Stories Are Light

I Did Get a Teacher for Christmas!

2012-01-21T05:46:00.006+11:00

In December I bought myself a special Christmas present - a bauble on the Asia Bookroom tree to raise funds for Classrooms in the Clouds in Nepal. I blogged about here.

The tree was such a success it raised $2,301 - enough to employ a teacher at Shree Bakhapalam Lower Secondary in the Solu region of Nepal for a year at the Government teaching rate of pay ($170/month).

I feel good. I feel like I contributed to something important.

Shree Bakhapalam Lower Secondary School

The Year Begins With a Holiday

2012-01-20T10:19:00.004+11:00

For me, the year always begins with a holiday. Every January our family goes to Merimbula for two weeks - after New Year's Day, to the same house, with the same two families of friends. The kids who were toddlers in the beginning are now teenagers who sometimes come and go on the bus rather then brave the family car trip. Once we would rush arund 'doing things' but now we rest and relax.

But the friendship never changes. Not one bit. It's the perfect start to a new year.

There are always highlights although these too have a habit of recurring year after year. We do what we like to do!

Booktique, Merimbula, NSW

Highlight No 1: I visited the Booktique Bookstore and gave a talk to a group of kids. Booktique is one of my favourite bookstores - books, chocolate and coffee! And Michelle, the sort of person every booklover likes to find in their store - someone who loves books and knows all the answers to a customers' questions.

Pambula Show: Longest Blade of Grass

Highlight No 2: The Pambula Show and more specifically, the official Longest Blade of Grass in the exhibitor's hall. I have to admit I didn't see it this year. #2 son was in a cast and tackling the Show on crutches was too hard. But my friend Amy reported back complete with a pic.

345 days until Merimbula 2012

Happy Ninja Christmas

2011-12-23T19:47:00.001+11:00

In early December #2 son's school had a card fundraiser. Perfect timing! As I filled in the form he said, "Don't be disappointed Mum but we're not allowed to draw anything to do with Christmas."

Another casualty to over-political correctness. I respect that many families don't celebrate Christmas. Sometimes its cultural issue and sometimes it's a religious one. In fact most people I know simply celebrate the values Christmas reminds them of- family, goodwill to others and community spirit - rather than the birth of Christ. To me christmas is a spiritual period but I would never force that view on others.

Similarly I think it is wrong to deny the majority children, who celebrate the many variations of the Australlian Christmas, the joy of drawing the icons of the holiday period - the tree, the reindeer, Santa, bells and even the nativity if they want to. Parents who find this inappropriate for their child must already have strategies they use when the child is confronted as early as November by the plethora of Christmas items in the media, stores and general conversation. A little tactful diplomacy could surely see this extended to the classroom.

But ultimately I decided not to make a fuss and to take my lead from #2 son. He wasn't worried. It was fun to make any card. So we have a wonderful, colourful picture with a ninja bang in the middle and a Christmas message inside:

From me to you, from mine to yours, have a happy ninja Christmas.

We Really Do Need School Libraries and Teacher Librarians

2011-12-16T16:04:00.003+11:00

I love libraries and am an active advocate of the role they play in schools.Yesterday I received an email about Australian schools who had or were in the processing of removing books from their libraries. Some have even dispensed with the library completely, replacing it with a book-less (not even an eBook!)technology area.

Now I'm not anti-technology in any shape or form. I work in IT. I had the Internet connected at home before it was commonly accessible for recreational use. I have an Ipad I use to read e-Books. I can envisage a time when the school library will be predominantly on-line and electronic, when hard copy books are no longer the norm. But I don't think we're close to doing that equitably yet and certainly not in our country's underfunded school libraries.

What worried me most about the books being removed was the lack of a replacement 'literature or story' and 'professional expertise'. The books weren't replaced by eReaders and eBooks. There space was simply reassigned - to more high tech resources and a VCE centre. Some non-fiction books were redistributed into classrooms with no cataloging or borrowing process in place. A teacher librarian wasn't considered necessary.

A number of libraries have already removed most of their non-fiction. While on-line resources are wonderful for research, they are not 'fiction-friendly'. I am concerned that there are rumblings of fiction being removed along with the non-fiction. How will a child learn to love reading if a library contains mostly eBooks and not enough eReaders for books to be borrowed and read at leisure? Lots of families don't have eReaders. Fiction needs to be portable. Kids need to be able to take a story home, to sit reading it in the playground, or a quiet time in class. Not only read it when they are in the library.

How can a school library even think of surviving without a teacher librarian to make it more effective? It doesn't matter what form non-fiction information is in, it still requires a professional to manage it and teach students the best way to maximise information and its usage. How will a child learn to love reading if there is no librarian to guide them and help them select books? I have met many wonderful , dedicated classroom teachers who have a limited knowledge of children's fiction outside the texts they teach. They don't have the time to research new releases or develop knowledge of a wide range of titles. That's the role of the teacher-librarian.

On the plus side I heard a story of a NZ school who replaced the library with a cyber cafe but have since reversed the decision and put their library back again. That's what I like to hear!

Places I Like to Go... Cath Crowley's Blog

2011-12-07T16:23:00.002+11:00

I love the way Cath Crowley strings words together. Graffiti Moon was one of my favourite books for 2011. I was guilty of sharing it around with lots of friends and gloating 'I called it' when it won so many awards. My personal reading criteria for a great book is an enthralling story and beautiful words. I like other mixes too, but that one's my favourite. And it describes Graffiti Moon perfectly.

I dropped into the Cath's blog today and found this ...

In that nothing night

The stars caught the bus

To the other side of town

To go to the pub

The moon followed

Like moons do

....

Head over to Cath's blog to read the rest of the poem.

Halloween 2011

2011-12-06T18:33:00.002+11:00

I love Halloween but I know many of my friends feel differently. I've heard all the arguments (it's unAustralian (this particularly puzzles me as Santa Claus and Easter eggs are allowed), a pagan practice, greedy kids etc etc). I am not phased by the arguments because everyone is entitled to their own view. Now that's Australian!

For me, Halloween is a celebration of community. The children in our street and their friends dress up and connect with their neighbours. If it wasn't for Halloween some of the big generation gaps in our street would never be crossed by conversation. It's supervised - lots of parents and advertised - neighbours choose if they want to be involved by displaying a sign. Our street is very steep and very few kids go to all the houses. Once there's a few lollies in the bag, it's more of social occasion.

For me Halloween began one magical night in Tennesee when all the children in the mall were wearing costumes. When #1 son saw the old holiday slides, he wanted to go trick or treating. We explained that no-one did in Asutralia (this was 10 years ago). But every year he asked and eventually I relented and arranged a visit to my immediate neighbours. For the next week my phone was ringing with people asking why we didn't call on them.

The next year we letterbox dropped some 'street rules' about lollies, quantities and the start time. Neighbours who didn't want to participate would simply not display the 'Trick or Treaters Welcome Here' sign on their mailbox and doorknockers would respect that. When lollies ran out or dinners was in progress, the sign could be removed. There was a high proportion of older people in our street and I was certain they wouldn't want to be interrupted but they were the biggest supporters. They loved those trick or treats and I love the fact that my children eventually met all their neighbours.

Nowadays it's a well-anticipated annual event - by kids and adults alike. My other half builds a haunted house and sometimes there are 60 kids queued to go through. This year things were a little different as we had a lot of illness in the family and just didn't have the time. But good fun was still had by all and I'm looking forward to next year.

I'm Getting a Teacher for Christmas!

2011-11-24T11:09:00.002+11:00

One of my favourite bookshops is Asia Bookroom in Canberra. It's a store I could browse all day in.

This year Asia Bookroom is celebrating Christmas in a unique and wonderful way. They are collecting donations so that the Nepalese children in the remote region of Bakhapalam can employ another teacher to enable the students to finish up to Year 10. Otherwise the children have to either drop out of school altogether or walk 2 hours to the nearest high school.

Only $3320 will pay for a teacher's salary for a year. $10 for each day.

Asia Bookroom have a special Christmas tree and are seeking help to decorate it. A donation of just $10 will pay for one day's salary and a red bauble will be put on the tree. A $20 donation (blue bauble) pays for 3 days' salary, $50 (green) takes care of 5 days, and $100 (gold) takes care of 10 days.

So when my family asked what I wanted for Christmas I told them 'a teacher'. There'll be a green bauble on the tree for me!

For more information visit http://www.classroomsintheclouds.org/

CHRONICLES OF ROSIE BLACK: EQUINOX BLOG TOUR

2011-11-23T09:00:00.002+11:00

I’ve always loved science fiction ever since I discovered Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series in my high school library. I am currently enjoying The Chronicles of Rosie Black, a high-action story set on Earth and Mars, 500 years in the future.

One of the things I really like about science fiction is the gadgets and technology. It’s interesting to see how many once fictional ideas are, years later, remarkably close to science fact. The Chronicles of Rose Black has a strong focus on gadgets and technology whether they are weaved seamlessly into setting description or explained in detail.

I couldn’t tell where fiction ended and fact began. Who better to ask than the author herself? Today, to celebrate the release of the Equinox, the second book in the series, I’m talking to Lara Morgan about the science behind The Chronicles of Rosie Black.

Do you have a background in science or technology?

I don’t so all the science came with a lot of research! I have always had a fascination with space and the stars – I think it came out of a love of Star Wars (the original film of course) – and used to spend hours as a kid staring up at the sky at night wondering what was out there so writing in a sci fi world is something that I really wanted to do. I also have a friend with a PhD in astronomy which really helps.

How do you come up with ideas for new technology? Is there always an element of fact in every idea or are some ideas purely imagination?

Some of the inspiration came from articles I’d read on theories for future technologies and others are straight from my imagination based on how I thought things might work in Rosie’s world. There generally is an element of fact in the technology though as I wanted to make things seem real and not just completely like something copied from Star Trek.

How important do you feel gadgets and technology are in science fiction?

Futuristic gadgets and tech really help ground the story in the world so it’s important to have reference to them so the reader knows the world they are reading about is not their own, but I don’t believe in making up gadgets just for the sake of it. All the technology and gadgets in Rosie’s story are there for a purpose, I’m not interested in making up bits and doodads for my own amusement. I’d rather just get on with the character’s story.

Books with a basis in technology have a strong appeal for young adult male readers. Did this view point influence your choice of a female main character?
It’s not something I thought about. I just write the story that comes to me from the viewpoint of the character who I feel it should come through and for this one it was Rosie. I can’t think about who the reader may be when I’m writing because it makes me feel someone is looking over my shoulder while I’m working and I can’t write like that.

Follow Lara to her next blog stop:

Thursday 24th	Literary Clutter	http://content.boomerangbooks.com.au/literary-clutter-blog/	Marketing books
	Lara Morgan Blog	http://laramorgan.wordpress.com/blog-tour-equinox/	summary

Check out the complete blog tour by visiting Rosie Black's fan page

This Writing Life Begins Again

2011-11-03T11:13:00.002+11:00

After eight months of illness - my own and my son's - there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I am writing again and two days ago did my first school visit for the year. I even made it to an Illawarra South Coast function last night - the annual Christmas dinner. The speaker was the wonderful Kate Forsyth whose lifelong enthusiasm for writing never fails to inspire me. She brought along the exercise book stories she wrote in primary school. Whenever I hear Kate speak I wish I had a life in stories like that. My discovery of myself as a writer is a more recent thing.

Kate talked a little about her forthcoming book, Bitter Greens, based on the fairytale of Rapunzel and the life of Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force credited with the earliest version of the fairytale in her story Persinette. I love historical fiction and this sounded like a fascinating combination. Unfortunately I have to wait until it is released in 2012.

It has been an inspiring week all round. At Windang Public School I met kids who love to read and teachers who support them through reading programs and literature circles. At Windang, some teachers and students give up their lunch hours for books!

And finally, this month I am blogging on the Christchurch Library blog http://christchurchkids.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/hello-from-sandy/

In praise of Teachers

2011-10-28T10:08:00.030+11:00

Somehow in the post family illness shambles this draft post never made it to the real world. But it's an important one to me so I am going to post it now, regardless of how untimely it is!

World Teachers Day is the 5th October - everywhere in the world except Australia. Here that date falls in the school holidays so we celebrate our appreciation for the work of teachers on 28th October.
I have long been an admirer of the teaching profession. When I was younger I considered it as a career but realised I didn't have the right skills. So it is a wonderful bonus for me as an author that I have the opportunity to visit schools and 'pseudo teach'.

Teachers can change lives. Whenever a group of my friends gather and the subjects of school (such a long time ago!) comes up, everyone has a story to tell about a teacher that made a big impression.

Cartoon courtesy of http://www.classroommanagementonline.com/

I am personally indebted to a number of teachers - as a parent and an author and a student. I was a quiet, bookish and academic kid in a home where such qualities were not valued. My teachers supported my interests and gave me a sense of self-esteem. There was Miss Mudford, my primary school principal who seemed so old to me then, but is now in her twilight years - and still remembered to ask after me at the recent reunion I couldn't attend. My high school Maths teacher of four years was a man I much admired and when I accidentally ran in to him a few years ago (amazing co-incidence, I didn't go to school anywhere near where I live now), I found my childhood opinion was well-formed. We are now friends.

English was my favourite subject and the two teachers who influenced me most, encouraging me to indulge my passion for reading and convincing me to write, are acknowledged in my first published work. I still exchange emails and letters with one of them. It was the school librarian who taught me Ancient History and introduced me to historical novels.

As a parent, teachers are an important part of my children's life. My recent novel, Samurai Kids 7: Golden Bat is dedicated to three very special teachers - they taught my children, encouraged me as an author and became valued friends. The inscription says For Jane, Kerrie and Margaret. Teachers are golden.

And they are. Shining lights.

Riley and Grumpy Wombat: Blog Tour Stop Here

2011-09-04T01:00:00.011+10:00

Today I'm pleased to welcome my friend and colleague Tania McCartney, author of the Riley series. Tanya is blog touring the fourth book Riley and the Grumpy Wombat released this month. For other blog tour stops check the schedule here.

Tania is here to talk about adding value to your book with good quality Teacher's Notes.

Writing Effective Teacher's Notes

One of the best ways to promote new books is to offer More. Sounds simple enough, but what exactly is More?

You can spend years writing a children’s book, but as we all know, having it published and on the shelves is only part of the entire book production process. Marketing, promoting and selling your work to the community is potentially the biggest hurdle for any book – and this is particularly so in both a saturated market and a downturned market, as we are sadly experiencing now.

Great work sells well, of course – but even the best work is pointless unless we can get it out there, into the community, and into the hearts of children, where it belongs.

Offering ancillary products for your books is a wonderful market tool, but it’s much More than that. Ancillary products expand your work and take it to new and exciting levels – both in terms of sales for you – and in terms of enlightening and educating children.

Whether it be online games, soft toys, activity books, interactive websites or trailers, offering your work, or links to your work, in varied formats, opens up a whole new world of market saturation and delight for kids.

One of my favourite ‘ancillary’ products for my books are teachers’ notes. I have a profound respect for teachers and all they do for our kids. I also know, pretty much first hand (I live at schools and have a school teacher sister!) the work involved in teaching. Offering teachers carefully-thought-out and pre-prepared teaching notes and lesson plans for their students is not only a godsend for them, it’s actually a whole lot of fun – and what a joy to see kids explore your books in an educational setting.

For my Riley the Little Aviator series, I wanted to create teachers’ notes that honed in on the educational components of my stories – namely travel, culture, tradition and local fauna. I thought long and hard about how I could do this, and tailored my notes to suit.

I don’t think there’s a super-strict formula to follow when it comes to teachers’ notes. There are many styles and varieties available. If you are really stumped where to start for your own books, begin by going over the mass of notes available on most publisher websites and author sites. Familiarise yourself with notes that cover books similar to your own (YA? junior fiction? picture books?)

It’s important for teachers’ notes to be clearly written, grammatically correct, spell-checked and proofread. Ask someone to check them over for you before finalising. Keeping notes succinct and clear is vital – rambling will hinder.

Begin by introducing the book – its cover and blurb. Also introduce yourself and your illustrator (if applicable) with a short bio and some pictures. Be sure to link to your sites so teachers can explore more of your work and learn more about you as a person.

Writing your notes will then depend on the style and format of your book. Picture book notes can be relatively simple in format, whereas YA notes will require more complicated structure and age-appropriate questions and exploration.

Think creatively and outside the square when you write your notes. Keep your audience (age group) in mind, and think about the parts of the book that will offer the most ‘meat’ in an educational setting. Are their morals to be had in your storyline? Lessons to be learned? What other elements would fascinate children and which parts would they be intrigued to explore?

For my Riley books, I know the travel elements are really favoured by teachers – offering a way for children to armchair travel to different parts of Australia and the world. In my notes, I therefore explore each destination in greater detail – and offer really cool facts about each place that the teacher can discuss with the kids.

I also explore the cultural messaging deeply, particularly in my Hong Kong- and Beijing-based books. Kids love learning about these quirky, local idiosyncrasies. I present this material in a statement, question and answer format that allows the teacher to first present info then ask a question (and have the actual answer on hand).

