing here!) that I cannot find the words  ... and those words are humble words, more a thank you that there is creation within that pushes its way out, which have not yet formed a sentence.
However, I shall share some parts of my work with those of you who read my blog .... and to return to the 'drawing' side of things, I shall be showing you the cover quite soon as it turned out as I had hoped, which I had hardly dared to suppose.

2013 waiting to be discovered

Simply Christmas

I send these words and images to be uniquely absorbed by each reader .....

'The sun has burst the sky

Because I love you ....'

from'The  sun has burst the sky' by Jenny Joseph

'Love gives us the will to carry on,

Love tries and almost breaks us .......

Lapping us up, love soothes, protects and holds us'

Ann Sharples

'Every day is a fresh beginning,

Listen my soul to the glad refrain ...

.............

Take heart with the day and begin again'

from 'New Every Morning' by Susan Coolidge

Thinking of You All This Christmas

x

Passion for Autumn

I wondered about the title, but I do love autumn as a season (although in Spain I prefer Spring).

This is my annual pasion flower post.

I though that you might like to take this passion flower with you into the next season. 

I find it intriguing - almost a mathematical equation that I have not quite worked out as it is so brilliant.

Hope you enjoy this feat of nature, too.

Night and Day Hibiscus

As summer draws slowly to a close, I leave you these hibiscus to ponder upon. They have gloriously filled our garden with colour throughout the season ..... and continue to bloom.

Storyboard - the final part

This is the conclusion of the first book in the 'Violet Jelly Trilogy'. The adventurers return to their home in Virtual Reality .... but this is not the end as they find themselves involved in another adventure in the second book, 'Violet and Lavender'.

All is fully revealed in the third and final book in the Trilogy, 'Discovering Jasmine T'.

If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave them. Thank you!

VIOLET JELLY

Words and illustrations copyright of Ann Sharples
2005

www.annsharples.com

Storyboard - continued

Here is the middle part of  the  'Violet Jelly' story. If you enjoyed the first part, then carry on looking and reading. I shall post the final part on Wednesday. The book is for ages 8-10 and comes in illustrated and unillustrated versions on Amazon.

There are variations in the way of illustrating as part of the action takes place in Cyberspace and some here in our world. Also, some are larger illustrations and some are small and fitted inbetween the words.

Please comment if your thoughts are so inclined.

VIOLET JELLY

The adventure gathers pace here as the protagonists attempt to reach the Iridescent Forest ahead of  Irus-the-Virus and 
Scream Saver

Words and illustrations copyright of Ann Sharples

2005

www.annsharples.com

Storyboard

I have decided to share with you a storyboard version of 'Violet Jelly'. Many of the illustrations are not in the book as it would have made it too costly. However, I would like to give them an airing and welcome your thoughts on the illustrations. I shall post five pages at a time, so it will take three days to complete. Obviously, there are many abbreviations in order for the script to fit into the limited space.

VIOLET JELLY

I created a storyboard as I think that the book would make a good animation

BUT

I do not have the expertise to create it.

I see the story in this way, as well as in book form, because I have spent many years being involved in the writing and production of drama (albeit not 'big time').

I love the idea of the book because I can use words and words are what I use best.

I see the visual element because of the illustrations. I love drawing and art in general, so I see Violet Jelly in both forms and did so as I wrote.

------------

Words and illustrations copyright of Ann Sharples

2005

John Le Carré

 I find these covers evocative of the era and very much in keeping with the overall atmosphere within the pages.

'When Lady Ann Sercomb married George Smiley towards the end of the war she described him to her astonished Mayfair friends as breathtakingly ordinary. When she left him two years later in favour of a Cuban motor racing driver, she announced that if she hadn't left him then, she never could have done; and Viscount Sawley made a special journey to his club to observe that the cat was out of the bag.'

'The greatness of Crane School has been ascribed by common consent to Edward V1, whose educational zeal is ascribed by history to the Duke of Somerset. But Carne prefers the respectability of the monarch to the questionable politics of his adviser, drawing strength from the conviction that Great Schools, like Tudor Kings, were ordained in Heaven.'

These two July Snippets were from John Le Carré's first novels.

The first is from 'Call For The Dead' and the second from 'A Murder of Quality'

Interestingly, these first two books, introducing his character Smiley, were written by John Le Carré as a means of supplementing his income. They were followed by 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold'. Reading these two books one can see the development of his skill. The second sits more easily, in my opinion.

He says of 'A Murder of Quality':  ' .... I wrote the book lying down, on beds, in notebooks, in the few snatched hours that were left to me by my family and diplomatic life.'

I enjoy discovering how writers begin their writing career as I can identify with a writer writing, wherever and in whatever mode. How much in life must have begun on scraps of paper and on the backs of packets, or as a scribble on a serviette. The same can often be said of sketches in preparation for the creation of a major work of art ... and no doubt music scores have come from similar lowly beginnings. Incredible .... and it gives hope to each of us who inspires to create.

School Year Calendar

To break up the reviewing of the July Snippets (more to come) I bring you news of the latest 'Violet Jelly Trilogy' school year calendar, which runs from September 2012 - August 2013which incorporates illustrations from both 'Violet Jelly' and the sequel, 'Violet and Lavender'. It is particularly useful for those working in education ... or for any relatives you may have who are still at school.

The calendar is a free download on my web site:

www.annsharples.com

And, once downloaded, the calendarcan be printed out onto A4 paper or card. I usually then have mine spiral bound at the local newsagent's.

The cover illustration is from the first book, 'Violet Jelly', and is when the party travels by Search Engine as a part of their adventure.

Here is a sample page - November, my birthday month, and Vera, the fly in the ointment, has just popped out of Violet Jelly's 'hold all' bag in her quest for beauty.

The Somnambulist

 I have just finished reading 'The Somnambulist' by Essie Fox.


I enjoyed the Victorian atmosphere within the novel and found it compelling reading. Somehow, despite these aspects, I was not drawn in by the characters. They appeared to me as vehicles for the tale rather than characters with whom I developed an affinity, be it of empathy or, that I became enthralled by their lack of morals, disgusted at their motives or deeds.


Although well written, the style of writing, for me, came across as rushed, whereas I like to savour moments or descriptions and to dwell on them.


Looking at my thoughts, I realise that we each reach for something different in our reading. In 'The Somnambulist' I did not discover that tantalising and almost elusive quality that I seek when reading.


I loved the cover design, so congratulations to whoever it was at 'Bold and Noble' who came up with the design


This was Snippet number four of the July Snippets.