Grand

On the fourth last day of autumn, I think: what am I going to do today? Stay inside away from the chilly wind and continue proofreading my third Angels novel?

Every time I open my manuscript file, excitement bubbles inside me. I’ve almost finished my book. Soon, it’ll be published, and I’ll order a copy for my Goddaughter, Miss Augusta. 

Five years ago, I wrote a blog post about Miss Augusta:

My Goddaughter writes fabulous letters, and whenever I see one of them in my mailbox, I smile. I rip open the envelope, unfold the paper, and words, brimming with personality, jump off the page towards me.

I always intend to reply to my Goddaughter’s letters straight away, but I never do. I feel bad about this. I imagine Miss Augusta watching out for the postman each day and feeling disappointed when he hasn’t got a letter for her. But she won’t be sad at the moment. Oh no! She’ll be grinning from ear to ear. You see, she should have received a fat envelope from me by now.

I used to buy blank cards for Augusta and write in them by hand. But these days, I write my letters on the computer. Is that cheating? I find it easier. One advantage of computer letters is I can insert photos between the words, which I hope my Goddaughter enjoys. Usually, I apply a fancy font to make everything look attractive, print off the pages and stuff them into an envelope before walking to the village post office to buy a stamp.

My Goddaughter is very forgiving. She never complains when it takes me a long time to reply. She keeps writing to me regardless, which I think is very special. Miss Augusta is special through and through. Whenever I see her, she runs towards me with her arms open wide, and then she hugs me tight. She covers me with love.

I intend to watch my Goddaughter grow up. I want to be there every step of the way. And later, I hope to remain part of her adult life. I’d like those lively letters to keep dropping into my mailbox. I want to feel those loving arms about me forever.

But even if letters stop flying between us, or we can’t for some reason enjoy huge hugs, Miss Augusta and I will still remain connected forever because of an invisible spiritual bond. I’m on one end, and she’s on the other. And it will always be that way.

I wrote about this bond in my children’s novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek.★

Now it is time for Lizzie’s favourite part of the story. “Tell me about the bond,” she begs. “Tell me about the invisible string.” 

Auntie Caroline laughs. “All Godparents are joined to their Godchildren by a special bond. It’s not really like invisible string.”

Joe interrupts. “If it were like string,” he says, “you’d keep getting tangled up, and you’d never be able to go anywhere without each other.”

Lizzie giggles, thinking of all the knots that would soon appear if there were a bit of string joining her to Auntie Caroline and Uncle Rick.

(I can imagine Miss Augusta giggling just like Lizzie when she reads these words.)

This Angels story snippet comes from a chapter called The Mother’s Day. Lizzie’s Godmother visits her. Later that day, Mum thinks about her own Godmother, Auntie Maria.

I’m now thinking about my Godmother too. Her name was Grace: Auntie Grace. I only have a vague memory of what she looked like. I didn’t really know her because I grew up on the other side of the world from where she lived and only travelled to see her once or twice.

Despite the distance between us, my Godmother’s influence will remain with me for the whole of my life. When I arrived in this world, my Godmother thought it was her Godmotherly privilege to name me. She wanted to call me Diane. My parents didn’t. But they did add that name after the two they’d chosen themselves. And so I was christened Susan Caroline Diane. Of course, my sisters and brother, in their turn, had to have three names as well. A new tradition was born.

Imagine if my first name was Diane.

Diane Elvis

Di Elvis

Lady Di Elvis

Doesn’t that sound grand?

And it’s grand being a Godmother to Miss Augusta.

I wonder if my Goddaughter likes the grand name I’ve given her for my story.

These days, Miss Augusta and I no longer write letters to each other. Instead, we type emails.

Not so long ago, I attached a copy of my latest Angels story – The Angels of Wallaby Way – to an email and sent it to my Goddaughter, saying:

Guess what? I finished my 3rd Angels novel! It took me a very long time to finish the book, and you are probably now too old to enjoy the story, but I hope you’ll read it anyway. I’m very sorry that I didn’t finish the book sooner.

Miss Augusta replied: “Wow!” I don’t think she thinks she’s too old at all.

So, it’s now time to get on with my day. I have a novel to finish proofreading. It’s for Miss Augusta.

It’s grand having a Goddaughter who loves my stories.

★Now that I’ve finished The Angels of Wallaby Way, I’m going to update and republish the first book in the Angels series, The Angels of Abbey Creek. My daughter Charlotte is drawing new pictures and a cover, and I think I can improve the words!

Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

If Miss Augusta had a cat, I think it would be a grand one like this kitten wearing a red bow tiara on its head.