Betty Birney’s Blog

 Pooh Corner friends … and me (pregnant)!

It’s still strange to me to think of how much of my life has been intertwined with Winnie the Pooh. While I always had an awareness of Pooh, I don’t recall reading the books when I was a child. By the time the Disney films (and the first ones were charming) came out, I was way too old for them.

Still, why was the first book I wrote at age seven called “Teddy Bear in the Woods?” And the sequel, “Teddy Bear and Tallulah?”I was inspired to write the books on my own, gave them to my parents and told them “I’m going to be a writer.” 

I didn’t think about Pooh or bears for many years … until I was working at the Disney Studios in advertising. There was something new going on at the studio back then:  a little thing called The Disney Channel. I had moved from Disneyland to L.A. with the thought that I might like writing for TV. And I knew the people involved with developing shows for the channel.  I had been mentored by a much older, experienced writer/director/producer named Frank Brandt, who was freelancing at Disney. He managed to get the job of producing the first children’s show on The Disney Channel: Welcome to Pooh Corner. Not only did I know Frank, I knew the executive developing the show because we were both in a yoga class together on the lot.  So when Frank ran my name by her as a potential writer for the series, she was open to it, even though I had no credit I wrote some sample scripts. They were fun … and they were well-received.  Voila, I ended up writing 90 episodes, was associate producer, and my TV career was launched. Thanks to Frank Brandt and Caroline Hay!

After that, I wrote over 200 episodes of children’s TV shows and won a bunch of awards, including an Emmy.  And I also wrote books about Winnie the Pooh for Western Publishing. Three different series!

When I was planning my trip to see friends in Caterham (Surrey) after World Book Day, I was pretty excited when Min suggested an outing to the original Pooh Corner. Pooh Corner? That’s where it all started for me! And so on a sunny March morning, we set out for Hartfield, Sussex and the beautiful Ashdown Forest.  TO BE CONTINUED ….

          There are way more Humphrey books in the UK than in the US .

My brief  brush with royalty was over and on Friday, Laura and I went to Corpus Christi Primary School in Herne Hill (in the Brixton/Lambeth area of London). In a bright, sunny new room, I met quite a delightful cast of storybook characters! Friendly teachers and students at Corpus Christi and excellent questions, too.

After my presentation and signing, we headed back to Faber and I was off to lunch with the Faber children’s marketing team (minus one, who was off).  After a jolly Italian lunch, I went off to huddle for an hour or so with my UK editor, Julia Heydon-Wells. Julia is about to go on maternity leave but we still had plenty of Humphrey planning to do.  I’ll always be grateful to Julia for picking up Humphrey for the UK, where the books are so popular, and so glad I’m with Faber!

 Rebecca, Susan, Laura, me, Julia, Kat at Faber on our way to lunch. We missed you, Lucie!

And that was the London leg of my trip. On Saturday, I took the train from Victoria Station to Surrey to visit my friends, Min,  Jonny and Suzy and her parents, Wendy and Roger – they have adjacent properties with a guest house in the former stables so it was to and fro through the bushes from one place to another for a few very happy days.

When I arrived, there had been several emergencies. One at Min’s and one at Wendy and Roger’s, where Henry,the dog, had become ill with something like a stroke. There are three dogs there: Henry, Boston and Lizzie. Luckily, Henry’s medication was working and the prognosis was good, though he was a bit wobbly and tended to veer to one side. He was still chipper and game to take a walk. And as always, there were friends and good eats, lots of laughs and walks and side trips. It all began in a very puzzling way — as the family gathered around to put together a jigsaw puzzle I’d had made of the three dogs from a photo I took on my previous visit in 2009. Next stop: a Pooh-tastic adventure with Min!

Min, Suzy, Jonny, Wendy and Roger

          Betty with Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall, and screenwriter Michael Crompton, 3.3.11

“Your Royal Highness, how do you do?”

That was me, practicing in my hotel room over and over, because saying “Your Royal Highness” doesn’t come easily to a midwestern, all-American girl like me. But I was to be formally introduced to Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall the next day. And I was going to introduce her reading. By the way, if you saw The King’s Speech – and if you didn’t, you should - the primer on royal protocol that was sent to me said exactly what was said in the movie: “Call her Your Royal Highness the first time. Afterward, ma’am that rhymes with ham.” (The reason for the latter is to make sure you don’t say “mum.”) I was told that a curtsy bob was optional. Good, since I don’t have a lot of experience with a curtsy bob, though if I were in a receiving line with the Queen, I would curtsy. Or at least curtsy bob. I’m not sure my bad knees would cooperate with a full curtsy, but I practiced them as a girl. However, ths time I didn’t curtsy.

