Birthing two children's books

by Marie Seltenrych (Eileen Marie Rafferty)
(Margate, Queensland, Australia.)

Inside their secret cupboard

A Very Long Gestation Period

1990

"Why don't you create great stories for us, Mum," my daughter said to me one day; "You tell us such exciting things but you never make anything real; the characters we want!" She was holding up a copy of a junior reader...

1993
My baby began to be conceived. Soon I was caught up in the seeds of creation that would form into a fully grown baby; something real to hold in my hands and gaze upon. Soon after conception, a kaleidoscope of fragmented notions came upon me and I wrote them all down on my old Amstrad computer; every day I would meditate during this first gestation period for two or three hours at a time; the adrenaline rush was consuming as my fingers rushed across the keys of my new world; I created the DNA of my conception. Very soon the DNA became so long that I could not count its links, twists, turns and interruptions. Modifications began and finally the building blocks were ready for perfection.

The second trimester brought about new concepts, minute characteristics emerged and began to take on a life-like attachment and demeanour; words like courageous, bravery, tall, stylish, foolish, gutsy, secretive: came flooding into the blood of the new baredly moving infant; excitement, like that of attending a crash-derby is the only way to describe feelings rushing through my new world; still unseen by any eyes except the eyes of my centre-core and my faithful green screen.

Third trimester was a hoot; everything was growing nicely and I was hillariously happy; often my expression reflected in my green screen; a distorted image echoed back at me as I roared out loud at the whole world; my creation bubbled and gurgled inside; this was becoming a reality and I really liked it!

Finally, everything was ready for its birth; it had taken twice as long as a normal gestation; that makes it 'special' at 18 months; this was my moment to bring the child forth to an unsuspecting world.

Doubts came over me like deep black clouds: what if nobody loved this creation? What if they killed it at its birth, mocked it, hated it, even rejected it? How devastating for the wonderful little bubbles of laughter; how they might turn into brokenness and despair. I could not risk their demise, destruction or dismissal; I refused to give birth but kept the child inside; except for its DNA shrouded in reams of paper hidden in the cupboard drawer; miraculously they became twins.

1996

After much cogitation and deliberation, I agreed to allow my babies to have ultra-sounds by the gynaecologists who would hopefully agree to delivering my babies safely; my heart-rate rose and faltered each day as the delivery man came and went; finally they gave their verdict. I read with trembling heart, "...wonderful work, engaging, exciting..." yes, yes, yes; and then, "but..., not quite what we are looking for at the moment..."

I could not raise my eyes but quietly cried and hid my darlings away in two blue and pink folders with labels on them.

1999

Midwives, GP's and true friends, including those in the book industry and lovely cherished writers, encouraged me to deliver the babies myself; they all agreed the babies were fine, acceptable, maybe not movie stars in the making, but ruddy little things that would make it in the big bad world out there.

Mid-1999, one of my babies came to life, flew from the womb and landed safely, even gaining an ISBN! looking around, I saw a green eyed goblin staring, glaring and spitting green dust on my new darling, silently, fumingly saying, "You have no right to give birth by your own methods; nobody can deliver this baby except us professionals. I am the guru, don't you know that?"

I should have laughed this goblin into darkness; instead I felt really bad for being so inventive, excited and self-delivering something so precious to me; no matter what encouragement I received this bad feeling hung around like a bad stench as I shrouded my baby and only displayed it to friends; sometimes it feels like it's trying to return but I just ignore it and reach for those who love me and my little ones: those who wait in anticipation to greet my children and savour their company.

My baby survived the green-eyed goblin: who has since gone into oblivion; my child has prospered and found love in the hearts and souls of hundreds of children around the world; since then my second baby has been birthed.

Growing up: 2009

Baby number one has been re-created with the addition of a detective-type activity. This is a truly growing stage for my first lovely child. My second creation, has also grown up to give children a feeling for being youth-sleuths, an added dimension to its character building side. I am a proud creator of two delightful children, and there's more on the way! Nowadays, I feel liberated to delight the world with my ageless, yet maturing children.

Visit Marie's "children"!