Because my notes are for younger kids, I have geared them towards the teacher – to be read out in a group setting rather than a printable sheet kids can do themselves. Of course, this is another option for this age group – so it’s really up to you. Older kids would benefit from notes they can actively fill in and research themselves (ie: no providing answers!)

I actually write my notes in three parts – or ‘lessons’.

The first one is an exploration of the book – almost page-by-page. In the two Asia-based books, I take the teacher through each page and provide fascinating cultural info she can explore with the kids as she reads the book. In the subsequent Australian books, I offer information on both the location and the animal in question – that the teacher may or may not know. She can then pass these facts on to the kids and discuss them in a group setting.

In the second part of my notes, I focus on story writing and structure. Naturally, this is a huge part of the national curriculum, and covering this in more detail is the most requested topic by teachers.

The third part of the notes covers an actual activity – and for each book, I suggest a book-making activity that can be extended into a full unit of study. I presented a 14-week version of this activity at a local Canberra school during a Writer in Residence programme, and it was an enormous success.

At the end of my teachers’ notes, I provide links to other ancillary products I have online – like paper dolls to print and cut out, colouring sheets and other activities. I also let teachers know I am available to speak at schools, and I provide all appropriate web links.

Teachers’ notes may take some time to write and perfect, but they are a priceless offering for kids and teachers and a marvellous way to extend exposure for your work. I love the idea of my books being used in schools to educate children – and for me, this educational component is a huge part of why I write for kids.

Teachers’ notes:

Riley and the Sleeping Dragon: A journey around Beijing

Riley and the Dancing Lion: A journey around Hong Kong

Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat: A journey around Melbourne

For more on Tania’s work, see http://www.taniamccartney.com/ and www.fordstreetpublishing.com.

Poetry Powerpoints

2011-09-01T16:03:00.009+10:00

Some time ago I blogged about teaching poetry to a class of ten-year-olds.

My Week In Kids Poetry

My Second Week In Poetry

I did six sessions and had heaps of fun. But best of all, I think I convinced most of the kids that poetry can be fun.

I've finally got around to posting the six Powerpoint Presentations on-line and you can download them here: Teacher resources

Feedback and corrections most welcome!

The presentations include:

introduction to a range of different poets, from Andy Griffiths to Banjo Patterson
viewing poetry from different media
interactive links to web site activities and YouTube
class group and individual activities

The presentations are:

Poems that Make Us Laugh - with Andy Griffiths, limericks and fractured nursery rhymes
Poems that Make a Noise - with Michael Rosen, literacy devices such as rhyme, rhythm, refrain, alliteration, onamatapoeia
Poems that Paint a Picture - with Dorathea McKellar, language and literary devices such as imagery, simile, metaphor and personification
Poems that Tell a Story - with Banjo Patterson and Alfred Noyes, writing and editing a story using techniques learned to date
Poems that Make a Shape - with Basho the samurai haiku poet, haiku, concrete poems, conquain
Poems that Make No Sense - with Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll

References to example poems have been provided where copyright excludes their reproduction.

Things I learned this week.

2011-08-25T12:05:00.000+10:00

This week I learned:

* Skype consultations are covered by Medicare
* Cambodia has the highest deforestation rate in the world
* Income averaging is a minefield (thank goodness for accountants)
* You can't get rid of a Community Page created by Facebook. In April Facebook enthusiastically created Community Pages from Wikipedia entries. I was one of the unlucky ones and now have a second Community Page that conflicts with my own Author page - plus comes up first in any search. Stuck with it, I am (only Yoda understands!)

A Prayer For Owen Meany

2011-07-13T16:38:00.004+10:00

Recently I bought a book based on another author's "The Book that Changed Me" comment in the Sunday paper. I am a sucker for first lines and paragraphs and this line from A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John John Irving reeled me in:

I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice - not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.

The first line was not misleading. I loved the story. But I hated the physical book. My husband bought it for me last month (back in the days when we had a local bookstore - 3rd largest city in NSW and now not a bookstore in sight!) - the problem is it is a small paperback format. The print was so tiny my glasses strained to breaking point and the binding was so tight it was uncomfortable to hold open to read.

I am one of those people who will buy both paper books and e-books. I will always buy paper books for the look and feel, and to have my favourites on the shelf where I can see and touch them. But I will never buy a book like this again.

But it's not all doom and gloom. It's a wonderful story and story will always survive in some form or another.

Author Interview - Paul Collins

2011-06-24T12:26:00.001+10:00

Today's guest is Paul Collins, award winning children's and science fiction/fantasy author, who recently released Mole Hunt, the first book in the Maximus Black trilogy. He's here to talk about about writing a trilogy, inspiration and the promo trail.

Now I have to confess I haven't read Mole Hunt yet. It's not that I don't have a copy - in fact I am due to review it - but when a cover is as good as this one and you have an eleven-year-old son - you have to wait in line for your turn. So watch this space for a review next week.

The projected length of The Maximus Black trilogy is 200,000 words. People ask me how long it’s taken to write. A tough question. I started Mole Hunt about four or five years ago. Having written the first book, I sent out an outline to various publishers but had no luck selling it. This is a dicey time for an author writing a trilogy. If the first book doesn’t sell, there’s no point in spending years writing two more in the series. This is where personal experience and faith come into it. Rarely does a book of mine sell within the first half dozen submissions. This is in keeping with many of the world’s best-selling books – the Harry Potter books would never have been published had it been up to the first ten publishers the first book was submitted to. Persistence is the key. And, I have to admit, I’m lucky in that Louis De Vries, publisher at Hybrid Publishers, likes my books. He published my first adult SF novel, Cyberskin, back in the 90s. So basically, after I was reasonably happy with Mole Hunt, I started writing rough drafts of books #2 and #3 in the trilogy. All up, I’d say it’s taken about two years of reasonably solid work to reach this point.

Maximus is an anti-hero. I have to say I’m fed up with nice guys winning all the time. One thing I noticed when I was growing up on a diet of superheroes in the Marvel comics was that the good guys always win. And that took away some of the fun for me, because no matter what, you knew the bad guy was going to get beaten, and escape to fight another day. That takes away some of the enjoyment for me. Surely other people out there like to read something different. And it’s this niche group that I’ve targeted with Mole Hunt.

So far it looks as though the book has found that audience. Reviewers have been overwhelmingly optimistic. Bookseller + Publisher said it was ‘Bitingly clever and imaginative, it’s like a cross between The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Total Recall and Dexter’. Others have likened it to Spooks, Star Wars and McGyver. Buzz Words said it was so fast-paced that it would give Matthew Reilly a nosebleed. I like that quote! Regardless, I have to admit that I was slightly worried that Maximus has few, if any, likeable traits, but again, I don’t see why readers should always expect the same-old, same-old. And judging from the critics, perhaps they don’t. Time will tell with sales, but so far it’s on track to becoming a good seller.

I often get asked in interviews who I enjoy reading. I don’t get much of a chance to read for pleasure these days, but when I do I enjoy Eoin Colfer’s Artemus Fowl books. Max has been referred to as Artemis’s evil twin. Other favourite books of mine are Philip Reeves’s Mortal Engine and Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series. Going back over many years I used to love Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books and Robert E Howard’s work, like the Conan the Barbarian series.

Another question I get asked is ‘why science fiction?’. In the 70s I published a science fiction magazine called ‘Void’. I was working for the Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane and a fellow waiter, who knew I was into publishing, suggested a science fiction magazine because there wasn’t one being published in Australia at the time. He could have suggested a crime, romance, mystery magazine, and I might’ve gone down a completely different road. It’s funny how meeting certain people in a pivotal moment in your life can have such far-reaching consequences. Back in those days I also met some wonderful Australian science fiction and fantasy authors such as Wynne Whiteford, Frank Bryning, Jack Wodhams, Keith Taylor, A Bertram Chandler and Sean McMullen. They all mentored me. I still brainstorm ideas with Sean.

I believe working from home could become tedious and boring for some authors. Luckily for me, my partner, Meredith Costain, is also a writer. We also have quite a menagerie here, comprising a kelpie, heeler, chickens, cat and fish. There’s never a dull moment. Hopefully that’s reflected in my writing, which is more action- and plot oriented than character-driven. I’ve never actually worked in an air-conditioned office, which possibly accounts for my getting rather drained when I visit them. I’ve met people who spend hours a day travelling to and from work. That must be such a drag and a waste of time and money. I think the thing I like most about working from home is that I can work my own hours. All one needs is to be truly self-driven. It would be very easy to ease back and not do anything if you weren’t motivated. Right now I’m working on Book #2 in The Maximus Black Files. I already have the first draft. So it’s time to fix all those niggling problems that I’m discovering.  At least I have a title: Dyson’s Drop.

Luckily for me I’ve never endured writers’ block. If I did, I’d simply start another book. You usually find a solution to any problem somewhere down the track. And if you can’t, you can always brainstorm with someone. Two minds are always better than one. Sometimes I might be discussing a problem with a friend, and just by talking about it the solution will present itself.

Of course, once a book is published the author then needs to embark on the promotion trail. This can be nearly as extensive and exhausting as the actual writing. I know some authors who write one book a year and then spend six months plus promoting it. There are various ways of approaching the publicity side of things: social media, which includes Facebook, Twitter and guest-blogging; interviews via magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, online bookseller sites, etc, and of course getting reviews. Children’s authors can also go into schools, libraries and festivals to give workshops and talks. I’ve recently given the keynote speech at a librarian seminar and have since been asked to give it again in Victoria. These venues are gold for authors.

Conversely, I know some who simply can’t speak in public through lack of confidence. That is truly debilitating to an author’s career. A little known fact is that I undertook a two-year stint at Toastmasters to overcome my own fears. It was easier than I thought, and I’d heartily recommend it to introverted writers, because promoting one’s books is now very much a part of being an author. Whereas publishers used to heavily promote their authors, these days they expect them to use their own initiative. I remember having a publicist when I first published with Penguin – I’d get picked up and taken to various radio stations and magazine offices to get interviewed. Skip a decade and although I still had an allotted publicist when I published a new book, it was on paper only. Not only did I not meet them, I didn’t even know who they were.

Last but not least, many authors now promote their new books via trailers, usually placed on YouTube, Vimeo or others. Henry Gibbens did one for Mole Hunt. It’s at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S-eKDYqpEs

Bookworm - Proof that Spelling Can Be Fun

2011-06-23T13:41:00.001+10:00

I haven't blogged for ages as I've been ill. Meningitis is such a nasty word and the my recovery period decided to go it's own way. The long way. It's taken six months and multiple hospital visits for me to be on-line again. And I've even been playing! I live in a house of keen game-players but it's not often something catches my interest.

I'm always on the lookout for educational software that is fun. The sort kids think is fun and actively want to play - not necessarily the same software as what adults think will teach their kids something! I'd forgotten about this one but its entertaining for adults (beware, I can attest to its ability to waste your time!) and will equally drag the kids in (also great fun to pay together). By making words to save the library from fire, kids will not only improve their spelling but also learn new words. There is no time limit so no pressure - which makes it equally good for struggling spellers.

You can download a free trial copy from here http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.php?theGame=bookworm and it is also available as an iPhone app (I downloaded it on to my iPad and it works there too)

Riley and the Crious Koala Blog Tour

2010-11-21T11:34:00.011+11:00

You know the sort of friend who is always muddling up dates and tuning up late? Their heart is in the right place but their had is sometimes not. I'm afraid that' sme today. But I'm still excited to be part of Riley's blog tour and to share the 'secret' Riley told me when I interviewed him.

Hi Riley. It's thrilling to meet a world traveller such as yourself and to share your adventures through you books. Of all the places in Australia you zoomed through in search of the Curious Koala which was your favourite?
First can I say – I think your books are so cool, Sandy! Mum has let me start reading them, even though they’re still a little old for me. I think it’s so awesome to be on your blog (**blush**).

Well, as for my trip around Sydney – it’s so hard to pick my favourite place, but I think it would be Luna Park… I had to fly in really close to those teeth and they almost knocked Panda flying! Actually, they did knock a jam sandwich out of his paw, and he wasn’t happy. We had to land and get him some fairy floss to make up for it.

I also liked the beaches – I wanted to go for a surf but I had to watch Lion – he goes a bit bananas at the best of times, and he’s not a good swimmer. He ended up making the coolest sand castle, though. Of course, Dragon slept through it all. Oh, and Taronga Zoo was really amazing, too.

Will you be coming back to Australia to visit the Curious Koala again?
Oh yes – I really want to. I was going to visit Vietnam next year but mum says she thinks it might be more fun to stay closer to home for now. I really love Melbourne and I’m super keen to get to Perth. Tassie, too. I want to visit all Australian states.

Where did you learn to fly such a cool looking plane? What sort of a plane is it?
My dad took me on flying lessons when I was three. I was a bit wobbly at first and had training wings for about a year but pretty soon I was flying solo. I love being able to jump in that plane and go anywhere I like. My mum and dad are really cool like that.

And the plane is actually a biplane. That means it has two sets of wings. It’s sort of a dusky red. The Red Baron had one of those. Mine is made of tin and the prop is a bit old and wonky but it still flies well. The Red Baron’s biplane wasn’t made of tin. It also has these super dooper special effects – like inbuilt floaties in the wheels – that were created by Kieron Pratt. He’s like that guy – Q – in the James Bond movies that makes high tech and really cool things… he’s really clever like that. When we visit Adelaide, the book will be set under the sea (because the animal we’re hunting for is a sea-creature), and Kieron is already working on the plans to make my plane water-proof. It’s going to be sooooooo amazing.

I’m actually getting a bit worried about the lack of space in my biplane… on each of my book adventures, a new friend joins me and follows along on the fun, so I’m thinking I might have to haul a double decker bus behind the plane eventually. Or we might have to walk. Would be a long trek to Antarctica…. Hang on a sec… Muuuuummm! Can we do a book set in Antarctica?

I’m just getting dinner, Riley, can we talk about this later?

Sorry. I’ll have to get back to you on the Antarctica thing. I really want to go to Disneyland but Dad reckons it would be a feat in litigation-dodging. I don’t know what that means.

What did your friends think of Australia?

Actually, they’re used to it now. They’ve been living here for nearly two years and of course – Koala is a local. We do nip off to Beijing and Hong Kong every few months to visit Dragon’s and Lion’s family. And Panda has always been with me. We adopted him from China when he was a baby – right when I was born.

Can we have a hint where your next adventure might be?
It’s a toss up between the Californian coast, Melbourne or Vietnam… Mum and Dad took me and my sister Ella to Tasmania last year and I though that was really cool – they have lots of scrumptious things to eat there. Maybe it will be Tasmania. Maybe your readers could vote for their favourite place?

Thanks for having me, Sandy. YOU ROCK!

***I'm crossing me fingers for Vietnam! And I'm glad you like my books too.

from Riley

Five Words I Never Want to Hear Again

2010-11-19T10:33:00.001+11:00

Or how I lost four weeks of my life:

1 Lumbar Puncture (I know that's two words but I did have two!)

2 Cannula

3 Needle

4 Vein (where all sharp things end up!)

5 Bacterial Meningitis

Even though it has been a horrific 4 weeks, I am greatful for the love and support of family, friends and colleagues. My house is filled with flowers and good wishes. I am still very tired but every day life gets better.

In my eMail Box: (Kabuto) Hats off to Coen

2010-10-25T16:11:00.001+11:00

I haven't yet blogged my most-marvellous-best-launch-ever yet at St Pius X as I haven't got all the photos in order (yet. coming soon. watch this space).

However Coen and his mum are much more organised than me. Coen was the winner of the K-6 Mask and helmet

making competition with his wonderful kabuto helmet and samurai mask. I wish I had one like it.

When we met Coen was reading Matthew Reilly's Hovercar Racer but after winning a copy of Fire Lizard (and enjoying the first chapter) he decided to read the whole series. After he finishes Hovercar Racer of course!

Welcome to the Pond Magic Blog Tour

2010-10-21T15:00:00.000+11:00

If you listen closely you can hear the sound of champagne fizzing and crackers crunching. I’ve even decorated my blog in pond slime green. I’m having a party and everyone is invited.

I’ve had the pleasure to be involved in a number of wonderful blog tours in recent times. It’s particularly exciting today to welcome Angela Sunde with her debut novel, sure to be the first of many. Pond Magic is an Aussie Chomp and as any writer will tell you, it’s very, very hard to be published in Penguin’s prestigious Nibbles, Chomps and Bites series.

Pond Magic didn’t start life as an Aussie Chomp and when the first draft finished it was at least 3,000 words over the guideline limit. Some good advice from a Queensland Writer’s Centre editorial consultation saw the story polished to fit and the rest is the stuff fairy tales are made of. As you read my review below you will see Pond Magic is a fairy tale too! While I am in fairy tale mode (yes I have a princess dress on!), I’m going to send you on a quest. Drop in to Angela’s blog here and read her very own personal fairy tale, where her dream of becoming an author is realised

Pond Magic by Angela Sunde, Penguin Aussie Chomps series, rrp $12.95

Poor Lily Padd. It’s bad enough to have name like that but now she’s turning green. She’s a rocket in the pool with her newly webbed feet but her burps are causing sever embarrassment and the wart on her face is the last straw. It’s hard hiding the changes from the kids at school but now her best friend is acting odd and mum has invited a French exchange student to stay.

