31/01/25 and 02/02/25
What an exciting year ahead! It’s all happening here. Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat is ready to go to print. I’m picking up my new look business cards today and I’ve started to contact libraries so that I can do a book reading once the stories are on online for sale. You know the best thing of all is that my book will be published just in time for Easter 2025. Isn’t that perfect? Easter and bunnies go so well together.
Writing Tip
At the end of the day or first thing in the morning as I am usually up at the crack of dawn before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. When I get those quiet moments of inspiration I sit down for ten minutes and read over what I’ve already written. You’ll find you can add to your poem or story. Leave it a day or two and come back to look at it with a fresh perspective. You may get a different stance on your creative work. It’s always great to get someone else to read your poem or story once your masterpiece is complete. They can add suggestions and ideas to improve, improve, improve. I’m such a perfectionist!
24/1124
Finally and at long last the wonderful story and illustrations for my children’s fantasy fiction adventure series Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat are done.
I did five drawings for the protagonist Rex Rapp and decided this was my favourite illustration. He certainly has the bunny-like features; the goofy teeth and dish-shaped ears. Can you guess what will happen in the first story? This is certainly a book for bunny lovers and anyone who loves furry animals. The stories are set in the idyllic countryside that exuberate warmth and charm. The first story Acro Terrific Transformation has a dream-like sequence that I adore and I have attempted to capture this in the illustration of the transformation and the first appearance of Snowlop.
I confess every single day of this year was vital as a progression towards the completion of the adventure stories. My heart, my mind and my soul have been pleasantly preoccupied that I can see and direct the fantastically crafted stories that are good enough to be performed on stage! Who knows one day….
For any writer their characters are as real as the moon!
Further updates will follow on Instagram and Facebook as soon as I have news!
Hi
I’m Sana, a writer based in Northampton.
Many of you will know me from my Instagram and Facebook pages and my numerous radio interviews on BBC Radio London and Northampton amongst others.
Since the launch of my wonderful website on Wednesday 29th June 2022 I have embarked on lots of exciting ventures from recording my poems for the radio to working on all sorts of new ideas for stories.
In this blog I’ll be sharing with you excerpts from poems and short stories that I have written over the past twelve years. A Celebration Poem written for the Platinum Jubilee and the poem Go Team England, Go England, Go was written for Team England who competed at the commonwealth games in Birmingham in July 2022. This was sent to Team England and the poem was played on BBC Radio, Northampton on Tuesday 28th June 2022 at 6.40pm. I know many of you tuned in to listen to the interview.
In 2019, I wrote a poem to celebrate the birth of Archie Harrison Windsor, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex which received an acknowledgement from both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. Following this I had a fantastic year where I was simply writing poetry. In 2021 I wrote Rex Rapp Incredible Transformation. The story is about a boy who transforms into a bunny and goes on a magical adventure.
What a great start to 2024 for me with my poem ‘New Year’s Observations’ which was read on air with BBC Radio Oxford on the 18th January.
This year has been the most fulfilling for me. I have written five fantastic adventure stories and I have been working on pencil and watercolour illustrations for five months. Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat is a wonderful story about a lonesome boy with bunny-like behaviour who does not fit in at school. Then one day he receives a magical parcel and inside is an unexpected surprise that changes his life forever. Rex meets all sorts of interesting characters, the first is a magical Silver Moon hare with whom he embarks on some extraordinary adventures.
What a fantastic start to January 2025! My book Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat is a series of five adventure stories bursting with catchy rhymes that will be published online with major retailers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble by Easter. Hurrah!
04/03/2025
Hi There!
Here’s a treat for parents and children like. A video recording of Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat that I thought you would enjoy.
It’s a lovely five minute bedtime story and in perfect time for World Book Day which is on Thursday 6th March 2025.
So sit yourselves down with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the magical story of Rex Rapp, a lonely orphan boy who one day transforms into a beautiful Rex Rabbit and goes to live in the forest.
Rex Rapp the Boy Bunny Acrobat Five minute bedtime story
13/12 24
What a thrill to receive the mock up yesterday for my first children’s book that will be published in the New Year 2025!
