Drawing on the awkwardness and embarrassments of childhood has been a vital creative ingredient for East London’s very own James Herriot.Veterinarian and children’s book author Nicky Webb, 40, has two published books to her name as well as a string of short stories that have appeared in newspaper supplements Nal’ibali.
Webb and Brain teamed up; with the vet filing chapters of her books into a drop box account for her former writing teacher to tweak into shape.
“She takes a boring line, adds two words and it’s hilarious. The books were actually supposed to be serious but they completely are not!”
Webb said seeing a copy of her first book, Jamie and the Magic Whistle, in which the little girl tries to scrape together enough money to buy a horse to replace her cantankerous pony – was “an unbelievable feeling”.
“It still doesn’t feel real and the illustrations by Madam & Eve cartoonist Rico Schacherl are absolutely amazing.”
The writing duo are in discussion about another Jamie plot, but in the meanwhile Webb spends her free time taking horse riding lessons with her daughters, painting furniture for her sunny new home in the suburb of Selborne and writing short stories for newspaper supplement Nal’ibali which encourages youngsters to read.
Like many successful writers, aspects of Webb’s life emerge in her books.
“I suppose I do draw on my own experiences when I write. I once worked for a vet who received a dog hair jersey knitted by a client and so a character in one of my books also knits with dog hair. I’ve also used names of horses like Whistle and Jellytot from the Ebb and Flow where my daughters ride.”
Her children get “a little nod” when a character called Holly Hannah Jacobs – a combination of their names – is announced at a horse show.
The story-telling vet also delves back to her childhood when she wore hand-me-down clothing and was “always the last person to be chosen for a team” for inspiration.
“I was useless at sport and was always the child in the race for those who can’t swim where they throw you into the pool in your pyjamas. I was always one of the nerd herd. It was terrible at the time, but now I can turn those things into stories and make others laugh.”
Webb’s books, which are also available in Afrikaans as Tania en die Perdry-Kompetisie and Tania en die Towerfluitjie, can be purchased online on takealot.com or ordered through bookshops. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Madcap animal tales
Veterinarian and children’s book author Nicky Webb, 40, has two published books to her name as well as a string of short stories that have appeared in newspaper supplements Nal’ibali.
Webb and Brain teamed up; with the vet filing chapters of her books into a drop box account for her former writing teacher to tweak into shape.
“She takes a boring line, adds two words and it’s hilarious. The books were actually supposed to be serious but they completely are not!”
Webb said seeing a copy of her first book, Jamie and the Magic Whistle, in which the little girl tries to scrape together enough money to buy a horse to replace her cantankerous pony – was “an unbelievable feeling”.
“It still doesn’t feel real and the illustrations by Madam & Eve cartoonist Rico Schacherl are absolutely amazing.”
The writing duo are in discussion about another Jamie plot, but in the meanwhile Webb spends her free time taking horse riding lessons with her daughters, painting furniture for her sunny new home in the suburb of Selborne and writing short stories for newspaper supplement Nal’ibali which encourages youngsters to read.
Like many successful writers, aspects of Webb’s life emerge in her books.
“I suppose I do draw on my own experiences when I write. I once worked for a vet who received a dog hair jersey knitted by a client and so a character in one of my books also knits with dog hair. I’ve also used names of horses like Whistle and Jellytot from the Ebb and Flow where my daughters ride.”
Her children get “a little nod” when a character called Holly Hannah Jacobs – a combination of their names – is announced at a horse show.
The story-telling vet also delves back to her childhood when she wore hand-me-down clothing and was “always the last person to be chosen for a team” for inspiration.
“I was useless at sport and was always the child in the race for those who can’t swim where they throw you into the pool in your pyjamas. I was always one of the nerd herd. It was terrible at the time, but now I can turn those things into stories and make others laugh.”
Webb’s books, which are also available in Afrikaans as Tania en die Perdry-Kompetisie and Tania en die Towerfluitjie, can be purchased online on takealot.com or ordered through bookshops. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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