Rachel Fuller is a multifaceted artist whose diverse body of work spans media from film and television to ballet and orchestration. Now she has turned her creative talents to writing her debut children's book, a labour of love inspired by her own diagnosis of ADHD as an adult.

Through her writing, Rachel is keen to reach young people and their families who are living with neurodiversity, and to encourage us all to embrace difference. 

Bee is our Debut of the Month, and we were delighted to get the chance to ask Rachel a few questions about her original and uplifting picture book.

Q. Given your illustrious background in music and ballet, with the latter being a form that’s centred on story-telling, it seems a natural fit for you to create a picture book that blends story with music and art. But what were the challenges of focussing more on words (notwithstanding the fact that Bee is a book that blends words, music and visual art!) when you sat down to create Bee? Did you take inspiration from other picture books, or picture book creators? 

A. I see myself primarily as a composer - and although of course this has entailed writing lyrics - I always find the music easier!

I had written a storyline for a ballet of Bee - and after meeting with a novelist friend, she encouraged me to write the story as a children's book. 

There is a very real skill to writing for children - and not one I have! But the children’s book editor I worked with was so helpful and would guide me to make sure I used language that younger children would understand. So I had help! I also read the story to several children within the age group for their feedback.

Q. What were your favourite picture books from your own childhood?

A. I loved Cat in the Hat when I was very young - especially Thing 1 and Thing 2 - because they were naughty - like I was.

I also like Grimm's Fairy Tales and my godparents bought me a very large volume with beautiful illustrations for a birthday one year. 

When I was around 7 or 8 years old I also liked The Twits by Roald Dahl, and the illustrations by Quentin Blake

Q. Was there a “eureka!” moment that led to the creation of Bee? Was it conceived as a suite of story and music from the outset?

A. I'm not sure it was a eureka moment - but I wanted to write a ballet - and I wanted to write about neurodiversity in children. So I wrote the story outline and the music first.

Q. How did the collaboration with illustrator Emilia Wharfe come about? And how did the partnership work in practical terms? Did you collaborate on visual details of character and emotion, for example?

A. Emilia really is a most magical person - her talent for drawing and illustrating is like no-one else. I had worked on a recent project with her. A 128-page graphic novel that accompanied a music album I had written. So when I decided to write the story of Bee as an illustrated book I asked her immediately. I sat with Emilia and shared the storyboard that I had written for the ballet - and then of course she listened to all the music that accompanied each scene. She then started to draw - and from the very first pages I was in love with the character of Bee and Sprout and all the others. 

Q. Are any of Bee’s experiences derived from your own life? Did you, for example, have the good fortune of being supported by a lovely teacher like Gertrude, or find comfort and magic in imaginary worlds?

A. Yes - very much so. As a child I always felt a little odd. I struggled to fit in and often felt different to all the other kids. I also used to find school very difficult, 

I couldn’t do my homework on time - I was often told off for daydreaming - I also found it very difficult to pay attention and focus in class. I was super chatty and often told to stop talking! 

At the age of about 9 I started to play piano and I became very good at it very quickly - I always like to write my own music, and I had a music teacher at school called Miss Ruffles who was very supportive and encouraging. I definitely found comfort in playing the piano and composing.

Q. We love the fact that Bee is passionate about — and brilliant at — both art and science, and grew up to “create a new fuel which was kind to the planet and helped the natural world”. What was the thinking behind giving Bee this set of talents, and going on to do wonderful work for the planet?

A. I suppose based on my own experience as a child, I wanted Bee to have an artistic gift. And also to be clever! In a time when we are all being mindful of looking after the planet that we live on, I thought it would be nice to address that in some small way by the invention of a new fuel that was kind to the Earth. 

Q. You were diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. I know it is a huge question (probably worthy of another book!) but how has ADHD shaped your life and do you have any advice to pass on to parents of children with ADHD?

A. I do. ADHD is a physical condition - it is not psychological - it is caused by not having sufficient dopamine in our brains, Dopamine is responsible for many things - impulse control, focus and attention, regulating our emotional responses, and more. So I think it's helpful to understand this - and when your child is being impulsive, fidgety, too chatty, not doing their homework, interrupting people when they're talking or being impatient etc., it is pretty much beyond their control, it really is. But when we can identify these behaviours as being due to ADHD, there are tools that can help to make life easier! 

Being diagnosed with ADHD as a 48 year old made so much sense of what I had struggled with throughout my life. It was not because I was a bad person who was impatient and too chatty and interrupted people! Some people talk about ADHD being a super power - I know what they mean. Although there are difficulties that come with ADHD, there are also gifts - an ability to think outside the box - an extraordinary imagination, we actually now believe that some of our greatest minds were neurodiverse, for example, Mozart and Edison. 

Q. What do you hope young readers take from Bee?

A. I hope that if the reader identifies with any of the difficulties that Bee faces, they will also see that there is a place in the world for everyone and that we are all unique and different. I think nearly all children must struggle at times - but for those who are neurotypical, the story of Bee will help them to understand a little more about how we are all so different and to be kind when faced with someone who is struggling. 

Q. Did you always want to write a children's book?

A. No! It hadn’t occurred to me at all before Bee.

Q. What are the challenges of bringing a novel to publication? How did you find the process?

A. I am working with a wonderful company called Whitefox who have been with me every step of the way and made the whole process really easy and enjoyable! 

Q. Any tips or advice for fellow writers trying to get their first novel published?

A. I just think, dream big! Contact as many publishers as you can and trust that your book will find its place in the world - and sometimes that isn’t even through a publisher and an actual book - we are now able to put things online - with artwork and everything for people to find and enjoy.

Q. How did it feel to hold the finished copy of your debut novel in your hand - and how did you celebrate?

A. It felt wonderful - it really is a special feeling to hold a book that you have written in your hands. You think of readers holding it also and hopefully enjoying what you have created.

I think I probably celebrated by eating and watching a movie with my dogs which is my favourite thing to do!

@rachelfullertownshend 

@wearewhitefox