“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.”
– Beatrix Potter
This past week was the anniversary
of the birth of one of the world’s most beloved writer/illustrators, Beatrix
Potter.
Potter wrote and illustrated The
Tale of Peter Rabbit, self-published first in 1901 just for herself, family and
close friends. But those who read and
saw it urged her to do more and in 1902 the 3-color edition was published by
Frederick Warne & Company.
Although the book obviously should
have been published for all to see, her editor Norman Warne had a bit of an
ulterior motive, since he was wooing Beatrix to become his fiancée, which she
did after the book’s broader release.
Unfortunately Warne developed leukemia and died before they could wed.
She
married in her later years and with the earnings from her books – she had done
23 by then – she and husband William Heelis purchased a large farm in
Lancashire where she became a prize-winning breeder of Herdwick sheep
and a prosperous farmer keenly interested in land preservation. She continued
to write and illustrate, and to design spin-off merchandise based on her
children's books for Warne, until the duties of land management and her
diminishing eyesight made it difficult to continue.
Beatrix Potter
and her most famous creation Peter
Potter died at age 77 in December, 1943, willing
most of her property to the National Trust.
Much of the land comprises the Lake District National Preserve, which
includes a replica of Farmer McGregor’s Garden and small statues of Flopsy,
Mopsy, Cottontail and, of course, Peter.
Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend by clicking the g+1
button below.
No comments:
Post a Comment