Children's Books

The Key to a Great Book Launch

On Sunday 25th February I held the book launch for Dragons Drumming, my newly released picture book.

Below are my tips for making it a successful day.

Arrange with the book shop well in advance.

We are lucky here in Canberra to have not only a supportive writing community, but a supportive local independent bookshop, The Book Cow - Kingston .Never- the-less it is still important to talk to them well in advance of when you would like to hold your launch. Bookshops are busy places and this one in particular has many events booked well in advance. It’s also a good idea to take the time to get to know the people that run the bookshop, then they will be more open to a discussion about hosting the launch for you.

As luck would have it, the perfect date for the launch coincided with the end of Chinese Luna New Year, and the celebration of the year of the dragon. As such, the bookshop had already organised the Chinese Lion Dancers and drummers that day, so it was perfect for a launch of a book about Dragons Drumming to start immediately after they finished.

Dragons Drumming Book Launch at the Book Cow Kingston.

Chinese Lion Dancers and Drummers celebrating Chinese Luna New Year at the Book Cow Kingston.

Start your marketing campaign early.

Not only is the bookshop a busy place, but families are also busy on weekends. You need to take that into account and give people plenty of notice with your advertising. Set-up a Facebook event page and then invite people to attend. Be specific, don’t invite everyone on your friends list, be practical and invite those who you know live in your area. No one is going to attend from out of town.

The Facebook events page for Dragons Drumming book launch.

Use all your social channels.

Think of a variety of ways to use your socials to get the message out to everyone. Photos, reels, longer videos, and ask questions to engage your audience. Provide a hint of what to expect from the book and an idea of what to expect at the launch.

I made this graphic a couple of weeks before the events page and invitations went out.

It’s a good idea to show your readers a sneaky look inside so they know what they are getting.

Be prepared and organised.

If you have promised craft activities, make sure you know well in advance what you plan to do. Make an information sheet to hand-out to parents so that the craft activity may be taken home to do later. I made a step by step guide on how to make a paper plate dragon. Then, I painstakingly drew all the dragon pieces onto twenty paper plates for children to take home, cut out, make and decorate later. Don’t forget to pre-make an example of your craft activity so that kids can see what it is they are going to do.

I also prepared a sheet for a different paper dragon so that children had a choice. Not everyone wanted to make the same dragon, but all the sheets happily disappeared.

Being a book about drumming, we couldn’t have a launch without percussion instruments. I bought these well in advance and kept them neatly all together in one box.

Some of the best book launches don’t simply involve a book reading, make it as engaging, interactive and inclusive as possible.

Make sure you pack all your bits and pieces the day before too, it will save you time, energy and stress. It also allows time to check your list that you have everything you need.

Eager hands went up everywhere when it was time to hand out the percussion instruments.

When you are well prepared it’s easy to relax and enjoy yourself.

Celebrate with a special treat.

I also made cupcakes. It’s important to celebrate the launch with some kind of treat. To help relieve any stress on the day of the launch, I made the cupcakes the day before. However, I did not ice them until the morning. I had pre-ordered edible cake toppers with an image of the book cover. These did have to be added when I iced the cakes, but couldn’t be done too far in advance as they would run and be ruined if they were to sweat.

Cupcakes all boxed up and ready to go.

Yummy cupcake treats on the table beside my books waiting to be devoured…. and they were!

Relax and enjoy the day.

Arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to set-up. It’s amazing how many people will also arrive early and want to talk to you. You don’t want to feel stressed about the organisation, so be prepared and have a helper or two to lay things out for you. Don’t try to do it all yourself. Have your speech well planned too, whether you use notes or keep it all in your head, make sure you have thought about what you want to say and don’t forget to thank everyone involved that has helped you reach this point, including the bookshop for hosting your beautiful event.

When it’s all over, relax, don’t rush, enjoy the chance to chat with people while you are signing their books. Engaging with people is important, especially when you have never met them before. Take your time and make a connection with them.

All set up and ready go.

At the end of the day it’s always great to sign books and chat with great supportive friends.