So, I had two ideas in mind for the cover deign the first is as you see and the second idea was having Rex doing some cool acrobatics.
The story of Rex Rapp the boy who transforms into a bunny is set in the idyllic countryside giving the bunnies as much freedom as possible to frolic, play and explore. That’s where all the magic and adventure takes place around Ruby’s tearoom.
Did you know that the book is written in dedication to our two boy bunnies that we bought in 2010. They lived in a two storey hutch in our back garden until 2017.
Look out for the five characters who can transform just like Rex Rapp. Yes you guessed it. It’s the Arctic Hares! Now the fun really begins…
Then you have a Magical Moon Hare who appears during snowflake snowstorms. Whenever he appears you are sure in for a terrific surprise!
If you would like to pre-order your copy you can do so by emailing me: bunnybeautifulstorycards@gmail.com
I would love to hear from you.
Watch this space folks!
Writing Tip
If you love writing like I do then it is well worth keeping a little voice recorder in your bag so that you can capture those amazing ideas/thought processes that can pop into your mind in the middle of the night or early morning and can later be developed into a story,
07/08/24
It’s all getting very exciting here with the publication of my new book in the autumn. I have begun to work on illustrations.
My initial thought was to hire an illustrator however, I admit it has not been an easy process searching for the right illustrator to capture the essence of this beautiful story and I am now seriously beginning to consider doing it myself after all I am a creative artist and since the first five stories have been written I am hands free to create my own illustrations.
Here he is the magical Silver Moon Hare in pencil and watercolour drawn by me! Not bad hey?
I think he looks superb even when we change the angle of the picture. Do you agree?
I have drawn a rough sketch of Rex Rapp the protagonist and am looking to complete this in watercolour paints and pencils.
Tip: It’s always best to start with a picture of a real hare, dog, cat or work from real life and start with the outline. Think about the shape, size and angle you are drawing from. I have used colour and pencil to add fantasy elements to my moon hare he is not the traditional brown as hares usually are but silver, grey and white giving him an altogether surreal appearance. In that way I have made the picture my own and it’s exactly what I want for my book.
Watch this space for further updates!
Pretty Primroses!
Long walks in the country invigorate my soul and set the tone for my writing. This photo was taken in May 2024, in a field off Ecton Lane in Northampton.
Hello Spring! 30/03/24
What a gorgeous and sunny weekend we have this Easter Bank holiday. The daffodils are in full bloom and the fluffy white clouds are dotted about like cottonwool in the ocean blue sky.
I love Easter it was when my little boy was born. He will be 12 years old next week and how time has flown. We’ve got a fab party planned for the 6th April 2024 with friends and family and of course I am writing and editing my short stories that I am hoping to put out there for the world to read late summer/autumn. It’s full of magical rhymes and children can sing along to the Bunny Bop Boogie. All my latest updates as to the publication will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Wishing you a Fab Easter Day!
Back on BBC Upload Northampton, Oxford and Essex
It was amazing to be back on BBC Uploads on three radio stations on the 26th October 2023, the 2nd November 2023 and the 16th November 2023 with my poems Halloween Hare, Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night and On the Touch of a Pen being read live on air. I will be looking to write and record more poems written over the years that I think you will enjoy listening to. Watch this space!
A Dream Unexpectedly Awoken 10/10/23
This is one of my favourite poems. It was written some time ago and yet every time I come back and read this poem the words move me and excite me! How amazing it would be if our ultimate dream reached GREAT heights! That really would be a dream come true.
Definitive Dream 29/02/23
The words for this poem were derived from a poem I wrote two years ago. I took the poem and gave it a revamp and wrote it anew. The words have a kind of surreal appeal that transcend time. Have you noticed I have the sun, the moon and the stars all in one little rhyme? What’s your opinion reader? Write to me and let me know: bunnybeautifulstorycards@gmail.com
On the Touch of a Pen 14/03/23
The words came flowing one sunny afternoon last year and it was like magic. I felt light hearted and carefree and so I just let go and this is what I wrote…I must confess I had no inclination to stop writing nor did I know how long the flow would go! This is an amazing feeling for any writer when the ideas are there and you simply cannot catch them fast enough or catch them all although I always try to catch as many as I can.
