tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085783485610400612024-02-19T19:35:08.158+11:00Stories are lightUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-41553007459682615872015-02-16T11:18:00.002+11:002015-02-16T11:18:29.048+11:00A New Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiKWSJM-j6xh_FpoCHHPCrpzVO51ypREknaxkw7Ruo0LbqpWee-curAhHZKuZ1fWMXdAaEYz_3U33FmifIZbF3vrp-udyGD_QjkN1ZnUOTp-wxy6MYxoNNK6pS0Qm9LYGq1lBmPBi9f0m/s1600/Website.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiKWSJM-j6xh_FpoCHHPCrpzVO51ypREknaxkw7Ruo0LbqpWee-curAhHZKuZ1fWMXdAaEYz_3U33FmifIZbF3vrp-udyGD_QjkN1ZnUOTp-wxy6MYxoNNK6pS0Qm9LYGq1lBmPBi9f0m/s1600/Website.jpg" height="167" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Today I am saying goodbye to blogging at Stories Are Light and setting up in my new blog home at <a href="http://www.sandyfussell.com/blog" target="_blank">www.sandyfussell.com/blog </a>. I hope you'll join me there.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-53746063304200520212014-12-10T01:36:00.003+11:002014-12-10T01:53:26.815+11:00A Togethery and Remembery Christmas WishI've been inspired by Christmassy crafting particularly the advent calendars on <a href="http://taniamccartney.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/crazy-for-advent-calendars.html" target="_blank">Tanya McCartney's blog</a> and<a href="http://childrensbooksdaily.com/literary-advent-calendar/" target="_blank"> Children's Books Daily</a>.<br />
<br />
Next year I will start earlier and make Advent calendars. I've filed the instructions away in Evernote. For this year I decided to start with something less ambitious.<br />
<br />
My immediate problem was Christmas Cards. I couldn't find anything I liked so I decided to make my own. Pinning down my family for photos proved to be impossible. No way, Mum!<br />
<br />
I'm not very visually talented. I prefer to paint with words but I do like to cut and paste. I figured the trick was to keep it simple, basic Christmas colours and traditional motifs.<br />
<br />
The best part was the fun I had making them. I found the perfect book quote to go inside each one:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">"Christmas is a togethery sort of
holiday," said Pooh.<br />
"That’s my favourite kind," said Piglet, "Togethery and
Remembery." – A. A. Milne<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
For 2014, I wish everyone a togethery and remembery Christmas.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T5e0KAPEE-jNZm9vRqABXLsSLK1131iAcDJyB6uLhuyfRH9xeTN09rVzakXJzQqh4PdwfS72Tvld7QQeEETLeFkyBnnJBtz6oGJ6HKX9aAtaYKQzjA-oLb3UOfC7XiSxBQijSdeaihry/s1600/christmas+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T5e0KAPEE-jNZm9vRqABXLsSLK1131iAcDJyB6uLhuyfRH9xeTN09rVzakXJzQqh4PdwfS72Tvld7QQeEETLeFkyBnnJBtz6oGJ6HKX9aAtaYKQzjA-oLb3UOfC7XiSxBQijSdeaihry/s1600/christmas+cards.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-9479133305660369492014-11-28T00:01:00.000+11:002014-11-28T23:56:37.095+11:00I found something shiny in my email<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJbZ8CptGcIKrhr-aZLisBuL41a30VjTNjFkzpmt8zXFrfkb2bBdcc9NZefih2gP1xmltLKVbHY_Y0soXCUNVMZpzasumVSKnxSGXaez3sZ59D5lyZ2FXRac3EJTjgzLa6BwEmKzWfyG1/s1600/shiny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJbZ8CptGcIKrhr-aZLisBuL41a30VjTNjFkzpmt8zXFrfkb2bBdcc9NZefih2gP1xmltLKVbHY_Y0soXCUNVMZpzasumVSKnxSGXaez3sZ59D5lyZ2FXRac3EJTjgzLa6BwEmKzWfyG1/s1600/shiny.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vickyb/3084056947/" target="_blank">Vicky Brock via Flickr</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I found something shiny in my email.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Email is not one of my favourite tasks. It’s a never-ending
pile and it’s always in danger of collapsing on me. I’ve tried many strategies
to manage it but nothing is working so far.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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There are four sorts of email I do like – emails from
friends, emails from people who love to read or write, emails from my editor
and emails from kids whose school I’ve visited.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I always encourage kids to email me. I love to hear they
enjoyed my session or that they like to read and sometimes, not very often, I
get an email from a kid who likes to write. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two days ago an email arrived headed: Can you help me with
my story? from a girl at a school I had visited last month. I responded to say
I would love to but I was drowning in work for the next two days and I would
get back to her then.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This afternoon I opened the email attachment. It wasn’t a
lot – a beginning and an end. Her problem was finding what went in the middle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The writing was wonderful and beautifully crafted. I sat
there stunned. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure, it needed a little polishing. It was obviously the
work of a young person and I would have chosen different words from my own wider
adult vocabulary but I know she’ll find those herself if she keeps writing. She
doesn’t need me to pre-empt that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I don’t know how old she is, I would guess maybe Year 5,
probably Year 6. What she had was laid out with headings – beginning,
complication and ending – the things she had learned in class. I do know that I’d
be pleased with myself if I had written that beginning and end - the
immediately engaging character, the perfectly timed humour, the visual action
scene - and in the end, a killer last line.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I edited a little, explaining why – pruning an
unnecessary sentence, removing a piece of “telling” and correcting the speech attribution
punctuation. I wasn’t game to touch anything else. And it didn’t need me to. Finally, I made a list of suggestions for how to find
the story for the missing middle. I hoped she might share
the next installment with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I polished lightly because it was already shining. The
shiniest thing I’ve ever found in my email.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-75549039273139678862014-10-18T02:07:00.000+11:002014-10-18T11:01:52.871+11:00Snap! It's a Magical Blog Tour<div class="MsoNormal">
You know how when you visit friends, some are super
organised and have the coffee and cake ready but others, although just as
welcoming, are still trying to find where they put the coffee and whether there
are any biscuits left in the cupboard that will do instead of cake? Today, as a
blog tour host, I’m the latter.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhhviOGOP9kmPZ-8UjjCCgwi4ziUHmSlzXJaDSexrTjEXD84SNf05_w9qUMaKFyECsmouwYi1EejtR052JyZ3krLpg_PoF4Vg9fXbdaEPNhiw9E3A3mY7zYy0gsTutWpHrKGoaH2I62Et/s1600/snap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhhviOGOP9kmPZ-8UjjCCgwi4ziUHmSlzXJaDSexrTjEXD84SNf05_w9qUMaKFyECsmouwYi1EejtR052JyZ3krLpg_PoF4Vg9fXbdaEPNhiw9E3A3mY7zYy0gsTutWpHrKGoaH2I62Et/s1600/snap.jpg" height="106" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
But being a little behind in my preparation helped me
uncover something I didn’t know about <a href="http://www.angelasunde.com/" target="_blank">Angela Sunde</a>. When I visited <a href="http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2014/10/blog-tour-snap-magic-vs-pond-magic.html">Kids
Book Review, the first stop on her <i>Snap
Magic</i> blog tour</a>, I discovered Angela is also an illustrator and she did the illustrations
for the title page and front cover.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Snap Magic is the sequel to Aussie Chomp <i><a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143305545/pond-magic-aussie-chomps" target="_blank">Pond Magic</a></i> and continues the
magic-plagued adventures of twelve-year-old Lily Padd.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRpu__RW4Bpk0dAc55zzUsY1Gc5jSUHz0b4DyxJTn84Qg_1OUCMK5u3wv1tNsnVH6ok7viXGla6szG6zp7k6NA0oq-gu3aD_48oU1rMgOQelQJdEndOzKOyu3hEZ2giMDho-COlJPfpra/s1600/Pond+Magic+cover.sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRpu__RW4Bpk0dAc55zzUsY1Gc5jSUHz0b4DyxJTn84Qg_1OUCMK5u3wv1tNsnVH6ok7viXGla6szG6zp7k6NA0oq-gu3aD_48oU1rMgOQelQJdEndOzKOyu3hEZ2giMDho-COlJPfpra/s1600/Pond+Magic+cover.sign.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wondered whether Angela imagined herself as a future
author or illustrator when she was Lily Padd’s age. So I asked her:</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<i>I liked to write
poetry and song lyrics at 12 and desperately wanted to be an
artist/illustrator. I tried writing a novel at 12, but set it in the USA,
because I didn't think anyone would want to know about a NZ kid. So I failed
that one, as I knew nothing about the US.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLytmpwLcM5s9nQDf1Vij0VCYfBMK4HcHWLJ0rzqUKf9rbTWIVCzZj_-phv07gPtSARy6HbsNtXeRoQn8CqwAX_L4QLp43sjzUx7919wIebvvBskuSoIPfNJN7OspRFnanIkOg6Ejjgb2V/s1600/angela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLytmpwLcM5s9nQDf1Vij0VCYfBMK4HcHWLJ0rzqUKf9rbTWIVCzZj_-phv07gPtSARy6HbsNtXeRoQn8CqwAX_L4QLp43sjzUx7919wIebvvBskuSoIPfNJN7OspRFnanIkOg6Ejjgb2V/s1600/angela.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a><o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Review: Snap Magic by Angela Sunde</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lily Padd has problems and they’re much bigger than her
embarrassing name. First there’s the hair on her chin and the others that soon
follow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She’s on the run from Rick, the bra-strap snapper, but it’s
not the painful flick that bothers her. It’s anyone discovering that she doesn’t
even wear a bra yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her beautiful dress for the Halloween Dance is ruined by her
terrible twin 6-year-old sisters. Mrs Swan, the witch next door, offers a
solution. Lily’s had trouble with magic before but she’s willing to take
another chance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It gets worse. When Mum becomes a seller for Snap ‘n’ Pack,
Lily has to dodge mean-girl Ellie Middleton at school and in the Middleton home,
when Mum drags her there to help with a party demonstration. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still the hair keeps growing. Other people around her are
looking a little hairy too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lily knows it’s magic. Ellen has worked it out too and she’s
going to tell Lily’s secret at the Halloween Dance and destroy her chances with
the new boy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s the biggest problem of all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Told in easy to read short chapters, Snap Magic is perfect
for tween girls. Lily is a feisty character who refuses to be defeated by the
troubles and challenges thrown at her. Even magical ones. With the help of her
best friend, Maureen, she faces them all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While Snap Magic deals with mature themes such as bullying, trust,
friend and parent relationships, developing adolescence, and preoccupation with
physical appearance, it does this with gentle and sensitive age-appropriate humour.
This book could be a starting point for first mother-daughter discussions. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check out the other
blogstop on the <b>Snap Magic Blog Tour <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Monday 13 Oct</b> <a href="http://www.kids-bookreview.com/" target="_blank">Kids Book Review</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQnZyS6AxMi9jhqlYQ_NqEhycwy1R6hX8ASLKHqlpgr9DRMFZhmwDU45IgYNGX7BiWiEf5IbxH0-aXMr4on5078p8wsYcuxen-BHg0327Qb3Kb82Qpo8Fa-SBk8-yWyfZW8NnmhcAYUFp/s1600/snap-cover-e.signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQnZyS6AxMi9jhqlYQ_NqEhycwy1R6hX8ASLKHqlpgr9DRMFZhmwDU45IgYNGX7BiWiEf5IbxH0-aXMr4on5078p8wsYcuxen-BHg0327Qb3Kb82Qpo8Fa-SBk8-yWyfZW8NnmhcAYUFp/s1600/snap-cover-e.signature.jpg" height="200" width="125" /></a><b>Tuesday 14 Oct</b> <a href="http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sheryl Gwyther</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wednesday 15 Oct</b> <a href="http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Robyn Opie</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wednesday 15 Oct </b><a href="http://www.karentyrrell.com/" target="_blank">KarenTyrrell</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Thursday 16 Oct</b> <a href="http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au/" target="_blank">Alison Reynold</a>s <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Friday 17<sup>th</sup>
Oct</b> <a href="http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Chris Bell – From Hook to Book</a> <i> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Saturday 18 Oct</b> <a href="http://blog.boomerangbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Boomerang Books Blog</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Saturday 18 Oct </b><a href="http://dimswritestuff.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">DimityPowell</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sunday 19 Oct</b> <a href="http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Sandy Fussell - Stories Are Light</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sunday 19 Oct</b> <a href="http://thereadingstack.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">The reading Stack</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Monday 20 Oct</b> <a href="http://aussiereviews.com/" target="_blank">Aussiereview</a>s <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Tuesday 21 Oct</b> <a href="http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Dee White</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wednesday 22</b> <a href="http://angelasunde.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Angela Sunde’s Blog Tour Wrap Up</a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-57832822316842123212014-10-14T22:30:00.000+11:002014-10-18T11:00:00.941+11:00Internet Roadtrip #1: From The Plot Whisperer to Kathleen DueyEvery day I spend up to an hour
hitch-hiking from website to website. It’s good for my soul and it keeps my
brain buzzing. My starting point might be a link that turns up in my morning
<a href="http://feedly.com/" target="_blank">Feedly</a>. Or it might be a link someone posts on Twitter or Facebook. Or an article in my StumbleUpon feed.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One blog post or website always leads to another. Sometimes I jump via a link within
the post, sometimes via a popular post in the sidebar or a category, even from a
tweet displayed in the site Twitter steam. It reminds me of the two weeks the Love
of my Life and I spent motorhoming around Canada. Before we could recover from
one sign-posted Scenic Viewing Spot, another signpost appear. There's always somewhere interesting to go on the net.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought I’d share some of my journeys and the
things I find on the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAajX-TFA7bSFF5QqzFRhu7qNUQRp_BwHLYAGuEBjrzI_KQ3LbLtfJ61fgrL2fGAKV928bBiNKqF8BRgEm9KC-emWq1ohJRQhGm5kPugnZbZuvw-PvTs3uLuMrJACPA8qGgRsploVwGeM/s1600/1730144429_285d37f77e_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAajX-TFA7bSFF5QqzFRhu7qNUQRp_BwHLYAGuEBjrzI_KQ3LbLtfJ61fgrL2fGAKV928bBiNKqF8BRgEm9KC-emWq1ohJRQhGm5kPugnZbZuvw-PvTs3uLuMrJACPA8qGgRsploVwGeM/s1600/1730144429_285d37f77e_z.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/10459273@N05/1730144429/in/photolist-3CTrEn-6uzKpu-9QXsPL-kQi36c-cDRvn-bwrybw-5U9QyF-e1kMy3-nBzAUa-aJiYa-8XTTDF-2TiEk-dDHKXm-e1BDw1-82vHU8-4J8zF4-kxLpCa-e1BEny-gGLMjy-gGM5RD-FkSD1-5Dzd6b-acTzaK-gFwL2D-dBRd11-21osyo-jfEPfT-jcAuL3-jcA21H-eEnVqm-9PXfFh-6K8Gcd-a2YWdk-jcMGex-4GMABR-dMR1bE-4vYArU-sUFFR-54neso-aNgxZX-6tYJNN-5ZAmgm-geQjsH-63JeSS-63DYUR-63JcBA-b7T3KZ-mzjc8w-b7T3Vn-e1vZd4" target="_blank">libertyandvigilance</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I was looking at picture book courses. My first
picture book, Sad The Dog, will be published by <a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Walker Books Australia</a> next
year and I feel rather spoilt. It’s a format that’s alien to me. The idea came to me reasonably fully-formed and with some pushing and poking by my excellent editor, it easily fell into
shape. I was lucky.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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But I need more than luck to write a second one and to learn
more about the craft of picture writing is on my To Do List.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This afternoon, I opened the Saved For Later folder in my Feedly.
