I Heart Libraries

I believe in many things. I believe in the power of libraries.

Book Week Wrap Up

Book Week was a blast. Exciting, exhilirating, exhausting and downright dangerous. A decision to stay in Sydney overnight (to avoid six hours of travelling on each of the first two days of a busy seven day schedule) literally kick-started the great toe trauma. Which to cut a long story short (my editor would be pleased to hear I am learning to do that!) is basically a warning - do not ignore a badly stubbed toe and continue Bookweeking without even looking or you will discover how big a toe can swell, how many colours it can go and how it can hurt more than you ever imagined.

My last visit had to be cancelled and the ever patient Warrawee PS (and their wonderful librarian Bronwen) enthusiastially welcomed me a few weeks later than expected. I have to admit having surived the whirlwind Book Week proper, as I dragged myself out of bed at 5am for the three hour haul up the train line, I wondered: why am I doing this? Standing in front of all those smiling faces later in the morning and I knew my answer. Because it is fun. Because the kids. Because I love being a children's author. And I secretly wish I was a teacher librarian.

And because there are such wonderful rewards. Like this one . During question time a Warrawee Year 5 boy asked me what book I was most proud of. I started to tell how Shaolin Tiger is my favourite book then realised that wasn't the question. The book I am most pproud of is Jaguar Warrior. It took far more effort and rewrites than any other. Twice I put it aside to write more Samurai Kids books. Each time I came back to it I had to work hard to reimmerse myself. And by the time I finished enough time had transpired that I was a better writer than the one who had written most of the book. I started again.

Later that same night as I sat down to a major re-engineering of Golden Bat (Samurai Kids 6), I felt tired after a long day and a little overwhelmed by looming deadlines. Then I remembered what I had said earlier in the afternoon - how hard and how long the rewrite had been but how proud I was in the end. Suddenly I felt re-energised. It's a few weeks later and that big rewrite is well underway. I'm of proud of how it is coming together.

A little art, a little origami

During September my local art gallery, Beach Art, has been holding a local Authors and Illustrators exhibition featuring among others, the work of Sue Whiting, Donna Rawlins, Ann Lamb, Lexie Watt, Rhian Nest-James and myself.

To kick off the first day of the school holidays, I spent an hour in the gallery making origami and chatting with the kids who called in to say hello. We made samurai kabuto hats, ninja, talking dinosaurs, sumo wrestler, cups and more. Sometimes the simplest things are the most fun as we launched our twirling butterflies into the airstream of the fan (butterfly instructions here)

I am Grateful For ...

I am a regular visitor to Anita Heiss Blog. I particularly enjoy her I am grateful for... posts and you can find the most recent one here.

Lately I have felt weighed down by the layers and layers of small problems that have descended on me en mass and I have found myself often saying "I am grateful for..." and filling in the blanks.

It happened again this morning. As I returned from a visit to the tyre shop (never a promising start to a day) and a rushed 'hand in the assignment on time' dash to school, all the while feeling a little under the weather due to my antiobiotic cocktail to deal with 'the Book Week Toe Trauma', the delivery man waved as our cars passed on the hill. I am a regular stop on his route as he drops off review books.

I found myself thinking: I am grateful for people in my neighbourhood who smile and wave. I am grateful for the wonderful review books delivered to my door. I am grateful for stories that take me to another place. I am grateful for my writing friends.

Just as layers of problems can weigh me down, I have found these layers of "I am grateful for' lift my soul much higher. And I am grateful that Anita Heiss showed me how it was done.

Celebrating Three Ways

September 1 is an important day in my household. First, it's Indigenous Literacy Day, which aims to help raise funds to raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions. And if you are wondering what you can do to help, check out the suggestions on Anita Heiss Blog. We can at the bare minimum buy a book today (you can never have too many books and if you think you can, buy one as a gift) or make a donation on-line. Lots of $2 add up to very worthwhile amounts.

Today is also the release of the fifth book in my Samurai Kids series, Fire Lizard, otherwise known as 'the red one'. It tells the story of the Kids adventure in the Kingdom of Joseon (now known as Korea).

Terrorised by the corrupt Governor and his cunning henchman Hyo Moon, the poeple of the NIne Valleys grow desperate. Their only hope is Sensei's former teacher, Pak Cho. Now a frail, blind man. At great risk, Sensei and the Little Cockroaches escort Pak Cho to Daejeon City to deliver a warning to the Governor.

Can the Little Cockroaches defeat Hyo Moon? Will Pak Cho's message stop the Governor from destroying the valleys?

And the first paragraph:

Chapter One: Facing the Tiger

The tiger roars. It bares its teeth and staring directly at us, bellows even louder than before.

Kyoko drops her pack in fright.

“Don’t move,” Sensei whispers.

It’s hard to follow his advice when Kyoko’s pack landed on my foot.

But then the great tiger roars a third time, deep and throaty, mouth open wide. My body stiffens. The fear in my heart is much greater than the throb in my foot. I am the White Crane whose eyes can clearly see long cruel canines for puncturing and tearing. Strong vicious jaws for ripping and chewing.

Sensei taught us about tigers. One swipe to the head is enough to kill and one bite can sever a limb or carve a chunk out of your spine.

And finally, today is the first day of the Authors & Illustrators of the Illawarra exhibition at Beach Art Gallery, featuring among others, the work of Sue Whiting, Donna Rawlins, Ann Lamb, Lexie Watt, Rhian Nest-James and myself.