The Deptford Pixies
A series of illustrated adventure books in rhyme
The how it started story in a hazel nut shell
The Deptford Pixies started as a rough twelve line poem written near the South Bank Centre in London. From there it slowly germinated into a rounded adventure story, designed to be fun and to spark imagination.
In the text, some of the words and descriptions are deliberately made up, to play on sound and allow the reader freedom to imagine the what’s, when and how’s.
And as a writer you can think it’s finished, done. And then you start working with an illustrator like Amanda, and you find that it can go further. It has been a revelation. Letting someone else visualize the space around the words you have laid down on paper has helped to extend and deepen the story telling. And made it more fun. For me!
Amanda has added layers to the story, with some fantastic comedic elements in the imagery and small details in the pages for the reader to find. And make up their own additions to the stories, they’re their book(s).
Who are the Deptford Pixies creators?
The writer and illustrator behind the Deptford Pixie adventures are Andrew and Amanda.
Andrew likes to write, play with words and invent spaces for imagination to run free. In the Pixie adventures this is done using inventive rhyme, the fun use of words and made up names for creatures that sound right and fit the story pattern.
Amanda loves to paint, draw and illustrate and to use the images created to add layers of fun, wit and inventiveness to the scenes the words describe. Amanda has also characterised the Pixies in the stories, and given them great boots to wear and funky hats.
Theri Bubbleboggler flew down to the Olde Moss ponds from The Bubblelery, Theri needed some Olde Moss for a batch of arggle-gargle juice. Olde Moss was the secret ingredient to make the gargle in the arggle.
As Theri entered the pond cave a rye scent pricked their nose, Theri’s antenna started to sting. Approaching the Olde Moss ponds Theri saw the source of the scent, the moss was blighted! It’s edges were curled, the surface a dull grey and a dead sparkle bug lay on the surface. A whimper-squeak escaped Theri’s lips.
Theri dropped the two scoop pans they were carrying and with a shrill squee sped off as fast as a Flatatat could flat to find an Elder Pixie. The Elder’s and the Pixie Queen must know soonest. This is disasters!
This first book is about how disaster was averted by a brave and fearless, well sometimes, group of Pixies.
The Tale of the Undergarden – the second adventure: The second tale of Pixie adventure, currently being illustrated by Amanda.
The Misadventures of ‘X’ and ‘Y’ – the third adventure: Now written, this tells the story of X and Y. Can’t say to much at the minute as it links into first and fourth adventure.
The Pixies and the Auld Wytch – the fourth adventure: Almost now written, and carries on the story from adventure two and bumps into adventure three.
Book five: The concept is in notes and scraps of paper, but there’s a train, Grugach and Fey!