In my last post I wrote about how much I’ve loved taking part in #ShapeChallenge on Twitter. I’ve also been wondering about how to make sure I continue to find time for writing when time itself is thin on the ground. Then, inspired by a comment on my last post, I had an idea – I’d take one of my drawings and write a story to go with it! So, here is the story of Gerald the Octopus. 
Gerald was a young octopus with lovely orange skin and a rather large nose. He knew he had a large nose because all the other octopuses would tell him so:
“Big, nose, big nose!” The girls would call, swimming past him in the school yard.
“Ha ha Gerald, you’ll never get a girlfriend with that great honk!” The boys taunted.
Gerald was sad. He wished he had a small, smooth nose like the other octopuses. He tried poking his nose inwards into the soft flesh of his face… but it just boinged out again. He tried covering it with selection of seaweed scarves… but the others teased him even more. He tried hiding behind his tentacles… but, “Gerald! Get your suckers away from your face and get on with your work!” his teacher would cry.
It was no use:
“Big nose, Big nose”
“You’ll never get a girlfriend!”
The taunts continued.
As a teenager things only got worse for poor Gerald. His peers grew larger and leaner but Gerald didn’t seem to grow at all. Except for his nose!
“Big nose, Big nose!”
“…never get a girlfriend!”
Gerald just never fitted in.
Finally, he left school and swam off into the big, wide ocean. There Gerald thrived. He explored, he made new friends and he grew and grew.
His tentacles grew…
his body grew…
and he grew the most beautiful, long floaty moustache.
Everyone loved Gerald’s moustache. It was exceedingly fine and perfectly complemented his face.
No one ever called Gerald “Big nose!” any more.
No one ever taunted, “You’ll never get a girlfriend.”
One day he was visiting his parents back in his old reef: “Your favourite band is playing in the rock pool tonight” said his Dad, “You should go!”
Gerald thought about it. He wanted to see the band but he knew lots of the octopuses from his old school would be there. Could he really face them?
Big nose, big nose…
Never get a girlfriend…
The taunts flitted across his memory.
No – he wasn’t going to let them beat him. He was going to go and see the band. Besides which, he had nothing to be scared of. He was bigger now and had his exceedingly fine moustache.
Gerald swam in just before the band began to play. There was whispering and nudging. All eyes turned to gaze at the handsome octopus with the long moustache floating along in the water behind him. Gerald smiled. His moustache rippled ravishingly.
“Is that…?
“Could it be…?!”
“It’s… Gerald!”
“But he’s… gorgeous!!”
The girls flocked towards him.
Gerald swam straight past them… right up to the handsome pufferfish on the front row. He beamed at his new companion who beamed right back.
What those fools never realised, Gerald thought, slipping a tentacle around Matthew’s welcoming fin, was I never wanted a GIRLfriend anyway.
***
It sort of came out as a children’s story (there are parts when I could imagine one line to a page with an illustration as I think that’s just how my brain works at the moment) although I think some of the ‘ravishing ripples’ are aimed more at an adult audience. Still, a good moral for all, I think. What do you reckon?
Linking with What I’m Writing, Prose for Thought and also with The Prompt which this week is ‘milestone’. It feels like a milestone to illustrate my own story, even if it’s not an ‘illustration’ so much as a ‘drawing’, but, well, you know what I mean!
Oh I LOVE this! I kept hoping it would end up a boy and you didn’t disappoint. Well done, Maddy! X
Glad not to disappoint! I knew Matthew was going to be a boy fromt he outset, I just had to decide on what sort of sea creature he was. xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Brilliant! I was really drawn in, and I love the Happy Ever After at the end.
Your sketches have opened a whole new world of opportunity for you. Can’t wait to see where it takes you xx
#Prose4T
Rhyming with wine recently posted…Hoodwinked!
Thanks! I’m definitely finding that creativity breed creativity! x
Maddy recently posted…when Twitter is awesome
Love it! I’m loving your illustrations and little stories Maddy… Can’t wait to see your picturebooks, which I’m sure will now be ‘written and illustrated by’… So glad you followed your heart and did this! It really shows through in the work (although I imagine it doesn’t really feel like work, right..?)
Rachael recently posted…Want to really feel proud of your (perfectly!) imperfect parenting?
Thanks Rachael, and no, it doesn’t feel like work, not at this stage anyway, I’m having too much fun! xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Fabulous! I’m really enjoying seeing your drawings, and I love the story to go with this one
Looking forward to seeing more of these! Thank you so much for sharing with #ThePrompt x
Sara | mumturnedmom recently posted…The Prompt 100
Thanks Sara, I’m hoping to write more stories based on drawings, but we shall see… xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Love the drawing of Gerald and his exceedingly fine moustache and I loved the story about him too, especially the twist at the end!
Louise recently posted…Making fairytale magic in the garden
Thanks Louise, the twist was my favourite bit too! xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Oh I love this, how awesome is Gerald and his moustache? Love seems your drawings and it’s a great way to keep writing too x
So far, it’s keeping me motivated! Thanks Lauren. xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
I’m enjoying the way your illustrations and story-telling are influencing / feeding off each other – looks like you’re having a lot of fun too. This story is tash-tastic!
Tee hee, thanks Becky!
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Just brilliant Maddy, as always! Love how the tash saved Gerald and boosted his confidence. What a fab little tale of self-respect and inclusion. You clever lady xxx
Thanks Reneé xxx
Maddy recently posted…when Twitter is awesome
Love it Maddy. It’s a genius of an idea. Hurray for Gerald (and Matthew!)
Carol Cameleon recently posted…Learning a new life skill ~ Makaton sign language
I wish them a lifetime of happiness together! Thanks Carol. xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
I thought this was excellent! Great illustration and brilliant story, well done x
Zoe recently posted…Coffee Shop Writer
Thanks Zoe! xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Brilliant! I love the story to go with this illustration. It really made me smile
Becky Cowley recently posted…Milestone
Glad I made you smile, Becky xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Could have sworn I commented when you first published! I love how your drawing and writing are creating a symbiosis of creativity. Your drawing styl, and your story with a moral are both fab. xx
Alice @ The Filling Glass recently posted…Parenting Tools: Community
I just left a similar comment on your post too – we obviously had a ‘thinking we’d commented but not actually doing so’ sort of day! Glad you liked my little tale and I love ‘symbiosis of creativity’! xx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
This is brilliant! The ending gave me complete and utter goosebumps. Well done on the drawing too you talented lady you. Thank you for linking to Prose for Thought and commenting from What I Am Writing as well.
Verily Victoria Vocalises recently posted…Valentines Day Goes Eco-Friendly with Sprout plus WIN 1 of 5 Tiny Desk Gardens
Thanks Victoria! Glad to have given you goosebumps! xxx
Maddy recently posted…What I’m Writing – week sixty-three
Just popping back to say thank you for hosting #WhatIAmWriting x
Verily Victoria Vocalises recently posted…The Conception Diaries #5 Friday 18th September 2016
Fabulous story! So love the “twist” at the end.
xx
K.D. Jennings recently posted…Musée National Des Arts Asiatiques – Guimet
This is fantastic! I’ve loved seeing your illustrations the last few weeks, you’re such a natural and the accompanying story with this one is just perfect. I love this line: “His moustache rippled ravishingly.” Brilliant! #WhatImWriting
Nicole (The Brightness Of These Days) recently posted…There’s No Such Thing As Good Boys
I loved this little drawing when it popped up in my instagram feed, and I love this little story too! Fantastic how much inspiration can come from one little abstract shape…
xx
Sophie Lovett recently posted…Building blocks