So, who is Gillian Young?
I'm an author, an illustrator, a wife and mother to two teenagers and two golden retrievers. #childrensfiction #middlegrade
What do you write?
I enjoy writing middle grade children's fiction. However, in the past I've also written supernatural and fantasy stories. Basically, whatever I am inspired to write about at the time.
Why an author? What's so good about that?
Well, I guess it's best that I start at the beginning...
Writing a blog is all very new to me, so please bear with! There are many topics I'd like to feature here on my blog, but first things first...
I'm Gillian, although all my friends call me Gill. I've enjoyed writing stories since I was nine years old. However, I haven't always loved books...
At primary school, I hated reading. Mind you, books about 'Greg the Green Pirate' didn't really grab me. Also, the thought of having to read out loud to the teacher terrified me. I spent more time dreading having to speak than anything else.
As you can probably guess, I was very shy. If anyone spoke to me I'd hide behind my mum's legs in the hope that I'd disappear. Forever the one who wanted to blend into the background - that was me.
Back in my primary school days, when I was in my room with all my fairy tale books and posters, I'd look at the pictures and make up my own stories. My head was always in the clouds, dreaming of wonderful things - if only I had the courage to actually speak up.
Back in the late 1970's, I remember going to the cinema with my parents to watch the movie Grease. #greaseistheword I gazed up at that big screen and dreamed of capturing the heart of bad-boy Danny Zuko. I'd be the envy of all the girls at school. I saw the quiet and timid Sandy Olssen and imagined that was me. I dreamed that when I reached high school, I'd meet a 1980's version of Danny and 'the bad boy' would fall helplessly in love with me, so much so that he'd change his bad ways. - Well, surprise surprise, that didn't happen. But as you can see, I've always been a dreamer! #daydreamer
Have you ever watched a film and been so engrossed that you feel the hairs tingle up your arms and down the back of your neck? To be so absorbed in a character that you can imagine being that someone? I'd experience this - and still do - with so many films. For example; Star Wars, classic musicals such as Singing in the Rain and High Society, even monster movies like the old classic japanese Godzilla movies (no I didn't imagine I was Godzilla, but I loved the power and majesty surrounding the character).
In the throes of a good movie, I'd forget about all the problems in real life. At the time, those troubles were most probably friendship problems or worrying about an upcoming school talk, but, during a good movie, I was transported into the fabulous world of fiction. Pure escapism. The problem was, that for me, I didn't want those fabulous moments to end, so I wrote my own stories, created my own worlds. I found it so much fun, creating scenes, characters and deciding what happened next. Unlike real life, you had complete control of the past, present and future.
As the years passed, I found writing very therapeutic, especially during my illness - which I won't go into just now. #cancersucks It's like a kind of meditation for me. What they call 'the chattering monkey' inside my head - the: 'What if this happens' and 'what if that happens...' always the negatives never the positives, is finally silenced as I wrap myself up in the world of fiction. The same goes for art. I LOVE writing and drawing. It calms me. It makes me happy. And isn't that the most important thing? - to be happy and contented?
Anyway, I think that's enough for a first blog. I promise the others will not be as long. Honest! I also have a feeling Poppy and Devon will be hijacking this blog with their own messages!!
Speak soon.