A fair maiden turning into a frog! There must be magic in the air. When the elderly neighbour admits she is a witch and Lily learns her hide-out in Mrs Swan’s shed has exposed her to some ‘not quite right magic’, the solution is obvious. But where is Lily going to find a handsome Prince?

I love fairytales. There’s something timeless and classic about their stories. Pond Magic is proof of this – a thoroughly modern setting and cast with a familiar ring of magic and message. Lily has problems common to most twelve-year-old girls – irritating siblings, annoying boys and a falling out with her best friend. Life is almost ordinary - except that she needs to kiss a Prince to stop turning into a frog.

This story is fun. The urban fairytale plotline will allow less confident readers to predict and enjoy while competent readers will race through to discover what really happens at ‘the kiss’.

To find out more about Pond Magic visit Angela’s website and drop in at Read and Write With Dale to continue on the blog tour,

Blog Treasures

2010-10-20T13:40:00.001+11:00

I'm supposed to be writing a review of Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon. I loved it - you'll find my review at The Reading Stack shortly. But I've been derailed. When I dropped into Cath's website to check a few facts, I was distracted by her blog and I've been there ever since - until I took another sidetrip here to tell everyone about all the treasures I found.

Beautiful, beautiful pictures painted with words. Lines I long to have written. This poignant piece, when we marry, made me cry - inside first, then outside. This wonderful poem on perspective (sometimes) life sucks, (sometimes) life (doesn’t) suck contains words I could live my life by. I printed it out and stuck it on my wall.

Now for the ultimate detour. I'm off to the library to hunt down the Cath Crowley backlist

Writing Advice. Or Not.

2010-10-15T01:10:00.001+11:00

A non-writer friend recently sent me some tongue-in-cheek writing advice. As I smiled my way down the list I started to feel a little uncomfortable. Some of the advice was actually senseible (although certainly not most of it!) and I was guilty of some of the ridiculous cases!

So I thought I would share. Thanks Bill.

Avoid alliteration. Always.
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat.)
Employ the vernacular.
Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
Learn to not split infinitives.
Contractions aren't necessary.
Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
One should never generalise.
Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
Be more or less specific.
Understatement is always best.
One-word sentences? Eliminate.
Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
The passive voice is to be avoided.
Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
Who needs rhetorical questions?
Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

Blog Tour Stop 4: The Chronicles of Rosie Black: Genesis

2010-10-14T01:00:00.002+11:00

Fantasy and science fiction have been my reading genres of choice ever since that first day of highschool when I stared awestruck down the rows and rows of library shelving. More books than I had ever seen in my life. I had no idea where to start so I started at A and there I discovered Aldriss and Asimov.

I read the first chapter of Genesis, the first book in Lara Morgan's The Chronicles of Rosie Black series on-line and knew I just had to continue on. If you too want to take the Rosie Black challenge (and I dare you to do it) you will find the extract here. And if like me, you discover you have to have a copy, you have until 30 November to enter the free give away competition on Lara's website.

Now it's confesssion time. I haven't finished Genesis yet but I am loving it. I can however tell you a few important things. This book can get you into trouble - especially when you are discovered reading it at work becuase you can't put it down. This book can make your family hungry and cranky when you delay dinner for an hour to read just a few more chapters. This book is excellent. And so is the trailer for it at http://www.rosieblack.com/

I am very pleased to have Lara visit me on Day 4 of the Rosie Black blog tour to talk about a subject close to my heart - writing a fantasy series. I hope to do that myself one day!

Writing a Fantasy Series
Writing a fantasy series is a like having a group of friends come to stay. In the beginning it’s exciting as you spend all this time together exploring each other’s ideas and personalities, visiting new and exciting places together…but then you wake up one day and realise they’re not staying for months, they’re here for years. Now you’re going to have to find a way to live together, despite one of them hogging all the cereal. So you settle in, put your head down and get to work.

At least that is what writing a fantasy series feels like to me. It’s all fun in the very beginning as I create the world and get to know the characters but there comes a point where I know the fun is over and the work must begin. And it’s going to take years.

Writing a series is a big commitment and it really helps to have an idea of the basic story arc that is going to carry through all the books. I’m still learning all the skills I need to get this right.

My first series is an adult fantasy series and when I started work on the first book I didn’t have any clear idea of what was going to happen. Hell I wasn’t even aware it was going to be a trilogy. I thought I was writing a standalone novel, but as I’ve discovered, I tend to have problems letting go of worlds and want to keep discovering more about it, so it became a trilogy.

I wrote that first book and still only had a vague idea of how the third would end, but then I got a publishing contract and had to figure it out – or at least provide the publisher with a reasonably coherent synopsis. However, despite sticking to the bare bones of what I submitted, things still change as I write. This is because I’m the kind of writer who learns more about the story as I write it than by sitting down and meticulously plotting every chapter. If I try to plot too much it stifles my imagination and I end up being bored by the whole story because I know too much before I get there. I know I’m not the only one who does this, but there are times I wish I was a more organized plotter because it seems like it would make life easier.

I was on a panel recently at Worldcon where I was inspired listening to Kate Forsyth and Ian Irvine talking about how they work. Both of them are meticulous plotters. Kate especially is so super organized in creating her plot lines, writing detailed files and even a dictionary for some of her worlds that I wished I could somehow borrow her brain. But that’s just not how I’m wired. Incidentally, DM Cornish was on the panel and that’s not how he works either so I figure I’m in good company.

I have learned to be a bit more organized though since my first series. When I came to write my next one, The Rosie Black Chronicles, I really tried to see into the future and develop the arc for the series before the first book was in print. I think I’ve done a better job this time and was able to sow the seeds that will carry the story through to the end. Although I must admit I do see this one as going on for some time. Rosie is only sixteen and we get on so well, I think this is definitely the beginning of a beautiful friendship – as long as she doesn’t hog the cereal.

The Plum Rain Scroll

2010-10-12T23:03:00.012+11:00

If you enjoyed reading my Samurai Kids series you are almost certain to like The Plum Rain Scroll by Australian author Ruth Manley. This timeless tale of Old Japan, steeped in the magic of traditional folklore, was the CBCA Younger Readers Book of the Year in 1979. It is the first title in a trilogy which also includes The Dragon Lantern and The Peony Lantern.

There is an excellent series overview here on the Ensovaari Embassy portal site and my review of The Plum Rain Scroll follows below:

Plum Rain Scroll – Ruth Manley – Paperback – Junior/Young Adult $18.95 – Australian - UQP Press

The Plum Rain Scroll was first published in 1979 but will immediately appeal to today’s young fantasy lovers. This is an unusual story. While it reads like an authentic Japanese folk tale, it is a work of Western imagination. Queensland author, Ruth Manley, loved Japanese culture, history and literature, and it shows in her writing.

The hero, thirteen-year-old Taro, is an orphan odd job boy who lives with Aunt Piety and Uncle Thunder. It’s a strange household and they are living in peculiar times. Marishoten, the evil Black Iris Lord is preparing to overthrow the Mikado and enslave the world. Taro can see it in his dreams.

But first Marishoten must find the Plum Rain Scroll and uncover its secrets – immortality, the ability to turn metal into gold and the Unanswerable Word which paralyses enemies. The scroll’s whereabouts is unknown and only Aunt Piety can translate it. Then Aunt disappears too.

Taro and his companions; Prince Hachi (Lord Eight Thousand Spears), a ghost named Hiroshi, an Oni monster with a taste for poetry, a Roof Watcher creature and a young girl named Oboro and her strange dog; set off to find the scroll, rescue Aunty and save the Chrysanthemum throne.

The Plum Rain Scroll is peopled with eccentric characters such as Lord Sweet Potato, who spreads sweet potato seeds across Japan, but no-one laughs – because he’s also very good with a sword. Hiroshi is a samurai ghost – honourable and brave – except when it comes to umbrellas. He’s terrified of them.

The tone is both exotic and unfamiliar, as befits a story from another time and place. In ancient Idzumo, unusual is the usual state of affairs.

This is a wonderfully innocent tale of good triumphing over evil, of legend coming to life. Best suited to younger readers 8 -12 years and fantasy lovers, the story has a cultural sophistication that will also lure young adult and adult readers with an interest in ancient cultures and folklore.

In praise of editors

2010-10-11T11:51:00.006+11:00

I like to read Timelines in the Sydney Morning Herald. It's a section that profiles the lives of recently deceased persons of interest or note. I learn things there that often renew my faith in humanity. Or remind me of things I want to say.

On Saturday there was a piece about New York editor Larry Ashmead. He was working as an editorial assistant editing a non-fiction series called Science Study when he was asked to look over a text by Isaac Asimov (one of my favourite authors).

Ashmead said it was riddled with errors. Asimov was furious but declared that no editor had ever taken as much care with anything he had written and demanded that Ashmead edit everything else he wrote. So began a lifetime friendship.

A good editor is golden. Having recently finished the largest and hardest rewrite of my entire writing life, and having cut out more words than I think I even wrote in my first year! it's tempting to gnash teeth at my editor. Except I am so grateful. The new version is a huge improvement and as usual she was right. I understand how Asimov felt. And I hope I too can look back on a lifetime of friendship.

Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem is Happening Here!

2010-10-04T23:30:00.013+11:00

I first met Aleesah last year at the Children's Book Council Book Week Lunch on the Steyne Ferry where she was receiving the Runner Up Award in the prestigious Frustrated Writers Compeition. So I knew she could write but what impressed me was the commitment, drive and passion I heard in her voice when she talked about her writing and her soon-to-be realised dream of becoming published.

Today I want to jump up and down and yell, "Yay. YAY." But that wouldn't be very fitting launch behaviour, especially as I am wearing a very expensive virtual evening gown (the only sort I will ever own and the only sort that will ever look decent on me!). So instead I am going to make a polite comment about how talented, how deserving and how hardworking Aleesah is. I'm thrilled to be sharing this day with her as I declare Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem "loose in cyberspace' which is virtual-speak for "offically launched."

To celebrate I am putting Aleesah in the hot seat. Hi Aleesah. I'm glad you could join me here.

Thanks for hosting me today, Sandy. This is my first ever blog tour and I’m very excited about it.

Can you tell us a little bit about the Totally Twins series?
The Totally Twins series features identical ten-year-old twins, Persephone (she’s the sensible one) and Portia (she’s the messy one) Pinchgut. The books are for girls aged 7 plus and are written in diary format by Persephone, or Perse, for short. In Book 1, Musical Mayhem, which is out now, Perse begins writing her own personal secret diary. She’s horrified when she has to audition for the school musical because she can’t sing a note. As the Heartfield Heights musical extravaganza launches into full swing, Perse takes comfort in recording her secret thoughts and fears in her diary.

Why did you write a series about twins? Are you a twin or do you have twins in your family?
Sadly, I’m not a twin and I don’t have twins in my family either. But I’ve always been fascinated by twins and I’ve always wanted to be one! I don’t think that’s completely unusual, lots of people have told me they often wished to be a twin, too. Writing as Perse, I can be a twin, I can make my dreams for twin-ness come true - and hopefully entertain readers at the same time.

Did you research twins for the stories?
I did research twins and found out lots of interesting things about them. Some of those things, I’ve tried to build into the books, like the ‘Top 5 Trying Twin Questions’ that Perse records:

1. So, you’re identical twins. Does that mean you’re sisters?
2. Which one of you is smarter?
3. Do you like being a twin? (As if we know what it’s like NOT being a twin!)
4. If you have a stomach ache, does your sister get it too?
5. Wait for it, it’s a good one … Do you ever wake up and forget who you are and think you’re the other one? As if!!!!
This list is based on real questions asked of twins - which is obviously funny, but also bizarre when you think about what twins get asked.

The books are illustrated throughout. What’s it like to work with an illustrator?
The illustrations for the series are done by Serena Geddes, a talented up-and-coming children’s book illustrator. Serena is great to work with. We live near each other so have been able to collaborate closely on the books. We’ve met several times for hot chocolate and a chat about the series and how each story should read and look. I’m really happy that Serena sought my input in the illustration part of the process. She was very considerate and valued my feedback. Her illustrations are simply divine by the way, I’ve been delighted with everything she’s done. Overall, I think we make a great team!

What have you done to celebrate the release of the series?
Besides the blog tour, I organised a major book launch at Berkelouw Books, Balgowlah (Sydney). We had prizes and goody bags to give away on the night and around 80 people turned up which was magnificent considering a huge thunder storm was raging outside at the time. It was standing room only in Berkelouws! I’ve also been travelling up and down the east coast of Australia promoting the series. It was launched at the CYA Conference in Brisbane in September, at the CBCA Northern Sydney children’s literary lunch titled, ‘Lunch with the Stars’, and also at the SCBWI Conference by Marc McEvoy, Books Editor at the Sun Herald.

I’ve also been doing loads of school visits and festival appearances. In November, I’ll be returning to Brisbane for more events including an appearance at TLC bookstore in Manly. I’ll also be visiting the Manning Valley, where I grew up, and in Tasmania. You know the song, ‘I’ve Been Everywhere, Man’, well that’s me at the moment. It’s been a wild, wild ride, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

When is Book 2 in the series due out and will you be launching it?
Each time I launch a book, I try to do something different. I’m hoping to be able to launch Model Mania, the second book in the series, in a school and I’m just trying to work out details for the event now. I have some fun ideas in mind!

What has been the best part of having this series come out?
Connecting with kids, most definitely. Kids are so passionate and enthusiastic about the books and about me as an author. I love their feedback, I love hearing them laugh at what I’ve written (laughing with me, not at me!) and the illustrations that Serena has drawn. The books themselves are really beautiful - if I do say so myself - and they’re also fun and quirky and real so I think they have loads of girl appeal. When a child comes up to me and tells me they really loved reading Perse’s story, there’s nothing better.

Do you have more books planned in the series?
I have loads more adventures planned for Perse and Portia. I absolutely love writing as Perse and fulfilling my twin fantasy - even if it is only in my books! I guess we’ll have to wait and see how well the first two books do, but fingers crossed, there will be more twin adventures heading my way soon.

Thanks for dropping by today, Aleesah. Where can people catch up with you next?
I’ll be stopping at Kirsty Burow’s Be A Fun Mum blogspot tomorrow at: www.beafunmum.com. For a full list of my blog tour stops, you can visit my website at: www.aleesahdarlison.com.

For those who want to know a little more:

Aleesah Darlison grew up on the mid-north coast of NSW, but now lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches where she writes stories with humour and heart for children and young adults and reviews books for The Sun Herald. Her short stories have been published in the black dog books Short & Scary anthology, The School Magazine and Little Ears and she has won numerous awards for her writing. In 2009, she was awarded an ASA Mentorship and was runner-up in the CBCA Frustrated Writers Program. Aleesah’s first picture book, Puggle’s Problem, was released in July this year. Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem was released in September and is Aleesah’s first novel for children.

Cutting, pasting and blogtouring

2010-10-04T12:42:00.013+11:00

I love cutting and pasting - ever since I was given a pair of plastic scissors (bright yellow!) and a pot of Perkins paste (bright pink!) in kindergarten. I've spent my parenting years hovering over school projects hoping to be asked to cut and place a picture (although more often than not being told to butt out!!). And then I discovered scrapbooking - where its OK for an adult to play with scissors and glue. I don't do all the fancy stuff. I like my cutting and pasting kept simple. It's great fun and very relaxing.

Lately I've had no time for such frivolities. The materials are not so easy to find as scrapbooking has had its popularity spike and the suburban stores have disappeared. Only us die-hards are left. Everything is on-line now. Not just the materials, even the process itself has gone digital. e-scrapbooking!!! It's sooo easy and much quicker.

But to me its not the same. Where is the thrill of the cut and paste? The feel of the paper in my hand? Deja vu. I've been here before. It's the ebook scenario all over again. Still, it gives me hope. There's always going to be room for both. I am not anti ebooks in any shape or form - and yes I have an ipad for reading too. But I equally love the feel of a book in my hand, the turn of the paper page and the spines all lined up on my bookshelf.

My newest shelf sitter is the first book in Aleesah Darlison's Totally Twins series, Musical Mayhem. Tomorrow I have the privlege of launching Aleesah's blog tour. Drop back in when I pop the virtual champagne cork and interview Aleesah about the series, its promotion and her future plans.

Check out the other stops on the Totally Twins Mega Tour:

Wednesday 6 Oct Be a Fun Mum with Kellie Burstow
Thursday 7 Oct Kids Book Review with Tania McCartney
Friday 8 Oct More Than Words Blogspot with Debbie Johansson
Monday 11 Oct The Book Chook with Susan Stephenson
Tuesday 12 Oct Book Blog with Dave Hibbins
Wednesday 13 Oct Alphabet Soup Blog with Rebecca Newman
Thursday 14 Oct From the Mouths of Babes with Katrina Roe
Friday 15 Oct Squiggle Mum with Catherine Oehlman
Monday 18 Oct Let's Have Words with Claire Saxby
Tuesday 19 Oct Sally Murphy's Writing For Children Blogspot
Wednesday 20 Oct Book Blog with Dave Hibbins
Thursday 21 Oct Read Plus with Pat Pledger
Friday 22 Oct BooBook Blogspot with Rebecca Newman

I Heart Libraries

2010-09-28T22:36:00.004+10:00

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

Book Week Wrap Up

2010-09-28T14:35:00.010+10:00

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

2010-09-27T15:21:00.000+10:00

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 ...