When all is said and done, take a deep breath and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

Have you been to book launches? What did you like best about them?

5 Parenting Tips to Help Alleviate Fear of Thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms usually occur in the hotter parts of the year, and this Summer we have had some stunning ones. I have lived in tropical Darwin, Australia and Pattaya, Thailand where I witnessed what I would have said were the most amazing thunderstorms I had ever experienced, but this Summer brought some equally amazing storms right to my own back door in country NSW.

The season isn’t over yet. There could be still more to come. What about you? Have you observed any amazing thunder and lightning shows in your neck of the woods? How do your children feel when they hear and see them? Are they frightened, do they hide under the bed covers or snuggle into you for comfort?

Being frightened of a thunderstorm is a natural part of early childhood. How can you help? Here are 5 parenting tips to help you help your child overcome their fear.

Stay Calm

It’s true, children can sense how you feel and will reflect that emotion in their mood. That means that no matter how strong the storm is, it is important that you try to remain calm. If you can feel your emotions bubbling to the surface, stop, take a moment to do some deep breathing exercises. This could be in the form of a quick meditation, 5 minutes of tai chi or whatever it takes to help you breathe slowly. You could even encourage the kids to join you, it’s fun, easy and very relaxing.

Play some soothing meditation music to help keep them calm.

Tai chi is really relaxing especially when you concentrate on your deep breathing.

Marvel at the Nature of the Storm.

Young minds are often also inquisitive minds. A thunderstorm is an ideal opportunity for a science lesson in the wonder of the nature. You can discuss the water cycle, cloud formation and the different types of clouds. Explain what causes the electricity in the clouds and how it becomes lightning. Then there’s that big boom thundering and rumbling around after the lightning. Count how many seconds after you see the lightning to when you hear the thunder. Your answer is the distance in miles that the storm is away from you. Watch the lightning dance across the sky and marvel at the beauty the light produces in the clouds.

You can keep your explanation of the water cycle simple or if your kids are more inquisitive, make your answer more in-depth.

Extend this by not only learning the names of the types of clouds, but take photos and draw on them to make pictures. What can you see in the clouds?

Keep Your Kids Busy.

Sometimes all it takes is to keep little minds active and distracted. Then they are having so much fun that they forget all about the storm outside. Obviously in the middle of a massive storm is no time for TV or plugged-in devices. Make it family time with a board game, perhaps monopoly or snakes and ladders for the littler members of the family. Packs of cards can be handy too. A game of snap can keep kids occupied for ages.

There are so many entertaining board games out there to consider. One I remember fondly from my childhood was ‘Sorry!.’

Uno is a great card game. We played this for hours when my boys were younger.

Hug and Comfort Them.

Sometimes all kids need is a big hug from someone they love. Knowing they are safe is all the reassurance they may need. Build a blanket fort or snuggle in a tepee or tent if you have one. Take in a torch or flashlight and read a story. A good book for this special time is Dragons Drumming written by me, and beautifully illustrated by Maya Bora. help your child explore their imagination in a world where magical dragons whimsically play percussion in the sky. After reading the story you could encourage your child to think about something else that could make the noise of thunder. I remember when I was little, my parents told me it was God moving his furniture around. Maybe it’s the angels becoming a little too heavy footed and stomping in the clouds. Can you think of anything else it could be? Have fun with it.

Dragons Drumming is the perfect reading companion to overcome the fear of thunderstorms.


Try Headphones.

If after all this the thunderstorm is still all too much for your little person to cope with, try some calming music, or their favourite sing-a-long and dance music in headphones. They’ll be so busy concentrating on the musical sounds they’ll no longer be able to hear the thunderous commotion outside.


Above all, remember, all storm do eventually pass, and so will this one. Next time you’ll have the strategies in place and ready to go.

Do you have any other ways to help children overcome their fear of thunderstorms? Let me know in the comments below.



















