PO Box 3413
Wellington 6015
New Zealand
12 October 2001
Dear Friends,
As you know, Webmaster Wayne made the website for me to help me with my mail. You see, I was having big problems. Every day, my mailbox was so full of letters that I couldn’t keep up with them. Many of these fine letters were from friends doing an author project. Other young friends asked questions about my animals and hobbies. I was answering letters all day, every day, and I still couldn’t keep up. Now that I have the website, the mailbox at the gate is not so greedy. I still spend about four hours a day answering snail mail but I also have time to write new books.
Ah! But my mailbox is not the only greedy thing in this place. The truth is, I LOVE getting lots of letters. It’s replying to them all, that became impossible. So, with the website which provides the answers to your questions, there is feedback space for you to write me a little letter. I’m sorry that I can’t reply to the feedback page but you can be sure that I shall enjoy reading what you have written. If you have any helpful suggestions, I would be very pleased to read them.
So what’s the big news here, at the moment? Well, it’s Spring in the bay. The bush-covered hills echo with bird calls and in the calm green water, fish are jumping with flashes of silver. The nine red hens are laying nine brown eggs a day. From my desk I can here them singing egg songs in their warm chooky voices. They are very tame hens. If you visit, they will talk to you and wait for you to pick them up and stroke their shining red-brown feathers. It is such a pleasure to reach into a nest of straw and find those warm smooth eggs.
Our lily pond has hundreds of tiny tadpoles which are on the way to becoming whistling tree frogs. The grown frogs are brown, only about an inch long, and they don’t really whistle. It’s more like a bird chirp. They sing at night, four notes at a time – cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep. Then they wait for a few seconds and start again. Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep. It makes a nice lullaby.
Ah, but the real news is that our cat Grace is going to be a mother. Grace is the youngest of our 8 cats. She is a big tortoiseshell, just over a year old. We thought it would be nice if she could have one lot of kittens, and that is what is going to happen in about a week. I promise I’ll let you know when they arrive. Later, all going well, I will include a photo of the kittens.
Some of you will want to know about my writing. I have 5 new picture books and an adult novel recently published. Four of the picture books have been published by Scholastic NZ. There is a story called "Brodie" which is a happy, funny, sad book about the death of a boy. This story was written in response to requests from teachers, for as book that would help young people cope with grief when one of their classmates dies. But there is nothing sad about "Pudding" which is a fantasy story about a hungry bear and a duck who search through Story Universe for desserts. This book is for younger readers. Also for younger readers, is a rhyming book called "Duck Walk" about a little duckling that finds danger because it doesn’t stay with the big ducks. "Eating Plums in Bed" is a cautionary tale aimed at the sort of child I was, who throws plum stones under the bed! The other picture book "Mrs Goodstory" has been published by Boyds Mills, Pennsylvania, and it’s about story-telling.
I nearly forgot to tell you about some old friend appearing in new books next year. Learning Media NZ are producing a new Greedy Cat book with lovely pictures by Robyn Belton. The third Agapanthus Hum book "Agapanthus Hum and the Angel Toot" is being published by Penguin Putnam NY, with Jennifer Plecas’ happy illustrations. The Wright Group-McGraw Hill are bringing out "The Meanies Go Shopping" and a new Mrs Wishy-Washy book called "The Hole in the Tub."
As you can see, this website has helped me to find more time for writing and I’ve been busy. I love being busy and I love my job. You know something? I think that all writers love their work. I don’t know of one writer who wants to quit to do something else.
Wait!
That’s not quite true. On fine warm days I would love to quit for an hour or two to go for a swim in the bay, or read a book under a tree. Sometimes, I do that, but my bossy computer has a way of calling me back inside.
Hugs from your friend,
Joy Cowley