Writing Tip
Sometimes rather then think hard about a piece of writing embrace the first words that come into your heart, and if you feel the flow then just let go and see the magic happen. ..because these are all the words that are needed with very few amendments. Take it from a writer!
BALLERINA
At the time of writing this poem I was thinking how a ballerina spends her entire life rotating in a musical box and the way in which this parallels to a human life, that is someone who spends their entire life living in a room. Ballerina ‘pirouettes gracefully’ and ‘gazes’ upon the world outside. She dreams of a life beyond the tinted glass window and yet the reality is she will never have such a life as she is simply a pawn admired by her keeper but one whom will never be quite free to lead her life or love as she wills. I have given ballerina human qualities. The poem has a sense of romantic ambience and stillness. Time passes and ballerina still gazes out of the window though ballerina will always remain as she is.
Romancing My Childhood Dreams
Yesterday evening on the 29th January 2023 I wrote this wonderful poem which combines the themes of romance and girlhood fantasies. The poem is written in the first person and I have made reference to Mother Nature ‘crossing rivers and sparkling streams and romanced this with the fairytales we read in childhood. The poem has a natural sequence it begins with the innocence of childhood and then escapes into girlhood fantasies ending with facing the disappointments of reality ‘POP’ as she steps out of the bubble of innocence onto the unending staircase of life’s galloping journey wondering if she will ever meet her one true love. The poem questions those fairytales we read in childhood that create false perceptions of how we expect love to be in womanhood and asks ‘Was love simply a delusion?’
Paddock Place
In paddock place eight ponies play each morn and day
Proudly prancing in fields of grass and munching hay
There they go happy and carefree then one promptly flops to terra firma
Rolling left, rolling right following friends in free flight
With springy steps he swings around sprinting in a herd
A close knit bond
Each time he confounds me
One heads this way and the others follow
Circling paddock galloping ground
Isn’t it lovely he’s at last found family?
Away he treads at intervals returning, fulfilling his yearning for LOVE
That was lost now found….
Gracefully galloping in pairs and soon the years pass swiftly…
Eight playful ponies move onto pastures new
Written By
SANA Malik
On the 14th January 2023
POET, Writer and ARTIST
Writing Tip
Paddock Place starts off the new year 2023 with the vibes of a nursery rhyme and it is one of my more playful poems. Recently eight new ponies have been grazing in the field in Earl’s Barton and I found myself observing their behaviour and of course along came the rhyme. This poem has a ‘good feel’ factor and yet it has a poignant feel touching on the themes of love and family. Ideas can come at any time and any place and it is always handy to have a notebook and pen which I usually keep me with me at all times.
Dreaming of a Snow Capped Mountain
Mountains often appear in my dreams and for me they have a spiritual significance. The poem was written following a dream I had that moved me to tears, where I found myself gazing upon a spectacular snow cornice. There’’s something about Mother Nature that I find calming to the soul that in turn inspires me to write. 31/10.22
Writing Tip
It is not always necessary to set a time and a place for writing. Allow your creative juices to flow freely and simply write what comes into your heart. Catch the words in that moment in time in a notebook and in time those words will magically turn into a poem or short story.
Snow Capped Mountain: Impossible Dream
I closed my eyes and dreamt a dream of a snow-capped mountain
Even now my soul embraces the inner tranquility and STILLNESS of the moment
I dreamt I was wandering…
Far beyond the Wye Valley where the ancient river runs unswerving
Somewhere amidst the bluebells and evergreens
A sprinkle of snow inspires an IMPOSSIBLE dream to grow
A gentle breath of an invigorating breeze and the dream rises with ease
Like a restless dove it soars up high sailing amidst the emerging waves of blue sky
weaving through Cirrus and Stratus summarily forming soft white snowy peaks nestling upon a tall
grey snow cornice
I stop awhile and gaze upon its spectacular sight
AWESTRUCK…
The snow cornice reminiscent of my recurrent dreams is momentarily within my clasp
I’m floating on CLOUD NINE in a state of euphoria
I turn and walk
Silently contemplating
Strenuously seeking
The IMPOSSIBLE
The majestic vision, its REALIZATION
BELIEVING it will usher
MY soul to EVERLASTING fulfillment
I open my eyes and experience BITTER disappointment
The snow cornice has evanesced into cold, crisp, thin air
I consciously take a deep breath ACHING, YEARNING, HANKERING to be near the snow capped mountain once more
It resides in each waking beat of my heart as sweet as secret love lost, awaiting my return, an immortal imprint in my visual memory of the writer’s elemental vision
Could it have been a figment of my imagination?