With a New Year Comes Time to Contemplate

Happy New Year. Are you ready to embrace 2024? Do you ever look back at the year that was and consider whether it all went to plan? Or do you consider the possibilities that the new year might bring? As a writer or business owner most people often take the time to see what they have achieved (or not) and how they might move forward. Join me as I reflect on 2023 and look forward to 2024. Then, perhaps you too, might like to reflect on the year that was, and plan for the year that is just beginning.

Reflecting on the year 2023

2023 in One Word. - Contentment

I was happy to stay home, continue to focus on my health with lots of walks and exercise. Spend time with my family and friends and even squeeze in a bit of writing time most days.

My Biggest Challenge in 2023 - Finding time to write.

I realised that it was taking way too long to complete book 4 in my Adamson Adventures, Tracks in the Mist. It was a story I had been planning since writing book 3, Fossil Frenzy. We had finally managed our trip to Tasmania in July 2022 for me to complete my research for the setting, and twelve months later I had still not progressed the story any further. I learnt that small steps are important. It doesn’t matter if I don’t sit down to write for hours each day, as long as I write a little bit, it all adds up and eventually the story is complete. It’s important to be kind to myself and not to stress over timing. Everything gets done in its own time.

Finding the time to write while juggling so many other life balls.

If you would like a few suggestions on how to find time to write, visit Here for some great strategies.

The Happiest Day of 2023 - Too many to name one.

Days spent visiting my grandson in Perth and my two grandchildren who live right here next to me.

Days connecting with readers at book events and writing workshops.

Reaching my goal of walking up several of the hills and mountains around Canberra.

The days we celebrated milestone birthdays for both hubby and myself.

This year I have already had more enjoyable days with all my family together and look forward to many more. I will try to organise more school visits. With two new book releases this year, I hope to engage more kids in the joy of reading. I also plan to continue to challenge myself with my walks, and am excited to be doing this later in the year in the Lakes District in England.

I had the opportunity to read and chat with families, at the National Dinosaur Museum twice this year.

One Change or Difficult Decision made? Deciding to self-publish again.

As I said earlier, life is pretty content for me. I am generally a happy person and grateful for the life I share with my family and friends. I continued to strive for fitness and good health and encouraged my hubby to join me.

The biggest most difficult decision was regarding my writing. I had been working on a picture book manuscript for quite some time. I had sent it for manuscript assessments, re-written and edited it over and over. My big mistake was to send it out to submission to publishers too soon. I should have known it wasn’t ready. I believe strongly in this story, and am sure it will delight and inspire many young readers, that’s why Dragons Drumming is now being published by myself and will be released next month.

This year when I finished my next manuscript, I won’t be in such a rush to submit it to publishers. I know to go slow, take my time and be more cautions before sending it out into the world.

Need help to choose your correct path? Here are 3 Ways to Help Make Decisions Easier.

Regrets - None

As I said last year, I don’t believe in regrets. There is no point dwelling on what might have or could have been. It is better to keep moving forward with whatever cards in life we are dealt and do our best to make the life we have as happy as we can. I could say I regretted submitting Dragons Drumming too soon, but it did lead me to produce the beautiful quality book myself I now am proud to release it.

What am I excited about for this year?

  1. The release of Dragons Drumming next month. This picture book has been so beautifully illustrated and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

  2. The release of Tracks in the Mist, The Adamson Adventures 4, in June. I am so proud of this chapter book. It’s been too long coming and I can’t wait to share it with readers of the series.

  3. Our trip to the UK and Europe in March/April. We planned this holiday last year but put it off to focus on our health. I have done my research on walks, monoliths and standing stones and there are so many wonderful places I am excited to see.

Picture book - Dragons Drumming, written by Sandra Bennett, illustrated by Maya Bora.

The Most Courageous Thing I did in 2023. - I climbed mountains.

Both physically and metaphorically. I pushed myself to my physical limits determined to reach heights I never thought I could. I am determined to not let my Parkinson’s diagnosis prevent me from doing all the things I still want to achieve. This year I will push even further out of my comfort zone with my book marketing. You may even see me attempting reels on Instagram.

Long walks in the bush, challenging myself to climb steep hills, keeps me grounded, fit, healthy and happy. It also allows me time for contemplation.

