About
D.J. Cattrell
Books
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The Bucket
Rachel's bucket has a hole in one side and a jewel in the other. When Rachel first pressed the jewel in the side of the bucket, she was just four years old. Smoke came out of it and in it five unicorns pranced lightly onto her hand and off again. It made her smile and cry at the same time.
Author interview
What advice would you give to any young aspiring writers?
Don't believe anyone because everyone is right! There is no one method to writing. Whatever you write is what you should write. If that makes money, makes you famous, or tickles your ego, then that's a bonus. But if you enjoy writing, then write. When people like it, then they like it—but if you like it, then it was worth writing and other people will like it. (Have high expectations of yourself!) That and read "The Writer’s Journey" by Christopher Vogler. It’s a bible—and then go out and prove it wrong!
What books do you remember most enjoying as a child?
Oddly I was not encouraged to read much as a child. My two girls can read books like people read Twitter! They get through a couple a week. We used to take our time with the Beano because we knew we wouldn't get the next one until the following week, so reading for me was slow. One of the books that was perhaps a teenage epiphany for me though was "Demien" by Herman Hesse. It taught me that being different was not as important as thinking differently. First published in 1919, it has stood the test of time. For me this is the book that inspired me to think differently, challenge conventional ideas and say "Really?" That and "Three Minute Mysteries", in which I discovered that dogs are colour blind and ice can be a weapon!
Other than the rest of the series, do you have any other writing plans?
Now I have started it may be difficult to close the flood gates! Admittedly I have to work for a living (not everyone can be as lucky and talented as JK!) so I write in the moments that the children go to bed and when I'm not following my other obsession which is cooking for my wife Debbie (presently knocking up Scotch eggs using falafel mix instead of pork meat—lots of cumin!). I would like to write up the stories that the girls and I have created in a book of batty and outlandish short stories. Then I am looking at playing with stories from the little blue dot which is Earth. The audience listening to those stories are the ones out there—the ones we can't see (the ones not on our little blue dot). I shall definitely be writing more though, wherever the inspiration comes from.
"The Bucket" is the first book in a series. Can you give us any teasers for what might be coming in the next book?
The Esmeralda is coming in the next book and she is evil beyond evil. The first book was the story of Rachel the Intrepid. The next book is the story of Sarah the Adventurer (Rachel is in it) and her best friend White Tiger. Don't hold out any hope for the pet rabbits. Just saying! (Everyone likes furry slippers though, don't they?)
The book features beautiful illustrations by artist May Li. How important would you say the illustrations are to the story?
Crucial! The story stands as a piece of work by itself, I hope. Time will tell on that one, but I count myself as the luckiest author on the planet. Our two girls go to Mandarin lessons at the Colchester Chinese Cultural Society's school. The Chairman (Simone Xue) mentioned that her own daughter was just finishing a Fine Art degree and might be interested in doing the illustrations. When the first few Manga-style pictures came through, I was gobsmacked! They were absolutely perfect and complex drawings that May Li had created from my very simple ideas. We talked through some ideas but she must take most of the credit, particularly for the style. So now I have a Chinese/English illustrator drawing Greek mythological characters for a magical English adventure in a Japanese style of art set in an alternative world! I am 53 years old but even I want to say, "How awesome is that?"
What first gave you the idea for Rachel and her magical bucket?
My daughter Rachel did! On the headboards of the beds that their uncle made for them, my girls have inscribed "Sarah the Adventurer" and "Rachel the Intrepid" respectively. I have included them as characters in most of the stories I have told them since they were babies. So Rachel the Intrepid was a tad miffed a year ago that I had actually typed out a short six page story for her older sister called "I Want a Hippo!" about a kid who has temper tantrums (so his mum actually does buy him the hippo that he wants—it doesn't end well for the boy!). She said that I had to write her a story and that it had to be about a bucket (she likes to throw me a challenge and I could see the evil glint in her eyes so I took up the gauntlet!). Then she said "And it has to have a hole in it!" (She was five at the time.) I said "I think you'll find, Dear Liza, that that one has been done." But she was insistent and so The Bucket was born.
How would you describe "The Bucket", and who would you say it is aimed at?
I think that the second part of that question is the easiest. It is aimed at everyone from 8 yrs to 80 (or over). That is because although the two main characters are children, the adventure that they go on is everyone's adventure in a way. We have all been children that are absolutely sure about how the world works only to discover that actually it's not quite like that. "How would I describe The Bucket?" A magical adventure yes, but one where humour, tragedy, mystery and suspense are mixed up with real emotional journeys. I wanted my girls to laugh and cry when they read it.
What inspired you to start writing for children?
I think like many writers of children's stories I began writing for children to keep my own two children amused. I started writing stories and plays 15 or more years ago when running a theatre company. So I believe it was an easy transition really. This one story grew beyond the normal story games that me and my two girls play and has started me on a journey.