Halloween Hare
Have you heard the story of a mystical horned SPOOK who roams the moors on
Halloween at twilight?
Where the dewy grass grows and strange shadows hoppity skippity in the breeze,
that’s where you’ll find him hiding amidst the leafy green trees
Cleverly camouflaged from view
Looking straight back at you!
Like a restless grasshopper he hops to the right and stops
Then he hops to the left and peers
LISTENING and looking
LOOKING and listening
Silently surveying his surroundings with smooth marble orange eyes seeking
solitary terrain
On predator detection he lies as flat as a flounder in the tall grass
On the LOOKOUT.
His enormous black tipped ears and superior vision give him a 360-degree view
You might get a fright as he springs past you
And makes your heart JUMP like a Forest Gump
The chances of seeing him are low
But then you never know!
Click, click, click…
A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
On the 8th of September 2022, an autumnal day I should say
The British nation was enrooted in a state of disarray, for we learned the ‘sad news’ that our ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ had passed peacefully away….
The United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth conveyed the ‘deepest of sadness’ and
In the days following a sombre mood permeates the air
In what is Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year…
I wonder if the British weather knew as
The incessant rain fell and cold winds blew around Balmoral?
A low-pitched wail echoed around the castle walls, and through the great rooms and magnificent corridors…
The sound of pitter-patter raindrops falling and
The soft and soothing voices of angels calling, the voices of angels calling….
Then, a hushed silence in ‘REMEMBRANCE’ of our
‘‘Beautiful Queen Elizabeth II’…
High above Buckingham Palace an autumnal sunset witnessed by grief-stricken mourners below, gradually the sky darkens drawing one reign to a close…
Heavy rainclouds linger low and the crowds of mourners grow, the crowds of mourners grow… the crowds of mourners grow…
The Union Jack at half-mast and the black cabs queue
Forming a line to pay their respects to ‘Our Queen’…
Tributes descend from far and wide, around the globe and beyond the United Kingdom’s shores and tides.
Suddenly, the heavens heavy with ineffable sadness open their great golden gates and a majestic river surges forth relentlessly releasing raindrops falling fast, flooding grief-stricken hearts overflowing with tears and
In their midst, the warmth of unity and the comforting scent of sweet-smelling bouquets in an unendless carpet girth Windsor Castle and Buckngham Palace, brightly coloured floral tributes and heartfelt messages of love and devotion to celebrate the life of
‘Our Queen Elizabeth II’
Our longest-reigning monarch
You will forever remain in the people’s hearts…
Rest in Peace
Amen.
A Personal acknowledgement from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
A very special envelope came through my letterbox on the 17th August 2022 and although, I confess I was expecting a response from Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Jubilee poem I wrote, I was even more overjoyed to receive personal words from Her Majesty, the Queen and there it is on the left.
What’s this? Fur! Soft, grey velvety fur.
A short, fluffy tail and large, strong hind legs.
Whiskers! Huh, whiskers. I’ve really got WHISKERS!
Could it be…could it really be that I’ve actually transformed into a chinchilla Rex! Huh!
REX RAPP INCREDIBLE TRANSFORMATION
Rex Rapp Incredible Transformation is a story written in memory of our two boy bunnies Starski (Chinchilla Rex Rapp) and Hutch (Muffin, a Holland Lop) 2009-2017.
