Last week a new book was published! I’m only just catching up with the whirlwind of activity surrounding it.
The story, by BBC newsreader Zeb Soanes is rooted in reality, and from an extraordinary friendship of trust and kindness. Almost two years ago, an injured urban fox turned up on Zeb’s Islington doorstep. Zeb tenderly nursed the fox, and consulted fox charities to give the correct treatment. It seems a bond was formed, and ever since then, Gaspard (named after Ravel’s piano suite “Gaspard de la Nuit”) was a regular visitor. Zeb began to document the nocturnal encounters with “The Handsomest Fox in London”.
The friendship was controversial… the tabloid papers trying to cause trouble with Zeb’s neighbours. In fact the fox is much loved, and all the unwarranted stories were pure fabrication. But the positive part of this sudden world-wide attention, and the hundreds of twitter and Instagram followers, was the realisation that there *was* a story to be told. A story of foxes in the human world, of kindness, tolerance, acceptance…
And so a book was born. A series of coincidences led Zeb to me: we both went to the same high school (12 years apart; Zeb is my substantial junior!), and have Suffolk and Lowestoft connections. We both present concerts with orchestras, he with his mellifluous voice, I with my paint brush. And of course we both love foxes.
This was Zeb’s first book, while I’ve been creating books for 30 years, but we quickly forged a terrific working relationship, based on mutual respect. It’s quite uncommon to collaborate in this way. Usually publishers buy a text and commission an illustrator, keeping the two people apart. But Zeb and I met often, toured Islington, discussed favourite illustrators, watched Carry-On films and generally got on like a house on fire.
Having studied creative writing, Zeb thoroughly enjoyed the process, discovering what could be said in words, and what could be told in pictures. I began by sketching Islington, Angel canal, and Gaspard’s haunts. Then drawing A LOT of foxes!
There then followed careful storyboarding and composing of pages…
Then at last, I could start on the final art, using a special “Gaspard Red” Ink!
Regarding the illustrations, it turns out foxes are pretty hard to draw. Meeting the real Gaspard was a revelation, and I was concerned I’d never capture his mercurial beauty.
Did I say his?
Gaspard had a big surprise waiting for Zeb! After he’d written the story, Gaspard turned up one night – with four cubs! So she is really a vixen. In the story books, Gaspard remains the boy fox of Zeb’s original idea, making friends with a girl dog and a rather snooty cat called Peter.
There has been a lot of attention, with Zeb’s pedigree behind it, and it’s been a joyous collaboration. Zeb is the most charming colleague one could hope for, and the publisher, Graffeg, have been fabulously supportive. The book is a triumph of production values, a sumptuous object with beautiful heavyweight paper and gorgeous colours.
So this chance encounter between a frightened, desperate little fox and the “kind man with a bicycle” as Zeb becomes in the book, has led to this story…one that is already winging it’s way around the world. Even the real Gaspard, and one of her cubs, have had a look…
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At it’s very heart, the story is a clear parable on the kindness of strangers in a bewildering world. I also love that this is a perfect book to demonstrate to children how not all stories are “made up”, and that a real life incident can also lead to great storytelling.
There are lots of events coming up, where you can meet Zeb and I. Take a look at Gaspard’s very own website for the latest news: www.gaspardthefox.com
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