I follow the<a href="http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank"> Plot Whisperer blog</a> and its host, Martha Alderson, has a “Write
and Sell a Picture Book” series of vimeos with Jill Corcoran.[<a href="http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/5-tips-how-to-write-and-sell-picture.html" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 1:The Plot Whisperer</a>]. I heard Jill speak at the Australia New Zealand SCBWI
Conference and she gave me more good advice at a subsequent manuscript
assessment session. That was for a YA but I was impressed with her considered
feedback. I was keen to have the advice of both Jill Martha on writing and
selling picture books.</div>
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Off I went to the website. [<a href="http://vimeo.com/ondemand/writesellpicturebook" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 2: How to Write and Sell a Picture Book </a>] Unfortunately
I missed the half price weekend by a few days and the full price of $125, although
excellent value, is a stretch for my budget at the moment. So that’s still on
the To Do List. I’ll be hinting in the appropriate direction for a Christmas
present.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KwdYjki5su2ne3nCma8PxkBv48gcCrjzXpVlLdOAIegy166KkCT9QcVowtV6SXPyfsRnsA5VHWpII7qAC82nBrYZhka8sI3EYN9N3CN2bGEZX_W_XnqDZzE_G44KCG68AYAy9Pwhd7HK/s1600/skin+hunger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KwdYjki5su2ne3nCma8PxkBv48gcCrjzXpVlLdOAIegy166KkCT9QcVowtV6SXPyfsRnsA5VHWpII7qAC82nBrYZhka8sI3EYN9N3CN2bGEZX_W_XnqDZzE_G44KCG68AYAy9Pwhd7HK/s1600/skin+hunger.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
I headed to Jill’s website [<a href="http://jillcorcoran.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/novel-and-picture-book-writersfinal.html" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 3: Jill Corcoran Books</a>] and under How to Sell a Picture
Book found a number of recommendations including one from my author friend, Dee White. That reminded to detour and call in to her blog and see what was happening [<a href="http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 4: DeeScribe Writing Blog</a>].</div>
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Back on Jill's website now, I was still gathering information [<a href="http://jillcorcoranliteraryagency.com/what-makes-a-book-sell/" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 5: What makes a book sell?</a>], I found this excellent analogy:</div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Let me quote my
friend and 80+book author Kathleen Duey: Almost no one expects musicians to get
good on an instrument without years of lessons, books, years of practice. There
is a similar learning curve for writing. (<a data-cke-saved-href="http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/2011/12/publishing-old-new-self-indie.html" href="http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/2011/12/publishing-old-new-self-indie.html" target="_blank">read full post here</a>)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3z1vlWJSHTV5Gd4Yy1Ctr4mTqKPVETKMdHCtVElXFI59tRNy5sX8csZoS2ux6_6nhdqHL8Ir0gWHGXVgFijUz-QAxow_Y1slKho2OmLJSe1aHsiKDeFNlcg-l96dlHpPS-tcnFcbWTwW/s1600/sacred+stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3z1vlWJSHTV5Gd4Yy1Ctr4mTqKPVETKMdHCtVElXFI59tRNy5sX8csZoS2ux6_6nhdqHL8Ir0gWHGXVgFijUz-QAxow_Y1slKho2OmLJSe1aHsiKDeFNlcg-l96dlHpPS-tcnFcbWTwW/s1600/sacred+stars.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>So I read the full post on Kathleen Duey's blog [<a href="http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/publishing-old-new-self-indie.html" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 6: Publishing Old, New, Self, Indie</a>]. But even
more interesting was the current post I found on Kathleen’s blog. The post was titled
Limori: Book 3 post #17. [<a href="http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/limori-book-three-post-17.html" target="_blank">Viewing Spot 7: Limori: Book 3 post #17</a>] It was 418 words that hooked me right in.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<i>Limori: People are hiding. The City is changing hands again.
The old families, the boys in the cliffs, the people in South End and all the
Eridians …all of them are in danger now. I am afraid for all of them.</i><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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I had this wonderful sense of place, history and exoticism.
I might be wrong but I’m going to find out. I tracked back through Kathleen’s
books to find the series I was looking for: The Resurrection of Magic. Book 1 is
Skin Hunger and book 2, Sacred Scars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One title was familiar. I almost read Skin Hunger, seven
years ago. In 2007 it came into The Reading Stack where I review books. It
landed in my In Tray but another reviewer was seduced by the cover and asked if
she could take it. I handed it over without even reading the Press Release.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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And now, the internet has brought me back to that place. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-_4aJ7T6apuc%2FVD0FO4m2oII%2FAAAAAAAACBM%2FPHYaG8JO2Kw%2Fs1600%2Fsacred%252Bstars.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3z1vlWJSHTV5Gd4Yy1Ctr4mTqKPVETKMdHCtVElXFI59tRNy5sX8csZoS2ux6_6nhdqHL8Ir0gWHGXVgFijUz-QAxow_Y1slKho2OmLJSe1aHsiKDeFNlcg-l96dlHpPS-tcnFcbWTwW/s1600/sacred+stars.jpg" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-81567735872432546672014-09-26T20:43:00.002+10:002014-09-26T20:51:20.253+10:00I suffer from puijilittatuq<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">You know that feeling when your brain is buzzing, the
lights are flashing and the world is greener than ever and you can't sleep
because you just have to write it all down....<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And often you can't
because there are too many ideas and smells and images and nowhere near enough
words? So you just sit there and dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
There's a word for that feeling and I found it today. I have spent most of the
afternoon learning to spell it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5FCIvKi38o0JrcygsVUKjuEd_tr27QiZSgia-F2lj8Bd7OVsdQ3r44IiOMcfyotIulFAaYqv-IcxQ_jFQ6yAAjWZWa4uZFH_POBGEcBJ-_sjrrgwf9ICXVY8505gq__vSvGrcypbLH7c/s1600/coollogo_com-25781470.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5FCIvKi38o0JrcygsVUKjuEd_tr27QiZSgia-F2lj8Bd7OVsdQ3r44IiOMcfyotIulFAaYqv-IcxQ_jFQ6yAAjWZWa4uZFH_POBGEcBJ-_sjrrgwf9ICXVY8505gq__vSvGrcypbLH7c/s1600/coollogo_com-25781470.png" height="97" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It's
an Inuit word which translates to: “He does not know which way to turn
because of the many seals he has seen come to the ice surface.”</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
a writer I suffer from chronic puijilittatuq. I would be so much more
prolific and probably a much better writer if I could only get this problem
under control. Not a hope though. I've been like this all my life.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I'd
like to know how to pronounce it. Does anyone have any ideas? Even Google failed
me. All it had to offer was it's not a valid Scrabble word and there are no
images to match it on Flickr. I could have guessed that!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-43456355603586624222014-09-03T21:32:00.002+10:002014-09-04T11:24:33.544+10:00Book Week, Hat-flipping and the Reason Why<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_EmG83yzNyU7YueFmwD6xJvDWRL2Yn35z2YbwixD0QIEOWcXMRU_i_rRjhWbcgqg_F1JEj1kJsFQxxiGKAPjueFjoY4ZYYf2qVPggUyObZPkMWVgb-ax1h43a7-KvEjVvZrtT_3O-ZHE/s1600/bookweek2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_EmG83yzNyU7YueFmwD6xJvDWRL2Yn35z2YbwixD0QIEOWcXMRU_i_rRjhWbcgqg_F1JEj1kJsFQxxiGKAPjueFjoY4ZYYf2qVPggUyObZPkMWVgb-ax1h43a7-KvEjVvZrtT_3O-ZHE/s1600/bookweek2014.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Book week has an osmotic way of seeping into the weeks
around it, whether its preparation or pre and post book Week school visits. It’s
an exhausting time. Most of my commitments are in Sydney so it’s a four hour
round trip on the train each day. But I love it. The kids are the best reward ever.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I never intended to visit schools. I was comfortable and
experienced speaking in front of a hall full of adults but a library full of
children terrified me. How could I possibly be entertaining? They would laugh
(I have since discovered this is the pinnacle of success – when you can get a
roomful of kids to laugh!).<o:p></o:p></div>
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But the year my first book was released, the Primary School
English Teachers Association (PETA) decided to run a course to encourage debut
authors to present in schools and I was invited to attend. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The message in Val Noake’s opening speech spoke directly to
me. She said you can write in your office
and go nowhere and kids will still love your work or go into schools and use
your persona as an author to encourage children to read and write. How could I ever
even think of foregoing that? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Over two days I learned from the experts. I remember
sessions by <a href="http://www.suewhiting.com/" target="_blank">Sue Whiting</a>, <a href="http://www.deborahabela.com/site/Welcome.html" target="_blank">Deb Abela</a> and <a href="http://www.jenimawter.com/" target="_blank">Jeni Mawter</a>. Then I was paired with a “mentor”
who helped me prepare for my first school visit. If I wasn’t already on convinced,
working with Deb Abela (enthusiastic, talented and all-round lovely person) would
have persuaded me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiE4vl5CZkDVEmY2bJilIfxnUkHWqqQCrPqna0_IUxm9YKP2-tedKIAiUU73qYwXns11Cw5gVdlGzcisl_PJoRqvkKT_tHWwnW8EMDeoS7H2AE1cLGZXZIQgkjPMRnRP0Tb_o0w4JMaf8/s1600/flip+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiE4vl5CZkDVEmY2bJilIfxnUkHWqqQCrPqna0_IUxm9YKP2-tedKIAiUU73qYwXns11Cw5gVdlGzcisl_PJoRqvkKT_tHWwnW8EMDeoS7H2AE1cLGZXZIQgkjPMRnRP0Tb_o0w4JMaf8/s1600/flip+hat.jpg" height="152" width="200" /></a>To my surprise, I found I loved school visits. Even the “hat-flipper”
couldn’t faze me. There’s usually one in a session – the pre-bored child who
doesn’t want to be there and fiddles with his/her hat or shoe-laces or pen or
whatever they just found in their pocket. They became my motivation. If I could get them
engaged, the presentation was a win!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikO6o701VlxWP7T3OJ19YG4J0pLQZ5J_pf1_La7beMwDJ71M2j0Mku63SWEgPeSohQBw_LAFfXcqzChPn5lryqrLNrftpZTi3iMb-dfhzBIXlFiE0vdYDhIAIM3KgdJ455QirucsytQ2Gi/s1600/ratbags.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikO6o701VlxWP7T3OJ19YG4J0pLQZ5J_pf1_La7beMwDJ71M2j0Mku63SWEgPeSohQBw_LAFfXcqzChPn5lryqrLNrftpZTi3iMb-dfhzBIXlFiE0vdYDhIAIM3KgdJ455QirucsytQ2Gi/s1600/ratbags.gif" /></a>Just this week, yet another instance confirmed why I love
working with kids and literature. After a large Year 3 – 6 session, a group of
kids crowded around to ask one more question or share their current WIP. One
small boy, probably Year 3, waited until everyone else had left. Then he
blurted: ”I’m going to try hard. I’m going read all your books. I’m going to
try really, really hard.” I guessed that my books would be a struggle for him
and we had a talk about reading in general and how much fun it might be to read
alternate paragraphs with mum or dad.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After he left the librarian said: “I never thought I would ever
hear him say that.” I asked if he would be able to read my books and she shook
her head. “He’s not at his reading year level yet.” So my work was not done. I
hadn’t put the right book in his hand. I had inspired but once the book was
opened, he would probably give up. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I often show kids the first book I wrote, Ratbags, part of an
Aussie Schoolbooks leveled reading set for Year 3. I figured it would be just
right, especially with its wonderful quirky illustrations by Peter Viska. So I
gave it to the librarian and asked her to tell my newest fan that I had donated
it to his library because I was so impressed with his determination to get
reading and I had specifically asked for him to be given the first chance
to borrow it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope he did. <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-51023750795160023072014-08-25T15:44:00.000+10:002014-08-25T15:45:38.556+10:00WiP Sneak Peek<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvt8D47_geHXr6LjTVf3GfoWfeKQzDSPb717MleKzFa4PGjNozNW0DiW0cdmkOgg8gWYWvzBC6crnS18_GMayUlKCFupr0x-3QlBzpMcsSdcxL1NoBRUkVP3oikTns9z4FXPGRRLFAx-6/s1600/5parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvt8D47_geHXr6LjTVf3GfoWfeKQzDSPb717MleKzFa4PGjNozNW0DiW0cdmkOgg8gWYWvzBC6crnS18_GMayUlKCFupr0x-3QlBzpMcsSdcxL1NoBRUkVP3oikTns9z4FXPGRRLFAx-6/s1600/5parts.jpg" height="200" width="125" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five Parts Dead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When <a href="http://www.timpegler.com.au/" target="_blank">Tim Pegler</a> (whose 2010 novel <i>Five Parts Dead</i> remains a
favourite of mine) tagged me to share 7 lines from page 7 or 77 of my current
WiP, I was keen to see what snippet I would find. Little did I know it was
really a challenge – a dare to see if I was brave enough.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
I should have known it wasn’t going to be as easy as it
first sounded. Especially after I read Tim’s post about how when he counted out the lines, he had to wrestle with writerly
scruples because he wasn’t happy with what he found there. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The power of the force urging an edit is strong in this one
too. But then I decided that although editing never ends - same thing, fifty
times over, fifty times better - it’s got to start somewhere. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh4fpI5CLny8NZi4U8bjj0WlyUlzp9qjpsJhfJuXmi-q8Rx9KtZm2GGodh1Q3eiLh7-ZQjIbxQ1g5EVXwqzQ89ojiCYB9M4Om2xihvULrOIkyG67plV9sYR0RiQT-Hvy-YLAhfdMZPj2p/s1600/seven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh4fpI5CLny8NZi4U8bjj0WlyUlzp9qjpsJhfJuXmi-q8Rx9KtZm2GGodh1Q3eiLh7-ZQjIbxQ1g5EVXwqzQ89ojiCYB9M4Om2xihvULrOIkyG67plV9sYR0RiQT-Hvy-YLAhfdMZPj2p/s1600/seven.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I bit the bullet and am baring the lines, as is, bleached
bones and all. I am working on two manuscripts.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Here is the YA (page 77):<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The mist dissolved and the shadow
grew thin ephemeral arms, legs and wings. It perched on the sea wall like a
pale goblin.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Rebekah could see it was not a
ghost. Ollie was right about that but it wasn’t an illusion either. It was
something old and dark, dangerous and uncertain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I have to go."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“Will you come back?” it asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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She knew she shouldn't.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And here is the Middle Grade (page 7)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.85pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
He sat on his rock as the sun rose and watched the sugar ants
counting. Burroc liked to listen to them
work. Numbers flew in all directions.