Rex was an unhappy orphan boy with extraordinary acrobatic abilities and Lagomorph instincts living in an orphanage. One day he discovers a secret spell in his mother Bella’s diary, and he awakes in the middle of a field having transformed into a Chinchilla Rex. Lost and alone he befriends a Holland lop by the name of Muffin who takes him back to Harecone Farmhouse where he meets Ruby the bunny trainer. Ruby is unaware of his real identity and adopts Rex as a bunny and he spends many happy months living with his newfound family. During the day Rex transforms into a boy and he attends Harecone High School under the alias Benjamin Bale. At school he discovers others like him a group that call themselves the Arctic Hares who are the trained cadets of the Silver Moon Hare and have been sent to protect Rex.from the likes of Blaze Hunter, Vulp and Tucker, three vicious foxes that form a skulk alongside the Foxgloves who are in pursuit of him as part of the Gull King’s evil plan to capture the Moon Hare and steal the powerful transformation formula. The skulk has joined forces with the Laridae or seagulls who work for the evil Gull King and are secretly stealing pigeon eggs and capturing bunnies and locking them away in the Great Gull Kingdom as part of an underhand plan to rid the kingdom of the Columbidae and Lagomorpha once and for all, in order to make way for the evil Gull King to become the most powerful bird in the avian community. Can Rex Rapp boy bunny find his only living relation the long vanished Silver Moon Hare in time with the help of his human mother Ruby, his best buddy Muffin, the Arctic Hares and Captain Palumbo, Chief and Larry Dove and defeat the Greedy Gull King and his troops to set the creatures of the forest free?
Bunny Bop Boogie
Chinchilla Rex and Muffin’s Song
We’re bunny bop buddies and we’re like no other
The two of us are as thick as thieves and we simply love eating delicious organic Alfalfa leaves,
It’s yummy, juicy carrots we crunch all day they give us an intuitive hunch as does chewing hay
A forewarning that a foe is near,
No sir-rey we feel no fear.
We’re bunny bop buddies and we’re well equipped
With poo pellets POW
You can’t beat our know-how
Rabbits are clever and we won’t be tricked
Yells and shouts and the nemesis screams OUCH
It’ll be worse if you meet with the grouch!
We’re best bunny buddies and we always stick together like birds of a feather
We shoot out pellet poo POW!
To frightens foxes away, no sir-rey they ain’t gonna stay,
That’s the way we avoid getting bitten by any dog, cat or kitten
We’re always on the lookout for carnivorous tods and their vixens,
baby kittens in mittens, greedy racoons and pesky gulls flying at high noon.
You see they all have one thing in common they’re looking for a tasty meal and we profess it’s
NO deal.
Take the pellet poo POW!
APPLAUSE
Don’t mention it!
IDEAS, IDEAS, IDEAS…
So this was a Bunny Bop Boogie I wrote to show the close bond between the two bunny buddies Chinchilla Rex and Muffin. My boy bunnies Starski (Chinchilla Rex) and Hutch (Muffin) were brothers in real life and I wanted to show a similar positive relationship between the two characters. The Bunny Bop Boogie has a fun and light hearted element inviting the audience to join in and it’s easy to get into the rhythm and sing along and if you listen carefully you can hear the bunny bop beat and 1, 2, 3 and 1,2,3 and 4. I find myself singing it throughout the day when I am doing my household chores!
In the world of my imagination I was thinking about the evil Gull King whom Rex is destined to defeat with the help of the Silver Moon Hare and the Arctic Hares a group of children who can transform just like he can. The song is performed on stage at the end of the novel when Muffin is granted a transitory voice at the request of Rex, by the Silver Moon Hare. It’s a rare opportunity that Rex has to speak with his best buddy in person because up until that point Rex must follow his buddies cues and bunny behaviours because unlike Rex, Muffin is ‘voiceless’ and the only ‘real bunny in the story.
The bulk of the story is set in Woodpecker’s Forest and on the make believe Harecone Island. All the characters have animalistic qualities except for Ruby and her parents who are the only humans in the story who cannot transform like the other characters.
It’s a versatile piece that I have been able to rewrite as the Starship Boogie. I have even shortened it and adapted it for a birthday rhyme.
