Books! So much can be learnt from just diving into a book, whether fiction or non-; the magic of the written word bringing worlds to life and knowledge to the forefront of all our minds.
Reading helps us explore not only other perspectives we may not have considered, but also helps us develop our own personalities as we take in these perspectives. Not to mention the health boost - with research suggesting that reading for 30 minutes a week increases your health and wellbeing, your confidence and self-esteem, and helping with sleep and loneliness, it's no wonder that even in the digital age, books will always be loved.
An Interview with David Turvey, author of The Bedtime Rhyme
Last March (St David's Day 2024, to be exact), we got a chance to catch up with David Turvey, who you may know better as one of Carousel's founders!
Originally from Heysham in Lancashire, David - also known as DAFT by his initials - sadly left us on the 4th of September, 2024. He is remembered by his wife Clare, who founded Carousel alongside him; his daughters Kate, Eliza, and Martha, Carousel's leading sister team; and seven grandchildren.
You can read a little more of David's writing in this Doorstop Shop blog post, THE DOORSTOP SAGA: A TALE OF TWO CORDUROY DOORSTOP FAMILIES; a post he originally wrote in 2012, and republished in 2022. His imagination and creativity shines through - and we still sell the Cordie dogs to this day!
What were the origins of The Bedtime Rhyme, and what spurred you to publish it?
Back when my three girls were small, my two younger daughters in particular used to like me to give them ideas of things to imagine to help them fall asleep. I would go in to say goodnight, or read them stories, and as I tucked them into bed afterwards, they would always ask, “Daddy, please can we have some pictures to dream of?”
So I’d say things like, “Think of swans on the river… think of ducks following behind them… think of a clown juggling... think of a daring trapeze artist… “ and so on… The more frequently I did it, the more I used to wonder whether it might make a nice bedtime story for children.
Then one day I started writing some of it down. At that time, it was in a slightly different format - more of a poem, without the story interwoven. I got a bit stuck, until I began to rethink it. The first few verses and last verse came easily. It was just the next 40-odd verses which were a bit tricky 🤣 I learned over time to just go wherever the story took me, rather than trying to dictate what I thought I wanted it to say.
What I do know is if you don’t sit down and write, you’ll never create, and if you don’t make time for yourself, your creative side can never materialise.
The children grew up and I would occasionally dip in and out. When my grandchildren arrived, it spurred me on to finish it. It was my eldest daughter that then rallied me to publish it.
What was the process of choosing Abby as your illustrator, and what was it like working with her?
Initially a friend of a friend had shown an interest in doing the illustrations 10 or so years ago (before the words were even completed), however, it was a huge undertaking and university commitments got in their way.
Some years later, we were having a family barbecue with some very dear friends, whose daughter Abby is my wife’s goddaughter. We had known that Abby was an accomplished illustrator but, prior to that, with the book not being finished, it had never really seriously been something we had considered asking anyone to look at.
The topic arose and that afternoon Abby and I spent hours pouring over a print out of the poem and coming up with lots of ideas.
Completing the illustrations was no mean feat, especially as Abby fitted it in around her Masters. She deserves every plaudit going.
Have you always written? What inspires you in writing?
I have probably always written a little bit and felt there were things I wanted to say. Anyone who knows a me will know I’m a bit of a daydreamer and ideas bounce around in my head each and every day and always have done.
But… being a bit idle I don’t always rush to get them down. I rarely make time to sit down and make myself put pen to paper, which is my downfall.
I’m a moderately good starter but that’s about all I can say.
Any plans for future books you can share with us?
Who knows if any more will ever see the light of day, but I do have plenty of short children’s stories and poems (inspired by my girls and the grandchildren), plus, a partially written play, a still-to-be-finished children’s adventure story, and a semi fictional, political novel.
What is your favourite book you've read recently?
Is there a book you're reading right now?
What book is next on your list?
Bookends
See our selection of stylish grownup bookends below!
Bookends
See our selection of stylish grownup bookends below!
Did you know?
Why is World Book Day celebrated on a different day in the UK to the rest of the world? Well, the UNESCO World Book Day, which began in 1995, is held on 23rd April annually. Here in the UK, that often coincides with our Easter school holidays, which would probably make running the event very difficult indeed! It also clashes with St George's Day in England, so the UK World Book Day is held on the first Thursday in March.