Noticing the little things

www.yostwrites.com

Read to the end for an invitation from me...

Can we see with new ears and new eyes, the mystery of life? (Sam Burrows).

Hello hello! It seems it's time to write something. Firstly, it's been lovely to have some people join my mailing list and signing up for updates. Hopefully you received 'The great Camel Tea-tastophre when you signed up. Did you enjoy it? I wrote this years ago, and love this sort of thing. There's something beautiful about noticing and making big the little things that so many seem to miss.

It's been a big month. School reports, ending term, all of the juggles, all of the 'ands' I got to go away with another writing friend overnight in the caravan in Port Arthur (which at this time of year is is so cold that it's basically a giant freezer). In the space of 36 hours I got to rewrite a script and send it out to some very excited students ready to be performed in 16 weeks. It's going to be a BIG 16 weeks putting on this show, but there's something amazing about sharing work and seeing it come alive in the hands of students.

So what am I working on at the moment... A few things. I'm three chapters into the middle grade fiction piece called 'The pencil.' Want a sneak piece? Of course! Thank you for asking...

Mr Brush takes the paintbrush, and with great enthusiasm, starts painting his own ear hair. He looks ridiculous, but then his ear hair starts to grow, not by the milimetre, not by the centimetre, but by the metre. A waterwall of hair cascades from his ears and flows down over the floor. Mr Bush just goes on painting and painting his ear-hair as if it’s the most natural thing to do in the whole world.

And boy, does it flow! On and on it grows until it covers every inch of the floor and rises until no one can see their shoes. Kids are making skipping ropes, tug-of - war ropes and ear-hair angels. Tim and Steve are holding it under their noses to make mustaches, while other kids have made horsetails and are galloping around the art room.

In minutes it is up to our waists. We all had swimming lessons last month, but I don’t think anybody learnt how to swim in ear-hair.

So what do you think? Ridiculous? Yes, but I'm okay with that. I love seeing kids laugh and I think this sums up what I like to write about. If my stories can make kids read and want to keep reading, I think I've done my job. One of my young beta readers sent me this review, and it has to be my favourite that I've received so far.

It made me mad with laughter throughout the book and I can't wait to see how crazy Miss Sparklepops really is.

Thanks for taking the time to read by blog. Now, about that offer from me. If you're keen to read one of my stories before they are published, get in touch with me and I'll send you a novel, a short story, a poem. Will it be any good? Only you can tell me that...

Cheers,

Matt

www.yostwrites.com