2010-09-02T13:32:00.010+10:00

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

2010-09-01T15:34:00.012+10:00

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.

A reQuote

2010-08-30T13:49:00.004+10:00

I don't often tweet or blog quotes. Enough others are already doing it really well. But I love a good quote and every now and then one hits me in the gut and it feels so good I have to share. This one I found in the latest NSW Writers Centre e-newsletter:

She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain.
- Louisa Alcott

Carnival of Children's Literature August 2010

2010-08-29T21:08:00.020+10:00

Here in Australia, Children's Book Week has just ended. It's been a week long celebration of reading, writing and children's literature - and for me as an author, school visits and video conference hookups. I'm not in the mood to finish celebrating yet especially as this month also saw my first US release - White Crane (Samurai Kids Book 1) - and next week will see the Australian release of Fire Lizard, the fifth book in the series.

So today I have stepped out of the Kidlitosphere shadows, where for 12 months I have shyly listened and lurked, to join hands with a group of new friends, and continue celebrating children's books - across the ocean and throughout the year. Come see what my new friends are doing:-

LITERACY

Aaron Mead presents Children’s Books: How to Choose Them, Part 9 – Story Complexity posted at Children's Books and Reviews. Continuing his excellent series of posts on how to choose books children will enjoy that also have developmental value, Aaron looks at the role of story complexity and its connection to emotional and intellectual development.

Amanda Hartman presents Birthday Wishes: Put on a Play posted at The Literary Family. This post invites families to both enjoy children's literature as well as celebrate! What a great idea to choose your favorite story, practice and rehearse it as a play and then perform for an audience. Drama and theatre, costume and makeup, scripts and stars - and a whole lot of fun. As you read this blog you will see that there are not only great books to love and cherish with kids- but wonderful activities to spend with texts and kids as well.

Fiona Ingram presents Homeschooling Notes: Helping Kids Read Better 3 Boys And A Dog posted at Homeschooling Notes: Helping Kids Read Better. Home schooling is an option that can offer parents the opportunity to enhance the quality of their child's education. This post contains practical tips to help parents encourage their child's reading progress and enjoyment of books.

Susan Stephenson, the Book Chook presents Nurturing Readers and Writers posted at The Book Chook. I'm going to steal words directly from the Chook's mouth: As parents, we know the single most important thing we can do to help our children become literate is to read to them every day. We know that reading and writing in front of them is important too, sharing with them our enthusiasm for the written word, and our joy in story. But there's something else we can do to help them, and it's so powerful.

BOOK REVIEWS & READING SUGGESTIONS

Amitha Knight presents Book Review: Feed by M. T. Anderson posted at Monkey Poop. Feed sits in the favourites section of my book shelf.

Anamaria Anderson presents posted at Books Together. The Middle Grade Gallery series explores descriptions of paintings from middle grade novels. Anamaria tells me so far no one has guessed this one - the challenge has been issued! I thought this was a fascinating approach to the relationship between image and text and immediately went searching for the previous Gallery posts.

Anastasia Suen presents 5 Great Books About School posted at 5 Great Books. Just in time for "back to school!" Can you ever have enough picture books about school? I don't think so. Now I'm wondering what happens If You Take a Mouse to School.

Candace Ryan presents Dr. Seuss and Maurice Ravel: A Convergence of Crescendos posted at Book, Booker, Bookest. I was fascinated by this comparison of the formal structures of And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street and Bolero.

Debra Black presents So what do we think? North Woods Poachers posted at Litland.com Reviews!. Litland.com uncovers books that are fun for the entire family, and especially for boys. This post reviews Max Elliott Anderson’s North Woods Poachers written specifically for boys who are reluctant readers (ages 8-14). Mix a little Hardy Boys-style adventure with Wally’s schemes from the TV show “Leave it to Beaver” and you’ve got Andy Washburn’s story.

Jennifer Wharton presents Extreme Adventures: Shark Bait; Scorpion Sting by Justin D'Ath posted at Jean Little Library. Jennifer said: I am so excited about discovering this series from Kane Miller. I think they're great adventures for the middle grade crowd - and I enjoyed them myself! Sandy said: I too was thrilled to see this review of the Extreme Adventures series by Aussie author Justin D'Arth. My own son loves them - there's thrills and action aplenty.

Kate Coombs presents In the Dollhouse: Doll Books Old and New posted at Book Aunt. This is a fascinating look at doll stories old and new. After reading this post I am determined to start with the old. The work of Rumer Godden is a new discovery for me.

Katie Fries presents Blueberries for Sal - Blueberry Frozen Yogurt posted at Eat Their Words. Every celebration needs food. Here we have the most delicious looking blueberry frozen yoghurt recipe and a sneak peek into Robert McCloskey's 1948 classic Caldecott Honor winner, Blueberries for Sal.

Katie Sorene presents 8 Suberb Children’s Books About Travel posted at Travel Blog - Tripbase. I was pleased to recognise a few old favourites, find some new titles I hadn't heard of and see one that's on my to-read pile.

Margo Tanenbaum presents Review: The Wonder of Charlie Anne, by Kimberly Newton Fusco (Alfred A. Knopf, 2010) posted at The Fourth Musketeer. Margo said: This is one of my favorite middle-grade titles of the year so far. It features a spunky heroine that you will really fall in love with! Now that's high praise indeed.

Mary Ann Scheuer presents Word After Word After Word, by Patricia MacLachlan (ages 7 - 10) posted at Great Kid Books. Mary Ann said: Word After Word After Word has been my all-time favorite book of the summer. I just savored each moment of it, and can't wait to read it aloud to my classes this year.

Matt O'Brien presents 40 Best Comic Books for the Classroom posted at Online Masters. The comic book medium has garnered a goodly amount of recognition as a viable literary medium as of late, but it took decades of marginalization to get there. The listed comic books in the article all have something to offer in terms of proving the stereotypes and misconceptions entirely wrong. And personally, I'll be following through on this one.

Roberta Gibson presents Weekend Science Fun: Steller Sea Lions posted at Growing With Science Blog, a unique look at stellar sea lions through an interview with Astro, the star of Astro: The Steller Sea Lion by Jeanne Walker Harvey and Illustrated by Shennen Bersani.

Robin Gaphni presents One Crazy Summer posted at thebooknosher. This middle-grade book by Rita Williams-Garcia is highly recommended by Robin and provides a unique historical view of "the charged atmosphere that was such a part of the summer of 1968."
Sarah Neal presents What Comes After Magic Tree House? posted at In Need Of Chocolate. An extremely useful list, broadly scaled from easiest to hardest, of suggested titles for a reader who is gaining confidence with chapter books.

Shirley Duke presents Super Women in Science , a Non Fiction Monday post at SimplyScience Blog. Super Women in Science is a great book for any young girl interested in a career as a scientist. It's inspiring and full of surprises. In addition Shirley has suggested activities for further research and investigation.

Willow presents KIMCHI AND CALAMARI by Rose Kent posted at Middle School Book Reviews. When a 14-year-old Korean orphan adopted by an Italian-American family is asked by a teacher to write an essay about his ancestry, what in the world does he write about? Read this review for some clues and the book to find out the rest.

Zoe presents Travelling back at least 10,000 years in time posted at Playing by the book. This post is a wonderful blend of review, experience and activity suggestions. Start with Stone Age Boy and let your imagine run as you share this adventure in the here and now and the way back then.

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS

Barbara Krasner presents Librarian's Notebook Linda R. Silver posted at The Whole Megillah, an interview with librarian and a specialist in Jewish children’s literature, Linda R Silver. The interview is wide ranging - from reviewing and librarianship to Jewish books for children.

Boy s Rule Boys Read! blog presents Batter Up! An Interview with Wes Tooke , an interview with Wes Tooke, author of Lucky: Maris, Mantle, and My Best Summer Ever.

Carmela Martino presents Book Giveaway and Guest T eaching Author Interview with Patricia Reilly Giff posted at Teach i ng Authors-6 C hildren's Authors Wh o Also Teach Writing. Meet author, teacher and Newbery medallist Patricia Giff on her blog tour sharing news of her early chapter book series for readers ages 6 through 9, Zigzag Kids. Carmela said: We’re honored to be part of the blog tour for Patricia Reilly Giff’s new series, the ZIGZAG KIDS. I encourage you to stop by and read about Ms. Giff’s life as both a teacher and a writer. I was especially touched by how, even after all her books and awards, she still feels fragile about her writing.

D.M. Cunningham presents Middle Grade Madness with Jim Benton posted at Literary Asylum. This interview with Jim Benton, author of successful series Franny K. Stein and Dear Dumb Diaries, is full of humour and valuable insights. I like this one: I just write and draw and rewrite and redraw until I think it's funny.

Lori Calabrese presents The Wonders of Writing about Nature with Janet Halfmann + Giveaway at Lori Calabrese Writes!. Author Janet Halfmann visits Lori Calabrese Writes and shares her thoughts on the wonders of writing about nature.

BOOK PERSPECTIVES

Carrie Oakley presents 15 Famous Authors With Surprising College Majors posted at Online Colleges. These famous authors didn’t major in writing, or literature, or even journalism. Instead, they enriched their minds taking other, equally challenging classes, and used their experiences to become successful writers. I studied Mathematics at University and thought that was a strange background for a children's author. Now I see it's not so odd after all. Zane Grey majored in Dentistry! And J K Rowling studied French.

Elizabeth Dulemba presents Coloring Page Tuesday! - Back to School Snail posted at dulemba. Perfect for after school colouring, this snail has packed his books and apple (for the teacher or for himself?)

Marjorie Coughlan presents New PaperTigers issue now live: Refugee Children posted at PaperTigers Blog. This post introduces a month focussed on refugee children and highlighting books for young people about refugees, hoping to stimulate our discussions of what can be overwhelming enough for adults and so difficult to explain to children.

Wendie Old presents What is a Hero? posted at Wendie's Wanderings. Wendie provides a recommended introduction and link to Betsy Bird's amazing discussion about heroes in children's books.

WRITING TIPS

Dee White presents Tuesday Writing Tip – How to Fix Issues With Your Plot posted at DeeScribewriting Blog. Problems with your plot? This post tells you how to work out what went wrong, and what to do about it.

Next month's Carnival of Children's Literature will be hosted by Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kids Books. You can submit your article for that event using the carnival submission form. For more information about the carnival and how to participate, visit Anastasia's carnival page.

Favourite Book Week Question So Far

2010-08-25T22:23:00.006+10:00

It's day three (four more to go!) and I've met just under 750 kids from 9 different schools at 5 different libraries. I wanted to share my favourite question so far - the one that made me grin the widest:

A Year 5 boy says: I love the Samurai Kids books. They are my most favourite ever. Who inspires you to write them?

Asked and answered!

Happy Book Weeking

2010-08-22T15:23:00.006+10:00

I love Book Week and this year my dance card is overflowing. There are two things I am sure of - 1) I'll reach the end of my seven days absolutely exhausted and 2) I will be totally exhilarated and inspired to write. (I have also just learned how to spell exhilarated. I really thought there were two 'i's!)

So where am I off to, on The Pointy Sticks and Loud Noises Tour, waving my bokken, blowing my shakuhachi flute and banging my gong? Willoughby City Council Library, Mosman Library, Stanton Library North Sydney, Lane Cove Library, Kogarah Library, Oatley PS, Blakehurst PS, Carlton South PS, North Sydney for a Video Conference, Warrawee Ps and Ultimo Ps. Whew!

I am madly making origami samurai hats for all the new friends I will meet.

ReadWriteZone

2010-08-20T09:53:00.008+10:00

I have a new project and I am both excited by it and thrilled by the response to it. I probably sound over-earnest, over-enthusiastic and all too serious but this is something that is important to me.

ReadWriteZone is a project aimed at fostering an interest in reading and writing though blog-based classroom interaction between students and authors. Teachers provide input on the focus they would prefer for the project and incorporate the blog conversations in their literacy studies. Early posts have ranged from comparing books and movies to first paragraph writing exercise. The post on The Story Detective - Finding Story in Pictures might be of interest to schools intending to patrticipate in the NSW Department of Education's WriteOn competition where a photo has been provided as the story stimulus.

The project is in its first term and I am currently blogging with three schools - Smithfield Public School (NSW), Arncliffe Public School (NSW) and Manor Lakes Specialist College (VIC) for 8 weeks. Ultimately I hope to involve more authors and on ongoing stream of schools. Initial feedback is suggesting a 4 week period might be a more practical option for some classes.

A stumbling block for NSW public schools has been the Department of Education and Training's block of blog sites. In these cases a workaround is in place and a solution is being investigated by the teachers involved. Some schools access the blog via interactive whiteboard and others in library computer sessions. Students are encouraged to log in at home.

It is very early days yet but the project is proving popular with students and lively comment-based discussions are in place. I endeavour to add a multimedia element to the exchange and this always encourages comment. Already students have logged in from home to check what's happening and they are beginning to engage in discussion across school blog posts, commenting on the discussions I am having with other schools. Ultimately I hope this leads to direct cross-school conversation between students. Some students are already sharing written work, recommending books for others and contributing book reviews.

Any teachers or students are welcome to join current discussions. Teachers interested in participating next term can contact me samuraikids~at~people.net.au (replace ~at~ with @ when emailing).

Personally, I find ReadWriteZone a lot of fun and the feedback from the students is inspiring. Some of them are readers and writers and some of them are not. But they are all up for a good ReadWrite discussion!

Words are Not My Friends

2010-08-17T10:59:00.004+10:00

Things are tough at the moment. Illness in the family. Work overload. Writing is a challenge I am finding hard to concentrate on. Words are not my friends.

Words do not love me back
they harass, push and bully me
to write, write,write
more, more, more
even though I am too tired.
They will not let me sleep
or stop to eat
or clean my teeth.
They do not care about me.
They scream inside my head,
bellowing that I am not good enough
to write them down
and that I have ruined everything.
They demand to be thrown away.
But when I crumple the page
and turn off the light
they make soft kissy noises in the dark
until I sit back down
to try again.

Tonight, words laugh at me.

My Second Week in Poetry

2010-08-16T23:04:00.016+10:00

It was a short week in poetry. On the first day my good friend, author Di Bates arranged a session of Poetry Games. The kids were very motivated to join in and grab points for their team - for group effort, individual brilliance and things that 'took the judge's ear'.

At the start Di outlined the games and asked who thought it sounded a bit boring. Some of the boys put up their hand and the challenge was accepted. The hour passed quickly and when Di announced the last reading out of poetry with 'who has something they are so excited about they just have to be the last person to read', every one of those 'I'll be bored' boys was waving their hands to be chosen. We all had heaps of fun - poets and judges alike.

On the second day I introduced Poems that Tell Stories and our second 'old dead' Poet of the Day, Banjo Patterson. We looked at the stories in narrative poems through different media - Waltzing Matilda listening to Slim Dusty sing and watching a music video and The Man From Snowy River read to selected sections from the movie.

For a third option I added The Highwayman, a favorite of mine and better suited to those who (like me!) like their poetry with a bit of action, blood and romance. The medium was a paper theatre telling by ten-year-old students (same age as the class) in the UK. The kids immediately wanted to create a paper theatre poem of their own.

Then we drew a comic strip of a selected poem - a fourth medium to demonstrate story from poetry.

We revisited The Highwayman searching out metaphors, allieration, onamatapoieas, refrain, end rhyme and similes. Then we wrote our own narrative poems and edited them using some of the techniques we learned in earlier lessons.

And the verdict so far: Some poetry is boring but a lot of it is fun.

Talkin' Poetry with Lorraine Marwood

2010-08-10T23:38:00.008+10:00

This is a poetry sort of month for me - so it gives me great (perfectly timed!!) pleasure to join the blog tour (read = party) for Lorraine Marwood's latest collection of poetry, A Ute Picnic and Other Australian Poems. I love this line "Cat snores flip up, out onto the warm croak of day". I love the whole book. And the front cover.

Now I know Lorraine won't mention it but just in case you don't know, her verse novel Starjumps was shortlisted in the Prime Minister's Literary Awards for Children's Fiction. Go poetry!

Welcome Lorraine. Tell us more...

To hunger for poetry

To celebrate the release of my latest collection of poems “A Ute picnic and other Australian poems', I've been thinking about writing and about poetry.

Often when I take workshops with poetry the catch cry seems to be how do you tackle poetry teaching? Is it because we don't consider poetry the daily necessity like prose, newspapers, non -fiction? Or is it that we have this idea that poetry exists on another level which means that our heads have to be up in the clouds or that poetry is abstract? Yet all around us little snatches of images and glimpses of poetry tremble at the edge of our vision if we would only recognise them.