The short chubby one was counting children, three others were counting
food and one was counting the counters. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.85pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
“How many?” Burroc asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.85pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
“Shhh,” chorused the ants. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I lost count,” a little one wailed.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And so to share - I tag the following fabulous writerous
types - <a href="http://www.richardnewsome.com/richardnewsome/Home.html" target="_blank">Richard Newsome</a> (<i>The Billionaire series</i>), <a href="http://www.aleesahdarlison.com/" target="_blank">Aleesah Darlison </a>(<i>Ash Rover
series, Unicorn Riders serie</i>s) , <a href="http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au/" target="_blank">Alison Reynolds</a> (<i>A Year with Marmalade, A New
Friend for Marmalade</i>) and <a href="http://jackiehoskingblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jackie Hosking</a> (<i>The Croc and the Platypus</i>). I’m looking forward to peeking into their
WiPs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrMfb_zPT9_bSYEEuXxFAOw4LbCvo4nsIKKWytO_yHRLR_Jp7IjtdVl0B5GbBHUr7-HvnGXfgc24Jw-11g7Clp32pytA6H1rTVSsl8CmHSRDFdgW-x44XH5nbjnihkXmId_UboF44oPkB/s1600/ash+rover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrMfb_zPT9_bSYEEuXxFAOw4LbCvo4nsIKKWytO_yHRLR_Jp7IjtdVl0B5GbBHUr7-HvnGXfgc24Jw-11g7Clp32pytA6H1rTVSsl8CmHSRDFdgW-x44XH5nbjnihkXmId_UboF44oPkB/s1600/ash+rover.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ash Rover series</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P7sdf8pU-CoUg_xLkhDZcAJN6HYQ64DkRO8hHnb2hBBl4BE7M5mYsffmg-SQyUJKRWYEe8aBmxnKB5Xvz6AV-7Lbqo_VAxTv295r7oE5NybTn_bZoJdPBFs6VR4VABOlnIcl3rLdPm_9/s1600/billionaires+curse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P7sdf8pU-CoUg_xLkhDZcAJN6HYQ64DkRO8hHnb2hBBl4BE7M5mYsffmg-SQyUJKRWYEe8aBmxnKB5Xvz6AV-7Lbqo_VAxTv295r7oE5NybTn_bZoJdPBFs6VR4VABOlnIcl3rLdPm_9/s1600/billionaires+curse.jpg" height="200" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Billionaire series</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-M3uv6aQTZBxKzhuJ5y-ocDezwU2b2iW6QFNKYliBTlL6bnszFF8v94lnrjhO8B_Gs84z74hEqrHmSLeZQeYufRa_s1-b8eQedGzdca0HaFJXu0bUL9KTlTpLxEXoC55irFEWxU6_fIp/s1600/marmalade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-M3uv6aQTZBxKzhuJ5y-ocDezwU2b2iW6QFNKYliBTlL6bnszFF8v94lnrjhO8B_Gs84z74hEqrHmSLeZQeYufRa_s1-b8eQedGzdca0HaFJXu0bUL9KTlTpLxEXoC55irFEWxU6_fIp/s1600/marmalade.jpg" height="200" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A New Friend for Marmalade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV6RDmJcGDr-qSlg8QNFtEpVZrEy5cM_aUUZMpY9mYmDLLrCYVZSCmUuUnYwJTgfMckgN18yZKMHo46E2AOBD5Mk2YU4jW9SiF73hyphenhyphenyfhEnmmcM9siI4bu2GcCx2AOxlzzSDHMJK4h_Oi/s1600/croc+and+platy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV6RDmJcGDr-qSlg8QNFtEpVZrEy5cM_aUUZMpY9mYmDLLrCYVZSCmUuUnYwJTgfMckgN18yZKMHo46E2AOBD5Mk2YU4jW9SiF73hyphenhyphenyfhEnmmcM9siI4bu2GcCx2AOxlzzSDHMJK4h_Oi/s1600/croc+and+platy.jpg" height="200" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Croc and The Platypus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-wnNgcT9StqY%2FU_rJRZzjn4I%2FAAAAAAAAB9c%2Fme6GO2yV-TE%2Fs1600%2Fash%252Brover.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrMfb_zPT9_bSYEEuXxFAOw4LbCvo4nsIKKWytO_yHRLR_Jp7IjtdVl0B5GbBHUr7-HvnGXfgc24Jw-11g7Clp32pytA6H1rTVSsl8CmHSRDFdgW-x44XH5nbjnihkXmId_UboF44oPkB/s1600/ash+rover.jpg" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-4604132573302321792014-08-15T08:00:00.000+10:002014-08-15T11:53:42.577+10:00The Croc and the Platypus Blog Tour<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lJpBJUbNiN2j0xqbn_ohkKqBWU4269JNURE9GGyWKEMLdNzcJdsZVXHj7sUiFOIrrFpxn-iFuWUY51cYplTnZGGflx7cLbCa9i4GmgvtiUqwMH5ncJgDTE_6brQnePVW3kDmwCbJYx9G/s1600/Croc-&-Platypus-Cover-400px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lJpBJUbNiN2j0xqbn_ohkKqBWU4269JNURE9GGyWKEMLdNzcJdsZVXHj7sUiFOIrrFpxn-iFuWUY51cYplTnZGGflx7cLbCa9i4GmgvtiUqwMH5ncJgDTE_6brQnePVW3kDmwCbJYx9G/s1600/Croc-&-Platypus-Cover-400px.jpg" height="320" width="306" /></a>Every writer I’ve met (and that’s heaps) secretly wants to
write a picture book (including me). I think it’s something to do with the
magic of distilling a story into a small number of perfect words and then
having an illustrator perform even more magic on them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Recently at <a href="http://www.scbwiaustralianz.com/our-blog/2014/3/24/packed-professional-and-inspiringthe-sydney-conference-program" target="_blank">SCBWI ANZ Conference 2014</a> I attended an In Conversation session
about the creative process for a new <a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Walker Books Australia</a> picture book, <a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/The-Croc-And-The-Platypus-9781922077608" target="_blank">TheCroc and the Platypus</a>. The session featured Jackie Hosking (author), Marjorie
Crosby-Fairall (illustrator) and Sue Whiting (editor). After the session was
over, I wanted to know more. So I am particularly pleased to be a stop on the
Croc and Platypus blog tour and to have the chance to ask Jackie and Marjorie
some questions of my own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Jackie</b>, we hear
all the time that rhyming picture books are incredibly difficult to write
although you obviously have a talent for it.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBXdBh6g2vqenhPfk6UGOGaDHzXUzCweLx93bTTtZGlpIJj4OVYEPh5HScIrMcdfbX-6oJTaroQp_vg9S3sGzmjUC5J0dOwGsIXmD8OqiEWb5ZbDuJgpQeDX-RBqozbPJrX3tHSdoMEjT/s1600/jackie+hosking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBXdBh6g2vqenhPfk6UGOGaDHzXUzCweLx93bTTtZGlpIJj4OVYEPh5HScIrMcdfbX-6oJTaroQp_vg9S3sGzmjUC5J0dOwGsIXmD8OqiEWb5ZbDuJgpQeDX-RBqozbPJrX3tHSdoMEjT/s1600/jackie+hosking.jpg" height="200" width="136" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Was there a portion
of text that you had to work extra hard at?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The difficult thing about writing in rhyme is refusing to
compromise on the right word to suit the rhyme or the meter.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the first line of the second verse – there are three
verses in all, I compromised, and while the whole story was accepted by Walker
Books, that line wasn’t. What was interesting is that I didn’t like that line
either. Here’s how the original line looked…</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>Platy said with a smile, to the
cool Crocodile<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>“I have an idea to present….</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No one calls a platypus, Platy, it sounds forced. One
suggestion was to change the animal from a Platypus to something else. This was
not acceptable to me; it had to be a platypus as it represented the soft
pussy-cat character from <i>The Owl and the
Pussy-Cat</i>. I didn’t voice my concern
at the time because I knew with some effort, I could fix it. And I did. The
line now reads…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>The platypus smiled, saying after
a while,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>“I have an idea to present…</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The perfectionist in me struggled a bit with the fact the
‘smiled’ and ‘while’ are not perfect rhymes but I had to let that go because
that was a very small sacrifice to make and it allowed me to keep the platypus
in the story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Was there a portion
that just fell into place? Why do you think this happened?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first verse is pretty much unchanged from the original
though I did modify one line. This changed from…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>And packed it all up in the boot</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
to<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<i>And bundled it up in the boot</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Bundled’ is a stronger verb, more descriptive and it
allowed me to get rid of the word ‘all’ and as an added bonus it complimented
the word ‘trundled’ which is found at the beginning of the poem.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m not sure why it fell into place so easily. I think
having <i>The Owl and the Pussy-Cat</i> as a
template forced my hand into choosing particular words. I really wanted to
emulate Lear’s rhyme and meter with no compromise, easier said than done! At
the most basic level, for instance, the animals had to have names consisting of
one and three syllables respectively. And the three syllable name had to have
the stress fall on the first syllable. An echidna, for example would not fit
the meter as the stress falls on the middle syllable which would not do at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How long did you
spend working on this book from first word to submission?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote the first draft in early 2011 and sent it to Walker
in May of that year. In 2012 I was awarded a Maurice Saxby Mentorship where I
was able to utilise the wisdom of many experienced professional. During that
time I worked on The Croc and the Platypus and as a result improved it. I sent
the improved version to Walker in May 2012 so in a way I have two submission
dates. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>What research did you
need to do for this book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well I obviously needed to know <i>The Owl and the Pussy-Cat</i> inside out and I also wanted to include
as many Australian icons as I could, given the brevity of the poem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve used Uluru as the camping spot I was interested to
know its meaning. This is included in the glossary at the back of the book
along with a description of the other Australian icons mentioned in the story,
things that non-Australians may not be familiar with.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEolv7ilgGqKJpjmwhk-j-993RCh76FwZ15UxRd6Ey7LVzRuj9wOKngCyC31cL4gvumHAhLHePCO416OKaRzV4ufkW2bHlAsbWKLyAJInQjkkMc2h52VXSpoZ4YFa4BpkppMpORmI8tPie/s1600/marjorie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEolv7ilgGqKJpjmwhk-j-993RCh76FwZ15UxRd6Ey7LVzRuj9wOKngCyC31cL4gvumHAhLHePCO416OKaRzV4ufkW2bHlAsbWKLyAJInQjkkMc2h52VXSpoZ4YFa4BpkppMpORmI8tPie/s1600/marjorie.jpg" /></a><b>Marjorie, Was
there a portion of text that immediately visually appealed to you? </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, Sue Whiting from Walker Books asked me to present a
rough sketch for one spread to make sure we were all “on the same page” before
I launched into creating the storyboard roughs for the entire book. She suggested
the text:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>They barbecued fish,
their favourite dish, <br />
Then gobbled some lamingtons too.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This text was immediately appealing and ideas sprang to mind
very easily. I could readily imagine two fat and happy friends lounging around
by a campfire as the sun was setting. In fact, the rough didn’t change much
from my very first scribbles—the only change was the addition of the fleece
tent. I originally had the fleece still rolled up as they had received it from
the shearers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHNZh_JITUAXPCMnwoVV9GoOW37d10pFqNDLkP6JTBLJUN0ydb-hPa7pJqdRIiQKodVGsHRCkMC417nOF8r7jUTLqBbsUKtfZwOEXoXMwiWNpZVVV1Ii93MrbZIW6vApSi_eX-zQbo_lE/s1600/BBQ-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHNZh_JITUAXPCMnwoVV9GoOW37d10pFqNDLkP6JTBLJUN0ydb-hPa7pJqdRIiQKodVGsHRCkMC417nOF8r7jUTLqBbsUKtfZwOEXoXMwiWNpZVVV1Ii93MrbZIW6vApSi_eX-zQbo_lE/s1600/BBQ-web.jpg" height="166" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the time same time I sent Walker the rough for the
following spread:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>And under the gloss of
the bright Southern Cross<br />
They danced beside Uluru…luru,<br />
They danced beside Uluru.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was another idea which popped into my head fully formed
and didn’t change at all from the first rough. I remember I was cooking dinner
when I had the idea of how the Croc and the Platypus would dance, I ran into my
studio and jotted it down in my notebook, and ran back out before dinner
burned!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHdSKxMtRxL6LHMx-IQFLKzoJZszF1sFXzR40q75LnNB19dDNPHmaIT5lNcnpsKy9H9vjOteXbWTGCF5NZhtIS34a3_3Mpozwy9eXxyM14s3JOfrvDLxOMbQgs9T3RS6jwjV3afXQ8eJg/s1600/Final-pp24_25-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHdSKxMtRxL6LHMx-IQFLKzoJZszF1sFXzR40q75LnNB19dDNPHmaIT5lNcnpsKy9H9vjOteXbWTGCF5NZhtIS34a3_3Mpozwy9eXxyM14s3JOfrvDLxOMbQgs9T3RS6jwjV3afXQ8eJg/s1600/Final-pp24_25-web.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP8okGHm3U8Vyt3S7cOa18tuTuwD7B61Pof484gD0ZGApGWONA39fmtakLWaW2OdzLN2wr6ei8LR5wc4AL3iUazpzwUxzqW8PrbBF1njjjGH4Abul5E2mXcs5eXoz4kb01kGef4WhomGD/s1600/dance-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP8okGHm3U8Vyt3S7cOa18tuTuwD7B61Pof484gD0ZGApGWONA39fmtakLWaW2OdzLN2wr6ei8LR5wc4AL3iUazpzwUxzqW8PrbBF1njjjGH4Abul5E2mXcs5eXoz4kb01kGef4WhomGD/s1600/dance-web.jpg" height="167" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you do the illustrations in story order? </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m pretty systematic when I work. I chip away until I have
thumbnail sketches for the layouts of all the spreads. When I move on to the
next stage—storyboard roughs—I DO often get the easier spreads out of the way
first. By the time the final roughs are finished, I usually have a pretty good
idea of where I’m going with the illustrations so I can illustrate out of
order. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4WBjed9sUnKLwWu9CT74ikK9cLSdElFzmXoS-3Hhyphenhyphenx-rZ3wSUfGQomQM6cG8xA22UNN5a8_1feLN_9acVqTWYgBcRnpUZi-MZ6fzit8VfiefQZ-R2ivbK8MOgBNMQfhklV3lL-F1O1JE/s1600/shearer-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4WBjed9sUnKLwWu9CT74ikK9cLSdElFzmXoS-3Hhyphenhyphenx-rZ3wSUfGQomQM6cG8xA22UNN5a8_1feLN_9acVqTWYgBcRnpUZi-MZ6fzit8VfiefQZ-R2ivbK8MOgBNMQfhklV3lL-F1O1JE/s1600/shearer-web.jpg" height="166" width="320" /></a>With <i>The Croc and the
Platypus</i>, the first finished artwork was the spread where the shearer meets
the Croc and the Platypus. Donna Rawlins, the art director at Walker Books, had
asked me fairly early on to send her one colour spread so she could see what I
had in mind for the final style. I chose this spread because it had the main
characters, a human figure, and very importantly it was a good sample for
showing the colour palette. The story occurs throughout one day, so the
lighting and colours need to change to reflect that change in time. This spread
is midway thorough the day so the colours are a sort of “base point”—the earlier
colours are a bit “cooler” and lighter and the later colours a bit “hotter” and
darker. But, hey, maybe I’m the only one who notices that!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Was there a portion of text that you found more challenging
to illustrate?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Initially, the more difficult spreads were anything to do
with the Ute! I’m not exactly a “car person” so I didn’t have an intuitive
response . However, once I found a Holden Ute I liked, it almost became another
character with a personality so I found it much easier to draw.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What research did you need to do for this book?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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There was actually a lot of research required. I had to find
out about Holden Utes, Crocs and Platypus, Sheep, Outback landscape colours and
vegetation and many other things. Of course I’m not trying to represent any of
these things realistically, but it all goes into the stew and informs the final
work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Thanks for dropping by, Jackie and Marjorie. </b>I wasn't surprised to hear how much work goes into a picture book. I know from experience how hard those few words are. Much harder if they have to rhyme. But I was surprised at the research involved. As author of historical fiction, research is a familiar part of my writing process. I had no appreciation of how much research, by both the author and illustrator, can go into a picture book.</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://windle.co/wimg/crocHeader500x210.jpg" height="210px" width="500px" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Aug 11 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1skRie6">Aussie Reviews</a>
Aug 12 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1niYZvh">DeeScribewriting Blog</a>
Aug 13 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1tLAwH4">Write and Read with Dale</a>
Aug 14 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1mdDigy">Children's Books Daily</a>
Aug 15 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1s3cHtG">Stories are light</a>
Aug 16 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1kgC5JQ">Kids' book Book Review</a>
Aug 17 - <a href="http://bit.ly/1udsyUy">Pass it on</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/marjorie.crosbyfairall">Marjorie Crosby Fairall on Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.thecrocandtheplatypus.com/">TheCrocAndThePlatypus.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jackie.hosking">Jackie Hosking on Facebook</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-83464862305416789262014-07-25T11:35:00.000+10:002014-07-25T11:40:35.123+10:00Love Your Publisher - and related wonderfulness<div class="MsoNormal">
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJi1IBYOq7_e9FK-FOOO1Q1kt-WG94HToAkK07ahunFVFKeeFnaOU6xj-cNSMShOcY9OnOSKTRkrkcuJt1q8A3iD06lCEBid6QpaVNuXAdWVWVAkpBk2TaVtlg-onfkAWu4nDwvOh_4yqP/s1600/walkerbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJi1IBYOq7_e9FK-FOOO1Q1kt-WG94HToAkK07ahunFVFKeeFnaOU6xj-cNSMShOcY9OnOSKTRkrkcuJt1q8A3iD06lCEBid6QpaVNuXAdWVWVAkpBk2TaVtlg-onfkAWu4nDwvOh_4yqP/s1600/walkerbooks.jpg" /></a>One of the sessions I attended at the Australia-NZ 2014
SCBWI Conference gave the advice “love your publisher”. It was definitely a
love-fest at this month’s inaugural Walker Books Australia (WBA) Author-Illustrator
Conference. And what was not to love?<br />
<br />
It was a time for catching up with old friends - too many to
name – and meeting new people like debut author Tonya Alexander whose book <i><a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/The-Love-Oracles-Bk-1-Nymph-9781922077240" target="_blank">Nymph</a></i> (the first book in the <i>Love Oracle series</i>) was in my reading
stack. It was on my to-buy list until I won it as a door prize at the South
Coast Illawarra CBCA Annual Dinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBuDFXVdmVt1XaePFxMgvgLyYw0dN8VtkrTYP8TPae-gYnUBqOiZJT6YIikzemeIj9HtgCNpD7G2VWSqysaNIcb4sAAUxQ4XHlKoc65Tw2WVnY25dP9rSIppzOxSg1u1xqz7lVLkg8OeR/s1600/love+oracles.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBuDFXVdmVt1XaePFxMgvgLyYw0dN8VtkrTYP8TPae-gYnUBqOiZJT6YIikzemeIj9HtgCNpD7G2VWSqysaNIcb4sAAUxQ4XHlKoc65Tw2WVnY25dP9rSIppzOxSg1u1xqz7lVLkg8OeR/s1600/love+oracles.jpeg" height="200" width="130" /></a>It was also an introduction to the people who form the
Publishing, Marketing and Sales sections of WBA. So brilliant to able to put a
face to a name or Twitter handle. Each section overviewed what they did and the
ways they could help their authors and illustrators. How terrific is that? I’ve
always hesitated to bother anyone but they're happy to be bothered! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul McDonald from <a href="http://www.thechildrensbookshop.indies.com.au/" target="_blank">The Children’s Bookshop</a> was inspiring, charming
and knowledgeable (as always) and presented a session on how creators could
interact with bookstores. The room buzzed afterwards as ideas and experiences
were exchanged. A number of authors decided they needed to move house closer to
The Children’s Bookshop. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ruth Ellis, Children’s Book Buyer at Dymocks spoke about how
Dymocks selects it children’s and YA list and the strategies and programs they
use to reach their customers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapMYRZvwMznjphqESmxo8ZqlV-g8e1CR78Ltbl2MptIe8FZUM3ezE68JVAzug60HQUGQEqNuPhewH9WfNW0AJgkNgfHPRu06pQXYyHPiJwKCCLPDkKIXlRDPgJxQAqWg4k1BdsGnahDD8/s1600/sally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapMYRZvwMznjphqESmxo8ZqlV-g8e1CR78Ltbl2MptIe8FZUM3ezE68JVAzug60HQUGQEqNuPhewH9WfNW0AJgkNgfHPRu06pQXYyHPiJwKCCLPDkKIXlRDPgJxQAqWg4k1BdsGnahDD8/s1600/sally.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a>At lunch everyone played a networking “game” where two of
each author/illustrator’s books were provided to be given to a fellow Walker Books
creator, to encourage working together and co-promoting. That’s easy for me to
do. Just at look at the awesome author and illustrator talent! <o:p></o:p></div>
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My “prize” in this game was Sally Murphy’s beautiful new
verse novel <i><a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/Roses-Are-Blue-9781922244376" target="_blank">Roses are Blue</a></i>. I read it
that night. Having cried in <i>Pearl Verses
the World</i> and <i>Toppling</i>, I set
myself a challenge with <i>Roses are Blue</i>.
