Writer and Illustrator
Amanda has been a keen artist since she was very young, discovered her passion was working with soft chalk pastals where she could plend rich colours.
The author Amanda Elaine Brake has cared for children as a nanny / Au pair for many years, which inspire her to tell stories for them. She wrote the Misty Valley and read this story for a local school whilst living in United States in 1996. But has just recently rewrote it in this rhyming fun way with the colourful illustrations
Now she has two little boys of her own to read and write stories for. She decided to rewrite and dedicate this story for them; the proceeds of her book are going to help her eldest son get treatment for his eyes. It is also dedicated to the two girls whom she nanny and cared for in the US many years before.
Amanda has lived in the beautiful Dorset countryside most of her life inspired by nature and old local and world mythology. Amanda is from a large family and has always been surrounded by children. Amanda is now rewriting Italian folktales, and studing childrens story writing at ICL .
No moon shone on this particular evening, it was the darkest night
Not a soul in the village stirred without fright
The crying and howling came across the land,
Once it was dark and misty.
But warm and snug tucked in his bed was a little boy called Christy
The morning arrived with golden rays across the sky
The cockerel crowed as the sun rose high.
A welcome end of a sleepless night
A jump out of bed with relief and delight.
There was worry of the harvest not being done
Collecting fruit nuts and berries was always such fun.
Going to the woods was too much for some
With the howling and crying all night,
It just couldn’t be done!!!
But Christy was brave and thought he could
No!! Off to school said mum and put on his hood.
With a skip and a run he went on his way.
Not always fun at school with no one to play.
The kids laughed because he was so small
He didn’t like it, no not at all.
“I’ll show them,” he said
As he went on ahead.
To the woods without a care
A job to be done that no one else would dare.
In the canopy of trees
He felt at ease
Abundant load he had collected
This harvesting he just perfected
His hood was full to the brim
But then he felt some one watching him
Creepy and scared
He crept quietly as he dared
But who was this in the shadow?
............Get your copy to find out!
Here are two of Amanda s Tromp l'oeil wall art
Art work coming soon
The tired sun and fading bloom
Golden fields are done with the harvest moon
Burnt wood of old, the cooling sweet scent
Look! The migrating flock on their descent
Plump fruits ripening
Preserves, jellies, jams and apple pudding
Fix the window, shut the doors
The winds are up, see the coloured leaves in the falls
A quiet time,
That old sweater of mine.
The loss, the quiet retreat reflect in waning sun
Time to stop listen and give thanks to the hidden one.
Demeter’s wild grieving
Persephone is leaving
The forbidden fruits eaten so forever bound
The approaching winter linking Hades underground
Day and Night at equilibrium
Darkening nights have began
Harmony and balance to be Done.
Imagination with inspiration
The mothers hands of creation
Forever holding
The eternal enfolding
Awaken with the goddess breath
Never ending at the death
Sleep to passing memories
Begin a new melody
Fresh new birth
blossom flower to burst
The gentleness has awoke
but not yet spoke
New Year of hope.
Spring coming soon
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