As the author of 'Celeste and the Witch Garden', a fun-filled sci-fi fantasy aimed at the young at heart, and a composer of diverse instrumental music, I seem to live at a perpetual crossroads, caught between the city and the countryside, between my music and my writing, between nostalgia for the music and books of my youth, and enthusiasm for the ideas of tomorrow, between England and America, between here and there, between past and future.
My situation has its frustrations, but it’s dynamic, and a very creative environment. The countryside, where I live, is beautiful and holds a special place in my affection. In writing my novel, ‘Celeste and the Witch Garden’, I tried to capture the sense of wonder I feel whenever I find myself lost in the Suffolk landscape, in the woodlands, the fields, or by the sea. It’s a special place, steeped in magic, folklore and history, and is a constant source of inspiration. The Lake District, too, holds a unique place in my heart, it's mountains and lakes, and lush, rugged ambience fuelling my creative output on many levels; and, in my wildest imaginings – combined with the music of certain bands and musicians, such as 'The Incredible String Band' or 'John McLaughlin' – creating something more exotic, akin to India.
I think music-making, at its most exciting, is like a journey of discovery, for both the listener and the musician. I’m excited by music that tells a story, or that takes a melody and then develops into something interesting. There has to be a spark that captures my imagination. It needs to excite my interest, and then I set to work.
I also have a deep fascination with America. Although I've never visited, I remain thoroughly captivated by the culture, the countryside, the scale of the place, the razzmatazz. Coming from England, I guess it’s the sheer scale that hits you the most. The scale and the brash self-confidence. The idea that anything is possible. The American Dream. Part of me feels very American. I love to engage with big ideas, the big questions. Are we alone in the universe? Where did we come from? That’s perhaps why I’m inspired by the work of Douglas Adams, whose mind embraced all science and scientific speculation. I draw a great deal of fun and enrichment by immersing myself in the work of other artists. Through my own work, I try to give the same to others.
In that sense, I feel like I’m writing in a tradition of English storytellers, building on the work of my heroes; the likes of Terry Pratchett, Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. I constantly work on new concepts – I can have five or six new projects going at the same time. And these projects can be years in gestation. For example, the concept, ‘Aliens in my Garden’, which would later grow into ‘Celeste and the Witch Garden’, has been turning over in my head for as long as I can remember. Over the course of many years, the project accumulates new material, grows and develops a life of its own.
Creatively, I am largely self-educated. I taught myself to write, and I discovered a passion for music very early, since when I’ve taught myself to play guitar and keyboards. There are certain people who simply can’t survive without some means of personal expression, an outlet for the ideas that rattle round, inside their heads. I’m one of those people. With regards to music, my method is basic, but also technically demanding. I have my own studio set-up, here, in Suffolk. I do more, or less, everything in-house, having developed my own way of working, using the equipment I have to hand. With modern technology, anything is possible.
At some level, I think all artists work for their own amusement, their own satisfaction. If I have an ideal listener, or reader, in mind, I guess they would be somebody like me. Somebody with an active imagination and a love of big ideas. I often work long hours, and I have all the usual pressures of family life. Music and writing is my refuge, my means of escape. Turn on 'Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young', or 'The Incredible String Band', and, for the duration of the track, you become a different person. Your mood, your whole outlook changes. Open a book by Douglas Adams, or Terry Pratchett, and then until you set the book down, the effect is much the same. A favourite book, or a well-loved album becomes a refuge, a sanctuary, away from the pressures and downright tedium of ordinary life. In my music and my writing I’m trying to create these avenues of escape. Follow me this way and I promise you an adventure, something new, something unexpected, something you might not have encountered before. Wherever my imagination leads next, I can guarantee it will be interesting!
Check out my writing and composing activities on my website at: www.judegwynaire.com
Celeste and the Witch Garden is published by Burton Mayers Books, and is available from my website, and from Amazon, Waterstones etc.
My music can be bought or streamed from my website, or from most online music portals.