I always start with the Earth

In Grade 4, sitting at a wobbly desk, the air full of old banana peels and RUBBER glue, writing a book report for the first time amidst the white noise of voices all around me; the setting was the easiest part to fill out and then forget. It was the characters and the plot that I wrestled with and knew were the important bits of the report that I mustn’t get wrong.

But now, looking back at all the treasure hunts I fell into, like the BFG, a Wrinkle in Time, and the Tales of Redwall… it was the setting that first twinkled its eyes and waggled its fingers at me, scampering away into the heart of the story like a little hobgoblin. I couldn’t resist following that strange thing all the way in. Even later, in college, writing a report on The Lord of the Rings I found myself watching the land – finding another hidden character no-one seemed to realize was there.

Now, every single time I pick up my pen or cast my mind into the world of words, it is the earth my gaze is drawn to first. It’s not on purpose – it just is where I find beginnings.

Like today:

The sky is gray and hunkered down like a fat old hen on her eggs. The air has that strained feeling you get when you’ve been under a blanket (or feathers) too long.

All the colours in the forest and on the hills and even around the houses are muted or have gone into hiding somewhere. They’re covered in a film of dirty grayish hue and they’re acting all tired out from a l o n g, fiery hot summer. They’re complaining they’ve not had nearly enough drinks of water to tide them over til spring.

It’s dreary and cold and frankly, I think the Earth is acting like a crotchety old woman.

It’s not really her fault though. She was woken up in the middle of her nap by the rude knocking of winter at her door last night. Winter wanted to BUDGE its way past Fall, and Fall hasn’t even finished her beauty pageant yet! Winter’s like that – he’s always impatient and fidgety and tries to come on stage too soon.

It’ll take a few days for Earth to settle them both down now that Fall is flouncing around in a temper at being interrupted, blowing leaves everywhere in great blustery moans and furious sighs. She’s threatening to quit the pageant and sulk at the back of the line – before we even get to see the last of her fashion designs – the ones that winter took extra time embroidering with his frost. (That’s what he gets for his lack of manners, she says.)

Can you see now? Why the Earth is important? That’s why The Bookmaker is so full of characters like Tripp (if you don’t know who I’m talking about go find him!). The setting is where the adventure starts and makes you fall headfirst into the page.