Fairy Tale of Bristol Book
November 15, 2021
I’ve always believed in Fairies.
Growing up on a Cornish farm and becoming a Horticulturist how could I not? I am hypnotised by the magic of Nature in all its forms; throughout the seasons, the years and each passing day. That moment when the sun pierces a grey day with a ray of light through cloud; rainbows of light seen in a single drop of water captured on a leaf; the fiery tones of autumn in a myriad of leaf shapes; that day when the air smells like Spring - all those times when you just have to stop and stare at the sheer beauty of it all.
I’ve been dreaming up stories since I was tiny. I would mentally record moments throughout my growing years of both happiness and sadness, storing them up for my next tale. Most of these have never been written but they are stashed away in my internal filing cabinet of memories waiting for the right time.
When we moved to Bristol in 2014 it was a brave step for us all. Having a very young family (the twins were 2, their brother 9), no work and no actual plan in place we existed on thin air for a while but gradually found our place and quickly fell in love with the bubble that is the Clifton and Harbourside area of the city. The architecture reminded me of my beloved Paris and where I missed the seas of Cornwall I could settle for the calm waters of the Floating Harbour.
We rented for a few years while we got back on our feet and then started looking for a home to love. One of these was a flat in an old Georgian building at the foot of Brandon Hill, which stands central to the area, that came up for auction. We loved it, but sadly, in the treacherous and unscrupulous world of property, it never got to auction as someone offered on it privately. It was a blow as I had already started picturing our new life there and the Fairy Tale of Bristol was already a whisper in my head.
The whisper grew into the tale of a city - with a little sprinkling of history, some important messages on issues such as climate change; it touched on myths and legends and it also told a little of our story - coast to city not being the norm!
I was always told that for your first book start with what you know so I’ve woven parts of our children’s personalities into the characters in the story. For me, and I hope for them, this will be a wonderful memory of our time in Bristol.
Please buy a copy of the book. Whether for yourself or for your children or grandchildren, whether you know Bristol or not, this is a Fairy Tale, a story of a family, a treasure trail around some of the cities highlights and I hope a good little read for all.
https://www.natalieashbee.com/store
Illustrations by Christine Harris