I failed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first Conference was all very wonderful - the people,
the product, the creators. It was a thrill to be a small part of the
wonderfulness.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-45815051193243392692014-07-18T16:21:00.001+10:002014-07-18T16:52:53.969+10:00My 7 Personal #SCBWI AusNZ 2014 Highlights<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Catching
up with distant friends</span></b><span style="font-size: line-height: 115%;"> (so many wonderful writers and
illustrators hail from Perth) and making new ones. The <a href="https://scbwiaustralianz.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">2014 Australian-New ZealandSCBWI Conference</a> might just be the most inclusive place on earth.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVNVGLLuP5nfYpcExzbYnSwoi_Me-RWsdOr24MBCQ_stdxPqS4oL6mdgn0y4WXHWq-bViGYHtL7HlI-0hP74ib_r_jsfOvcbRaIpiBKDlpjCB2EPgrTOfl8nLpJ2b1snfxB4sSNZIpkMy/s1600/lastlaughscover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVNVGLLuP5nfYpcExzbYnSwoi_Me-RWsdOr24MBCQ_stdxPqS4oL6mdgn0y4WXHWq-bViGYHtL7HlI-0hP74ib_r_jsfOvcbRaIpiBKDlpjCB2EPgrTOfl8nLpJ2b1snfxB4sSNZIpkMy/s1600/lastlaughscover.JPG" height="180" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 115%;">The
Illustrators Showcase.</b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> It was spectacular. I still have a
severe case of artistic talent envy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYjEpLBg7aiE7Xn_f23knSZIba3PJ3rGp0aN1PFdIBMmavo-sKQRXFEaiUKgag3npVyTCCtV5uKNOi0h9dh62GT8ZEB2JYyf0DH5QMFOXots3U90jGNExy7eADJiqBaM60OMZWSqXTN-i/s1600/one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYjEpLBg7aiE7Xn_f23knSZIba3PJ3rGp0aN1PFdIBMmavo-sKQRXFEaiUKgag3npVyTCCtV5uKNOi0h9dh62GT8ZEB2JYyf0DH5QMFOXots3U90jGNExy7eADJiqBaM60OMZWSqXTN-i/s1600/one.jpg" height="184" width="200" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTMf-D4B7k3LEiLdpqhFeNOW6c3C82i5LwTxgq2b_56lrx20-Wec6oFt6Z9QdNKGlcBx2IWHsHbkXPkLfx0x8VLvzNv7uJBQ9eU4IdpcYjN5pCBXzw2ddFfiAF7WSB4i-6O1G0pMVWow3/s1600/billy+that+died.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTMf-D4B7k3LEiLdpqhFeNOW6c3C82i5LwTxgq2b_56lrx20-Wec6oFt6Z9QdNKGlcBx2IWHsHbkXPkLfx0x8VLvzNv7uJBQ9eU4IdpcYjN5pCBXzw2ddFfiAF7WSB4i-6O1G0pMVWow3/s1600/billy+that+died.jpeg" height="200" width="154" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yk9PD4yBCN49wo2bdPndG6XyLQnu6dDXY5-SWrzSE9Dr5dl6ZHGilkUtrFfnqnK_jV7Oo1cYfWtrFAHX52zxSWg9EPapfEgl8mvrM79GGb3MLJ6BSv2x01dFK5_QaCsdp8BiiPHz2j8_/s1600/croc+and+plat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yk9PD4yBCN49wo2bdPndG6XyLQnu6dDXY5-SWrzSE9Dr5dl6ZHGilkUtrFfnqnK_jV7Oo1cYfWtrFAHX52zxSWg9EPapfEgl8mvrM79GGb3MLJ6BSv2x01dFK5_QaCsdp8BiiPHz2j8_/s1600/croc+and+plat.jpeg" height="200" width="192" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPOHQv4cXNw8gYZUQLZfUpeaKC7OS-_98JyIC6tRv2bXtCgEa9QCDkeq0EcJeljaOjjEdULlVrM98LoqjUHRGJYS3nfWBFAwZNBVui655-DiIOxQwfQy4umEhed1KPE6WoLAbPISw4qge/s1600/woodland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPOHQv4cXNw8gYZUQLZfUpeaKC7OS-_98JyIC6tRv2bXtCgEa9QCDkeq0EcJeljaOjjEdULlVrM98LoqjUHRGJYS3nfWBFAwZNBVui655-DiIOxQwfQy4umEhed1KPE6WoLAbPISw4qge/s1600/woodland.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJGVjzf3OS8Zv25wNoTGB9vlPZvOvtqQoS_5uvTYxa6wddvtpoqrwd6koTFnTXGubBl1c4hHA4WQNai1EKzVG48aAIGHR-8uWF5KRgkFbmJiIotvmz7fgq5QfT09od1a2bcA0sStABMSi/s1600/woodlands1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Professor
Ernest Bond’s Session <i>Going to the Common
Core USA.</i></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> I was impressed with how a list of ten
conceptual points became concrete understandable points when paired with an analysis
of an appropriate picture book. I even discovered one I have to have – <i><a href="http://www.charlesbridge.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=5659" target="_blank">Last Laughs Animal Epitaphs</a></i> ( J. Patrick
Lewis and Jane Yolande) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://taniamccartney.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Tania McCartney</a> and <a href="http://www.kokidsbooks.com/" target="_blank">Kathryn Otoshi</a>’s session <i>Getting
into the Marketplace.</i></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Informative and heart-warming.
Tanya is a one-woman dynamo whose unerring vision of herself as a writer/illustrator
and dedication to achieving that dream was inspiring. Kathryn’s beautiful
picture books and the wonderful success they have had in schools as
anti-bullying resources was inspiring too. So that was the message for this
session. Be inspired.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
Pitch Sessions. Wh</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">ere two good friends nailed it and each attracted
an editor’s attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><b>Performance Poetry by </b><a href="http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au/" target="_blank"><b>Stephen Whiteside</b></a>. Stephen read a laugh-out-loud poem from his new book <i>The Billy that Died with its Boots On</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Book
Launches</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">. For the first year in my six years as an author I
haven’t had a book to launch (family health issues) but I really enjoyed being
part of someone else’s launch. I bought two books:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/The-Croc-And-The-Platypus-9781922077608" target="_blank">Crocand Platypus</a></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> (<a href="http://jackiehoskingblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jackie Hosking</a> and <a href="http://www.crosby-fairall.com/" target="_blank">Marjorie Crosby-Fairall</a>). This a rollicky read-along rhyme to the meter of The Owl and
The Pussycat. It was a rollicky launch too! I’m going to give this signed book
as a thank you gift to Balgownie Public School library when I visit later this
month. Not only were they gracious when I cancelled three!! times due to family
ill-health, but they re-booked me as soon as I resumed school visits. I
appreciate the support.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJGVjzf3OS8Zv25wNoTGB9vlPZvOvtqQoS_5uvTYxa6wddvtpoqrwd6koTFnTXGubBl1c4hHA4WQNai1EKzVG48aAIGHR-8uWF5KRgkFbmJiIotvmz7fgq5QfT09od1a2bcA0sStABMSi/s1600/woodlands1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJGVjzf3OS8Zv25wNoTGB9vlPZvOvtqQoS_5uvTYxa6wddvtpoqrwd6koTFnTXGubBl1c4hHA4WQNai1EKzVG48aAIGHR-8uWF5KRgkFbmJiIotvmz7fgq5QfT09od1a2bcA0sStABMSi/s1600/woodlands1.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Woodlands
Whiskers: A New Pet</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> (<a href="http://gabriel-evans.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Gabriel Evans</a>). This beautiful
lift-the flap board book is the perfect gift for newest beautiful person in my
family – Annabel Louise. I think it might just be her very first book. I’m sure
when she’s a bit older she’ll love the mouse Gabriel Evans drew on the back.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NmvSvkV_xcI%2FU8iym-ESnVI%2FAAAAAAAAB58%2FB7GSzKo4Ezk%2Fs1600%2Fwoodlands1.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJGVjzf3OS8Zv25wNoTGB9vlPZvOvtqQoS_5uvTYxa6wddvtpoqrwd6koTFnTXGubBl1c4hHA4WQNai1EKzVG48aAIGHR-8uWF5KRgkFbmJiIotvmz7fgq5QfT09od1a2bcA0sStABMSi/s1600/woodlands1.jpg" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-62704541329716892012014-07-03T02:05:00.002+10:002014-07-03T11:50:05.033+10:00The Writing Process Blog Hop<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the best things about the writing process is the writerly friends
I have made along the way, so I am especially pleased to be tagged by Rebecca
Newman, writer for children and editor of the wonderful <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://alphabetsoup.net.au/" target="_blank">Alphabet Soup</a>
blog</span> where you can find book reviews and stories by young
readers and writers.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">On my one and only visit to Perth (I’m always secretly hoping someone will invite me to another festival there) we caught up for dinner, as Facebook friends always do when their paths eventually cross, and talked kid lit until very, very late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Rebecca
writes picture books and children's poetry. Her poem, <i>Odd Socks</i>,
was recently published in <i>The School Magazine</i>. </span><a href="http://rebeccanewman.net.au/2014/05/18/the-writing-process-blog-hop/" target="_blank">Check
out </a><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://rebeccanewman.net.au/2014/05/18/the-writing-process-blog-hop/" target="_blank">her Writing Process Blog Hop pos</a>t</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacnRoUQ3EMUM2VRZM51VyRB5ysCX2E8XrK6m8VtP7yN_9lh7OSfzD1SdwXco_W586wU97eE14-_9mziqzgwCP_fJaTKwN0BfxbKQ5tU3y2-n_4KcSL1LAYxCxQyFN-0amQIVOld-nrLu3/s1600/rebeccanewman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacnRoUQ3EMUM2VRZM51VyRB5ysCX2E8XrK6m8VtP7yN_9lh7OSfzD1SdwXco_W586wU97eE14-_9mziqzgwCP_fJaTKwN0BfxbKQ5tU3y2-n_4KcSL1LAYxCxQyFN-0amQIVOld-nrLu3/s1600/rebeccanewman.jpg" height="316" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca Newman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So to the business of the day…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What am I working on?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My WIP is a magical realism young adult novel. It’s the hardest thing
I’ve ever written and I’ve been working on it for four years. I wrote it
in bits and pieces around the final three books in the <i>Samurai Kids
series</i> and the severe illness of my youngest son and my own cancer
treatment. It has not been an easy writing process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">And it
has a protagonist with cancer. The playing field was different when I began to write it. Four years ago there were very few cancer novels
and a year ago cancer certainly wasn’t on my personal horizon. This manuscript has truly
tested me. I questioned whether there is still a place for it, given the recent
spate of YA characters with cancer and I answered <i>I think s</i>o.
Magical realism makes it different. When I was diagnosed and things were grim
there for a while, I questioned whether I could even write about cancer and
again I answered <i>I think so</i>. I found that it helped me through some
tough spots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAsbuh7gZmn3jicmgIbIvihXAJ0LZM-en9iedPNgFKSYxrmi0193j5sl3H27LuVmReaOFFBlvX5KM-EL0olX2PDObND5F6xtFOfJpYLT884-MReNNgN8eHT7lRb5DTw8vM6FR3fjZnfs_/s1600/1366247331602s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAsbuh7gZmn3jicmgIbIvihXAJ0LZM-en9iedPNgFKSYxrmi0193j5sl3H27LuVmReaOFFBlvX5KM-EL0olX2PDObND5F6xtFOfJpYLT884-MReNNgN8eHT7lRb5DTw8vM6FR3fjZnfs_/s1600/1366247331602s.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A main character: Source:unknown</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How does my work differ from others in my genre? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am not sure my work has a genre. I write anything and everything – if
words are involved, I want to be part of it. The majority of my work to date is
middle grade historical fiction. Next year my first picture book will be
released and my almost complete WIP is Young Adult. My next project is middle
grade fantasy. I think I link ideas together differently, like writing
historical fiction set in samurai Japan where the characters each have a
disability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why do I write what I write?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oh good, an easy question. I write what the characters tell me to write.
