Writing in the Sand (28 page)

Like Amy, I loved English at school; though unlike Amy I didn't actually long to be a writer. But I loved the theatre, and – at Saturday morning classes at the Arts Educational School in London – I wrote my own material.

After moving to Yorkshire I began writing seriously, and joined a group called Yorkshire Playwrights, now Script Yorkshire. It was here that Vicky Featherstone, currently the Artistic Director of the Royal Court, said I ought to write for young adults.

I didn't immediately take her advice. Instead I wrote afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, a serial for
Woman's Hour
and scripts for Granada, Carlton TV and the BBC, as well as audio cassettes for
Coronation Street
.

It was at the finals of a talent contest at Harrogate Theatre that I remembered the advice I'd been given about writing for young adults. On that night there was one particular performer I could not forget – a talented young singer, who I later discovered was a carer for
both
parents.

Suddenly my eyes were opened to the thousands upon thousands of young people acting as carers, and I began to wonder what life must be like for them. How did they juggle caring for their parents with school? What fun things – like sport, or drama or just being with friends – were they missing out on? Or was their love for their parents so strong that they just got on with it?

And what if they ever got sick? Or something utterly unexpected happened? Something that could make their role as a carer difficult…or impossible?

This is where my writer's “what if” came in… Amy became real, and before long, I had finished my debut novel.

I very much hope you have enjoyed reading W
riting in the Sand
, and exploring those “what if”s with me.

Most of the time,
Writing in the Sand
has been a labour of love – but, like love, it decided now and then to change direction. This is probably because it heard this rule: that the main protagonist has to go on a journey. Once it understood this, you couldn't see it for dust – and I had a job keeping up.

Luckily, for me and the book, there have been great people to meet along the way. In the early days, Susan Davis at Writer's Workshop helped reinforce my belief in the story. Buoyed up, I approached agents and more than happily found myself with Becky Bagnell, whom I just can't thank enough… Where would I be without your advice and faith in me?

My heartfelt thanks go to my editor, Stephanie King, and to everyone at Usborne. You turn each new stage into an adventure!

I am indebted to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Their advice, and solving of a crucial problem, was invaluable.

My thanks, of course, go to my friends and family – particularly John who has to make allowances for the odd hours I keep – and to my sister, Clare Druce, who first suggested I should write. And thank you to those who have been unstintingly interested to hear what's going on. Okay, Jacky, I mean you.

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Writing in the Sand
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ISBN 9781409546757

ePub ISBN 9781409554875

For more compelling, inspiring reads, visit
www.usborne.com/youngadult

First published in the UK in 2014 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England.
www.usborne.com

Copyright © 2014 by Helen Brandom

The right of Helen Brandom to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Cover photography: Sami Sarkis/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images.

The name Usborne and the devices
are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.

All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ePub ISBN 9781409579397

Batch no 03009-02