Sarah’s grandpa went
to the big town.
Before he left, he
gave Sarah a shell.
Pink and orange and
green,
The loveliest shell
she had ever seen.
Judy was born in London but spent her early years in Ghana;
a country that inspired ‘Can you hear The Sea’. She studied Arabic at Edinburgh
University, taught English in North Africa and the Middle East. When she
returned to London she worked as a political journalist, an agony aunt,
translator, editor and writer. One of her most recent collaborations was with
Ania Marzec-Manser on writing a child’s memoir of Poland during the Second World
War. She was always generous with her time and would read manuscripts and give
feedback.
‘It’s a magic shell,’
said Grandpa,
‘If you listen
carefully,
you’ll hear the sea.’
I am still struggling to comprehend that my brave, fearless,
at times exasperating, friend of almost thirty years is no longer a vital
presence in the world. That she won’t be cycling to the women’s pond, taking an
early morning swim or raging at the many injustices in the world. That I won’t
have the privilege of hearing her beautiful and powerful writing or listening
to her insightful feedback at Islington Writers for Children critique group. A
group that she helped to found. That I won’t be able to nag her to finish a story
because it was so powerful and the world needed to hear it!
‘Quiet,’ said Grandpa.’
Now, close
your eyes and this
time listen
to what the shell
tells.’
Judy published two children’s books; ‘Sandstorm’, an
adventure story set in Egypt and ‘Can You Hear the Sea’ inspired by her childhood
in Ghana. Her current WIP ‘No Man’s Land’ was a tour de force, telling the
story of two eleven year old boys, Mo and Zak, in a conflict ridden Syria.
Sarah put the shell to
her
Ear, closed her eyes,
and
listened….
Judy was a force of nature. Today, if I test negative for Covid, I will be
attending her wake.
‘I can hear it,’ Sarah
said
‘I can hear the sea.’
Bloomsbury Books
ISBN-13 9780747576570
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