If I don’t listen, and I tried it once, they plague me and prod me until I
can’t sleep at night and am forced to get up at 2 am to write down their story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How does my writing process work?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe writing is a habit and I write at least 500 words every day.
Often they are rubbish and die a horrible death the next morning but usually
the manuscript progresses. I write and edit as I go. I am always going back to
start at the beginning again. I feel that keeps me in the zone as I move
forward and incrementally improves what I’ve already written. I often write the
last chapter after the first chapter because I am not a plotter, so I need to
know the direction I am going in. It doesn’t usually change a great deal when I
get there. I have to work very hard at the 67% mark because by then I know what
happens all the way through to the end and I am eager to start something new
and different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I knew I was a writer when I finished my first manuscript. Before that I
was forever starting grand projects and never finishing. I am also a believer
in a shower as the magical solution to plot problems and the source of story
ideas. Recently, I discovered Scrivener, so my writing process has become more
organised. The only thing more fun than reading and writing is reading and
writing technology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here are my tags. I have accidentally cheated a little – for someone who
claims to love maths and find mathematical patterns in her writing, I've
failed basic adding up. I have four tagees instead of three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyzD8a1toT57d4COqpP2l7VhLEhLBGQf2oK8mvg6zDmLdHEAZqVuuzzUmbSCBa3ZluhikAmmIDvTaGWXrGEwWif6FED28V6Dm1_9OCS-RSaBHLaKdVjHoLQwNNBWwvefRXVWpzG2qxdKE/s1600/jeff+doherty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyzD8a1toT57d4COqpP2l7VhLEhLBGQf2oK8mvg6zDmLdHEAZqVuuzzUmbSCBa3ZluhikAmmIDvTaGWXrGEwWif6FED28V6Dm1_9OCS-RSaBHLaKdVjHoLQwNNBWwvefRXVWpzG2qxdKE/s1600/jeff+doherty.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeffery Doherty</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">I met <b>Jeffery
Doherty</b> at the Kids and YA festival at the NSW Writer’s Centre. Jeff
is a talented writer and illustrator. When I created some interactive teacher
resources to support my novel <i>Polar Boy</i>, Jeff took one
look at my artistic efforts and insisted on painted the pictures for my igloo
building quiz. You can see <a href="http://www.jefferyedoherty.com/illustrations-gallery.html" target="_blank">his work here.</a> I was privileged to be an early
reader of Jeff’s 2014 debut novel “Paper Magic”, the empowering story of
Marina, a girl in a wheelchair who finds strength and friends through magic
origami paper. You can find Jeff and his blog <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.jefferyedoherty.com/" target="_blank">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEVXs1qmtvZ9YRmx458KwRLPfiy7LGB30SMAFO0-lbu4Wu5lXRZSxlQf0QeQdh9VN7HZI4-ceV9nKZke5q8bWvAkr5GKURmA8HtsGkf-G27IDelCYQ8G9GnZqaRWSKo3woLA0B2hSnfZw/s1600/michelle+morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEVXs1qmtvZ9YRmx458KwRLPfiy7LGB30SMAFO0-lbu4Wu5lXRZSxlQf0QeQdh9VN7HZI4-ceV9nKZke5q8bWvAkr5GKURmA8HtsGkf-G27IDelCYQ8G9GnZqaRWSKo3woLA0B2hSnfZw/s1600/michelle+morgan.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelle Morgan</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Michelle Morgan</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is a former librarian, author and playwright
who lives in my local area, although we only met recently at the Illawarra CBCA
dinner. Michele’s first book, <i>Racing the Moon</i>, set in Sydney during
the Depression, was published in 2014. It's on my desk to read. I've got some catching up as she recently completed the sequel.
You can find Michelle’s blog <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.michellejmorgan.com.au/blog" target="_blank">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEGm9LW4Jq3H3bI9CfvrrNFe-Cwkgy8mYJj8OzQhZ3-ZUPrpN9LKAuTZT2q3QqL0Eqad8XTgQ-yVFhyphenhyphenFGOgM_Y8OuvDK3p848oR_Vi9iBa4dKPVG2F2TI1GCqOWPYjgN5zSBPq3fjrDCT/s1600/peter+mcinns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEGm9LW4Jq3H3bI9CfvrrNFe-Cwkgy8mYJj8OzQhZ3-ZUPrpN9LKAuTZT2q3QqL0Eqad8XTgQ-yVFhyphenhyphenFGOgM_Y8OuvDK3p848oR_Vi9iBa4dKPVG2F2TI1GCqOWPYjgN5zSBPq3fjrDCT/s1600/peter+mcinns.jpg" height="320" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter Macinnis</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">I first
met <b>Peter Macinnis</b>, although he didn’t meet me, when I reviewed one
of his award-winning non-fiction books, <i>The Backyard Naturalist</i>. Peter writes science and history and often the two overlap. I
have since acquired a personal collection of Peter’s books because he has a
knack for making science accessible for young readers and me (who never paid any
attention to science at school). I follow him around on Facebook because I find
his posts interesting and often funny. There’s an inspiring amount of writerly
detail on his website, so I recommend a visit <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/writing/" target="_blank">there</a></span> and to <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://oldblockwriter.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">his blog</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzD1vkVdq851PguR_VsL2s8ek8e_LRYjEIJveI8sBA0YJeFlZcso17Lbf9vb5s6WuWYkV2stUjNF8zzo9CS3JbnDQQIIrSnz1seMV29DkOwV_nhv-bMYa6O4nzpnJO0-nzX-5nB5D7Ja77/s1600/Helen+Headshot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzD1vkVdq851PguR_VsL2s8ek8e_LRYjEIJveI8sBA0YJeFlZcso17Lbf9vb5s6WuWYkV2stUjNF8zzo9CS3JbnDQQIIrSnz1seMV29DkOwV_nhv-bMYa6O4nzpnJO0-nzX-5nB5D7Ja77/s1600/Helen+Headshot.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helen Armstrong</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Helen Armstrong</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is another writer who lives not too far from
me. I met Helen when were both presenters at the Sutherland Shire Writers
Unleashed Festival. Helen is a lady of many talented hats (and a lot of
energy!) – president of the Sutherland Fellowship of Australian Writers,
scientist, writer of short stories ‘and the occasional outbreak of poetry’, and a lover of mythology, fantasy and satire<span style="background: #F7F7F7;">.</span> Helen
will post on her blog hop on her <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/helen.armstrong.18?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-81816057581083023862014-06-10T10:58:00.000+10:002014-06-10T10:59:43.435+10:00Long Weekend Reminiscing - Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts 2008Tuesday morning and I'm sitting down to work after the long weekend. I have a quick check of Facebook first and discover last weekend Penelope Davie<a href="https://www.facebook.com/penelope.davie/posts/10152279757574093?notif_t=mention" target="_blank"> mentioned </a> that she had been to Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts at Grenfell and in the main street was a plaque with my name on it. What a wonderful memory to start the week with. Thanks Penelope. I searched out the original blog post I did about how that came to be and enjoyed reminiscing so much I decided to repost it.<br />
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I've only ever reposted once before (<a href="http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/an-excuse-and-repost-when-series-ends.html" target="_blank">special circumstances</a>) but recently I've been enjoying a series of r<a href="http://michaelgerardbauer.com/" target="_blank">eposts by Michael Gerard Bauer</a>. I missed them first time round so perhaps similarly someone else will enjoy my revisit here. You'll have to scroll down Michael's blog to find the reposts as they have inspired a spate of new new blog posts. I hope this repost works like that for me!!<br />
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Here goes:<br />
Being a children’s author can be quite confronting. Embarrassing even. The questions some primary students ask range from jaw-dropping to ego shattering. And on other occasions they can make you feel like Master of the (Writing) Universe. I thought I’d blog about one of my MOTWU moments. I don’t want to mention the others!!!<br />
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Back in June 2008 I was guest of honour at the Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts in Grenfell. Grenfell is a tiny rural town in the central west of NSW, population 2200, the birthplace of Henry Lawson. The weekend long Festival is very prestigious. It’s the longest running arts festival in Australia and past guests of honour have included Patrick White, Di Morrissey and Thomas Keneally!<br />
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So how did I get this gig? Well, I’m not proud. I’m willing to admit I was the Guest of Honour to Be Named Later. Last Minute actually. TV actor Simon Westaway was the original choice and when he had to cancel, the rush was on to find someone arts-related who would come to no-airport Grenfell at extremely short notice. My sister, who lives on a small farm in the area, happened to mention me. Even if she wasn’t the best sister in the world this would have immediately earned her the dedication in <a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/Samurai-Kids-Book-3-Shaolin-Tiger-9781921150906" target="_blank">Shaolin Tiger</a>!‘My sister is an author,” she said. “And she visits here all the time.”<br />
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So there I was, pretending to be a famous person of literary note. Crowning the beauty queens. Cutting the ribbon. Keynote speaker at the dinner. Presenting trophies and medallions. Conducting TV interviews. Chatting with the writers from Underbelly who were accepting a scriptwriting award. Grenfell opened its heart to welcome me. I think the townspeople were sort of proud that I had a local connection. I might not have been the ilk of the previous guests yet I was an honorary ‘one of their own.”<br />
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But my really big moment was absolutely huge. It’s one of the highlights of my writing career. I was sitting on the official dais (trying to look official and literary!) watching the street parade. Around the corner came a local primary school all dressed up as my <a href="http://www.samuraikids.com.au/">Samurai Kids</a>. Banging gongs and waving swords and banners. They marched down the main street and when they reached the dais their teacher yelled “Stop”. “Yes Sensei,” they responded.Then they turned to face me and bowed, Japanese style.<br />
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I stood and bowed too. And I bawled my eyes out. To be honest, I bawled my eyes out again writing this. It’s still such a vivid and emotional memory.There are many times when I am asked why I don’t write proper books. Books for adults or older readers. Well one day I might write those too but in writing for kids, I am totally fulfilled. I do write proper books. The people who ask that question don’t understand the craft of writing for children. And they certainly don’t understand how wonderful young readers can make their authors feel. It’s real magic.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-79957096291881968382014-05-27T11:40:00.000+10:002014-05-27T11:45:34.767+10:00A Word About Word CountsI've heard it said you shouldn't count the words. Write what you want to. Let the story do the driving. Don't be distracted by the numbers. In a perfect Utopian literary world - and we all know there's no such thing - that might work for some. I always count the words. I think the key is to be aware of the word count but not to worry about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MnyJG5Yf9lLnVm0Isa5NWBWry5BffvFxFq3z3UtYwJoVajdfLe0bA42t-sZ5DDwGgQVhXnBni3C7fruO15Z4ampGcAH_63hPycAiX0U__am4PxhHNmLllgfxxTRS7dJR09mRKL06Y3WU/s1600/wordcount.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MnyJG5Yf9lLnVm0Isa5NWBWry5BffvFxFq3z3UtYwJoVajdfLe0bA42t-sZ5DDwGgQVhXnBni3C7fruO15Z4ampGcAH_63hPycAiX0U__am4PxhHNmLllgfxxTRS7dJR09mRKL06Y3WU/s1600/wordcount.jpg" height="63" width="200" /></a>Sometimes that's not as easy as it sounds. While writing my first YA novel, I was aware the words were piling up much too quickly. Painfully aware because I was writing outside my comfort zone. But I kept going. I knew if I put the complete story on the page, I could edit out what didn't need to be there and still retain the structure. If I tried to adjust the pacing would be all wrong and this is a book where the chronology of change is important. I know my writing bad habits will make it easy to reduce the number of words. I write a lot of fluff and over fill that screams to be deleted the first time I redit.<br />
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Words counts are critical to me on a maintenance basis. They establish my writing habit. I write 500 words a day. Every day. I'm not a fast writer so sometimes even that's hard. When I'm talking about output I'm happy to include anything creative I write. Even this blog post. It's not about getting the story completed, its about muscle memory for good writing habits.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfDsxyj3sfb1_GrP68yJVPA0quf2Sjgr2SRcQ4BgymuEd6GgiWa8T3Ar6gAuXEwC-jm9xta06T838WJS-Ie2oWK4feROZk1oDYOzwDStdRHXOTOHVY_DRBoi5dzNj6tap6U_TarSe34EU/s1600/ar+bookfinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfDsxyj3sfb1_GrP68yJVPA0quf2Sjgr2SRcQ4BgymuEd6GgiWa8T3Ar6gAuXEwC-jm9xta06T838WJS-Ie2oWK4feROZk1oDYOzwDStdRHXOTOHVY_DRBoi5dzNj6tap6U_TarSe34EU/s1600/ar+bookfinder.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AR BookFinder: Samurai Kids #2: Owl Ninja</td></tr>
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For the first draft I like to know where I'm going word count wise even though I don't let it dictate to me. I know when I begin to redraft I will inevitably cut and add large chunks so at this stage all I need to do is head in the right direction.<br />
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How do I know what a reasonable word count is? I ask the books I love and respect, the ones I wish I had written and occasionally, one that I did! I look up the word counts of any of these books with similar genre and target readership on the <a href="http://www.arbookfind.com/bookdetail.aspx?q=126984&l=EN&slid=493525804" target="_blank">AR Bookfinder site</a>.To find the word count search by author or title and when the book is displayed, click on the tile for more details including the word count.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QUrG_o_4mTCCKlV3jypkUD4HSo12jnAZamXysrDOz47alhFAwvnYNCG2nNoP0jQAGwYmVQRnYVhny9g_DkIvZBISgp1X7vv9dSHg5grYplXIP_DeotVFyCjqau-lG71Q-OQ-5aFg1O8o/s1600/Black+Tengu+cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QUrG_o_4mTCCKlV3jypkUD4HSo12jnAZamXysrDOz47alhFAwvnYNCG2nNoP0jQAGwYmVQRnYVhny9g_DkIvZBISgp1X7vv9dSHg5grYplXIP_DeotVFyCjqau-lG71Q-OQ-5aFg1O8o/s1600/Black+Tengu+cover.jpeg" height="200" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samurai Kids #8: Black tengu</td></tr>
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My book is magical realism so I've got some leeway. Fantasy novels are often twice the word count of realistic novels and at 90,000 (after 5 edits) I'm currently sitting in between. I can go either way and no doubt I will in both directions before I am happy.<br />
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I have strategies I use when I edit. Some of these raise the word count (like upping the conflict and mending plot holes) and some whittle it away (like removing adverbs,redundancy and extraneous, tightening description and deleting unnecessary dialogue). But I never focus on any particular one for the sake of word count.<br />
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Somehow in the end it ultimately all comes together. Except once. The last Samurai Kids book, Black Tengu, was too short. I suspect I was in too much of a hurry to tell Sensei's story and I left a big chunk of it inside my head. But that meant when I had to expand, the words all there ready and waiting. Fasted 4,000 words I ever wrote!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-66507619336684603282014-05-07T11:29:00.000+10:002014-05-07T23:00:23.449+10:00Why I Like Maths - A Visual Explanation - Enter the Mandelbrot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BsfSc1VxvLSGfqj-7cu2iO6qkvSegDiuujjRm5wfEPNSx8ZyCmUFmtuJLiovlzuXtZUJirpEB2EPSTrYDmdC0tidKEidDZ2GfQNWjeIn4gH9y6vI13FsCbtYooMhA_bj43YsZt1LH2qr/s1600/mandlebrot+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BsfSc1VxvLSGfqj-7cu2iO6qkvSegDiuujjRm5wfEPNSx8ZyCmUFmtuJLiovlzuXtZUJirpEB2EPSTrYDmdC0tidKEidDZ2GfQNWjeIn4gH9y6vI13FsCbtYooMhA_bj43YsZt1LH2qr/s1600/mandlebrot+2.png" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/</td></tr>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It’s about patterns, logic, beauty and
infinity. The best way to demonstrate this is with fractals and specifically The Mandelbrot Set discovered as recently
as 1980.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The
Mandlebrot set is a pattern that’s self replicating and unique, its simple and
its complex and its beautiful. It seemingly
goes on forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIvID9xDexLc4A8OmwSBaH1MWqSsf8lkHRzXd4onTZdVFtcISj0KSThRlApamxdMyGFTQa66sZqABKCWmuU1A5pq33AA7jlukQuATU4031Y2D4UCdhzkJHqgcPGSn7z3y30c4-dnjXCvW/s1600/mandelbrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIvID9xDexLc4A8OmwSBaH1MWqSsf8lkHRzXd4onTZdVFtcISj0KSThRlApamxdMyGFTQa66sZqABKCWmuU1A5pq33AA7jlukQuATU4031Y2D4UCdhzkJHqgcPGSn7z3y30c4-dnjXCvW/s1600/mandelbrot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It’s been called
