BOOK PROJECT

Morning! Couple of days ago the talented and hard working Swedish illustrator Jennie Blomkvist published a post on her blog about a book project – where the author is me! Yes, that’s right, I have not told you yet. I always have ideas and projects going, you know, and I needed Jennie for this one. Remember I got Jennies artwork in my hallway? She was the only one on my list (!), and lucky me she said yes, phew! Her blogpost even made me blush, and I feel so humble. She shared photos from my house and of me, but I wanted to share some of her sketches of the character for this projects – I love it.

A little excerpt from my script: “The large round plain in the woods – like a circus ring where I’m in the midle. There they stood and swayed and longed, the trees with me. A big natural embrace on all sides, a whole arena of crying where I didn’t had to hold back on my emotions. My secret place”.

The main audience for the book will be children and youths who often have trouble finding the words and space for the difficult emotions and thoughts that arises in the mind and soul. I have been one of them, and can still be. I use my own life as inspiration for my writing, and this will be my most personal and honest project so far. And just so it’s mentioned the book will be just as good for adults… parents… teachers… everyone, because everyone will relate somehow. Maybe you’ll see yourself in this book, or maybe you can learn to understand someone very close to you better. It will help to start conversations and increase acceptance.

Some projects just stays as an idea, others get out there. It’s rough and tough to apply for money here and there so I can make the ideas become something more. And right now there’s no money yet, just waiting to get the answers on my applications. My husband is the producer for this project, we always work together. And we have written countless applications the last years, mainly for shortfilm projects, and sometimes there’s a “yes”, and other times there’s a “no”. And when we get a “no” we don’t give up of course! Then we have to take it another round and apply again. But every time takes some months in between. That’s the really boring part… re-writing… more developing… waiting… not knowing… time schedule always changes… I just want to go and visit Jennie – chat and make ideas and plans together, drink too many cups of coffee and hang around in her atelier. Yes, that’s what I want, and I have to make it happen.