We were reading our review from Kirkus weren’t we Pixie? We read it over and over to absorb what they were saying and decide if it was a good review or not! Bearing in mind of course that Kirkus are the Kings/Queens/Revered and Feared Reviewers, the top dogs of the publishing world in the land of reviews, based in New York City!
We have already posted a blog about our impressive review from when it first was published which you can read here . The headline is above which is really saying that the story is terrific but that Pixie Van Dimple, who is the protagonist and heroine, has ‘little to do’ as she and her sister, Trixie are in the background for quite a lot of the time in the story, watching helplessly as the drama unfolds and the maelstrom begins (read the book to find out where they actually were hiding out! there is mention of a great big ‘liddy thingy’ !!!)
Now you do expect that a protagonist in a book has an active part in the narrative and action, and you read about what they are doing throughout the story. In this story Pixie and Trixie are visible at the start up to when they carelessly throw their plastic bag and the contents into the sea. This is the destructive action that tipped the balance and caused the chain of events very nearly resulting in a global disaster of epic proportions. They are out of view and unseen for much of the drama and we catch up with them later as continents and world leaders unite to try to contain the situation which could have dire consequences….
Take the look on Pixie’s face on both the book covers above. It depicts a reaction to a bad thing happening, the shock of realisation, the guilt and horror of what she has done and a terror of what the consequences will be!
This is the template of the Pixie series and the title prompt is ‘Pixie Van Dimple and the Wrong Kind of ?………..’ You need to read the books to see if everything turns out all right in the end!
What this represents though, in a way is the ‘human condition’ of the habit of us humans creating cataclysmic disasters by doing bad things, not taking care, not considering the consequences and taking all things for granted, like to the environment, each other and ourselves. Not PREVENTING disasters and a whole chain of destructive events by THINKING ahead of how best to do things WITHOUT hurting anyone or anything. How to limit the effects of mankind on the Earth. How to produce things with care and compassion and in a way which is not wasteful and more in tune with nature. How to treat ourselves better and not abuse our bodies, and cause ourselves harm, to be aware and educate ourselves on ways to live much healthier and enriched lives.
In Pixie’s books Pixie has to bear the consequences of her actions but lives to tell the tale and realises the error of her ways. She learns to educate herself (Yup to read loads of stuff and BOOKS) do the research, to put things right and pledges to educate others to do the same and make the right choices in life.
PREVENTION is the key though peeps. Prevention means: the action of stopping something from happening or arising. Before that something sets off on a trajectory and it becomes too late to put the pandora back in the box. The concept being to think about the effects or consequences before you do something or make something and consider alternative methods which are kinder, more empathetic, more altruistic and more useful!
Humans have always been curious and resourceful but we have also known them to be destructive and forceful. Progress has come at a cost to us and our environment to varying degrees. We have not known in a lot of cases, the impact of this progress until way down the line when the research and results have been conclusive. We know much more now than we did though and we can make more informed decisions and take action accordingly.
Let’s turn this whole Human Condition around peeps and think more about the ‘Condition’ of ‘Humans’, how we want to be in the future, and what we want our lives to be like! Let’s not be a catalyst and bystander in the chaos but instrumental in creating and developing our more enriched, calmer, more nourishing, more nurturing, more satisfying and ultimately more contented future lives side by side with all things and creatures which share our space wherever that space may be!
Something to think about peeps! And be in no doubt that the protagonists Pixie and Trixie and all of US and YOU have much to DO!!! What will YOU DO today??
Love Lynn & Pixie XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Lynn McAllister 