My Biggest Accomplishment in 2023

Finishing Tracks in the Mist, the Adamson Adventures 4, to be released June 2024, while continuing to increase the length of my walks and hours spent exercising. This year I intend to continue on my path of wellness while publishing and marketing these two wonderful new books to bring them to readers everywhere so that they too, may enjoy the love of reading stories.

Tracks in the Mist, the Adamson Adventures 4.

Look out 2024, here I come. Are you ready?

I hope you are now ready to complete your own reflection and head into the next adventure that is 2024.

If not, perhaps consider reading a few other author’s perspectives. I will list them below.

Rosie Russell

Julie Gorges

5 Books About Dragons to Read with the Family.

If you have been following my writing journey for some time now, then you’ll probably know I have a fascination not only for dinosaurs, but for Dragons too. I recently wrote two previous posts on dragons, Dragon's in Children's Stories and Are Dragons Related to Dinosaurs?

With my picture book ‘Dragons Drumming’ becoming one step closer to reality, I thought today we would take a quick look at 5 Books About Dragons to Read with the Family. Each of these books are on my bookshelf and have been family favourites.

The Dragon’s Egg - Written by Diana Noonan, illustrated by Gabriela Klepatski -

Is a picture book that we have had since its release in 1992. It was a favourite with my boys when they were little and now is repeated aloud many times over to my grandchildren. With it’s lyrical rhyme and meter, the story takes two children on a fun and slightly scary adventure when they find an enormous egg and decide to take it home. They are soon to learn the secret of what lies within and how many days it takes to hatch a dragon from its egg.

Picture Book - The Dragon’s Egg, has been a much loved story to read aloud in our house.

A page from the picture book The Dragon’s Egg.

Dancing With Dragons - Written by Amy Dunjey, illustrated by Jesus Lopez -

Is an absolutely stunning picture book published by Larrikin House in 2020. The illustrations are vibrant and inviting as two gorgeous dragons dance in the woods. When a little girl discovers them both, she is asked to judge their dance competition. Kids adore the fun and awesome dance routines in this rhyming tale of adventure and friendship.

Picture Book - Dancing with Dragons published by Larrikin House

One of the many gorgeous and vibrant illustrations inside the pages of Dancing with Dragons

Dragonology, the Complete Book of Dragons -

Published by Five Mile Press in 2003, and edited by Dugald A Steer, this book is a magnificent compilation that for all purposes looks like a non-fiction picture book resembling an encyclopedia of everything you would ever need to know about dragons. From where in the world to find dragons to all the many different species both Eastern and Western. This book even includes an Australian own marsupial dragon species that resembles a kangaroo with tiny wings and breathes a bluish fire. Perfect for your little budding scientist or historian, this book has all the information on dragons they could ever look for.

Dragonology - The Complete Book of Dragons is a fascinating ‘non-fiction’ like picture book.

information on the marsupial dragon on one of the pages inside Dragonology- The Complete Book of Dragons.

Dragon Skin - by Karen Foxlee -

Published by Allen and Unwin in 2021, this fabulous book is for your middle-grade readers. Set in outback Queensland in an old mining town, the story evolves around a young girl who discovers a baby dragon dying in an almost dry riverbed. As the story develops she learns to save the dragon, helping it grow with plenty of love, nurturing and friendship. It is a heart-warming tale that is also surprising and full of hope. I can’t recommend this book enough. It was so good, I couldn’t put it down and even my husband, (who never reads fiction) read it in only a couple of days.

Dragon Skin is a heart-warming unputdownable middle-grade beautiful story. Published by Allen & Unwin.

The blurb on the back of Dragon Skin to help tempt you to read it.

Eragon- by Christopher Paolini -

Originally self-published in 2002, this epic fantasy adventure is best suited for the upper range of middle-grade to young adult. My boys all read it in their early teens. Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance series that will captivate you with its galloping tale of action-filled adventure. When a teenage boy finds a beautiful blue gemstone, it is soon revealed to be a dragon’s egg. Once hatched, the boy and dragon become good friends and the boy learns to become a dragon-rider and sets out on an adventure like no other. Complete with the complexities of Norse, Anglo-Saxon, German and even Russian myths and language, it has an old world charm that will delight fantasy lovers. If you enjoy the book, you might also enjoy watching the movie (2006) if you can find it streaming somewhere.

