| Beyond the Hedge | |
Illustrator Johnny Milne | |
| Beyond the Hedge illustrator Johnny Milne was born in the Scottish county of Lanarkshire in 1933. He simultaneously survived World War Two and school, going on to study at the renowned Glasgow School of Art. This was followed by National Service which was spent in RAF Radar Intelligence. Marriage, children and mortgage forced Johnny to give up the carefree life of an artist and seek gainful employment. He first met the author while teaching at Wellington School in Ayr where she was a pupil. Their lives followed different paths for many years until they met again at a school reunion in 2002. Mairi's debut novel inspired Johnny to embark on a series of drawings which blossomed into the illustrations which are now so much a part of this book. Both parties were reluctant to attend that reunion but remain delighted they were persuaded to do so! |
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Pigsblanket, the cabin boy, coming alongside 'The Cheeky Monkey" with Peg Leg. There are altogether 22 of Johnny's drawings in the pages of Beyond the Hedge. And they are available to buy here. | |
 Happiness gives you wings |
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> | Johnny Milne was a frequent visitor to 'The Retreat', Mairi's home in Dorset, and absorbed the magical atmosphere of the place. The Hopes and Dreams Branch and Kim Creswell's living willow unicorn feature in his interpretation of the move to France, along with Jock and Kismet, two of the main protagonists in Beyond the Hedge. The insistent crow beckons a somewhat hesitant cat to embark on their next adventure... A magnificent Gothic arch frames the lush Dorset countryside which merges seamlessly with the mountainous landscape of the Pyrénées-Orientales where Mairi now lives. As for the Hopes and Dreams branch, there's a new one on a majestic mulberry tree which presides over the terraces in Mairi's French garden and more ribbons are being added as time goes by. |
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More about Beyond the Hedge
and Five Star reviews on Amazon UK |
Read or listen to an extract from the novel and from the sequel, Between Two Worlds |
| Where to get the book | Return to the Home Page |
| Mairi's Hopes and Dreams Branch | Buy Johnny Milne's illustrations |
| Mairi's portrait and favourite links | Contact Mairi@mairicraw.com |
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Mairi Craw's Literary Agent is Darin Jewell at the inspira group |
Mairi's collection of Greeting Cards which feature many of the characters in Beyond the Hedge |