the definition of infinity and the “thumbprint of God”. I’m inclined to think
the latter is true as you don’t have to look very far in the physical world to
find Mandlebrot designs – carved in stone on Indian temples, under the
microscope, in the fronds of the weedy sea dragon – the list is as endless as a
fractal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h1 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">I’m not very good at mathematical writing but the best way to explain it
that I’ve found is an article by Dave Dewey </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.ddewey.net/mandelbrot/">Introduction to the Mandelbrot Set - <i>A guide for people with little math
experience</i></a></span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></h1>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqWyXzsP0hkC8kLi1TpmpHHjNizrWm05VdfG9rI_f2TpShisexk9Y0YmziBBmJ_THDuT42bjflNIyy35WwicsOdbEC6BT6Ib6iJHioTB25b9HdhhBk7N6L5VjLBytYiUGdgKWIA7bIK3z/s1600/mandlebrot+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqWyXzsP0hkC8kLi1TpmpHHjNizrWm05VdfG9rI_f2TpShisexk9Y0YmziBBmJ_THDuT42bjflNIyy35WwicsOdbEC6BT6Ib6iJHioTB25b9HdhhBk7N6L5VjLBytYiUGdgKWIA7bIK3z/s1600/mandlebrot+3.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org</td></tr>
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<i> </i><em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">identical</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">to
the whole. In fact, the Mandelbrot set is infinitely complex. Yet the process
of generating it is based on an extremely simple equation involving complex
numbers.</span> “ <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Fractals are a
lot of fun for kids and there are a number of free on-line generators such as <a href="http://www.easyfractalgenerator.com/mandelbrot-set-generator.aspx">Easy
Fractal Generator</a> and <a href="http://www.fractalposter.com/">Fractal Poster.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another good
place to go is You Tube where in a series of 6 videos science fiction author <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8m85p7GsU">Arthur C Clarke introduces
the Mandelbrot set</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qB8m85p7GsU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8m85p7GsU">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours
of Infinity 1 of 6</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gKOB6spCb8">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours
of Infinity 2 of 6</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="file:///D:/blog/:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZsVrHCPOio">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours of
Infinity3 of 6<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXngUyOS-XM">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours
of Infinity 4 of 6<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjdogjBxfco">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours
of Infinity 5 of 6<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8Y6xpeQK-w">Arthur C Clarke – The Colours
of Infinity 6 of 6<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-41643963832084089092014-05-07T10:51:00.000+10:002014-05-07T11:30:44.586+10:00Mathematics, Magic and Mystery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopy_Z_Ph7OpQL8PWwyMGSkN1kutV8kSrmiVyQp8UsCiVUl4vJVdC8n2c6oM0Z2VW98Mm1UAXCCFSUEK-4SsoeykX8sS0-_wJgcr0piCsALJaDs436dKl5w9U5eZ0dRuUuZpy_zDpQ0f5z/s1600/maths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopy_Z_Ph7OpQL8PWwyMGSkN1kutV8kSrmiVyQp8UsCiVUl4vJVdC8n2c6oM0Z2VW98Mm1UAXCCFSUEK-4SsoeykX8sS0-_wJgcr0piCsALJaDs436dKl5w9U5eZ0dRuUuZpy_zDpQ0f5z/s1600/maths.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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I love maths. Specifically I love numbers the way some
people feel about art, music and literature. I love words too and most of my
friends and family understand that but very few understand my fascination with
mathematics.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s all about patterns and the concept of infinity – the thrill
of a proof that falls into place or knowing a problem has taken to its infinite end.
I first discovered the patterns when I learned to count and realised I could
just keep going. Numbers were infinite and because there was a pattern to the
way they were incremented, I could count all day if I wanted to (and when I was
4 I thought that was heaps of fun).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCB07B7QZSpvncYGqHve0K0yvymbeQw3jIyhLdPaThl-mAwTuiB4ofKSKYHEfdvH3NKgTXsFz6WGrEwjTF40hR91wR-C3-nNJQrg4_ytbpSIuWz5giRaTfZBjSlosLnrVZbgPw_ccG1sO/s1600/maths+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCB07B7QZSpvncYGqHve0K0yvymbeQw3jIyhLdPaThl-mAwTuiB4ofKSKYHEfdvH3NKgTXsFz6WGrEwjTF40hR91wR-C3-nNJQrg4_ytbpSIuWz5giRaTfZBjSlosLnrVZbgPw_ccG1sO/s1600/maths+quote.jpg" /></a>At school I discovered all sorts of different maths and once
again there were patterns to formula, equations and proofs, infinite tendencies
to infinity. The mind boggled when I first found out about imaginary and
complex numbers. I was four all over again. The possibilities were endless.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At Uni I survived two years of Statistics by applying the
patterns and most of the time it worked out right even if I hadn't learned the
where and why. I late enrolled in a Maths degree but life got in the way of something I was doing for fun. As an adult maths constricted to become the tedious chore of
juggling the budget and for a while the magic disappeared.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM9HDIFaTQlJUrp1pEJUpj8NmBJQkYZu5c9nQDjrS0s4Y0WReSnyJ0lz1pgJ3vxoS9Ge66tTK1r4ZxQ348CuPHdBIST4nN1SAaRt19EVYQG8fM3E2nixBMBjADlfHK-NLYVxv4bmF6GpH/s1600/mandelbrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM9HDIFaTQlJUrp1pEJUpj8NmBJQkYZu5c9nQDjrS0s4Y0WReSnyJ0lz1pgJ3vxoS9Ge66tTK1r4ZxQ348CuPHdBIST4nN1SAaRt19EVYQG8fM3E2nixBMBjADlfHK-NLYVxv4bmF6GpH/s1600/mandelbrot.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mandlebrot - <a href="http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2710/why-does-the-mandelbrot-set-contain-slightly-deformed-copies-of-itself" target="_blank">Mathematics Stack Exchange</a></td></tr>
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Last month was, April 2014, was <a href="http://www.mathaware.org/index.html" target="_blank">Maths Awareness Month</a> (MAM),
something I discovered thanks to Twitter (<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 12.133334159851074px;">#MathAwarenessMonth)</span>. The theme for this year was Mathematics,
Magic and Mystery, a tribute to mathematics writer<span style="background-color: white;"> Martin Gardner, “whose extensive writings
introduced the public to hexaflexagons, polyominoes, John Conway’s <i>Game of
Life</i>, Penrose tiles, the Mandelbrot set, and much more.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>“ (http://www.mathaware.org/index.html
) 2014 is the centenary of his death.</span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">During MAM, I was too preoccupied following
up on the wonderful maths relating posts that were appearing in cyberspace to blog about them
but I intend to do something about that beginning with <a href="http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/why-i-like-maths-visual-explanation.html#.U2mMkfmSwlJ" target="_blank">The Mandelbrot Set</a>,
which is the best way I can find to explain <a href="http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/why-i-like-maths-visual-explanation.html#.U2mMkfmSwlJ" target="_blank">why I like maths</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-30563170126645014552014-05-07T09:40:00.004+10:002014-05-07T09:41:40.226+10:00My Blogging Problem<div class="MsoNormal">
My problem with blogging is it’s all in my head. I blog
mentally all day – it’s a form of talking to myself without words. Because I am
a writer those thoughts naturally organise themselves into prose.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It has taken me an embarrassing amount of time to work out
why when I am full of ideas and observations, and I love to write, I am such a
failure as a blogger. Having done the blog post in my head, I can’t be bothered
writing it out. It’s old news to me.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vbkv6Jq4thDLOBmXt0yN1CSgQwnI1qYR74fiLZJb8mE6jmvUFaqWwbHbZuISNGxY9fB82r5OWqPSvMasDO6vTxfuACyokX4x5xQwLomsSNFBBfyFTUFrRZZ_Pwk7-4BNVyeBQHks6l5Q/s1600/nothing-to-say-so-blog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vbkv6Jq4thDLOBmXt0yN1CSgQwnI1qYR74fiLZJb8mE6jmvUFaqWwbHbZuISNGxY9fB82r5OWqPSvMasDO6vTxfuACyokX4x5xQwLomsSNFBBfyFTUFrRZZ_Pwk7-4BNVyeBQHks6l5Q/s1600/nothing-to-say-so-blog.gif" height="185" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Now that I have
identified the problem, I’m going to make a better effort to empty out my head
more regularly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<ul>
<li>I am going to blog with renewed enthusiasm and purpose because:</li>
<li>I like to write and its good practice.</li>
<li>I love trawling the Internet for interesting things but I
tend to forget them and the ideas they engender.</li>
<li>I like to share the things I find.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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So I have set myself a challenge and given myself an ultimatum.
If I do not blog at least once a week for the next four weeks I will delete my
blog and never talk about blogging again!<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-11752404874809247142014-03-10T13:37:00.000+11:002014-03-10T13:44:35.750+11:00An Excuse and a Repost: When a Series EndsI looked at the date on my last blog post and its a very significant one - a week before my total thyroidectomy operation. I had an excellent surgeon but unfortunately there were complications and I hemorrhaged so had to have a second turn in theatre. Recovery took longer than I expected and it wasn't over then. My operation was to remedy swallowing difficulties because of right lobe nodules and the strong possibility the left lobe would cause the same problems within a few years. After the pathology was done, cancer was found in the supposedly currently innocent left lobe. So I had radioactive iodine therapy and a week in isolation while I was "hot property".<br />
<br />
I admit I enjoyed that week because I had time for lots of writing - no-one was allowed near me! I would have preferred a different reason of course but it was all good in the end as I am now cancer free, subject to a lifetime of annual testing for recurrence.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c8iDXLYwTj0z4eikEOtgfDqqtGitKef_cnDDD9OovmEk_8l-iIHW2ZlLdBpi7KTZhVBOeaA8JI1Vfxj2D9vp41V7zUQP5RoHBG-UeJ1Q4zoRe9JpIizC0LN8TslgzrKFq5em3euUUfka/s1600/full_8_1_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c8iDXLYwTj0z4eikEOtgfDqqtGitKef_cnDDD9OovmEk_8l-iIHW2ZlLdBpi7KTZhVBOeaA8JI1Vfxj2D9vp41V7zUQP5RoHBG-UeJ1Q4zoRe9JpIizC0LN8TslgzrKFq5em3euUUfka/s1600/full_8_1_small.jpg" height="320" width="218" /></a>So that is my blogging excuse for the empty months and while I am not big on making excuses I think I had a good one this time.<br />
<br />
To kick off a new year of better heath and blogging I am reposting a favourite piece I wrote for the now defunct Walker Book Walk-A-Book blog. I want this piece to have permanent home on the Internet because it lives in my heart every day. I never realised how it would feel when the Samurai Kids series ended. I knew the time had come but it still hurt to let go.<br />
<br />
Even now, six months after the last book in the series was published, the Kids still talk to me.<br />
<br />
<b>When a Series Ends</b><br />
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I’m
currently working on the last book in the Samurai Kids series. I feel a bit
sad. Not because the series is ending. I know the timing for that is right. Samurai
Kids opened doors for me as a writer, it won awards and brought me a flood of
feedback from enthusiastic fans. The story – its journey and its telling - feels complete.</div>
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So why
am I sad? Because I know I’ll miss the Kids and I hate to think I’ll never hear
their voices in my head again. They argue and fight all the time, but they are
the best of friends and they like to gang up on me. They do as they please and
have no respect for my role as the author.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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Some adult
readers have wondered at my choice of a modern tone for the 17<sup>th</sup>
century Samurai Kids’ voices. I think that makes history more accessible to
young readers. But to be honest it wasn’t my idea, that’s how the kids speak to
me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The
stories grew out of my passion for ancient history, Japan and swordsmanship. I
knew that to be a samurai, you had to born into a samurai family. And the
children of a samurai family had no choices – it was their destiny to bear a
sword. But everyone wanted to be an elite samurai so that part didn’t matter. Or
did it? <span style="line-height: 150%;">What if
you wanted to be a samurai but weren’t very good at it? What if no amount of
training would help because it wasn’t something you could change? What if you
were born with one leg?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAabuKpqe64bPx-FQ9NijDiJtEGybMhsjnwdpS2n7jKnbj8IyEtOThimOM5imBBfr3tijuT5i7GoA5VlfoaJ1smBusNFhzIyO06ZFHAtyQBET4IuqnD_SEq7dzOdNlYDG1Mp883oNXm-Zp/s1600/full_6_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAabuKpqe64bPx-FQ9NijDiJtEGybMhsjnwdpS2n7jKnbj8IyEtOThimOM5imBBfr3tijuT5i7GoA5VlfoaJ1smBusNFhzIyO06ZFHAtyQBET4IuqnD_SEq7dzOdNlYDG1Mp883oNXm-Zp/s1600/full_6_small.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a>That’s
when Niya, the one-legged narrator of the Samurai Kids series, first spoke to
me. <i>See for yourself</i>, he said. So I
went into my backyard and tucked up one leg. To my surprise I had assumed the White Crane stance, a form common to a
number of martial arts. <i>That’s right</i>,
said Niya. <i>I am the White Crane, really
good at standing on one leg. Now give it a try and see what it’s like to be me</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
I
accepted Niya’s challenge. I did a flying one-legged karate kick and landed
flat on my face. I had found the first lines to Niya’s story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<i>‘Aye-eee-yah!’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I scissor kick high as
I can and land on my left foot. I haven’t got another one. My name is Niya Moto
and I’m the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan. Usually I miss my foot and
land on my backside. Or flat on my face in the dirt.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I’m not good at
exercises, but I’m great at standing on one leg. Raising my arms over my head,
I pretend I am the great White Crane. ‘Look at me,’ the crane screeches across
the training ground. ‘Look at him,’ the valley echoes.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Niya
laughed at me sprawled on the ground. Then he began to tell me about his
friends - Mikko, Yoshi, Nezume, Kyoko
and Taji – and how they all struggled to become samurai despite their
disabilities. He told me about their teacher - wise, eccentric Sensei Ki-Yaga,
once a legendary warrior. A man who saw their strengths and ignored their
weaknesses and taught them the power of working together. Or gently rapped them
over the ears with his travelling staff if they didn’t pay enough attention. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Niya
confided to me that he thought Kyoko was really pretty. And that sometimes he
could hear Sensei talking inside his head. Sensei would talk inside my head
too. He would whisper oddly-slanted words of wisdom to make me laugh. <i>Put it in the book</i>, he would say. <i>I’m really very funny. </i><span style="line-height: 150%;">I often
didn’t get to write what I wanted to. The kids had their own ideas. </span><i style="line-height: 150%;">I wouldn’t say that. I’m much too brave</i><span style="line-height: 150%;">,
Mikko would insist. </span><i style="line-height: 150%;">He’s right you know</i><span style="line-height: 150%;">,
Yoshi would agree. Kyoko would get cranky with me if I didn’t let her win all
the wrestling matches. </span><i style="line-height: 150%;">I’m a better
samurai than those boys</i><span style="line-height: 150%;">. Taji would patiently make suggestions, a blind kid
who showed me a different way to look at things.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
And when
I tried to take them on a journey to India, they refused to go. They had
traveled to China, Korea and Cambodia, and now they wanted to go home. That’s
when I knew it was time to write the last book. <span style="line-height: 150%;">The Kids
want to make sure that I get this book right. Even now they’re banding together
to convince me I need an epilogue. </span><i style="line-height: 150%;">So
readers will know what happened to us</i><span style="line-height: 150%;">. And they want to make sure I reveal
Sensei’s secret the way they think is best. They admire him heaps but even more
importantly, they love him a lot.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
As I
type, I can still hear Niya’s voice. <i>Do
you think I would ever go away? What about writing a sequel? What about a series
all about me? I’m going to be a teacher, just like Sensei. There’ll be a new
generation of Samurai Kids.</i> <i>My kids</i>.