So who is this Duchess of Cornwall? In common parlance, she’s Camilla. Camilla Parker-Bowles nee Shand. Wife of Prince Charles. Stepmother of Prince William and quite soon, stepmother-in-law of Kate. And very likely to be the future Queen of England. And why was this all happening to me? It was all because of Humphrey the hamster and his World Book Day book, My Treasure Hunt Trouble, launching the new Humphrey’s Tiny Tales series.

Thursday morning, Laura and I took a hired car to Wimbledon Chase Primary School in Wimbledon – a rather harrowing ride in which I taught the driver a phrase he wasn’t familiar with: “Whaddya want … a written invitation?” when the car ahead of us egregiously missed an open opportunity to turn into traffic. He seemed to like the phrase and will no doubt be using it again. (By the way, since I spent much of the week in cars in horrific traffic, I noted how rarely drivers there lay on the horn.)  My contribution to British culture.

Wimbledon Chase is a huge, rambling old Victorian school and students were being bussed in from other schools as well. It was the official World Book Day, so many were in costumes. Lots of Alices, Robin Hoods, Dorothys and costumes you wouldn’t see in the U.S., such as Wombles and tin soldiers. We were warmly greeted when we arrived but it was clear that this was a special and very formal day. I really appreciated the fact that everyone was happy to go over with me – repeatedly – what the sequence of events would be. I would give my presentation as usual. The Duchess and entourage would enter and we would be formally introduced. (”Your Royal Highness ….). Then I would kick off the story writing competition for children and introduce the Duchess, who would do a reading from Winnie the Pooh (my life is flashing before me, since I wrote 90 episodes of Winnie the Pooh TV shows and three series of Pooh books).  Two students who won the competition from last year would read their stories. The Duchess would be presented with a signed set of Humphrey books and flowers. Okay … got it.

I kept my eye on the clock as I did my presentation. (Word ahead of time: wear what you would usually wear when speaking to students). The Duchess would be dropping by my presentation. Got it

I was intent on finishing before she arrived. Until … nearing what I thought was the end of the  Q & A portion of my presentation – someone sidled up to me and announced that the Duchess was running 15 minutes late – could I keep going? I did … for 20 minutes. I thank the children in the audience for coming up with more and more questions but I think we were all getting a little weary when someone announced that the Duchess had arrived and would be coming in shortly. The Q & A ended.  Dignitaries came in … including people with large gold medallions around their necks. I believe they were The Mayor of Merton, the Mayor’s Consort (don’t ask), and school officials. Also people involved with the Wimbledon Bookfest Young Writers’ Competition, including an actor I love, Timothy West (I really wanted to meet him), author Sophie Kinsella whom many in America would know, and Michael Crompton, chair, a TV writer whose work it turns out I admire greatly. And whose children, he told me, have a hamster named Humphrey.

They were seated. And we waited and waited in silence where you truly could hear a pin drop. A total hush. I’m not sure Americans are capable of such a hush … especially the 400 children in the room! The Duchess came in, beautifully dressed in a fuchsia suit, and was introduced to me (with only 400 people watching.) I said, “Your Royal Highness, how do you do?” And she said something so nice, thanking me for giving up my time for such a wonderful cause and saying, “You write the books about the adventurous little hamster, don’t you?” I have NO idea what I said. I hope it was coherent. Then I was introduced,  and I introduced her and took my seat. She read from Winnie the Pooh, the children read their UNBELIEVABLY WONDERFUL STORIES, and I was completely besotted with the little boy in his English schoolboy uniform who had short pants with one sock up and one sock down. Her Royal Highness was presented with the books and flowers and was asked for a few remarks. She said some lovely things about her love of reading as a child and her father reading to her as a girl. Then she was whisked off, but to my surprise, she stopped to shake my hand and chat on her way out. That wasn’t in the plan, which made it all the more charming.

 Some colorful characters at Wimbledon Chase Primary School

Then we were in lockdown for awhile because no one could leave the room until her car had left. And it was over.  I’d met a Royal. It’s nice for the memoir.

I sometimes wonder how I get myself into these situations that are so incredibly stressful. I could happily be at home in my office.  Then I remember: it’s all because of Humphrey.

My best advice came from a chatty cabbie the night before. He was asking a lot of questions so I told him I was to meet Camilla the next day and that it was unusual and nerve-wracking for an American. He said, “Don’t worry, luv. She’s just like the rest of us and very down-to-earth. You just be yourself, luv, and you’ll be fine.”

Better advice I’ve ever had, luv.

After the event, we rushed off to Waterstone’s Piccadilly, the hugest bookstore I’ve ever seen, for an intimate event with a small group of students, teachers and moms which was a wonderful capper to the day. Then off to my publishers’ board room at Faber & Faber for a champagne toast and a chance to chat with Managing Director Stephen Page and the wonderful Faber team. With lots of good sales news about the latest UK releases.