To me poetry is very concrete. If it's about an abstract topic like love then a poem should be able to conjure up love in sensory detail, so that it is tangible to the reader. It needs strong nouns and verbs and specific detail.

I have lots of ideas for ways to use poetry; incidentally amongst art work, on cards, make a daily fragment of poetry on yearly calendars, record the journey of my garden through poetry, record the telling details of life as my children grew up... these are the strengths of poetry. Sketching the minutiae of life in word pictures.

Here's one fragment:

Outside

The air outside this room is not static
now that the wind ripples under the
earth’s carpet- ripples in long drawn out
air socks, shaking the dust of autumn out
about the lawn, above privet hedge, becoming a skipping
rope for the white cabbage moth to toss and turn
like some flimsy ship in full sail.
© Lorraine Marwood

Then there's the idea that poetry needs to have an accountability ticket, a meal ticket...
And to this end I wrote strategies for encouraging children to write in the magazine 'Literature Base'- I combined my love of literacy with my love of the writing process -trying to make that writing process a bit more transparent for both teacher and student. I wrote techniques for mask poetry, conversation poetry,show -off poetry, Images poetry to name a few. Techniques that I would use as a way into a written piece. Providing scaffolding yet allowing freedom of risk taking.

And it works. The techniques I have devised- using all my literacy and teaching knowledge and experience has resulted in 50 minutes of power packed poetry encouragement- I love hearing the students read their poems. And they can write some powerful lines!

When I was co-judge of the Dorothy MacKellar poetry competition for two years with fellow poet Claire Saxby, I was struck by how much secondary students especially, needed the outlet of poetry- all that angst about who they were, who loved them, betrayal, trust... they NEED the vehicle of poetry to express these innermost feelings.

And this is the secret surprise with poetry. I never know what will flow out onto the paper. It's like upending a special box where little bits of treasure have been accumulating for a long time.
Recently I went back to the writing journals I kept thirty years ago- gulp and I'm utterly amazed at how much poetry I was writing then and the lines and the topics are like early prototypes of some of the poems that are now in my latest collection. There was a huge gap during the child rearing years when I suppressed my need to write and so the journals were dormant until the sixth child was at pre school. Then the writing/poems became a torrent.

To me journalling in poetry, in snatches this way has led to published work over the years. It's exercising the writing muscles for the real race later on.

The poignancy and timelessness of a poetic moment is best expressed in this four line poem below- written when I was 21( a long time ago) yet this same moon lights the night sky again and again.

Egg yolk moon rising
behind night silhouettes
soundless, tasteless, untouchable
yet immeasurably beautiful

© Lorraine Marwood

Thanks Sandy for your generous hosting of a taste of poetry. http://www.lorrainemarwood.com/

And a final note from me because Lorraine would never say an awful pun like this but... tomorrow the poetry ute will be pulling in to Sheryl Gwyther's blog.

Lunching with the Star

2010-08-10T16:17:00.009+10:00

I went out for lunch today. Not something I often do and I almost missed the occasion - failing to notice the change in road conditions and heading on a 40 minute detour (there was one exit-and-turn-around point but it was blocked by an rainy-road-related accident). Luckily I am an over-organised Virgo type and had left 30 inutes early!

The occasion was to celebrate the recent Prime Minister's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction shortlisting of my good friend Bill Condon (see Sandy name drop!) who has long been one of my writing heroes. Bill is an author who labours over every word but never at the expense of the story telling. I wish I could write like he does.

I am very proud to say I was there for the birthing process of Confessions of a Liar, Thief and Failed Sex God and was lucky enough to be privy to early drafts and even invited to offer opinions. I voted against the title - yes, what would I know - don't ask me for title advice!

Around the table were Bill's wife Di Bates, author Mo Johnson and Buzz Words editor Vicki Stanton. A good meal, the company of friends and a reason to celebrate. I don't mind detouring half way around the Illawarra for that!

Congratulations to all the wonderful shortlisted authors in every section of the PM's Awards. I am thrilled to see so many familar names and books I have already enjoyed.

My Week In Kids Poetry

2010-08-09T09:53:00.012+10:00

Like most things that happen to me it was a bit of an accident. The side-effect of having a big mouth which has a way of getting me involved in all sorts of things I didn't anticipate. But I'm not complaining - I have had some wonderful and even life changing experiences as a result.

And so last week I found myself teaching poetry to thirty-two ten-year-olds. I am not a teacher, although I once wrote a poem which the Canberra Times published. But I am an author and I love talking about words with kids. So I set myself a mission - to convince the class that poetry wasn't all boring. I was honest - I admitted some of it was - because poetry is personal - and from a young perspective some of the classic children's pieces haven't dated well. The class wasn't too keen on looking at 'old dead poets'.

We began with Poems That Make You Laugh and Andy Griffiths was our Poet of the Day. He was a good choice - a friendly and trusted name in the classroom - someone the kids knew wouldn't let them down by being boring. One look at the Very Bad Book Trailer immediately scored me a point for non-boring poetry and provided an opening to talk about how poetry can be controversial. We cut poems into bits (stanza, lines and rhymes), played with limericks and fractured (nay destroyed!) a few nursery rhymes.

On Tuesday we were up to Poems That Make a Noise with Michael Rosen as our Poet of the Day. We did the Michael Rosen rap and talked about rhythm, refrain, alliteration and onomatapoeias. We made a lot of noise and found that Michael's poems did too. We wrote great poems about a haunted house using onomatapoeas and some I-Spy couplets using alliteration. That afternoon, kids came up to me as I waited in the playground, to tell me a new limerick or alliteration tongue twister. One boy even brought an Andy Griffiths book (one of the Just series) to show me he had found a poem in the back. I'm hoping that means they are having fun.

On Wednesday we turned to our first 'old dead poet' to talk about Poems that Paint Pictures. Our poet of the day was Dorathea Mackellar and we discussed lyric poems and emotion. We got all patriotic listening to My Country sung at the Australia Day celebrations in 2010. We drew a picture based on Open Sea and then looked at how poetry made pictures in our heads - simile, metaphor, adjectives and personification. We wrote simile and metaphor poems about ourselves ("I'm Great") and everyone wanted to read aloud. Then we wrote personification poems about how things came to life in our bedroom at night. It's a party in there after dark! Did you know bookshelves are big readers when everyone is asleep?

Finally, just for fun, we made a simile and metaphor chatterbox. Apparently I "dance like a duck." Sigh. It's true.

PS If you need someone to teach poetry...

Accidental Lesson from Melina Marchetta

2010-07-16T20:45:00.008+10:00

When I was a teenager, an older more world-wise friend gave me some excellent advice: “If you are unhappy in love, don’t listen to the radio. It will only make you more miserable. There are always too many broken hearts in the Top 40.”

Throughout life I’ve found another truism in those words. Whatever is bothering me, or consuming my time and attention – suddenly the world is filled with articles, comments, opinions and instances related to exactly that. Sometimes it’s overwhelming but at other times it’s downright helpful.

And so it was recently, when on two unrelated occasions, the words of Melina Marchetta reached out to rescue me.

The first instance was my current work-in-progress. I am writing in third person-present tense. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that since I hadn’t read anything else like that recently, it probably wasn’t the right thing to do. I raided my bookshelves but found no matches. I rewrote in third person-past tense and then in first person-present tense. But even while I was patting myself on the back for all the revising and rewriting (such validating authorly activity!) I knew in the end I would be back where I started from. It worked best. It just wasn’t good enough. Surely if I could do the story better, the format of the writing would be transparent to the reader.

That night I sat down to read the piper’s son. I was about half way through (finished now, loved it, review to come) but it wasn’t until an hour later when I stopped to make a cup of tea that I realised it was written in third person-present tense! I was right - if it was well written the reader wouldn’t even notice the format!

A few days later I read an article in the New South Wales Writer’s Centre e-newsletter where Melina was being interviewed by a young writer she had mentored. Two lines jumped out at me. “When I teach creative writing I do not teach what is written in a book. I teach what I do.”

I’ve always felt a bit of a fraud as a workshop instructor – because I’m not a teacher nor have I ever completed any writing-based coursework. I learned all I know from the process of writing and the early-years guidance of my own mentor Di Bates. I apply the rules retrospectively and that makes me feel like I don’t have the right to teach others. But now I feel like credible. Because “I teach what I do.”

As for the work-in-progress, it’s flying along. And Finnikin of the Rock is still my favourite Melina Marchetta book.

Partying with a Princess Clown

2010-07-11T23:29:00.011+10:00

One of my favourite blog activities is playing tour host to author friends. Today I'm celebrating the release of Sheryl Gwyther's latest chapter book, Princess Clown. Sheryl has some thought-provoking comments about the role of animals as side-kick characters. I've just done a quick mental flip through my own works and found quite a few animal sidekicks.

Welcome Sheryl, 'the floor' and a glass of bubbly are yours...

Animals as ‘sidekicks’
A thought struck me the other day – mainly because it is becoming obvious the more stories I write. I use animals as secondary characters in many of my narratives– they are never the main character.

These are creatures that end up as the ‘side-kick’, the close companion, the comic relief or the support team for the foibles, dangers, despairing moments and the happy times the main character faces. Sometimes these sidekicks can speak, most times not. Sometimes they are the ‘conscious-pricker’, or the confidant, or even the ‘voice of reason’. They know the main character better than anyone else and can help the reader connect to he/she as well.

In fiction and in the movies, sidekicks reign – Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings; Sancho Panza with Don Quixote; Doctor Watson to Sherlock Holmes; Chewbacca to Han Solo’ Tonto to the Lone Ranger; Tarzan and his chimp (I don’t count Jane– romantic interests definitely don’t fit as a sidekick!) You can probably think of dozens more.

Of course, having animals as sidekicks requires a bit more finesse. Some of my characters are anthropomorphised – having human motivations, and the ability to reason and communicate. Too heavy-handed and the sidekick becomes a bit twee (in my opinion).

Some of my sidekicks include the character, Macbeth in my story McAlpine & Macbeth (currently under submission). Macbeth is an Australian cockatiel with the ability to quote Shakespeare – yes, I know, you can train cockatiels to repeat word patterns, but Macbeth is different. He can think, reason and communicate. He feels betrayal, suspicion, fear and love especially in connection to his young owner, Kate McAlpine. Macbeth, in his sidekick role is essential – without Macbeth, Kate would have to set out on her quest to find her missing parents by herself, requiring endless paragraphs of her thoughts. The cockatiel is also like that other Shakespearean sidekick, The Fool in King Lear – sometimes Kate does not heed Macbeth’s wise counsel.

I’ve also used a wise-cracking green tree frog in my fantasy, Singing the Wires. He is a worthy companion to Decibelle. In my junior fiction book, Secrets of Eromanga, the kelpie, Bullet provides a non-talking companion to Ellie when she is at her lowest. Another of my short stories, Oh, no, Dog! features a kelpie – the sidekick for a young girl on a sheep station.
In another work-in-progress, The Octopus ODdyssey, young Finn Jackson has an extraordinary relationship with an octopus – a totally weird sidekick.

Funnily enough, a story that does not feature an animal sidekick is my new book, Princess Clown – I think the passion for clowning takes up all of Belle’s thoughts. You can get a copy of the book from Blake Publishing, or it may even be in your library right now.

So, do you use sidekicks in your stories? Love to read your comments.

Thank you, Sandy, for the chance to be a guest blogger on your excellent blog!

***lots of clapping and loud applause followed by corks popping and some very odd looking dancing (that would be me!) ***

To visit Sheryl on the net drop in at her Writers’ blog, Kids’ blog or website

You can follow (or catch up on) Sheryl blog stops here:

Tips for Writing Chapter Books – Dee White’s blog July 6

Tips for Young Writers – The Alphabet Soup blog July 7

Extracting the Story - Robyn Opie’s blog July 8

Clowning Around - Catriona Hoy’s blog July 9

What’s in a name? + KIDS’ COMPETITION – Kathryn Apel’s blog July 10

What the heck is ‘blog-touring’? July 11

Animals as Sidekicks - Guest blog with Sandy Fussell July 12

The Author’s Life – an interview with Sally Murphy July 13

Interview with Claire Saxby July 14

Workshopping with younger readers – Mabel Kaplan July 15

BOOK LAUNCH – Friday July 16 – also announcing the Winner of the COMPETITION on Kat’s blog and Sheryl’s kids’ blog

Just Imagine - Wollongong City Gallery

2010-06-26T21:28:00.013+10:00

Just over a month ago I was opening the Just Imagine exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery. To steal directly from the exhibition website: An exciting program which encourages children’s creative writing skills by the exploration of real and imagined worlds experienced through close engagement with art.

As author in residence my role included running workshops for teachers, primary students and high school students. I love workshops. It’s so inspiring. There is no more powerful creative force than a young imagination. A simple exercise on metaphors and similes yielded a rainbow of lorikeets and a city of stars in the sky. Beautiful images that are still with me.

There has always been a relationship between literature and art. Ever since the first story tellers stood in front of cave paintings, turning art into words. No doubt exaggerating their own part and amping up the action to make it the best story possible.

I searched the Internet to find a good example of art inspiring literature for my opening speech. I immediately stumbled upon Isle of the Dead by Albert Bocklin. I had never heard of it before. A haunting, evocative, gothic image. It’ll be appearing in one of my pages soon. It inspired twelve novels, stories or mentions in novels as well as film and theatre scripts and anime. But you know I shouldn’t have needed to look. I’ve never been to any of the places I write about but I immerse myself in photos and art to help imagine.

So the relationship between literature and art is as old as the caves. But what is totally new is the vision new young writers bring to an image. It was wonderful to be a part of it.

In the picture: Natalie from the Wollongong Unishop who sponsor the creative writing competition, Rachel who wrote a winning story based on the picture behind us January Fires by Clem Millward, and me.

Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker?

2010-06-16T23:40:00.010+10:00

For me it's a no-brainer. I'd choose Darth Vader every time. He's tall, dark and imposing. He dresses with style and how about that cape? He's not much to look at underneath the disguise but I've never been one to judge someone by appearances.

Yes, I know he's the bad guy. He's done truly evil things but he fought a great struggle and in the end triumphed over the dark side. He made the ultimate sacrifice.

Luke's a good guy but he doesn't have the same depth. True, he's seen some traumatic things, had to learn to trust himself and find a courage he didn't know he had. He's been to the brink.

But Darth Vader has been over the edge. And he clawed his way back out. A redeemed villian is a much stronger character than a developing hero.

With that, I am back to tweak my work in progress. I've just taught myself an accidental lesson about characterisation.

Writing Advice from #1 Son

2010-06-08T15:01:00.008+10:00

I have son who is an excellent writer. He would be great for advice and feedback - if only we were on the same page. We don't read the same thing (although he did introduce me to the Night Angel trilogy which I loved) and we certainly don't write about the same things.

Recently I was working on a new idea and passed over the first 200 words or so for his opinion. He threw it back at me. "I'm not reading anything where a little kid gets killed in the first sentence." Fair enough. That might have been a bit violent and he is right in my target reader age group, so I figured it was a valid criticism. I made a change.

Back it came again. "I'm not reading it if you have to kill people. You are not allowed to kill anyone." "Surely I can kill someone?" I ask hopefully. "Only very, very old people. And only if they are sick and about to die." Hmmm. Not much room to work there but I rose to the challenge. I made a change. Back it came faster than before. "A cat, Mum. That's just sick. I am not reading this."

*sigh* I've put that ms away for a while.

BTW The Night Angel trilogy is very dark, very violent and very scary. Brent Weeks is apparently allowed to kill as many people as he likes! Not fair.

Masterclass at the Sydney Writer's Festival

2010-05-29T15:37:00.011+10:00

I been a little blog absent of late. I've just been so busy - writing to an approaching deadline and doing a number of day trips into educational literacy. One of those excursions involved holding a Masterclass for primary school students at the State Library as part of the Sydney Writer's Festival.

For a number of years I've poured over the Festival program wishing I could make it to an event or two... or three... or ten. But I never expected to see my own name on the program. Was it exciting? Yes. And that's a huge understatement.

It's enormously thrilling for an author to find themself in a room full of kids who just want to write. I was inspired. But what happened next was even better. MAGIC. And none of it was coming from my pen. How's this for an example? We were doing a building block exercise about descriptive writing - back to basics with metaphors, similes, alliteration and adjectives - giving familiar phrases a bit of a twist. Like a rainbow of lorikeets, one student wrote. The sky was filled with a city of stars, wrote another. Descriptions to die for!

We imagined, we pretended, we giggled, we banged a gong (all in the name of onomatopoeias), helped Snoopy finish off that troubling first line (It was a dark and stormy night never had so many possibilities applied to it) and even played a little "Australia's Got... First Lines" (It goes without saying Australia's got Talent, young literary talent, by the roomful!)

I wish I had a photo but I was enjoying myself so much I forgot to take the camera out of my bag. Still, I have heaps of memories and even received a little writerly advice when it comes to first lines. One of my suggestions was given an overwhelming majority of thumbs down.

I had a wonderful day and at the end of it the kids gave me a card saying they thought it was wonderful too.

