"Life," [he] whispered, "The biggest adventure of all."
(From "Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story")
Dear Bunky's Friends! Thank you so much for stepping with us into the Year 2022! Let's hope that this New Year will bring us more peace, joy, and hope, and, importantly, many great books to read!
It has been a very special time for "Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story" - on the 1st of January 2022, my novel received the BREW Readers' Choice Award! It wouldn't be possible without you - the amazing Readers who became friends with my literary character, Bunky! I am so grateful for your support and encouragement! Without you, Bunky's literary land of Walmland wouldn't be the same happy place! Receiving the BREW Readers' Choice Award was not only an honour to me, but also a promise to my Readers that I will be working hard, creating the literary worlds which bring joy to your lives! In order to start fulfilling this promise, Bunky and I began working on an audiobook version of "Bunky and the Walms"! Thus, my daily life revolves around literature and writing. Recently, I have been thinking quite a lot about reading and writing - the two activities which are so high in our esteem. What makes them so special and appealing?
I love reading - it allows me to travel to other realities! Yet, I am very careful about the books which I am choosing to read, I am sure that you will be 'on the same page' with me when it comes to this feeling: books strongly resonate with the worlds which their Authors created, don't they? I am careful about my reading choices because, each time while reading, I am pulled into the Author's literary reality and all the values and attitudes which are present in this particular fictional world are transferred into my own world, trying to influence a part of "me." Sometimes, while selecting a new book to read, I have this strange feeling of lonesomeness - the feeling of being friendless in the Author's world - the hunch that the Author's words, values, and perspectives make me feel alienated and cold. Then, I know that this particular book is not for me and I am looking for a different one. Books and the written word, in general, have a tremendous power over us, the Readers, and they always transfer their powerful literary presence into our world. Hence, I am very careful with my choices, as each literary world and each character resonates within me for days, weeks and months to come - even after I had finished reading a particular book a long time ago. Usually, I look for the books which would be in communion with my spirit and in affinity with my values. The affinity is not dependent on a particular genre. It entirely relies on the fact that I can feel the Author's presence through his or her words and I can honestly admit: "on reading this book, I feel like being home." One of such works is Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita".
Why then do Writers write? There are numerous reasons, including this rare possibility of commuting through a self-created literary world. We also heard about self-expression and organising one's reality through writing. Both are important. Additionally, to me, the written word means "becoming." In my view, writing means "bringing something to life." Words are more powerful than we often realise. Words are like magic spells and, therefore, we should be very careful while using them. Words should be cherished, as they are gifts. Words may prepare us for the future. How? Imagine a beautiful cottage, a field, and a forest nearby. Imagine that this little cottage is your dream; your personal yearning. Something unattainable? Not really. You have to have faith in the written word. Describe your dream. Create a story about your dream and keep writing about it until you believe that it will come true. While writing, be grateful for this dream. Believe that it is just around the corner. And then... it will come true, eventually! What I am describing here is greatly simplified yet, it does work in this way. Every idea and hope is strenghtened through the written word. The written word transfers your ideas and dreams into this tangible reality, and here it all begins... That is the reason why I am persistently repeating that literary worlds have a tremendous power over our lives; that writing might be the first step on the path towards your dream. It might be a long, long, long path towards your dream, but you lose nothing by taking it. Writing is projecting the future. Bunky's fairyland, Walmland, is the projection of my hopes and dreams, as well as of my past and, hopefully, the future. Yet, as long as I will be writing and believing in it, every dream will come true. I wish you the same from my heart. May the year 2022 be the year of hope and peace, and may you never be afraid of projecting your dreams in writing... they will come true!
With many best wishes,
Aleksandra and Bunky