Eragon, the first book in the Inheritance series, and well read in our house.

Eldest is the second book in the inheritance series, also well read in our house.

Bonus: How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell -

First published in 2003, this book has been reprinted many times and has also been made into a movie. This is one of my favourite dragon stories as it fills me with warm memories reading it to my kindergarten class in 2005. As a chapter book I read this out loud every lunchtime while my class ate. It captured not only their attention but imagination. Many a time, we would reach the end of a chapter and they would beg me to continue reading. The antics of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock 111, his dragon (Toothless) and his Viking clan had them in uproarious laughter as anything that could go wrong, inevitably did. Sadly I seem to have misplaced this much loved book, (I’ve probably leant it to someone and it’s not been returned.) If your kids haven’t read it, get it, they’ll love it.

As for my picture book, Dragons Drumming, I can’t wait to share it with you. I hope to reveal the cover sometime this week. I have seen all the adorable illustrations and they are just magical. Dragons Drumming will help your little ones overcome there fear of thunderstorms as they orchestrate a glorious symphony of dragons playing percussion in the clouds.

Do you have a favourite dragon story that you remember reading as a child?

Is there a dragon story that your kids or grandkids love to read over and over again.?

Please share them in the comments below.

Five Fascinating Birds of Australia.

This month I have been researching more about the five fascinating birds that you will find in the pages of the Adamson Adventures, Book 4. With each month that passes I am progressing one step closer to the release date next year. The manuscript has now been edited while I have been writing the information pages for the back of the book. I am excited to share with you some of the pages I have designed, but that will remain a secret for just a little longer.

Last month I shared with you information on Five Fascinating Animals of Tasmania, this month it is the turn of the birds. You will notice however, that I have titled this birds of Australia not just Tasmania, because some of these are also found on the mainland. Some information on these birds can be seen on my author pages on Facebook and Instagram where I shared my sketches, but you will find more fun facts here.

Swift Parrot

The Swift Parrot is a small, beautifully coloured migratory bird that is critically endangered. It is easy to see with its bright green feathers that cover most of its body, with red and yellow feathers that are found around the face, throat, and tips of the wings. It also has a long purplish-red tail. However, it is often confused with birds of similar colouring such as the musk lorikeet, green and eastern rosella and even the rainbow lorikeet. It nests in the Summer in Tasmania and migrates north to mainland Australia in the Winter. They mainly eat nectar and pollen from specific eucalypt flowers but will also eat insects, fruit, berries, larvae and seeds.

With the continued deforestation of their habitat both in Tasmania and on the Australian mainland, swift parrots are listed as critically endangered as their numbers continue to significantly decrease. With less than 750 Swift parrots left in the wild, it has been voted by conservationists and public alike as the 2023 Australian Bird of the Year. Hopefully this will help draw attention to its devastating situation.

The swift parrot is a migratory bird that is endangered.

Swift Parrot sketch

My sketch of the swift parrot.

Lyrebird

Do you know where the lyrebird got its name? It is said that the tail was thought to resemble that of the musical instrument, the lyre. The lyre is a hand-held stringed instrument much like a harp. It has two curved arms and a cross bar that joins the arms, with the strings connected from the body to the crossbar. If you look at the tail feathers of the lyrebird, they are remarkably comparable. However, it is only the male that has the superb longer tail that forms the shape of a lyre. The females have a much plainer tail. While the younger males take three to four years to grow their magnificent lyre tail.

The lyrebird is quite musical and very clever, it has the ability imitate any bird sound it hears in the forest but will also mimic any other unusual sounds it hears, such as car alarms, camera shutters, video game noises, workmen and their chainsaws and even dogs barking. The lyrebird composes songs from all these amazing sounds and the songs can last up to twenty minutes. A male lyrebird will compose a long and complex song to attract a female, while the female will whistle a lyrical tune to warn other females to stay away from her territory.