Week 17, 2010

2010-05-03T23:06:00.031+10:00

It's taken me a year and a half to work it out - but then I am a slow learner - finally I have realised what I should be blogging about. It was right under my nose all the time. 'This blog is about my personal experience in the (stories are) light' my blog header promised. Except I never did that. I tried to be all the things I wasn't. Now I am going to concentrate on what I am. I am a puddler. I write short bursts in between long stretches of thinking. I am a cyber-flit hopping from blog to blog, giggling and learning. I spend half my life inside my head and I like it in there. I think with my heart and my gut. I am an obsessive wordsmith.

So from now in this blog is about all the little bits and pieces of this writerly journey. Starting with last week.

WHAT I READ
I reread Margo Lanagan's TENDER MORSELS. First time round I had mixed feeling. Parts I loved. Parts I cried to have written. Some bits I didn't like and others I just didn't get. But I kept the book. It was confronting and it made me think a lot. I was still thinking about it when I picked it up again this week. And I loved it. This is a book that grows with the reader. I am richer for reading it. Now I am reading TALLOW by Karen Brooks

WHAT I WROTE
I completed the first complete draft of Samurai Kids 6, tentatively titled Golden Bat and rumoured to be 'the blue one'. While I am sorry to see the end of this book (lots more to come in the series though) I am super keen to get started on my new project. It's unlike anything I've written before and it keeps invading my head space.

WHAT I DID

On Tuesday I had my first shakuhachi flute lesson with Dr Riley Lee who I initially interviewed as part of my research for White Crane. You can read the interview here. I can now produce a consistent note - and it wasn't an easy journey to get that far! Next I have to be able to hold it for 30 secs and I am only managing 13 secs. But I am determined. Maybe I will post a sound file soon.

On Saturday I spent 2 hours in a writing workshop with 16 keen kids. Two of them had driven for 2 hours to get there! If the kids had half as much fun as I did the afternoon was a huge success. Some very impressive pieces were read out and that night a mum emailed me to say her son was in his room writing. The workshop was part of Wollongong City Gallery's Just Imagine program 'which encourages children’s creative writing skills by the exploration of real and imagined worlds experienced through close engagement with art'.

WHAT TWITTER TOLD ME
Did you know you can knit a Dalek? Thanks to Alice Bell I found a pattern here: http://www.entropyhouse.com/penwiper/who/extermaknit.html (I am not much of a knitter these days but still a huge Dr Who fan). And here are some great book recommendations thanks to Fiction Focus who pointed me to Why the Wierd Books Matter. I've added GOING BOVINE by Libby Bray, PUNKZILLA by Adam Rapp and THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine Mccaughrean to my must read list

WHICH BLOGS I ENJOYED MOST
WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON had popped up on my radar before but this is the blog post at FairfieldBooks on Station that made me go out and buy it. The Book Chook provided me with some great on-line history resources.

WHICH BOOK TRAILER I ENJOYED MOST
Frane Lessac and mark Greenwood's Ned Kelly and the Green sash. Enough said. Have a look.

OTHER GOOD STUFF
This week I got a Gold Certificate from Engadine High School for 'attending the Year 5,6 &7 Literacy Linkages Program and for being a fabulous, inspirational and interesting speaker'. Do I feel proud? Yes I do. More about the day here

REVIEWS I RECEIVED
Jaguar Warrior: Set 500 years ago in Aztec Mexico, this gripping and gory adventure will have you on the edge of your seat - DMAG, May Issue

Jaguar Warrior: This is a fast moving, intriguing book, where not everything is at it seems and the true motives for some character’s actions aren’t immediately obvious. - ABC Book reviews by Deb Abela

Jaguar Warrior: This is a great adventure, which will appeal to those who enjoy sport and love to run – as the front cover says ‘nothing will stop him’ - Virginia Lowe, Create a Kids Book

White Crane: I thought this was the best book ever! It is good because you can't tell what will happen next and there are some facts about samurai life. ... I give it 5 out of 5 - James, Year 6 who read it for the VIC Premiers Reading Challenge The Age Education resource Centre

Too Close to the Heart

2010-04-28T15:25:00.015+10:00

Why is it so hard to write well about the books and poetry I like best? Recently I wrote a review for With a Sword in My Hand, a marvellous historical tale with a truly feisty heroine and loads of medieval weaponry. What more could I ask - and the book won a swag of awards - so it's very well-written too. My first review was not. It was so bad the Editor at The Reading Stack sent it back saying "I thought you really liked this book." So I started again and even then, the end result is not one of my better reviews.

I can see a pattern here. I remember my HSC English Exam. I was expected to get full marks. A student the year before, who like me had the same teacher the previous three years, had fallen one mark short of the perfect score. But I chose to write an essay about why I liked the poetry of John Donne. Half way through I realised my mistake. Even then I could not write well about what I loved. I loved it because it sang to my heart and I couldn't convert that into carefully word paragraphs arguing its merits. I did well but no gold medal.

When I began to write I chose the fantasy genre. These books have long been my first love as a reader and I desperately wanted to write them too. But I couldn't. I liked them too much. It wasn't until I turned to my fascination with ancient history and began Samurai Kids that I found my writing centre.

But I haven't given up. I still write book reviews. I'm working on two fantasy manuscripts. And one day I'm going back to Uni to study children's literature. Sure to be lots of books and writing I love there.

I still don't understand why it is so hard to write about the books and poetry I feel most passionate about. Does anyone else have this problem?

The Puggle Porridge Blog Tour Stop

2010-04-18T21:33:00.010+10:00

Today I'm very pleased to welcome two special visitors to my blog, Catriona Hoy and Puggle, the hero of her latest picture book. You can find a list of their other blog tour stops here.

1 There are a number of Australian animals in Puggle, what made you choose an echidna as the star of the story?
Puggle's story came about after a visit to the home of wildlife rescuers. There were a number of baby animals but the cutest were the wallaby and the echidna. Although we actually spent more time with the wallaby, Puggle was just the most vulnerable. I'd also seen videos about wallabies and kangaroos and had seen joeys before but I'd never seen a baby echidna. So for two reasons, firstly that Puggle was just such an interesting story to research and secondly, his sheer vulnerability. It was hard to believe that such a little grey thing could eventually become a spiny echidna. (By the way, I was reading Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief the other day....Echidna was a monster in Greek mythology, half woman and half snake...I love stories where I learn something new!)

2 How important is the Australiana element to you?
Very important. Although I wasn't born here, Australia is my home and I am passionately Australian. While I lived in the UK recently, I used to remind myself of home by reading Dorothea McKellar's Sunburnt Country...I had it on my facebook page. I miss Scotland, where I was born and where I have a lot of family but I do love the colours and vibrancy of Australia. People used to ask me what I missed most and I'd say...waking up in the bush, in a tent, and listening to the world come alive.

My children have grown up as Aussies and therefore I think it's important that they read Australian books. So I'm really pleased to have contributed in some way to Australian cultural readings for children. One of the issues highlighted in the recent debate about parallel importation of books was the need for an Australian voice in publishing.

3 I expect it is not easy to find or obtain access to baby echidnas. How did you research Puggle's early life?
I was extremely fortunate to have had access to Puggle through the wildlife carers in the story. I kept in touch , sending them various stages of the book and keeping up to date with Puggle. I also did research on the internet to find other pictures of different Puggles. I was somewhat frustrated by the fact that a Puggle is also a type of dog. I also established contact with the Echidna research centre at Pelican Lagoon. Basically I just read everything I could on echidnas and collated as many unique facts as I could.

4 The image of Puggle's experience through smell is wonderfully reinforced throughout the text as Puggle loses his mother and the familiar comforting aroma of her milk to take a journey filled with new smells - some good like tasty termites and some not so good like his own poo. Do echidnas have a strong sense of smell?
Echidnas have poor eyesight but a good sense of smell, while is one of the reasons I concentrated on that. In my mind I was trying to experience life through not Puggle's eyes but his nose.

5 Is there really such a food as 'puggle porridge'?
Yes there is. Native animals need a very special diet, which is why wildlife carers need special training. Each mammal has a unique type of milk, so a special formula is required. Wombaroo is a brand name but it's basically an echidna milk replacement. As the Puggle, gets bigger and is ready to be weaned, amounts of Wombaroo carnivore mix can be added.

6 What advice would you give to young Puggle readers who might like an echidna for a pet?
A native animal is not and can never be a pet. They should be in the wild where they belong and are happy. However, injured or baby animals sometimes need help but it's a specialist job. If you find a Puggle and it needs help, there are usually phone numbers listed on boards beside major roads for the local wildlife rescue centre. Some of the information about hand rearing pugggles can be found at http://www.nwrc.com.au/forms/leigh_koppman.pdf. (I just googled that!) There is a national wildlife rehabilitation conference in south australia in June this year.

Thanks for having me here Sandy, I've enjoyed chatting and these were great questions. Looking after our wildlife is a really important job. Puggle was launched by Wildlife Victoria and they do a great job of providing information to schools and the public. Have a great weekend.

My Bling and I

2010-03-30T10:00:00.000+11:00

There were five of us, comparing our bling. We were all struggling writers so there weren't any diamonds or pearls to show off but there were some beautiful creative pieces with wonderful stories to match.

And then it was mine turn to show and tell.

I have three bracelets. One is made of wooden beads, bought from the $2 stand at the markets at the end of the best holiday ever. One was found in the street and brought home because 'it's so you Mum'. The other was pulled from the rewards treasure box at school. The class laughed at my son's girlie lucky dip and the teacher offered him another turn. But he said: I'll keep it for mum. She'll love this. And he forfeited his turn at a prize for himself.

Total street value of my bling, adjusting for the second hand value of the bracelet found in the street!, $3.50. True value: priceless.

I once was a pretender poet

2010-03-29T10:00:00.002+11:00

To help celebrate the launch of her new verse novel Toppling, I have been blogging over at Sally Murphy's Writing For Children blog on What Sandy Fussell Likes About Children's Poetry. At first I was hesitant - after all, what do I really know about poetry. I'm not a poet although I do love to read poetry and verse novels are high on my list.

I love the way words rise and fall in waves. I love the way they roll off my tongue and drop at my feet with a crash or a gentle plink. I love the sound they make. I can recite chunks of Slessor, Frost and Eliot, simply for the sound effects. Dylan Thomas doesn't make a lot of sense to me but his lines are music to my ears. And when I was 12 I asked for The Complete Works of Shakespeare for my birthday. Not because I was anywhere near clever enough to understand what I was reading but I had plugged in to Shakespeare's talent with language. He could make the words sing.

And now I have a confession to make. I'm not a poet. But I once was, although not a very good one. I had a poem published in The Canberra Times when I was 20. I scrabbled around and found it today. It's not as awful as I remember and it doesn't sing in tune - but it's still got a little hum going in my head.

The Painter

The mind crumples as twisted and tortured

as the writhing pieces of flesh

lying bloodless on the red canvas.

The eyes blink as deserted and wasted

as the lifeless backwash of sky

lying limp on the pain-sodden frame.

The brushes whip a convulsion of colour

the easel becomes the rack

and agony screams stretched over wood.

The painter stumbles as lost and driven

as the picture hanging impaled.

The colour, the mind, the pain and the canvas.

I know nothing about art

all I see is a man at work.

In Praise of Sisters (especially mine)

2010-03-23T22:26:00.007+11:00

I only have one sibling. She's younger than me. And wiser, braver and stronger. We're like chalk and cheese. She lives out the back of nowhere on a farm where the internet connection is non-existent. Not that it matters. It's an unnecessary luxury. She works hard, despite poor health and wearily loves the land the way only country people can. I live between the mountain and the sea, daily surfing an on-line world of art and amusement. My working world is filled with technology and words.

One of my earliest treasured memories is our father laughing as he watched us walk down the long driveway to the family home, off to do some shopping for him. Apple and orange. Bohemian me with her long hair, long skirt, wrists and ankles a-clatter with beads and bangles. My sister dressed perfectly in heels and nail-polish. I had waited half an hour while she blow-dried her hair! (it was the early eighties). But we were the best of friends. And still are.

As a child, my sister didn't read for pleasure. It was too much of a struggle. But the persistence she brings to everything and the isolation of farm life eventually led us to the same place in front of the bookshelf. Suddenly she had read everything I had to lend. Everything! Children's books too.

I always send her a copy of my latest book and she rang this week to say Jaguar Warrior had arrived. Then there was a pause. "I'm sorry but I haven't read it yet. I get so excited every time I have one of your books in my hand. I want to make it last. So I put it on the kitchen bench and look at it every day until I can't keep looking a moment longer. Then I sit down and read as slowly as I can. I want it to never end."

Imagine apologising for a comment like that!

My sister is the best and I love her heaps. Even if she decides she hates my books.

Friday Websites for Writers

2010-03-12T11:23:00.013+11:00

Today's website for writers is the cyber home of Brian Falkner, author of Brainjack and The Tomorrow Code.

With my software developer hat on, I am often asked by writing colleagues about web sites. My answer is always: Don't re-invent the wheel (or the website!). See who is already doing it right. And while you're looking, the key is.... content, content, content.

Brian Falkner Writes is one of my favourite websites for exactly the reasons above. It's interesting to look at, lots of reader related content, high-interest trailers on the front page... Check it out and see what I mean. I guarantee you'll want to click and go deeper into the site.

While the site is visually well designed, it's most important features are excellent content and navigation. A good-looking site won't attract repeat visitors unless it has interesting information and things to see and do. And it won't work if the visitor can't find them before they lose interest and click somewhere else.

My systems analysis report gives this site 5/5.

Guest Blog Post - George Ivanoff

2010-03-11T08:22:00.002+11:00

#2 son and I are reading Gamer's Quest by George Ivanoff. #2 is not all that open to non-Goosebump books at the moment but the cover caught his eye. He gave it the 'one chapter read-aloud-by-mum' test. I stopped at the end of Chapter 1 and asked, "Well?" "Keep going", he waved me on. Instead of Goosebumps? High recommendation indeed. Today George joins me to talk about promoting Gamer's Quest.

Promoting Gamer's Quest

These days, it seems that authors need to be more than just authors… they also need to be marketers. They need to get out there and promote their books or risk them gathering dust on bookshop shelves, unread and unwanted (it’s such a sad and disheartening image, isn’t it?).

Case in point: my first book, Life, Death and Detention. It was published in 1999 by Margaret Hamilton Books, which had recently become part of Scholastic. I was young and naïve. I assumed that once the book was out there, my job was over. So I moved on to my next book, while Life, Death and Detention garnered a couple of good reviews and sold rather poorly.

Ten years later, older and hopefully wiser, I watched attentively as Gamers’ Quest was published by Ford Street Publishing. This time, I knew my job was only just beginning. Writing the book was the comparatively easy part — now the really hard work began: publicity!

Ford Street is a small publisher, but they actively publicise their authors. Gamers’ Quest had posters, bookmarks and stickers, and over 80 review copies were sent out. On top of this, I’ve been writing articles, guest blogs (just like this one) and publicity emails, as well as doing interviews. I’ve jumped onto the FaceBook bandwagon and even starting Tweeting (or is that Twittering?). I did a few school visits towards the end of 2009 and am trying to line up some more for this year. (Hey, if there are any teacher-librarians reading this, why not drop me an email and book me for a talk or a workshop. J)

But my two biggest endeavors have been the Official Gamers’ Quest website and the computer animated book trailer.

The website was the easier of the two because in a past life I used to work as a web development consultant (before I gave it all up for the financial stability and worldwide recognition of a career as an author). I looked around and found a cheap hosting and domain registration company based in the States. Then I put together the website myself using the book’s cover artwork (by Les Petersen) as a design starting point. To attract readers to the site, I wrote a couple of short stories using characters from the novel (which was a lot of fun) and made them available as free downloads. For some initial impact, I included a specially written piece of theme music on the homepage (my brother-in-law, Marc Valko, is a part-time muso and generously offered to write and record the theme).

With the website done, I moved on to the book trailer. In my previously mentioned past life, I had some limited experience with a web animation program called Flash. So I thought I’d whip up my own trailer (since I didn’t have the money to pay someone who actually knew what they were doing). I started work on it, and… well… it was terrible! I happened to make a passing mention of my misadventures in trailer making to a friend at a party. Said friend, one ‘H’ Gibbons, runs a one-man 3D animation studio, Fingers to the Bone . Next thing I know, he’s producing a computer-animated trailer, bringing to life several short scenes from the book. To say that I am overjoyed with the final result would be a massive understatement.

The result of all this promotion is that I’m EXHAUSTED! And I’ve not been doing as much new writing as I should be. But in the end, it has all been worth it, as it has been drawing attention to Gamers’ Quest. And the more attention it gets, the more people will read it.

If you’re feeling generous and want to help me with the ongoing promotion, consider linking to the website and/or the trailer from your Blog, Facebook page or MySpace page, or mention it on Twitter. And if you’ve read the book and like it, please tell people. After all, word-of-mouth is the best promotion.

***************

Thank you George. Visit the Official Gamers Quest website for more information, The Reading Stack to hear George talk about Writing Gamers Quest and check out the trailer below:

Can a Guest Blog Post Sell a Book?

