It was with nervous excitement that I opened the parcel with my author copy of The Terrible Tuesday inside it. Finally.. after ten years of working on the manuscript, to hold it in my hands as a book was overwhelming. I was struggling not to cry in front of the children and my son asked me why I was upset. “These are happy tears” I said, “I am so happy I can’t help it!” and we were all smiling and laughing.
“So you are an author?” He said and I said, “Yes, I guess so, isn’t that great?” “It is, very good mummy, now what are we having for dinner?” he said and I laughed out loud and that was the moment over. I was relieved not to have to answer any awkward questions about the subject matter of the book but I didn’t get away as lightly as that.
The next morning on the way to school my six year old daughter asked me what the book was about and I said “It’s about a really bad day I had once when I lived in London before you were born” There was a contemplative silence in the car before she said “Did it rain all day mum? Was it so awful that you couldn’t get outside? That must have been terrible” and I said “It did pet, it lashed from the heavens all day long” and it was one of those moments that warmed my heart. The worst day she can imagine is being unable to go outside to play with the dogs or see her rabbit or steal sweets from the jar and eat them in her secret hut.
I smile to myself on the way home. My clever daughter with her care free attitude and her innocent way of looking at the world has reminded me that If I change the way I look at things I will change what I see. The worst thing that might happen today, is that it might rain.
I hope it lasts for a long time to come..
The Terrible Tuesday.. available now at alanacorry.com