Later, back in my room at the Hotel Montague on the Gardens (half a block from Faber in Bloomsbury, across the street from the British Museum), eating a room service sandwich, I kept thinking of that line from the nursery rhyme:

Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?”
“I’ve been up to London to visit the Queen.”
“Pussycat, pussycat, what did you dare?”
“I frightened a little mouse under her chair”
“MEOWW!”

So I thought: “Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been? I’ve been up to London to visit the Duchess.”  And to replace the mouse, I’d add a hamster, who didn’t frighten the Duchess at all.

By the way … I WILL arise early to see my new “friend” at the royal wedding. (Still waiting for the invitation.) And if I was thinking that all of this was a really big deal, I had my next-door neighbor, former New Zealand opera star Mary, to go to for advice: she had lunch with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip aboard the royal yacht many, many moons ago. Now that’s nerve-wracking!

 John Newman, Karima Davis, me and our furry friend!

On Wednesday of World Book Day, I got to connect with an “old” friend and bookseller extraordinaire, John Newman. I met John in 2008 when I had my first World Book Day book, Adventure According to Humphrey. I did an event at Stratford Circus and John supplied the books. Then in 2009, he was attended a small dinner Faber (my UK publisher) gave for me. This year, Laura and I met John at Calverton Primary School in London.  After a hair-raising technical problem (which the wonderful staff at Calverton solved with grace and calm) I did two presentations for an amazingly attentive audience of kids who had unsqueakably great questions! Thanks to Karima Davis for getting the ball rolling for this visit.

Afterwards, John drove Laura and me to his bookshop in Newham – which I’d long wanted to see. Laura and I grabbed lunch next door, then went back to check out John’s HUGE selection of books and talk about , well, books!

Our next stop was Marner Primary School. When we arrived, the very dignified young prefects were preparing for my introduction and presentation. Library guru Tracy Barbe welcomed us and gave us tea before I spoke to another great group of students, answered their burning questions, and did a signing. Nice to see so many parents present, too!  I definitely rested that night (exhausted) because Thursday was THE BIG DAY. The day when Humphrey had the most ROYAL WELCOME of his life! (Believe me, I can’t emphasize that too strongly.) Stay tuned!

 Just Imagine bookshop, Chelmsford

I did events in and around London all week but Thursday, the 3rd of March, was the actual World Book Day.  I stayed right around the corner from my publisher’s office (Faber and Faber) in Bloomsbury,  next door to the British Museum.  I usually walked down there and meet the Faber children’s publicist, Laura Smythe, and a car arrived to take us to the event. By the way, Faber has an especially fun and newly revamped Humphrey website. www.funwithhumphrey.com

World Book Day started off with a bang as Laura and I went to St. Luke’s C of E Primary School on the Isle of Dogs in London. Great name, isn’t it? Adjacent to the Thames. Cold, gray, drizzly weather ! Did I say cold and gray? And drizzly?

 It didn’t matter a bit as I met a great group of enthusiastic students to kick off the week. Next, we went to William Patten Primary School in Stoke Newington for a presentation and a warm welcome. Thanks to Jo da Guia of Victoria Park Books for arranging and taking care of the book sales.

That evening, I had dinner with Jodie Marsh, my UK agent,  meeting her for the first time. Always great to actually get to see someone you work with face to face. Good news: School According to Humphrey is selling extremely well and moving up the charts daily! It will be out in the U.S. as School Days According to Humphrey this summer.

Tuesday,  Laura and I took the train to Chelmsford, about 30 minutes away. We left from the enormous Liverpool Station which was teeming with commuters. Luckily, we were going the opposite direction. We headed to Beehive Lane Elementary, where I got a warm welcome and a tour of the school guided by two very knowledgeable students, Jessica and Robin. They have a lot of outdoor areas including a story garden and a forest school. It’s lovely to be in a place that demonstrates all learning doesn’t take place in a classroom. A special thanks to the school head, Brenda Dyke.

I spoke and answered questions, then had lunch with the students. One of my favorite parts of school visits is getting to chat with the kids. Nikki Gamble, owner of Just Imagine bookshop, took us to Melbourne Park Primary School. Unfortunately, there were tech problems and we never could get the laptop to talk to the projector. After making the very patient students wait a long time, I finally did my presentation without visuals. I hated the fact that they missed out on the great visuals and animations I have, but they were great sports and a terrific audience.

Nikki then took us to Just Imagine which is only four weeks old! Such a lovely space with rooms for crafts, storytelling and all kinds of events.  I had tea with the staff there and we talked about children’s books, of course. And talked and talked. I signed books and then back to the station for the train. I stayed in and rested Tuesday night.

Wednesday – off to East London — more about THAT to come!