Dear Grandma,
The other day I couldn't write a thing. Your
voice in my head was telling me again that what I'm doing is a waste of
time and isn't proper writing. So I'm addressing you with this post and
I hope there's some way you can read it from beyond. I'm not sure what
you believed proper writing to be. I never saw you read a book,
although you did read some autobiographies, or so I'm told. Well,
Grandma, when I was a kid, I hadn't really been around long enough to
write a substantial story of my life but I had so many ideas for stories
that created lives.
You'll be pleased to know, Grandma, that Paul has written a fantastic autobiography,
but he's had a full and action packed life that people will want to
read about. Me, I've never been very far or done very much really, and
that seems more and more unlikely all the time. I didn't mean to get
this illness in childhood that took away my physical energy. I didn't
mean to start falling apart in my thirties. I didn't design my own
genome and if I had, I would have still added the drive to write.
After
talking to Paul though, Grandma, you need to know that the writing
drive comes from your bloodline. I'm taking my publishing name from
your bloodline and very seriously considering making it legally my
name. So what I do is as much because of you as in spite of you.
Paul
and I talked for nearly an hour and we have very similar things to say
about our early lives. the difference between he and I though, is that
he went out and did what he wanted to do early on. Me, I've waited
until no-one can stop me and I'm only sorry that Mum isn't here, because
she would be so excited for me and for Paul.
So I'm ever so
apologetically going to have to tell you to shush, Grandma. I can do
this and you never know - it could be the start of something good that
you would never have let me achieve. Getting a book out is an
achievement in itself. You should be pleased for me. Your
granddaughter knows what she wants to do, always has, and she's doing
it. If we ever meet again, if there is an afterlife, I hope you can
smile and introduce me as your granddaughter, the writer. I'll even
give you signed ethereal copies if you think you can stand to read some
fiction and be gracious about it.
Now please excuse me. I've set myself a task to write as much as I can today, whether you approve or not.
Juliet
Your granddaughter, the writer
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