2010-03-07T22:45:00.008+11:00

Yes it can. I read a blog post this week and just had to have the book. The book was The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger and I found it on author Cynthia Leitich Smith's blog Cynsations.

First the cover grabbed me. I'm a Star wars fan ever since I sneaked out to see the first movie back in 1977. I love origami and the idea of Origami Yoda had me reaching for my pad of paper squares. But the final nail in the book order was Tom's blog post account of how the book made it's way through the tricky, trademark-obstacled path to publication. Heartwarming! I'm not going to spoil the story. I recommend you read it here.

And watch it here:

I'll be back with a review of the book another day. And if anyone wants a guest blogger author, I'm always available...

Friday Websites for Writers

2010-03-05T13:11:00.006+11:00

Stephen King's article Everything You Need to Know about Writing Successfully in Ten Minutes is a great read. Full of excellent advice.

But I wanted to remove two sentences. Stephen said: Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule. While I agree with the intent, I think there is room for an exception. It depends what you want to do with the word.

I love my thesaurus. But I don't look up words to add them 'plug and play' into my manuscript. I look them up to find their friends and companions, the other words I can roll around my brain to take me there and expand my senses. I want to hear, touch, feel, sniff and taste my word. But to do that I need depths and gradations that don't immedately come to mind.

For me, a theasurus is inspirational. It also encourages me to draw my imagery outside the square. I look my word up and step a little to the left or right.

And with that in mind, this Friday's website is The Bookshelf Muse who does wonderful Thesaurus posts where she explores a word in all it's multi-dimensional glory. Here is one of my favourites Setting Thesaurus Entry: Waterfall.

Although... I wouldn't mind being able to write like Stepehen King. If I could do that in the first place, I probably wouldn't need a thesaurus.

Scrolling down

2010-03-04T13:56:00.005+11:00

Sometimes you scroll down to the end of a web page and find... treasure! Booktopia supports Australian authors and yours truly. Thanks guys.

Cyberlaunching

2010-03-01T10:41:00.016+11:00

Today I have my fancy dress on - the one with the shiny things on the front, my coloured glass jewellery (more shiny things) and gold sandals - OK I'm not much of a fashion follower - but I do have an important job today. I'm launching a book. Not just any book. A book by a very talented Australian writer who is also a friend. A wonderful verse novel by the author of one of my favourites, Pearl Verses the World.

So drop in here to attend the cyber launch of Sally Murphy's Toppling. We're partying all day.

Today is also the release day for a book I've been looking forward to ever since I saw the cover and read the blurb. Gabrielle Wang's Little Paradise. So it's busy reading evening for me.

I'm also celebrating one more thing- keeping the bubbles inside for the moment but watch this space... Today is also the release date of my latest book Jaguar Warrior, an adventure story set at the end of the Aztec Empire. the Spanish have risen against the Aztec people and Atl must take a message for help... But why should he? Until they needed his help he was a slave imprisoned for sacrifice. Even as he runs, another warrior hunts him down. Should Atl run for help or run for his own freedom? Read the Book Chook's review here.

Friday Websites for Writers

2010-02-26T23:59:00.005+11:00

I read Call My Agent all the time. It's clever, witty, entertaining and full of useful information. Can't ask for more than that! Some of the information might be obvious to more experienced writers - but then again how easy is it to forget or overlook the obvious. I regularly learn something I never knew or had forgotten.

Here are some of my favourite recent posts:

Advice from James Patterson

A reminder that writers must be storytellers.

The Commonwealth of Stories

A thought-provoking post about digital publishing

Some free advice about publicity for novels

The title says it all

Publishers and their closed doors

A piece of perspective

Friday Websites for Writers

2010-02-19T13:31:00.004+11:00

This is a site I found particularly useful in the early stages of my writing when I wanted to get a physical feel for word counts. I wanted to know what 85,000 words looked and felt like. I wanted to know how many words were in specific titles like Tamar by Mal Peet. You can find out here at Renaissance Learning (an on-line store) by doing a search on author or title. Included in the information returned is the word count.

It's not an Australian site so you won't find any titles only available locally. None of my titles were there so I can't do a spot check on the accuracy of the words counts. But just considering titles comparatively, they seem to be in the ball park.

Every now and then I still call in to check the word count on a book I've just read.

Just Imagine 2010

2010-02-18T20:41:00.004+11:00

I'm very excited to be part of Wollongong City Gallery's Just Imagine 2010 project. I'm a sort-of author in residence - opening the exhibition and running writing workshops for students and teachers. The program "encourages children’s creative writing skills by the exploration of real and imagined worlds experienced through close engagement with art" to plagiarise the Gallery website. I couldn't have put it better myself and I'm the writer!

It's exciting stuff. Twelve exhibits - paintings, sculpture and even a marvellous contraption called a Windmobile are on display until 6 June. Primary (Years 5 -6) and secondary students and teachers are encouraged to attend workshops to learn creative inspired from visual stimuli. Students can enter a competition with winning entries published in an anthology.

Here is my favourite piece. I want to write about that one. Very, Very Important by Michael Zavros. I would do what I call "looking with my other glasses on" and extract my story from what is unusual in the picture. I would use lots of dialogue because I can see an opportunity to be quirky and funny. There's a conversation happening here. The shoes are talking!

Today was the teacher's workshop. I was a little nervous. I am a overawed by teachers. When my first child started school it took me six months before I could stop addressing his teacher as Mrs... no matter how many times she told me not to! I have so much respect for the work teachers do and committed teachers like today's attendees are wonderful people.

While I was there I heard the most amazing story. I apologise if some of the details are not 100% as I heard this second-hand from a Gallery volunteer- it was discussed at an earlier session before I arrived. But the concept is the important thing. I was admiring a display of stories and images and asked what it was about. In a previous year, a primary school and high school had written their stories and exchanged them for the other to draw pictures from. The story and subsequent picture were placed alongside the original artwork stimuli. There were some interesting differences and amazing similarities as the circle turned. But what I like best was how the community of schools worked together.

And that's what the whole program is about, interaction. Between image and word. Between Gallery and schools. Between artists, writers, student and teachers. Just imagine that!

Tuesday Writing Tips Blog Tour

2010-02-16T00:05:00.004+11:00

Today I am talking with Dee White as part of her Tuesday Writing Tips Blog Tour. Dee is the author of the excellent YA novel Letters to Leonardo and blogs a weekly writing tip every Tuesday at Dee Scribe Writing.

Dee: Hi Sandy, it’s great to be here. I’m wondering if you can tell me what you like to read and why?
I’m an avid reader – anything with words on it attracts my attention. I am that awful person who reads over your shoulder on the train. I can’t help it but I know it’s annoying (and rude!) so I always close my eyes to break the connection. I love words – words that tell a great story or simply sound wonderful tripping off the tongue.

My genre of choice as a reader is fantasy – of all kinds. I have a particular interest in ancient cultures. My personal favourite books are generally where fantasy and ancient cultures collide.

Dee: When you were writing the Samurai Kids books, were there any particular books you read that helped you decide what sort of stories you wanted to write? Not so much in terms of what sorts of stories I wanted to write. The book that did influence me however was Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings. It give me a personal insight into the life and beliefs of a master samurai swordsman and inspired the character of Mitsuka Minayoto, who appears in Samurai Kids 2: Owl Ninja. But the most important thing The Book of Five Rings gave me was a feeling of being in 17th century Japan. I was there with Musashi.

Similarly while I wrote Jaguar Warrior, my constant companion was The Broken Spears by Miguel Leon-Portilla containing translations of native accounts of the Spanish uprising. Some of the stories are beautiful poetry and others part myth, but they are all sad. The Aztec world was coming to an end.

Dee: Do you read outside your comfort zone?
Absolutely. It the biggest horizon expander I know. I make a conscious effort to do so to the point where I will often purposely choose a book that is not to my reading or writing taste. Dee: Why do you think it’s important for writers to read/ read widely? Market research, inspiration, awareness of techniques, expansion of horizons, remove personal boundaries, see through other eyes, improve writing basics, improve writing style… It’s a long list. And while reading widely is a learning process, it is also fun.

Dee: Can you tell me about a book you have read that has had a great impact on something you have written?
Something along those lines is happening to me right now. It began with The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and continued on to his Coraline and Other Stories. After that I took a jump to Edgar Allan Poe and that’s what I am reading at the moment. I have always been drawn to stories of darkness. I couldn’t write horror genre – I am too much of a scaredy-cat for that. But like Luke Skywalker, I can feel the dark side calling although I never quite worked that fascination into my writing. Until now. Inspired by Gaiman and Poe, I have an exciting new idea that I am keen to begin writing.

Dee: As a writer and thoroughly busy person, how do you find time to read?
I read very, very fast. As a teen, I read War and Peace in a weekend when my sister dared me to - so I've been in speed-read training since then. I can finish an average YA novel in an hour. But when a book really hooks me, I slow down quite a lot.

Thank you for dropping by Dee. I’ll be following closely along the blog tour to learn a few more tips. For anyone else interested, here is the schedule:

2nd February 2010 Claire Saxby http://letshavewords.blogspot.com/ Writing Picture Books - Leaving room for the illustrator.

9th February 2010 Dee White http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/ Reviewing ‘There Was an Old Sailor’ Reviewing vs Editing skills.

16th February 2010 Sandy Fussell http://www.sandyfussell.blogspot.com/ Writers Need to be avid free range readers

23rd February 2010 Robyn Opie http://www.robynopie.blogspot/. How to make your story longer – adding layers.

2nd March 2010 Angela Sunde http://www.angelasunde.blogspot.com/ More about Point of View – head hopping.

Dee: Do you have a tip for writers about what they should be reading to enhance their own writing skills?
I call it free range reading. Writers need to read all over the place. It's a bit messy and unstructured but it's fun and it will help improve not only your writing technique but the scope of your ideas. Read within your own writing genre, read what appeals to you as a reader, read what your target readers are reading, read non-fiction that catches your eye. Anything and everything. Perhaps the most important point is to read outside your comfort zone.

There Was an Old Sailor Blog Tour

2010-02-14T00:01:00.003+11:00

I'll never be a romance writer. When kids ask me 'what's the deal between Kyoko and Niya?' (two of the chracters in Samurai Kids) and 'are you ever going to write the romantic bits?' I always answer 'yuk' and the room erupts in giggles and guffaws.

So today, on Valentine's Day, I'm celebrating fish. Seems appropriate to me, after all I do love sushi. But specifically I'm celebrating the launch of Claire Saxby's beautiful new picture book, There Was an Old Sailor. The illustrations are glorious (yes, I just said glorious!) and the text is a rollicking-read-aloud.

Here's what Claire had to tell me:

How did you choose which sea creatures to include? Was it primarily about the creature or the rhyme?

Caught out! I knew I wanted to start small and end with a whale, but the in betweens were trial and error. All, except for the jelly, are single syllable. That was necessary for the rhythm as well as the rhyme. Along the way, I discovered that jellies are not fish, and not all rays have stingers. That certainly helped! Have you ever tried to rhyme anything with ‘zoo plankton’? Not easy.

Were there creatures you thought of but discarded for a reason? My under-5 co-reviewer wants to know why there aren’t any eels!

I had a huge long list of sea creatures that I compiled at the beginning. Eels were there. But I REALLY wanted seals in there and I couldn’t have two that had the same rhyme. I do use the story as a base for a writing workshop and get to use some of the other animals on my list. It includes star (not a fish) crab, snake (as in banded sea snake like the one I nearly sat on when I was a child), and cow (dugong). But no eels. I do like eels though. Perhaps I’ll adjust my workshop.

Which is your favourite illustration?

I love the page where Old Sailor is eating the ray. The ray looks only mildly surprised, and very much like a wrong-coloured pizza. I also like that Old Sailor has to open wide and show all his teeth!

Were the fishy facts at the end part of your original manuscript proposal?

No, they weren’t. And my first attempt at the information was too ‘factual’ if that makes sense. Virginia, my editor, suggested I try to echo the humour of the text and these fishy facts emerged.

Do you have an aquarium at home?

No. We have had fish in the past. And chooks. And ferrets. And guinea pigs. And hermit crabs. And now we have a dog. I grew up in Papua New Guinea watching the most gorgeous tropical fish and other reef dwellers. I like free range fish much more than aquarium ones and will happily visit water anywhere to see them. I like watching other people’s aquariums too.

Do you have a favourite ‘fishy’ dinner?

Ooh, that’s too cruel – I love all my fishy creatures and couldn’t talk about them and about eating on the same page! Shhh! They might hear.

Children's Book Covers

2010-02-13T18:02:00.009+11:00

I've heard it said a million times: You can't judge a book by its cover. But we do. Myself included. And right now, I'm glad we sometimes do - because I've seen the cover for Jaguar Warrior and it's wonderful.

Going out on a limb, I'll even say it's the sort of cover that boys would walk from one side of the library to the other, just to look at. There's lots of embossing and gold bling but the real focus is the eyes. They seem to glow.

So I started to think about covers I've particularly liked and how I wished I had a book with them all in it. I found this one on the Internet - Children's Book Covers: Great Book Jacket and Cover Design by Alan Powers. It covers 100 years of book covers - featuring authors and illustrators predominantly working in the UK and the USA including Edward Lear, Randolph Caldecott, Beatrix Potter, Kenneth Grahame, Arthur Ransome, Jean de Brunhoff, Maurice Sendak and Raymond Briggs - over 400 works through to Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket.

So what I want to know now is : where is the Australian version? and what's your favourite book cover?

Friday Websites for Writers

2010-02-12T15:26:00.010+11:00

One of my New Year resolutions was to put something back into the writing community. I feel as if I have taken my fair share of late. But what can I do? Some people might laugh but despite having had six books published, I don't know anything about writing.

I don't even write by the seat of my pants. It's more primal than that. Recently I read a wonderful article by Margo Lanargan in Newswrite (the magazine of the NSW Writer's Centre) about writing from the gut. Everything fell into place for me then. Aha... that's how I do it. I write what feels right in the bottom-most pit of my stomach. There's a pile of words down deep under the mush and that's where I find my stories.

Unfortunately that doesn't make me very good at passing on my tips and methods to others. Nor does it promote personal writing growth. So I have designated this my Year of Spit and Polish. I am going to learn to become a much better writer. I'm going to do this by soaking up absolutely everything I can find on the subject and reading widely outside my comfort zone. Strangely enough, I started this with a tentative step from Neil Gaiman to Edgar Allan Poe (okay, it was a desperate leap with my eyes closed) only to find my comfort zone is moving with me. Already my writing has expanded its horizons and perhaps I even found a tip Tip #1 Read outside your comfort zone. Immediately.

So I thought as I charge through the year spitting and polishing, I would spend Friday sharing where I had been and what I found. Today I downloaded Richard Harland's Writing Tips. This is an extensive free resource. Yes, free. 170 pages packed with advice, information and anecdotes from the author of Worldshaker and a long-timefavourite of mine, the Ferrin trilogy. Richard is a survivor of 25 years of writer's block! More about Richard here. Download the document here.
I love the wonderful sit-across-the-kitchen-table-from-me style. Writing Tips is definitely a writer's manual - all the good stuff is in there - but it is obviously wrtten by an excellent writer who's been down the road he's talking about. It's both interesting and educating to read.

And when I found Edgar Allan Poe on p7... I had to smile.

My first Friday Website for Writers is Richard Harland's Writing Tips.

Is This the Next Big Thing?

2010-02-11T20:06:00.008+11:00

Last month the NSW Writer's Centre asked a few authors, myself included, what we thought the next big thing might be for YA and children's books. At the time I hazarded a guess that maybe it would be ghosts, as vampires had already had their moment in the sun and zombies had been finally laid to rest. Awful puns I know but I'm keeping them because that's about as good as it gets for me!

I wish someone would ask me again because my future-telling skills have surged and I think I am a lot closer to the mark now. It struck me recently that somewhere along the line I had stopped thinking 'this book would make a great movie' and moved on to 'this book would make a great game.' I think we are going to see a spike in books with gaming plots. After all, Assassin's Creed, the game, has already spawned a book. The flip side is the obvious move. I'm not talking about Zac Power style action (although they are still excellent reads), I'm talking about the harder stuff. First person shooter. Mutants. Lots of weapons. Etc. Etc. The violence would need to be adjusted for the audience age.

During the recent debate about the Australian censorship of Left for Dead 2, a fact emerged that suprised me. The average gamer is in his twenties - not a teenage boy! So there's an enormous market out there - for both YA and middle grade - of readers who would prefer to play games first and read second. No points for guessing what they would like to read.

Just after this epiphany hit me, Monster Republic arrived on my desk. It's a sci-fantasy for upper primary to younger teens and it's almost what I was thinking of. Not quite - the gaming plotline isn't strong enough to qualify (it is however an excellent book for boys in that age range). The cover however is a bullseye. It could be a game disk.

So am I going to write the gamer book? Probably not - it's not where I want to be. I could do it though. I have spent the last ten years watching all manner of games evolving, reading instructions for #2 son, installing programs and marvelling at the DVD cover work.

And that's another thing, the gamer book covers are going to be something spectacular.

Does An Ending Have to End?

