Reading about your events definitely makes the world seem less insane and scary!! Love your power stance!! I wish I could join your band, but I sang all my performances for GCSE music, which always felt like the biggest blag! I got a “B” too! Utter blag! Xxx
Thank you for this lovely lesson on facing fear and coping with the scariness of the world - good to read on a grey wet February morning!
It sounded as though things changed when you started enjoying reading your books. Children feel that love and enjoyment and that’s why they want the books and hug your leg (lucky you!). Well I’m sure the invisible dog poo smells help, but it’s the love in your books that does it! And PS thanks for advice about not jiggling earrings! ❤️❤️
Oh Jude what a lovely thing to say, thank you! And yes. Remember the earrings! Or just ignore that advice, I think the jigglier the earrings the better...
I never knew this wonderful fact about you Ruby! I used to perform too, and was an actor before I was an illustrator. But performing as yourself is much scarier - though it looks as though you’ve cracked it x
If Stephen King can do it with his ‘Rock Bottom Remainders’ we children’s writers and illustrators can do it too. ‘The Cuddle Factor’ , ‘Mass Market Appeal’, ‘The Tip Ins’, ‘Beautiful Endpapers’-so many band names spring to mind. Or names for tunes… Please can I play too?
And performance is gruelling, isn’t it? At least for the first few times until you get your groove on. But it’s still a strange hell-brew of nursery teacher/stand-up comedian/crowd controller and riot police person. Depending on the book, the school and whether it’s after an indoor playtime.
This is a marvellous, honest, vibrant piece of writing, Ruby. And singing, laughing and mucking around is life’s best gift. Keep doing it. And please keep performing - you’re very good at it!
I can relate Ruby. Despite being extremely happy to talk about myself and prat about, I find events daunting and usually spend the days before in a state of heightened anxiety (the times I don't the events are often a bit flat). Frequency definitely helps, doesn't it?
It does Joe! So much prep and stress goes into these things. Maybe the key is to do all the events over the course of a few days and spend the rest of the year not worrying about them...
This is so lovely Ruby. I like showing off too, but find the run-up to doing events with children really nerve-racking. I have a 250-kid assembly this year on World Book Day and I'm trying to reframe it from "terrifying" to "exciting" - it's always so nice to be with the kids, but it's daunting to sense their reactions to your book... But I think your suggested antidote to the scariness of the world is a very good one.
It's impossible not to get nervous I think, Tor. Mark (my fella, who is an AMAZING performer) always tells me to try to enjoy it, which I used to find annoying (HOW CAN I???) but he's right. Maybe we have to fake it until we make it, like all the other things. Good luck with world book day, I am sure you're a BRILLIANT performer, I love hearing you talk.
Reading about your events definitely makes the world seem less insane and scary!! Love your power stance!! I wish I could join your band, but I sang all my performances for GCSE music, which always felt like the biggest blag! I got a “B” too! Utter blag! Xxx
P.S. what’s a saw?! Is it like those wooden fish you rub with a stick? X
A saw is a saw that you play with a bow. It sounds like a theramin (but warmer I think!)
I spot the lead singer!
Thank you for this lovely lesson on facing fear and coping with the scariness of the world - good to read on a grey wet February morning!
It sounded as though things changed when you started enjoying reading your books. Children feel that love and enjoyment and that’s why they want the books and hug your leg (lucky you!). Well I’m sure the invisible dog poo smells help, but it’s the love in your books that does it! And PS thanks for advice about not jiggling earrings! ❤️❤️
Oh Jude what a lovely thing to say, thank you! And yes. Remember the earrings! Or just ignore that advice, I think the jigglier the earrings the better...
I never knew this wonderful fact about you Ruby! I used to perform too, and was an actor before I was an illustrator. But performing as yourself is much scarier - though it looks as though you’ve cracked it x
Haha thank you Carys, I don’t think I have cracked it but it’s nice to push on through the nerves!
Musical illustrator here! ( fiddle)
If Stephen King can do it with his ‘Rock Bottom Remainders’ we children’s writers and illustrators can do it too. ‘The Cuddle Factor’ , ‘Mass Market Appeal’, ‘The Tip Ins’, ‘Beautiful Endpapers’-so many band names spring to mind. Or names for tunes… Please can I play too?
Oh Debi… The Endpapers! That’s got to be the band name! And yes of course!
And performance is gruelling, isn’t it? At least for the first few times until you get your groove on. But it’s still a strange hell-brew of nursery teacher/stand-up comedian/crowd controller and riot police person. Depending on the book, the school and whether it’s after an indoor playtime.
I would love to see you playing the saw! It's a lifelong dream of mine to be in a band. XX
If it happens you’re in! xXx
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️
This is a marvellous, honest, vibrant piece of writing, Ruby. And singing, laughing and mucking around is life’s best gift. Keep doing it. And please keep performing - you’re very good at it!
oh Emma THANK YOU!
I can relate Ruby. Despite being extremely happy to talk about myself and prat about, I find events daunting and usually spend the days before in a state of heightened anxiety (the times I don't the events are often a bit flat). Frequency definitely helps, doesn't it?
It does Joe! So much prep and stress goes into these things. Maybe the key is to do all the events over the course of a few days and spend the rest of the year not worrying about them...
I’ll bring my violin
Yes please!
This is so lovely Ruby. I like showing off too, but find the run-up to doing events with children really nerve-racking. I have a 250-kid assembly this year on World Book Day and I'm trying to reframe it from "terrifying" to "exciting" - it's always so nice to be with the kids, but it's daunting to sense their reactions to your book... But I think your suggested antidote to the scariness of the world is a very good one.
It's impossible not to get nervous I think, Tor. Mark (my fella, who is an AMAZING performer) always tells me to try to enjoy it, which I used to find annoying (HOW CAN I???) but he's right. Maybe we have to fake it until we make it, like all the other things. Good luck with world book day, I am sure you're a BRILLIANT performer, I love hearing you talk.
Singing and laughing and mucking about with lovely people is a very good use of time 😊
I am so glad you think so Fran!