Ex-journalist follows her dream of writing her first children’s book
Walker took advantage of the lockdown and authored her first book based on her two young boys.
Former Sandton Chronicle editor Luicia Walker combined her passion for writing and family in her latest illustrated children’s book titled Grumpasaurus.
Walker took advantage of the lockdown and authored her first book based on her two young boys. “I’ve always had itchy hands to write a book but didn’t know what type of book I wanted to write. It took my eight-year-old son to point me in the right direction after he told an acquaintance that I was a writer when she enquired what my occupation was,” she said.
She added that her son was too young to understand what journalism was so she told him that her job was to write stories. “He immediately associated that with stories from the books his father and I read to him,” said Walker.
While on maternity leave after the birth of her daughter in early last year, Walker was able to spend more time with her children and pay closer attention to their behaviour – especially when they played with tech-devices.
“This gave me the idea for Grumpasaurus and I started typing away at the story on my computer whenever I had a free moment.”
The book is about how children’s moods change when they solely reply on technological devices during playtime. “When the main character Jet’s Friday afternoon of playing on the TV and tablet doesn’t go according to plan, he turns into Grumpasaurus, and is forced to find other ways of entertainment, including spending time with his brother.”
The story of Grumpasaurus ultimately highlights what children miss out on when they stay indoors playing on their devices instead of playing outside with each other.
Walker took the lockdown as an opportunity contract East London-based illustrator Julia Pols to help bring her story to life. It took about four months for the book to be printed.
“I’ve learned that following a dream doesn’t have to be complex. Just find the time to dedicate to it, even if it’s tapping away at the keyboard in between nap-time and dinner.”
She noted that she has already begun working on a second book, based on her second son. “I wish to leave this as a legacy to my children which they can one day share with their own children,” Walker concluded.
Walker’s Grumpasaurus will be on sale from the end of September. For more information, visit www.grumpasaurus.co.za
Related articles:
