June's Inspiration

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Honesty

It is important for me to write honestly – to describe a feeling honestly.  Especially with children and true stories.  The inspiration behind the content is the sincerity of people.  If a reader asks me a question about a story, I want to be able to answer honestly.  If a child commits his imagination to the story and he asks an innocent question, I want to be able to answer him/her honestly. Reality and imagination must be very close to each other.  The lesson in the story must be a reality.

Family

Life does not give guarantees and therefore it is essential to appreciate family.  My daughters, parents and sisters are precious to me.  I learn wisdom from my parents every day.  My daughters are dynamic which makes me infinitely proud of them.  Our inspiring moments are when we have deep conversations and I rediscover their womanhood and motherhood.

Lodene van Blerk
Junick Claassen
Mariska Theron

Little Things

Little things inspire me to write.  I have the ability to see the beauty in people.  I laugh easily.  It happens at times that I laugh out loud when I write a children’s story or a very romantic story.  I literally immerse myself in the writing process.  Of course, tissues are also at hand when a story jerks the heartstrings.

I already knew from a young age that I wanted to become a writer.  Throughout my youth I wrote several plays.  And I have to add – I played in them all.  And of course, the lead role.  After all, it was my story to tell!

Tastes, Flavours, Sounds and Colours

My study has large sliding windows.  I look out over nature and can smell the different smells.  It starts early in the morning and carries me through the day. Tastes, flavours, sounds and colours are absolutely fascinating.  It inspires me to write and offers peace to my soul.  It’s something we should all have.

Inspirational Moments

Sometimes I have to rest or take a break between chapters when I write.  The best inspiration then is to take a long walk.  During these walks, the arc of the story decides every now and then to create another twist and before long the story writes itself.  Those moments are the ‘special inspirational’ moments.  When I then start writing again I have to persevere because the story exposes itself.  All my senses kick in and I become one with the story.  This is when I know the book is going to speak to the reader.

Teamwork

There is a lot of work that needs to be done correctly before a book can be published.  Teamwork is of utmost importance.  My proofreader and editor, Wilna Dippenaar, reads my heart when she edits my work.  She is my biggest inspiration.  Leoni Benghiat from SA Vryskutskrywer, and Charlene Lewthwaite who reads my English pieces over and over again,  Amanda Espag with her dedicated illustrations and Naranda Leeuwner with her exuberant laugh.  This is the team that gives me inspiration.

Wilna Dippenaar
Proofreading & Editing
Leoni Benghiat
SA Vryskutskrywers
Amanda Espag
Illustrations
Uitstaande gebeurtenisse en onvoorspelbare omstandighede is ‘n uitnodiging om die oomblikke vas te vang in die vorm van ‘n storie. Die verhaal van Lodene is ‘n diepliggende gebeurtenis. Sebastian die Leeuwelpie was ‘n spontane skeppingsgeleentheid. Vlug van die Nag het twee hoofkarakters in die storie wat my geȉnspireer het om hulle aan ‘n fiksieroman te koppel. Snuffelgids is inspirerende oomblikke wat ek in my gedagtes vertroetel.