He sighs. <i>It won’t be the same you know.
The golden age of the samurai has come to an end. But I’ve got some ideas.
Really big ideas…<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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For an
author, imagination has a way of blurring into reality. <i style="line-height: 150%;">Who are you calling not real? the Kids
demand to know. </i></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-82426862841853680192013-11-15T17:12:00.001+11:002013-11-15T17:14:57.057+11:00A is for Asimov and AldissI was thinking about authors that begin with the letter A (as you do!) and the same day read an article about the first science fiction book (<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10432784/Is-this-the-first-ever-sci-fi-novel.html" target="_blank">believed to be ancient Roman for those interested</a>) and I started to think about Isaac Asimov and the first science fiction book I read. It was <i>I, Robot</i>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwAd0i3jeyOJW_p6OocQszYSqafIKD66ppL-VsxpmzoYuVJITRqEEOI7fmaTTirPLe3thZzwUlW8zlm15soEQJxtn8dhhDksU1-3DEvyDMHtlITy65XP-VrhbuIkO9ZOyWj-7g4MMLOMC/s1600/irobot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwAd0i3jeyOJW_p6OocQszYSqafIKD66ppL-VsxpmzoYuVJITRqEEOI7fmaTTirPLe3thZzwUlW8zlm15soEQJxtn8dhhDksU1-3DEvyDMHtlITy65XP-VrhbuIkO9ZOyWj-7g4MMLOMC/s1600/irobot.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
My reading relationship with Asimov began and ended in my first year of high school. I was a country kid and the pickings in my primary school library and the town library were very slim. But my high school had an almost brand new library with more books than I had ever seen before. I did what any mathematical mind might do when confronted with that - I started at A. When I got to Asimov,I adopted a dual approach. I read every Asimov novel or short story I could find and then moved on to other science fiction, while still working my way through A.<br />
<br />
The relationship didn't last because someone returned <i>Helliconia Spring</i> by Brian Aldiss and as I was still on the A shelf I went back to read it. It was a different sort of science fiction, in fact it was science fantasy. For my entire school life it was my genre of choice. I am a much wider reader now, but it is still my comfort zone.<br />
<br />
I can't remember anything about I, Robot or even the Foundation series, which for many years was on my list of favourite reads. I even bought my own copies but I don't have them anymore either. There are more books in my life than bookshelves so ultimately Asimov had to go. I found the books a good home - a friend had a house where almost every wall was a built-in floor to ceiling bookcase and every book was science fiction.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG5DVnPElybkGV_5w6-1sqN6458L7JrBenV9oSzF5KYga4vQ9ZhVWNTVLb_rn6lJTLTCo5vE_2NrByfp18YEOK_M7f0Txy3F9lYX9Tccxa8rXCEcyI7OzeizTaKY5UFAjqMoqFGeIOFYZ/s1600/helliconia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG5DVnPElybkGV_5w6-1sqN6458L7JrBenV9oSzF5KYga4vQ9ZhVWNTVLb_rn6lJTLTCo5vE_2NrByfp18YEOK_M7f0Txy3F9lYX9Tccxa8rXCEcyI7OzeizTaKY5UFAjqMoqFGeIOFYZ/s1600/helliconia.jpg" /></a>While I can't remember the stories, I still remember the feeling of having something new and wonderful to read. That's easy to remember, because it still happens all the time.<br />
<br />
PS I still have the Helliconia series and am thinking I might start rereading it tonight.<br />
<br />
PPS Other authors that begin with A that I like - Margaret Atwood and Jean Auel (except for the last book in the Earth Children series - one of the only two books I couldn't finish despite waiting ten years for it!). Confession - I am not a Jane Austen fan (*ducks while many friends throw books at my head*)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-62487442170749500212013-10-23T16:43:00.000+11:002013-10-23T16:43:51.044+11:00Birthday BooksThese are my birthday books.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEbn13ImojrVIPVziz1JAvnxn0FRh1v4MFZS1UIatb1Gyx3GyIWUIvtJ3m4mI5BVpuUhZC_jGwNhRj3smofKcKi-oaoKc4H1pkogOEiPThSVb4iI8cVcdr2vVnQ6ojiH5RUYoXmakqppV/s1600/birthday+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEbn13ImojrVIPVziz1JAvnxn0FRh1v4MFZS1UIatb1Gyx3GyIWUIvtJ3m4mI5BVpuUhZC_jGwNhRj3smofKcKi-oaoKc4H1pkogOEiPThSVb4iI8cVcdr2vVnQ6ojiH5RUYoXmakqppV/s1600/birthday+books.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
These are the reasons I chose them:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781742375052" target="_blank">Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan</a> - It was CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers but that's not why I chose it (although that would have been good enough to influence me). I read <a href="http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781741147964" target="_blank">Tender Morsels</a> last year and it really engaged my brain. Not many books make me concentrate hard when I read. Usually I find myself reading exponentially faster because I am excited to know what happens in the end. Unfortunately this sometimes interferes with my enjoyment - it's over all too soon. Tender Morsels made me think. And if I got ahead of myself I would quickly realise I had missed something. I like that. It was one of my favourite reads of 2012. I was hoping Sea Hearts would treat me similarly. I say "was" because I've read it now and I was not disappointed. I liked it even more than Tender Morsels.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143204275/pureheart" target="_blank">Pureheart by Cassandra Golds.</a> A Cassandra Golds book changes the colour of my day. Time spent between the pages makes the real world a little more ethereal and magical - not necessarily softer but certainly sharper and more sensefully aware. (Yes, Sensefully. I made that up because there is no word I know that fits better). I've read lots of reviews for Pureheart and I am intrigued. Even if I hadn't read all Cassandra's other titles, I would still have chosen it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143204275/pureheart" target="_blank">The Wishbird by Gabrielle Wang</a>. I've only read one of Gabrielle's books, <a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143011477/little-paradise" target="_blank">Little Paradise</a>. The others are on my To read List. I can see from the glowing reviews I've read of The Wishbird that while I enjoyed Little Paradise, this is a lot different and I'm going to enjoy it even more. I admire the creative space inside Gabrielle's head. I know all about that because I read <a href="http://gabriellewang.com/blog" target="_blank">her blog</a> all the time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/kate-forsyth/the-wild-girl-9781741668490.aspx" target="_blank">The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth</a>. I'm a fan of historical fiction and Kate's previous release, <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/kate-forsyth/bitter-greens-9781741668483.aspx" target="_blank">Bitter Green</a>s, was another of my best reads of 2012. I love fairy tales so this is history especially for me. I am fascinated by the research she does because as a writer, that's one of my favourite parts of the process.<br />
<br />
Lastly, the book I didn't choose. Armed with a very definite list and instructions "not to swap one for anything else" my other half added a book of his own choosing. He doesn't read MG or YA but he knows me well enough to get it really right .<br />
<br />
<a href="http://johngreenbooks.com/looking-for-alaska/" target="_blank">Looking for Alaska by John Green</a>. I'm almost embarrassed to admit I haven't read a single John Green book. So many books and so little money. I always wanted to. And now I can.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-62548328761487335212013-09-10T13:07:00.000+10:002013-09-10T13:07:08.157+10:00When the Blogosphere Speaks, I ListenI love it when the blogosphere speaks to me personally. Over on my good friend Di Bate's blog <a href="http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/when-writers-resign.html" target="_blank">Writing for Children</a>, author <a href="http://www.sherrylclark.com/" target="_blank">Sherryl Clark</a> is writing a post for me. Not that Sherryl knows that!<br />
<br />
The post is called <a href="http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/when-writers-resign.html" target="_blank">When Writers Resign</a>. It talks about the ups and downs of this writing life and why most writers keep writing through them all because ultimately we need to create. It also talks about how, like with any other job, we really can can resign if we want to.<br />
<br />
I have been heading further and further out into the writing wilderness for the last three years. I didn't choose for life to go that way. My youngest son became very sick with symptoms that no-one could fully explain. Everything fell in the 'diagnosis by exclusion' bucket and there's no effective for those. Some things helped but the things that constrained his life were always there. And so was I. All day and often multiple times through the night. My days were a round of specialists, medication, painkillers, home schooling and hot water bottles. Half way through I got sick too. It was hard to write with a life like that.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjWFdM0qMNVZhEnNI-Q_SJeCYt6-JRKOA5-xCgPQTKECXqeikvUpSybDONl8ZchwrrlRmHY45pYiqaWdwps2AC0kmUlB-9Lcmme-gw0QJR3pNRoxp4yR-TTe109D0NFsCzp2gbgZ2o0Q_/s1600/black+tengu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjWFdM0qMNVZhEnNI-Q_SJeCYt6-JRKOA5-xCgPQTKECXqeikvUpSybDONl8ZchwrrlRmHY45pYiqaWdwps2AC0kmUlB-9Lcmme-gw0QJR3pNRoxp4yR-TTe109D0NFsCzp2gbgZ2o0Q_/s200/black+tengu.jpeg" width="128" /></a>I'm much better now and in recent weeks my son has seen the first improvement ever. I am gradually inching my way back from the wilderness. I always had a lifeline. <a href="http://www.samuraikids.com.au/" target="_blank">The Samurai Kids serie</a>s had its own momentum, there were always books to be written and in the worst of times I still managed two. The last one, <a href="http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/SAMURAI-KIDS-BOOK-8-BLACK-TENGU-9781922077622" target="_blank">Black Tengu</a>, was released on September 1 and I'm proud to say its the best of them all.<br />
<br />
But at the same time I decided to make it even harder to walk out of the wilderness. I shot myself in the foot. I started a new manuscript. One outside my comfort zone. One that was hard to write. But it was a story I loved and a story I believed in. I kept going. For a few weeks recently I wondered if I was in the middle of what Sherryl refers to as the story that just won't work and has to be abandoned years later.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjKbVdVNd6nEMqfQDm9VyI25bEOpWR2sJuixEHew4Mt0JpRwNvO3T4udAUb1D4IoC8QNX_OFzKx6rJcVD8N8-I6XCY5vi74sfBBKbkosux6IJHBcRly04HzpIpSrd11cHboXnw_zxFHUu/s1600/GaimanNeil-640x359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjKbVdVNd6nEMqfQDm9VyI25bEOpWR2sJuixEHew4Mt0JpRwNvO3T4udAUb1D4IoC8QNX_OFzKx6rJcVD8N8-I6XCY5vi74sfBBKbkosux6IJHBcRly04HzpIpSrd11cHboXnw_zxFHUu/s320/GaimanNeil-640x359.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://laughingsquid.com/hand-in-hand-writers-share-advice-in-notes-on-their-own-hands/">http://laughingsquid.com/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But again the blogosphere spoke to me. Over at LaughingSquid.com is a post "<a href="http://laughingsquid.com/hand-in-hand-writers-share-advice-in-notes-on-their-own-hands/" target="_blank">Hand in Hand, Writers Share Advice in Notes on Their Own Hands</a>. It's an April 2013 post but it's been waiting there for me. First up is Neil Gaiman, an author whose writing I not only admire but whose writing about writing always strikes me with its truth. There were three points on Neil's hand. Number 2 was for me. Finish things.<br />
<br />
I should have known this. I'd already been told. I'd even filed the wisdom away.<a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/28/neil-gaiman-8-rules-of-writing/" target="_blank"> Neil Gaiman's 8 Rules for Writing</a>.<br />
<br />
There's a lot of editing and rewriting involved with my current manuscript, but I'm getting closer to the finish. And I feel good.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-77694923167767040912013-04-16T11:46:00.001+10:002015-02-18T22:33:04.100+11:00In Praise of Pencils<br />
I always work with a pencil. Not just any pencil. A 2B pencil, sharpened to the finest point possible, with a one of those neon rubbers that fit on the top. I go through packets of those rubbers - bright purple, green, yellow and blue - they're still easy to lose.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDXioh8MhVy0i-0opco-SIgNGXof6Ys8hmjnhX_B2ANp1gRdmM49tJvxL6_ENXnE66a_f6AOQkjOsuHBrat0X9JpA_Z3J0EYcpi2r6YSI89OvC3pwf9X9tqLKd4gax-CdPfT-K3PDl09b/s1600/pencils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDXioh8MhVy0i-0opco-SIgNGXof6Ys8hmjnhX_B2ANp1gRdmM49tJvxL6_ENXnE66a_f6AOQkjOsuHBrat0X9JpA_Z3J0EYcpi2r6YSI89OvC3pwf9X9tqLKd4gax-CdPfT-K3PDl09b/s1600/pencils.jpg" /></a>For me, the fixation started in my programming days. It was easier to manually debug code with a pencil and then when I started to write fiction, it was somehow more creative to edit a hard copy with a pencil or to write out tricky pieces in long hand before typing.<br />
<br />
Recently #2 son and I cleaned out his stationery boxes. There were two (very large ones) in his room crammed full of pens, pencils, textas, erasers, pencil sharpeners, liquid paper glue and all sorts of novelty stationery stuff. Pens with reindeer antlers, Disney toys, ninja turtles and and even a crocodile on top. The goal was supposed to be to to dispose of most of them. <br />
<br />
It is incredibly hard to get rid of stationery! One box remains in #2's room but I think most of the other box made its way into my office.<br />
<br />
We were surprised at how many different types of pencils we had and decided to Google what sort of gradations of graphite they came in. How soft can a pencil be? How hard?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI1GclHiwMbyvUpWd850kMiCJLl0QWYspk9iiqLMcA_kIXtJyrE6Ls6y2-eYlGjpSN7IU6piB_VSiuEgen3sB48ft9VNQ0tIrGYRWOQHyqmUGCwrDwOjuFM05zG661qx3TFflcJOawbkh/s1600/dahl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI1GclHiwMbyvUpWd850kMiCJLl0QWYspk9iiqLMcA_kIXtJyrE6Ls6y2-eYlGjpSN7IU6piB_VSiuEgen3sB48ft9VNQ0tIrGYRWOQHyqmUGCwrDwOjuFM05zG661qx3TFflcJOawbkh/s1600/dahl.jpg" /></a>I discovered I am not alone in my fixation with pencils. Pencils even have <a href="http://www.pencils.com/blog/" target="_blank">their own blog thanks to Studio 502.</a> Lots of interesting stuff there including all sorts of pencils to buy. I particularly like the Pencil Artist of the Week feature.<br />
<br />
You can find Studio 502 (alias pencils.com) on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sandy.fussell.7#!/pencilpeople?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/pencilscom/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>. Check out their board on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pencilscom/pencil-crafts/" target="_blank">Pencil Crafts</a>.<br />
