A sharp reprimand from an 8 year old was surprisingly the best thing I heard all day.
On Sunday, I met up with the parents of a child who reads my books every night before going to bed. A lively young boy whose energy and innocent rambling rival my own, it’s fantastic to be told off for not knowing your books too well. I believe, after being published, this is every children author’s dream. Because it means they are actually reading your books. (Unlike my mother, who I know skimmed the 70 pages!)
At first, Jack was engrossed in his iTouch and having Batman beat up Batboy. [His parents were shaking their heads, saying he was normally chattier than this and prodding him to talk more.]
This didn’t faze me, as kids take a while to warm up. And warm up he did!
He knew my characters inside and out! He even corrected my pronunciation on their names!
Keira: “So who do you like better, Z-kee (hero alien) or R-cher (villian alien)?”
Jack: “Who? You mean Zee-kee? It’s not Zed-kee!”
(Normally, I gripe that kids pronounce ‘Z’ as the American ‘Zee’ instead of the Australian twang of ‘Zed’ [damn you, Sesame Street!]. But I couldn’t argue with Jack on this one because Z-kee’s original name was Zeke [pronounced Zee-kee, not Zeek] and it was changed by the editors to Z-kee to make it seem more “alien”. Uncanny that Jack actually got Z-kee’s name, original and all, correct!)
Dave, Jack’s father: “So which is your favourite of Keira’s books? The first one? Or the eighth one?”
Jack [turning to me]: “You haven’t written eight books!”
Dave: “Yes she has, Jack. You have them all.”
Jack: “No! There is Series 1: 1, 2, 3, 4. And then Series 2, the prequels: 1, 2, 3, 4. No book called ‘8’.”
True. Flabbergasted and stood down by an 8 year old. Love it.
Soon, Jack was chatting away and I love his spirit! I caught something about nachos and the colour blue. [His parents were shaking their heads, saying he was always chatty like this and prodding him to talk less.]
I had a great time. I am really looking forward to visiting Jack’s school in a fortnight. And, for the first time in my life, to even more kids telling me off! I better start reading my books and scrub up on my Halycrus knowledge. Or start growing me a thick skin!
Thinking about my books
Eating: nothing…yet.
Drinking: San Pelle mineral water
Listening: to the news.
[Listed like a true oxygenarian!]
