The book

I think it was at Christmas time Claire started to write her book.  A year or two ago she started writing one about this girl and gladiator fights.  She had a notebook full of pictures and ideas.  Since then she read the Hunger Games and the Divergent series which sparked a new yearning to write a book.  She has partnered up with her best friend and they have been spending countless hours face timing and discussing all things book related.  Claire has used this book as a guide and has been writing everyday.  She writes 3-4 hours every day, mostly at night and sometimes quite late.

This project is a series of 3 books.  She is over half way through the first draft of the first book which is currently 73,000 words.  The parents have only been allowed to read the first chapter of the 25 they have put together.  We know the title and are not allowed to divulge any information. All I can say is that it is a fantasy fiction in the style of the books that she likes to read.  They plan to release it June 3rd.

Writing a book is all consuming.  She hurries to finish her compulsory work so that she can write.  Her characters seems real to her and she is constantly talking, planning, researching things for the book.
...sometimes I find myself saying "come back to reality, Claire!"  Marlin, her writing partner ordered her to take a two day break!  But now it is writing as usual every night.










Claire has also been working on book cover design and making "edits" for Instagram accounts.  This has involved learning 4-5 iPad apps and designing current art work that is uploaded onto Instagram sites.  She has her own Les Mis related accounts onto which she posts her artwork and gets feedback from her followers. Of course I have been watching this closely.  It takes up time and I worry about the opportunity cost of her time spent here.  Then recently she was approached by an author whose book is being published soon by Random House and who asked Claire to do artwork for her.  I am still watching....

I find myself marvelling at this little seed that is growing , changing and "becoming" in leaps and bounds around me.  I don't believe that I can be anything but a guide as she forcefully carves a path out for herself.  I asked her if she is still a dog rescuer at heart.  "You might be a writer at heart!" I said.  "No, I am a singer and a stage actress who also loves dogs!" she replied, "I am just writing for fun!"