<br />
And just for the record, great things have been achieved in pencil, even outside the art world. John Steinbeck used as many as 60 cedar pencils every day. Roald Dahl used only pencils with yellow casing to write his books. He had 6 sharpened pencils ready at the beginning of each day and only when all 6 pencils became unusable did he resharpen them. Finally, Thomas Edison was so keen on working in pencil, he had his own especially made!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-36639888182619047042013-04-11T10:16:00.001+10:002013-04-11T10:18:03.332+10:00This Review Sold Me a Book<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuIGU90e32gUQ10rsaPD4shv1hrX0_LwLesX8AclIJiskaptWZJMkC0KajftlzMHOOrHk5-al0rllElslnMwWlVGUjgofx644oj6XyLEef-ByGbB829GvBbB7t6dsKnq5K-lI4WRnjDWt/s1600/the+crane+wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuIGU90e32gUQ10rsaPD4shv1hrX0_LwLesX8AclIJiskaptWZJMkC0KajftlzMHOOrHk5-al0rllElslnMwWlVGUjgofx644oj6XyLEef-ByGbB829GvBbB7t6dsKnq5K-lI4WRnjDWt/s1600/the+crane+wife.jpg" /></a>I don't often buy a book based solely on a review. For me, usually it's word or mouth or the recommendation of a friend, and then I might search out reviews before I buy. <br />
<br />
But I still read lots of reviews (and write a few too!) and yesterday I read one on the Readings web site that had me adding the book to my shopping cart immediately.<br />
<br />
Here is <a href="http://www.readings.com.au/review/the-crane-wife-by-patrick-ness" target="_blank">the full review</a> by bookseller Deborah Crabtree for <em>The Crane Wife</em> by Patrick Ness and here is the extract that sealed my purchase!<br />
<br />
<strong>Love and loss are central to <em>The Crane Wife</em>, as is art and greed and the power of story. There is a truth to Ness’s writing even amid the strangeness of the world he creates, and such artistry and sensitivity to his storytelling that I longed to stay in that world well after the novel ended and I will return to it again. This book will break hearts.</strong><br />
<br />
I want to read the book (desperately) and I want to write reviews like that (just as desperately!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-81853221499970380972013-03-28T15:00:00.000+11:002013-03-28T15:03:35.160+11:00Books I Bagged at the South Coast Lifeline Book Fair<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAMyLvN7Jiw8qO-OUmMBnyW4QxlH7IsWEQpjzmduuLW_SOr56ERUjomLWkXvtYR-utEnB2rrd8NaHDRNXcG8ktYd1_U4ai4480N1wLa7tHd9lQC9s813Tm5PEQvKXnz44CiGMdbyFGYyD/s1600/lifeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAMyLvN7Jiw8qO-OUmMBnyW4QxlH7IsWEQpjzmduuLW_SOr56ERUjomLWkXvtYR-utEnB2rrd8NaHDRNXcG8ktYd1_U4ai4480N1wLa7tHd9lQC9s813Tm5PEQvKXnz44CiGMdbyFGYyD/s1600/lifeline.jpg" /></a>I finally made it to the South Coast Lifeline Book Fair and was amazed at what I found. Not only is it well organised, the variety of titles available surprised me. Of course I headed straight for the Young Adult and Pre-Teen sections. <br />
<br />
I found lots of recent releases, merchandising related books, classic works and wonderful Australian titles by friends, colleagues and heroes. Many of the books were in as new condition. For our underfunded public school libraries, the Book Fair would be a good place to source additional titles. I saw many past CBCA and other award winners waiting for a second home.<br />
<br />
So what did I buy?<br />
<br />
A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove by James Malony - A CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers in 1997. One I had always intended to read. (And now I have!)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA79fpsV1IzyIQi73H-B81tmcbm-TcX6KirbDDqK41JaE-c0vBQ_KP6QdG5_43VJpDtil7Prmz4_FqkBsNjNMVYH-d-aRxYKiblQi-IMSuoBpF69fagFNFZfhMb5HV6ouTmhjKrJU2ZTTI/s1600/1421-the-year-china-discovered-the-world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA79fpsV1IzyIQi73H-B81tmcbm-TcX6KirbDDqK41JaE-c0vBQ_KP6QdG5_43VJpDtil7Prmz4_FqkBsNjNMVYH-d-aRxYKiblQi-IMSuoBpF69fagFNFZfhMb5HV6ouTmhjKrJU2ZTTI/s1600/1421-the-year-china-discovered-the-world.jpg" /></a><br />
Letters from the Inside by John Marsden - another one on my long term list.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wy_1_jVdD-oDSNWVmYwZ_UI2S_rsBxLTNRydUu4o2wOwsU5XD7dp71XTh7jWw3i9FZpnxc1-Qu7DkNbr2zmO9rWGYwWjtbRks9odvLpScyN4PRCXPYclD0j_deayNRFSSyQhyphenhyphenB_yh9vM/s1600/starthorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wy_1_jVdD-oDSNWVmYwZ_UI2S_rsBxLTNRydUu4o2wOwsU5XD7dp71XTh7jWw3i9FZpnxc1-Qu7DkNbr2zmO9rWGYwWjtbRks9odvLpScyN4PRCXPYclD0j_deayNRFSSyQhyphenhyphenB_yh9vM/s1600/starthorn.jpg" /></a>The Starthorn Tree by Kate Forsyth - I've been reading all Kate's later work and the cover was too magical to resist.<br />
<br />
Two iconic Australian works of fiction:<br />
People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks<br />
<br />
That Deadman Dance - Kim Scott<br />
<br />
And two non-fiction for future research and historical fiction ideas - <br />
<br />
The Year China Discovered the World - Gaven Menzies (1421!)<br />
<br />
The Viking World - James Graeme Campbell.<br />
<br />
All for $31. It's win-win. Some wonderful books get a second wind and Lifeline raises much needed funds for its essential services.<br />
<br />
So if you love books, try and make it to a Lifeline Book Fair. If you live in the Illawarra the next South Coast Book Fair is in October. <a href="http://www.svb.com.au/charity.html" target="_blank">Here</a> is a list of other dates and locations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608578348561040061.post-78337343740451112392012-12-12T13:28:00.002+11:002012-12-13T15:35:47.337+11:00The Next Big Thing<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
Th<em>e Next Big Thing</em> is a chain of book and author recommendations.<a href="http://richardharland.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Richard Harland</a> tagged me on his blog and now it's my turn. Check out the books by the people I tagged at the end of this post<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQPbdWIYRrw0kQNCTGQawbFX_L5zhhCeQWfzQeiRxNVeGXSKwiCYl6VSUrl6kBN9Hw2L2Y8pv2FVCJn15g3CwUpERDK_BClTOoy6pqAqO0Y30tb3spZslP7gPFrHhDzuFoiP6edUx3X-7/s1600/Red+Fox+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQPbdWIYRrw0kQNCTGQawbFX_L5zhhCeQWfzQeiRxNVeGXSKwiCYl6VSUrl6kBN9Hw2L2Y8pv2FVCJn15g3CwUpERDK_BClTOoy6pqAqO0Y30tb3spZslP7gPFrHhDzuFoiP6edUx3X-7/s1600/Red+Fox+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQPbdWIYRrw0kQNCTGQawbFX_L5zhhCeQWfzQeiRxNVeGXSKwiCYl6VSUrl6kBN9Hw2L2Y8pv2FVCJn15g3CwUpERDK_BClTOoy6pqAqO0Y30tb3spZslP7gPFrHhDzuFoiP6edUx3X-7/s1600/Red+Fox+Cover.jpg" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
is the [working] title of your next book?<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NGDvdBFj_RIbEJw2hXm79b-czEFzu6SauEJf3Rg572fehQmggBI8lCKOCVJzbztylbOMFO5T6uHNgGHBiy6afCEn7G_V4fXoWwLmGGIF260He5TDxJgu2arGRv9hO0hrdulwGvW03CVE/s1600/White+Crane+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NGDvdBFj_RIbEJw2hXm79b-czEFzu6SauEJf3Rg572fehQmggBI8lCKOCVJzbztylbOMFO5T6uHNgGHBiy6afCEn7G_V4fXoWwLmGGIF260He5TDxJgu2arGRv9hO0hrdulwGvW03CVE/s200/White+Crane+Cover.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Black Tengu</em>, the eighth and final
title in the Samurai Kids series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Where did the idea come from for the
book?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first book in the series, <em>White Crane</em>, was
published in 2008. I had written it as a stand-alone novel but my publisher,
Walker Books Australia, felt it would make a good series. I had to go back through <em>White Crane</em> looking for something that I could use as the arc for a series. I found
a throwaway comment that Sensei had once made a terrible mistake. I had originally only
included this because I did not want the wise, eccentric teacher to be perfect
but it was destined for greater things and grew to become the link that ran through the whole series and is finally
resolved in this last book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What genre does your book fall under?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Samurai Kids series is
historical fiction, set in the mid-17<sup>th</sup> century when the golden age
of the samurai was drawing to a close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIWGaFFvpPi6-AIgX55D7cpFBjBdFJq3536q6wNL_4Qnol0qyHHUr8AzT6JlCW4RJpUOyBjFebNy2Chw18gYjAfP_wL3hR834Os98p5SOuRtdXaX58o42vlqmzHycll__1ftHX7I-F1e0/s1600/Owl+Ninja+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIWGaFFvpPi6-AIgX55D7cpFBjBdFJq3536q6wNL_4Qnol0qyHHUr8AzT6JlCW4RJpUOyBjFebNy2Chw18gYjAfP_wL3hR834Os98p5SOuRtdXaX58o42vlqmzHycll__1ftHX7I-F1e0/s200/Owl+Ninja+Cover.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What actors would you choose to play the
part of your characters in a movie rendition?<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not sure how to answer
this. It might require clever costuming as the main character has one leg,
another boy has one arm – each character has a difficulty to overcome although
this is not always physical. I’m sure there is a film company and actors out there who
could meet the challenge. Maybe it would be an anime film so perhaps I should choose voices...</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5epH-wZDlH3qqhjQlnITnOi9HkhNSz06tAQknKMNxFkJQ9UZYQpul-lAIRzuDSzZOEHlLMoSboUTEOWH_Te_pdb2fw-JncBcYdx09upFWIBSx5TeENY8h_vpsE9A4R8v69Sp7_aZ0UrrH/s1600/Shaolin+Tiger+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5epH-wZDlH3qqhjQlnITnOi9HkhNSz06tAQknKMNxFkJQ9UZYQpul-lAIRzuDSzZOEHlLMoSboUTEOWH_Te_pdb2fw-JncBcYdx09upFWIBSx5TeENY8h_vpsE9A4R8v69Sp7_aZ0UrrH/s200/Shaolin+Tiger+Cover.jpg" width="129" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrxyTNhyphenhyphenKfZ2KMmD7yqm7lMzlbCF-akuI0f23FQ4zJRcamBs6VY1UeE6JGcEWoKg5fZz7vKmm9hfuwiYCBt6tu-hySU0ZQwUKBHnsjpTrDorXOvl0f6LgU4rxNVTw1jtQO2sNoUtygBTS/s1600/Monkey+Fist+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrxyTNhyphenhyphenKfZ2KMmD7yqm7lMzlbCF-akuI0f23FQ4zJRcamBs6VY1UeE6JGcEWoKg5fZz7vKmm9hfuwiYCBt6tu-hySU0ZQwUKBHnsjpTrDorXOvl0f6LgU4rxNVTw1jtQO2sNoUtygBTS/s200/Monkey+Fist+Cover.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What is the one-sentence synopsis of
your book?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the harsh snow lands of
Ezo, the Samurai Kids must find a way to help Sensei Kiyaga face the terrible secret
from his past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Will
your book be self-published or represented by an agency?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The series is published by
Walker Books Australia and I am represented by Pippa Masson of Curtis Brown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How long did it take you to write the
first draft of the manuscript?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It took longer to write this
last book than any other in the series. The first draft took six months but
there are many redrafts still ahead. I am found it a challenge to draft as I am
not a plotter. I just write the stories my characterstell me.
But in this book I had to follow the plotline I had spent seven prior books
preparing. I did not find it easy but am happy with it.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3gsvkII56g4zbfbSMD3pidYCwXIJRdEnEy3cK3ALrMzVm7hukiyY2tkt9dCuqsqBj5GeXA-Q9pJ4vQ2IzsozBGVc8oXrOxWlFyUy18vuKjyCJ4qaRJb_ONDeKsJnE839_Xn5ZmHJv2jE/s1600/Fire+Lizard+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3gsvkII56g4zbfbSMD3pidYCwXIJRdEnEy3cK3ALrMzVm7hukiyY2tkt9dCuqsqBj5GeXA-Q9pJ4vQ2IzsozBGVc8oXrOxWlFyUy18vuKjyCJ4qaRJb_ONDeKsJnE839_Xn5ZmHJv2jE/s1600/Fire+Lizard+Cover.jpg" /></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What other books would you compare this
story to within your genre?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Samurai Kids series is
often compared by reviewers to John Flanagan’s Rangers Apprentice and Brotherband
series. I find this a wonderful compliment and wouldn’t want to suggest anything
else!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Who or what inspired you to write this
book?</b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYV4fNMq3UTNADTTH6-TaQfXmMOygzr4Qq-qZQWHY6D9NjlRdDOuRgAxJnziEQ2_wkWKpyV5kGD4a4IxczMgJhLHrWJyOSRQHtpfDcfMErlb1Se50WifCTKoqOzzHaHCs2WqGGky-NTUa/s1600/Golden+Bat+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYV4fNMq3UTNADTTH6-TaQfXmMOygzr4Qq-qZQWHY6D9NjlRdDOuRgAxJnziEQ2_wkWKpyV5kGD4a4IxczMgJhLHrWJyOSRQHtpfDcfMErlb1Se50WifCTKoqOzzHaHCs2WqGGky-NTUa/s1600/Golden+Bat+Cover.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was thinking about what it
would be like to be a samurai – as lovers of ancient history like me do! I knew
that if you were born into a samurai family you had no choice but to serve. I
began to wonder what it would be like for a boy (or a girl, there is one girl
samurai in my books) who wasn’t very good at their lessons. And what if they
weren’t very good because of something that wasn’t their fault. Like
being born with one leg. That’s when my one-legged narrator, Niya, first spoke
to me. “Give it a go,” he said. So I went down into my backyard, tucked up one
leg and karate kicked. I found the beginning of my story. “My name is Niya Moto
and I am the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan. Famous for falling flat on
my face in the dirt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What else about the book might pique the
reader's interest?<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think this question is best
answered in terms of the series. The group of characters is unusual, the time
of swords and battles is exciting, there is a strong focus on a range of
martial arts, the children travel across Japan, China, Korea and Cambodia and
the Zen humour is quirky. In short, most readers tell me it’s very different to
any other books they’ve read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="color: #262626;"><strong>Here are the authors I'd like to introduce, and who you can follow next
Wednesday, when they answer the same questions...</strong></span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>George Ivanoff <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://georgeivanoff.com.au/"><span style="color: blue;">http://georgeivanoff.com.au/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>Jodie Wells-Slowgrove <a href="http://www.ozkidswriter.com/writing-blog.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ozkidswriter.com/writing-blog.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>Sheryl Gwyther <a href="http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com/</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Claire Saxby <a href="http://letshavewords.blogspot.com.au/">http://letshavewords.blogspot.com.au/</a><br />
<br />
Sharon McGuinness <a href="http://mrsmacsbookblog.edublogs.org/">http://mrsmacsbookblog.edublogs.org</a><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0