2009-12-29T14:29:00.010+11:00

Call me old-fashioned. Traditional even. But I think every book should have an ending. I'm not saying every thread has to be tied up or even that the reader shouldn't be allowed to choose their own resolution. What I am talking about is series books where at the end of a book, the plot is left wide open in an attempt to ensure the reader doesn't stop at that point. To me, there's more marketing than storytelling in that.

Just before Christmas I finished The Keeper of the Grail, the first book in Michael Spradlin's (YA) The Youngest Templar series. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The writing is excellent, the action is fast, there's plenty of emotion and I already care enough about the hero to ensure that no matter how many books there are, I will be committed through to the end because I have to know what ultimately happens to Tristan.

But I have a problem with the ending of the first book. I won't ruin it for those who have yet to read it (and I think you should) but the end is literally left hanging with Tristan in a life and death situation. There's nothing to be gained from stretching out the 'will he live or die?' suspense at this point because I know he lives. Book 2: Trail of Fate is already published and the series is advertised as a trilogy. I feel a little manipulated. If a book is good enough, and this one is, I don't need the ending to try to encourage me to read on.Now I find I have to wait until I can purchase Book 2 before I feel any sense of story resolution. Where I live it's not as if I can walk into a local book store and buy it immediately, even if the constraints of life and the festive period weren't controlling how I spend my time for the next few weeks.

Perhaps it is a personal issue or something related to how I read. And even how I write. As the author of a series I have very definite views on this issue. And it could be that there is a difference in series endings dependent on reader age groups. My readers are young, generally 8-14. They don't necessarily choose where they begin and end their reading. It is not only decided by what is available to them in their libraries (and that applies to all of us) but also whether the adults around them are willing or able to buy books. So I always ensure each Samurai Kids story is a complete stand alone adventure. While one book follows another, each story is complete in itself.

I am not opposed to cliffhanger endings where the purpose is to encourage the reader to choose what they believe will happen based on the story to date and the characters they have come to know. I am all for reader latitude. But if it is a series book I am not happy about an ending that tries blatantly to dictate to me when and where I stop reading. What do others think?

5 Favourite Fiction Books About... Japan

2009-12-16T12:37:00.015+11:00

In no particular order:

1 Silk by Alessandro Barricco. Exotic, erotic and beautiful. I can't believe I haven't blogged a review. It will follow later today ... and on that note, enough said.

2 The Plum Rain Scroll by Ruth Manley. CBCA Book of the Year in 1979. A wonderful blurring of fact and fantasy in a traditional style folk tale. My review here.

3 The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. This 17th century work on strategy, tactics, bushido and swordsmanship, by the greatest samurai warrior of all time (My opinion, yes, but most would agree) has been my constant ocmpanion duting the writing of the Samurai Kids series. It centres me - firmly in feudal Japan. Apparently Musashi looked awful and refused to take a bath. I guess if you are the best swordsman in the world you can do whatever you like when it comes to personal hygeine!

4 Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. And the other books in the Tales of the Otori series. This is fantasy Japan at it's best. And not such a big step away from history either.

5 Moonshadow: Eye of the Beast by Simon Higgins. And also the sequel in the Moonshadow series, Wrath of the Silver Wolf. These are wonderful books by an Australian author who truly lives and knows what he is writing about. Don't miss a visit to Simon's website

A Novel in My Lunch Hour

2009-12-15T09:05:00.008+11:00

My friends and colleagues are often involved in writing challenges like NaNoWriMo where they write a novel in a month. The mind boggles in admiration - I have neither the time nor the ability to produce this mega output.

But recently I found that I have accidentally set myself a challenge after all. I have always believed that there is no such excuse as "I don't have time to write." While logistically there are always time constraints and it is very true some people have extremely small windows of spare time - the moment a person makes time, the moment they prioritise their writing - they have taken the first step towards becoming a writer. Even if it is only ten minutes at the bus stop.

I was speaking on a panel a few months ago and during the break, a woman approached me to say: "I have always wanted to write. I just don't have the time." I immediately dragged out my soapbox and explained: "You never will, until you make the time." After the break she said goodbye and started to leave. "Aren't you staying for the second half?" I asked. "No. I'm going home to write. I'm starting now." So either I inspired and motivated her or bored her so badly in the first half she was glad to have an excuse to get away. I hope it was the former.

Lately I have had to eat my words. Literally. For lunch. I have been so time poor with the demands of the holiday season and family issues. While I am lucky enough to have a full time writing schedule (two books a year), I'm too early in my career to be making even a part-time income and I need to juggle writing with a full-time job. With five books on the shelf, I not only have to find the time to write but to answer reader emails, run workshops, visit schools, manage two websites and follow up promotional opportunites.

Suddenly I am so tired. My 10pm - 1pm window has shrunk. And at 12pm I just can't think anymore. So what's left? Lunch hour. And that's what I am doing. I am writing a novel in my lunch hour. So far it's working well. I did the last few chapters of Fire Lizard (Samurai Kids 5) this way and the initial editorial feedback didn't include: This sounds like someone wrote it in their lunch break *grin*

Strangely enough, that hour in the middle of the day is a very productive one when it comes to spitting out 500 words. By lunchtime I've been rattling my ideas and thoughts around in my brain for hours. Some days now, I even know where the plot is going before I start typing!

I'm making time and the words are flowing faster than ever.

Snowy's Christmas Blog Tour

2009-11-29T01:07:00.010+11:00

I was fortunate to be a Storyteller at the 2009 Sydney Children's Festival. The audience were too young for my own books so I took along a selection of my favourite picture books. Including Snowy's Christmas which got more encores than all the other titles put together. I must have read it ten times. I know I was eventually reciting pieces off by heart.

So I am very thrilled today to welcome Snowy's friend and author, Sally Murphy.

How important do you think it is for children to have Australian Christmas stories?
Very. I don’t think we need to Australianise THE Christmas story – that is the story of Jesus’ birth – but many of the Christmas traditions we follow are very much influenced by the northern hemisphere winter and have little or no relation to Jesus birth and even less relation to Australia. We don’t have snow, or reindeer, or log fires, or sleigh rides, or any of those wintry things at Christmas time. So whilst we swelter in 40 degree heat our kids are being fed stories which don’t match up. Whilst it is of course interesting for them to see how things are done in they parts of the world, it is also important for them to be able to glimpse their own lives, their own surroundings and their own experiences in the books they read.

Did you feel there weren’t enough such stories available?
When I wrote the first draft of Snowy there were no Australian Christmas books that I knew of. Of course, since then, there has been a change and now there are quite a few on the market – stories which explore what it’s like in Australia in Christmas time. I think it’s wonderful that there isn’t just one – but a good range of such stories, because it gives buyers choices, and allows kids to see different aspects of the Australian experience.

In your opinion, what elements give a Christmas story its special appeal?
I think a story which captures the joy of Christmas. It’s a day of celebration, and a special story can capture that feeling of excitement and of rightness. In Snowy’s Christmas I wanted to tell a feel-good story with a sprinkling of magic.

Is Snowy the first of the Six White Boomers? Is that where the inspiration came from?
No, actually, though of course there is a commonality with that song, in the form of the white kangaroos. Snowy was actually modelled more on the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, where the very thing that made him different was the thing that made him useful to Santa. The idea for the story came when I read yet another version of the Rudolph story and started to ponder whether there was a way to write an Australian version

Was there any part of the story that was edited out that you wished could have been kept?
The first draft of this story was about 1800 words, and although over the years I edited it down a lot, when I submitted it to Random House it was still too long (still over 1000 words). Some of those words just had to go, and that meant we had to trim some of the detail. However, much of that detail is still there – because the illustrations capture lots of things that the words just weren’t needed. I did actually name all the white roos in earlier versions, and I suppose it would be nice for readers to know those names now – but even then, David has done a superb job of making each roo different.

Do you have a personal favourite Christmas story to share (as in book) – or one that your own children particularly liked?
Jesus’ Christmas Party, by Nicholas Allen. This is the funniest rendition of the Christmas story I’ve ever heard – told from the perspective of the grumpy innkeeper who keeps getting woken up by visitors. I love it – and I think my kids did, too, although they may have grown tired of me reading it over and over. It still makes me smile.

What advice would you give other authors tempted to write a Christmas themed story?
Only do it if you have a unique idea. There is a limited market for seasonal stories – publishers will only do a small number of them, and they only have small window of time to sell well each year. Your idea has to be different enough from what’s already out there – and strong enough to sell well. Of course this is true of non-seasonal books, too, but the seasonal market is even harder to break into, I think. Having said that, if you’ve got a great idea, then that story should be told. Write it, perfect it, and then try to place it with a publisher. It worked for me!

I've been to New Zealand (sort of)

2009-11-23T11:16:00.007+11:00

I have been expecting to receive a 'Worst Blogger in the Universe' award any day now. But *phew* it seems I have avoided the dishonour and managed to take up the blog pen again just in time. So now for my excuse... I have been busy both writing and being a writer. The latter has been the most time-consuming of all with lots of school visits, workshops and speaking engagements. I'll be blogging about those over the following few days.

I have also been working hard *cough, splutter* to finish the last draft of Fire Lizard (Samurai Kids 5). I am not a good finisher of projects. This is how I first knew I was destined to be a writer - I actually finished (most of) the manuscripts I started. But now the idea for Samurai kids 6 is hammering at my brain and I am in a hurry to get to it. I've seen the first paragraph and that's huge green light for me. My foot is hovering over the accelerator. It's taking all my self control to finish Fire Lizard before I ram my foot down and go. And then there's Lion Heart. I really want to write that too.

In my defence I haven't technically not been blogging. I have been globetrotting - visiting Wellington Library's Kid's Blog (in New Zealand) for the past three weeks. You can find my blogs about Writing History here:

Do You Have to Tell the Truth?

Is Research Boring?

How Do You Know That Happened?

The Questions Kids Ask #2

2009-10-26T23:19:00.009+11:00

I usually begin my author talks with a quick discussion about where authors get their ideas from. I've found if I wave a few books from the Captain Underpants series right from the start - I have immediate credibility. Especially as I know the names of all the titles. Then I talk about my own ideas, where they came from and how I turned them into a story.

This is my all time favourite end-of-talk question.

A Year 5 boy put up his hand and asked: "Do you get headaches?" I was surprised because I do. I get terrible migraines. "Yes. How did you know?" I asked. "It's so crowded with ideas inside your head, your brain must be stretched really tight," he said.

Then his friend spoke up. "That's why she writes books. To empty out her head so it stops hurting."

And in a way they are both correct. There are lost of times when I feel if I don't write it down my head will explode.

[PS Word of warning - never type 'exploding head' into a Google images search late at night. What you see will keep you awake for hours. And it's not public domain so you can't use it anyway!]

Storytelling Maths: One book = One series

2009-10-24T17:39:00.016+11:00

"What if you had to write another Samurai Kids book and you couldn't think of anything?" a Year 6 boy asked. "Oh that could never happen," I said.

Or could it?

I've always had a safety net to protect me from worrying about this. Samurai Kids White Crane began with just one sentence: "My name is Niya Moto and I'm the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan." Another one soon followed. "Famous for falling flat on my face in the dirt." And for a long time that's all I had. That and the increasing desire to tell Niya's story - his friends, his teacher, his school and his adventures. I always figured if a book could come from a sentence than surely a series could come from one book.

Because White Crane was a stand-alone story (originally titled Samurai Kids) there were no hooks in place for future stories. But I did have a rich cast to work with - six very different characters each with their own idiosyncrasies and spirit guide - and their eccentric but much loved teacher. I had the action and adventure of samurai and ninja. I had swords, shuriken stars, and a quiver full of arrows.

And then I discovered an accidental hook after all. In White Crane Niya thought Sensei might be a Tengu - a mountain goblin priest with supernatural abilities. Was he? And if he was, what did he do? A human becomes a Tengu as a result of some terrible deed. Now I had a problem - I never intended to answer this question. In fact I didn't even know the answer. But if there were more books, it was obviously the key to many things. I do know the answer now but I can't tell you or I would have to give you a Wakizashi dagger and a seppuku mat and well... if you know the rest - it's rather painful and messy. So you are better off not knowing.

In Samurai Kids: Owl Ninja the kids travelled across Japan and learn ninja skills. They faced the Dragon Master once again. The final chapter saw them standing on the shore, a greater journey about to begin. From here, the series started to tell itself. The geography of the journey dictated the next stop, the location dictated the martial arts skills that the Kids would learn and Sensei's history created obligations and risks.

When the Kids went to China in Samurai Kids: Shaolin Tiger, history put them in a time and place when the Hwang Ho River was due to flood Kaifeng, the Shaolin Temple was under threat from the Imperial army (and would soon be destroyed), the Mongols were threatening to invade and the Manchu were on the horizon. How could I not find a story there? Especially when Qing-Shen walked in. Tall dark and dangerous, Sensei's Chinese ex-student had a vendetta to carry out.

I didn't intend it to happen but although each book is told by Niya, the plot revolves around a different Kid. Probably because they are all equally good friends. Each step the Kids take into another book, the story writing process is no different. Samurai Kids: Monkey Fist is set further north, in The Forbidden City of Beijing. Like a good reporter I follow Sensei and the Kids around and write what I see. And what Niya and Sensei tell me to. Right now I'm writing Samurai Kids:Fire Lizard and we're in Korea.

Just for Fun

2009-10-23T16:19:00.003+11:00

Ever wanted a ninja to slash your name on a wall? You can find a ninja text generator here

SANDY WRITES - Time to Write

2009-10-13T17:53:00.007+11:00

So often I hear: I want to write so much. I've got a story to tell but I don't have the time yet.

I understand. I truly do. But as I carefully explain, there never will be time unless you make it. Stay up half an hour later every night. Stuff ten minutes of ideas into a notebook while you are sitting at the bus stop. Time to write isn't born. It's made.

I don't know how often I convince anyone but I think I did once. We were having a conversation mid-panel-break and when the break was over, she picked up her bag, thanked me and said goodbye. 'Aren't you going to stay for the other half of the panel discussion,' I asked. 'No,' she said, smiling. 'I'm going home to write. Making time starts now.' I wish I knew her name becuase I suspect it might be on the front of a book one day soon.

I too struggle to find the time to write. I have a family and a daytime job. More books on shelves hasn't made any extra time miraculously appear. In fact, quite the opposite. Now I also need time to speak in schools and attend festivals. I love that part but it means I have less time than ever to write.

Sometimes I rush down to my laptop before dinner and scrawl a quick pargraph from an idea I've been carrying around in my head (or notebook) all day. I read it through and delete half of it. After dinner I rush back, in between supervising homework and packing lunches. I delete those few remaining sentences and wonder why I bothered with them in the first place.

Sometimes I feel too tired to write later at night. Usually I don't get back to my office until 11pm. Maybe I'll take the day off and write some more in the morning, I think. Mum, my tooth hurts, can you make a dental appointment before school? OK. Maybe I'll write in the afternoon, I decide. Mum, can you pick me up early from soccer? OK. I'm flexible. I can do this. It's got to be the midnight hour or nothing. *sigh*

I'll be tired and sleepy but a cup of tea will help. And once the fingers are flying, the words are usually flowing. Hopefully I'll write something good. And if it doesn't work out that way, I'll just delete it tomorrow in those few moments before dinner. Sometimes I make a lot of progress and sometimes I make a little. But I always make some time to write.

First Workshop Ever

2009-10-06T15:19:00.018+11:00

Finally getting around to blogging my first workshop experience. I was petrified. But in true Sandy-style I was determined to make it as hard as I possibly could. I signed up for video conferencing. Hey, if you're going to make a fool of yourself first time round, why restrict it to one school? Let two schools have a laugh.

Fortunately for me I had friendly library faces to work with. Mrs Mac at Thirroul Public School and my own children's librarian extroadinaire, Jane Pretty. So lots of help there to begin with. And the kids were very keen.

I sent out an SOS to my writing colleagues. And I have to do a thank you speech here because I am truly indebted to these friends for their advice, notes and shared exercises. Drum roll. Red Carpet. Janeen Brian, Sally Murphy, Sheryl Gwyther, Dee White, Claire Saxby, Lorraine Marwood, Julie Nickerson, Katherine Apel and Sally Odgers. What a name dropper I am.

I have to detour here for a moment and talk about Sally Odger's wonderful e-book (Giving our Kids) A Reason to Write. It's an absolute treasure trove of information about how children (and adults) write - from their different approaches and thought processes to how to best manage their writing strengths and weaknesses. I began by flipping through the pages for exercises I could use in my Workshops and ending up reading it from cover to cover. Thoroughly recommended and at $7 for the PDF - it's the best value for money resource you can buy!

But back to the workshops. Two out of three are complete with the follow up/evaluation still to come. They were wonderful fun. They didn't go perfectly - the video conferencing was a new experience all round - but the end result was absolutely golden. The kids enthusiastically produced heaps of writing. OK. Not all of them. There was one child who I suspect was waiting for a real author to show up. It's not quite as magical when it's mum even if you are really proud of her! Here are some sample efforts - ebooks created based on the workshop sessions.

You can visit the project at Thirroul Public School's blog.