OMG, my daughter (Miss B.) has beaten me to it. She's written a book. And it's good. Gripping, even. She disappeared to her writing corner the other day with paper, a pen and a determined look. More than an hour later she emerged, ink stains on her fingers and that slightly wild look on her face that…
Family Pass
This article was published in the December issue of NEXT Magazine here in New Zealand. Actually, let me qualify that. The published version was edited a bit, and given a title I didn't particularly like. In general I was happy with the finished product and the editor was very respectful, going out of her way to let…
Fancy Feet
I went to my daughter's school today to watch the annual Book Week parade. I was amazed. Every single teacher and child had dressed up as a character out of a book, with a focus on Heroes and Villains. Ella had decided to be a doctor ("Doctors are heroes because they help people, Mummy"), and very proudly…
Three
This was originally going to be a three-part short story, the first part told from the woman's viewpoint, the second from the man's, the third from the nurse's. I stopped after the first. It felt like enough. Maybe one day I'll finish it. The Woman First, the gift of the anonymous gown, stiff with cheap…
Thank you for those beautiful years
My daughter started school a few weeks ago. I knew it was going to be a huge step for both of us, and in the months and weeks leading up to her first day I tried to prepare us both as best I could. When the big moment came we were both excited, but nervous. To me…
Two
I scribbled this down when my daughter turned (you guessed it) two. Three years on, I still note down the funny things she says and does. Every year on her birthday I write her a love letter, including many of those notes in it. I talk about the past year and what she has done; how…
I fancy the Blue Wiggle
I wrote this about two years ago. I rediscovered it today in the process of tidying up my computer files. Stills sums up how I feel about being a Mother... My daughter has emerged from her Bob the Builder phase and is firmly ensconced in her Wiggles one. Every afternoon at 5pm I turn on…
Patricia Bell, Author 