I’ve written numerous books about single mums and single dads finding love. Kids are an excellent source of fun banter, of conflict, of reasons not to want to get close. But being that I was not a parent myself, writing about families such as these fell under the “write from your imagination” place inside my head.
One of these books is my current Australian release MILLIONAIRE TO THE RESCUE. Brooke is a single mum with two young kids. Her husband, a big shot motorbike racer has died leaving her with nothing. And in steps goooorgeous Danny, her husband’s best friend and agent, a guy who has been on the periphery of her life for over a decade, and the one man she was sure would never be on her side.
Brooke's kids, Beau and Lily, were wonderful foils. They served to keep Brooke an emotional island unto herself, their comfort and safety were the only reason she gave into Danny's invitation to stay in his mountain hideaway until media interest died down, and watching them interact with Danny only made her fall for him the more. Makes me wonder why I don't give every heroine a coupla kids!!!
Anyhoo, the reason I bring this up is because last month I had a baby. My first. A gorgeous little girl my hubby and I named Bridget. (Excuse the gushy mum moment but if you wann see some piccies check out my blog ;))
As was to be expected our whole lives have changed since her arrival. My time is not my own. As a mum everything I do feels in dedication of my little girl's happiness and safety. Doing revisions in five minute blocks, napping during the day any time I can, washing two loads of baby clothes a day, realising I may never get to sit down and watch a whole DVD uninterupted again are some of the new experiences I am living every day.
These are the kinds of precious reality bites that someone who hasn't been there can't know. Can't even imagine. These are the insights that give a writer scope and colour and light and nuance when they "write what they know".
I wonder even as time goes on and I expiernece new changes to my life each and every day if I will even remember half of the weird and wonderful realities of being a mum with a newborn. And I wonder too how I will next approach writing about a character with a child.
Or will life as a new mum be too...challenging to even imagine such a thing being romantic ;)?
Hmmmm......
7 comments:
Life in general is a challenge and adding a child is even a bit more challenging.
Babies grow Ally.
Enjoy every precious second. And I sure your experiences will add a deepness and richness to your writing.
Congratulations, Ally on your baby. You will find that it will be a challenge, but oh so worth it. Enjoy all those moments, they grow so fast.
Congratulations to you and your husband on Bridget's safe arrival, Ally. Take it easy - everything seems chaotic at first and we all wonder how we'll cope, but once Bridget's got you into a routine things will straighten out - a bit...:)
Aww, congrats! :) Oh geez, I imagine just about everything will change. . . as to the writing, well, my first thought is that you might always be able to use different things that your baby does with the kids in your books! :)
Lois
Thanks for all the lovely congrats re Bridge. She is such a dreamy gorgeous baby I feel soooo lucky.
And you know what? She's so darned cute the diea of spending time writing rather than baby gazing and cuddling is the real challenge.
Oh happy days!
Congratulations and best wishes to you Ally. Having a newborn is a wonderful but exhausting time.
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