If you like any of the rhymes than I’d love to hear from you. Do you write your own? Let me know. You can email me: bunnybeautifulstorycards@gmail.com
21st August 2022
Hey There
Today I visited my usual beauty spot and the lush green fields and rolling hills are a breath of fresh air and a source of inspiration for my writing. I have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with this wonderful horse. He’s a real beauty, don’t you agree? A few days ago I saw his friend being driven away in a trailer and I could hear him stamping his hooves. It broke my heart to see them parted and to see both horses in distress. This wonderful horse that I call the ‘big brown horse’ was left behind and he was racing around the pasture squealing and stamping his foot when he suddenly disappeared out of view. Meanwhile, I got talking to a lonely old man who had lost his wife. The next day I went back to see the horse but I only really got a good look at him today and I felt the need to comfort him and fed him some carrots. I believe we’ve become good friends! On a happier note he has found a young pony friend. After I fed both carrots they followed me a while until I sat down on the grass to enjoy the spectacular scenery and write my poem. The ‘big brown horse’ was the inspiration for my poem called ‘The Meaning of Existence.’ I’m sure you’ll gather the main theme is loneliness and for me it also has a feeling of nostalgia. What’s your opinion? You can email me: bunnybeautifulstorycards@gmail.com. I would absolutely love to hear from you.
The Meaning of My Existence
In my pasture where I roam alone
Parted from my playmate
I’m a big brown horse following my life’s course.
I munch the green green grass all day long and gaze at the public path that runs alongside it
Where the countryside opens to a vast and spectacular landscape
Of lush green fields and rolling hills
And the crows a cawing
And the breeze a softly blowing
And the apple tree a gently swaying, the leaves rustling in the wind
Dropping the apples that roll to the ground
I fill my tummy with just over half a pound.
Then I watch the windmills turning in the distance
And I question the meaning of my existence…
In my pasture where I roam alone
Where dog walkers walk along a path well known
To the river down below
And at times stop to say ‘Hello’
And where the locals take a refreshing stroll
And lonely individuals come to clear their heads
Rather than sit at home in an empty house instead
From getting up at dawn to going to bed at dusk
No one to talk to and nothing said
For some suffered loss and others divorce
It threw their life off course, for a while
I watch them nod and smile
Sure, it’s a lonely life for them and me to a large degree.
Amidst such natural beauty
With only loneliness as my friend
My soul descends to another plain
Walking here could never be in vain
Where excitable dogs greet a lonely soul
Up they come and sniff and jump
Wagging their tails happily
Running to and fro
It’s as if they know
In the pasture where I roam alone….
Non-writing Days
Today I am going to talk about non-writing days where we just don’t have any ideas or you simply do not feel like writing anything at all and I can tell you that’s perfectly okay! Yes, I’m having two of those days the last two days! However, my creative juices are taking a break and when they’re ready again I know those ideas will come flowing like an unending river and I always look forward to writing something new.
It’s the happiest feeling in the world when I cocoon myself in my writer’s haven with my wooden desk facing the patio doors that open to my beautiful garden where I take joy in watching my verbena attract butterflies and bumblebees and where I watch my Lavendula Augustilfolia grow.
I always thought as a writer unless one is writing daily one is not a very good writer. However, this is untrue. There is no hard and fast rule to when, where or how often you should write because every writer whether you are just beginning to write or like me you’ve been writing for many years will approach writing differently and have their own let’s call it routine. I know when I am in the middle of a project like my children’s novel Rex Rapp I was writing extensively daily in order to get the story written.
Bearing this in mind writing doesn’t always go according to plan and ideas can pop into your head at the most bizarre times ie in the middle of cooking food or when you’re driving or rushing about on a busy day. At this point as you know many writers will advise having a notebook and pen with you in your bag. In truth I may not necessarily carry a notebook with me unless I am in the middle of a poem and I find myself working on it over subsequent days several times a day that is, taking breaks regularly and then going back and re reading what I have written.
Tip: I find if you leave your project alone for a day or two or even a few hours you will come back with a fresh stance and you are more likely to complete a piece as even more ideas come flowing. It’s always great to keep a regular writing day. For me the peace and quiet of Sunday mornings was the perfect time to get pen to paper for a couple of hours.