These birds roost in trees at night, then forage on the rainforest floor during the day. They do have the ability to fly, but rarely bother unless they feel they are in imminent or immediate danger.

A lyrebird on the forest floor.

My sketch of the superb lyrebird.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Although widespread throughout Australia, the Wedge-tailed Eagle is threatened in Tasmania due to habitat loss and persecution. These are the largest birds of prey, (raptors) in Australia and while their main source of food is rabbits and other small mammals, they have been known to take lambs, hence large numbers of these eagles were once shot or poisoned. Since their near extinction in Tasmania, the Australian government has now banned all hunting of wedge-tailed eagles in all States of the country. They do prefer to prey on carrion, (the carcass of dead animals) but will also swoop in to catch live food. Wedge-tailed eagles will mate for life, and they tend to maintain a nest in one area, usually in the highest tree.

Even though the wedge-tailed eagle does not have the largest or heaviest body of all the eagles, it does surprisingly have the largest wingspan at over two metres, (six and a half feet). Other birds are often threatened by the predatory nature of the wedge-tailed eagle and will join to chase them away from their nests. Unlike most birds the female is larger than the male, but the pair share duties such as hunting, territory patrol and feeding of their young. Most eagles will only produce one egg at a time, but in the case where there are two eggs, usually only the strongest will survive.  

The wedge-tailed eagle.

My sketch of the wedge-tailed eagle.

Masked Owl

The Masked Owl is found all around coastal regions of Australia. It is listed as threatened throughout the mainland but endangered in Tasmania. It is a bird of prey that as a nocturnal animal, hunts in the evening for small mammals. They swoop from trees looking for prey on the ground, from as small as insects, to larger animals like rats, rabbits, possums and even bandicoots and gliders. Sometimes it will also hunt other birds like kookaburras, magpies, sparrows and even chickens.

Like the wedge-tailed eagle, the female masked owl is larger than the male and as such will hunt for larger prey. Masked owls like other raptors, will regurgitate parts of their prey such as bones, claws, and fur in forms of pellets. Instead of a gentle hoot that you might expect from an owl, this one makes quite a loud screech. However, it makes up for that noise when swooping for prey as its wings have evolved to be completely silent.

Nests are usually in rock cavities, or holes in trees along cliff edges. They lay between two to four eggs that are incubated for five to six weeks. Both parents will continually feed their young every hour for ten to twelve weeks until the young are ready to fly. They will remain with their parents for a further few weeks as they are taught to hunt for themselves.

The Australian Masked Owl.

My sketch of the Masked Owl.

Demon Duck of Doom

Okay, I know what you are thinking, the demon duck of doom is extinct. So technically it doesn’t belong here among the other birds. However, it is unique to Australia, and thanks to all the readers who wanted to know more at the end of Fossil Frenzy, book 3, the DDD makes another appearance in book 4.

These avian dinosaurs have a scientific name of Dromornis planei, and were also formerly known as Bullockornis planei. It was a huge flightless bird that roamed an area in the Northern Territory of Australia called Bullock Creek during the late Pleistocene epoch, (50,000 years ago) to as far back as the Eocene epoch, (55 million years ago) that are all part of the Cenozoic era. Close relatives of the bird were also found in Queensland.

Nicknamed the Demon Duck of Doom because of its close relationship to ducks of today, it was originally thought to be related to emus, cassowaries, and ostriches. However, on the discovery of further detail of the head and bill, it became evident that this creature was in fact closer genetically to ducks and geese. Even more recently research has suggested that it could even be related to chickens and turkeys.

The bird was heavily built with a long, thick neck, enormous legs, a head as big as a horse and a huge, curved bill. Interestingly, it is the curious nature of the bill that has caused much debate among scientists as to whether the Demon Duck of Doom was a herbivore or carnivore. It has been thought that the bill was ideal for cropping and breaking tough plant material which is backed by the discovery of gastroliths (small stones) that would be swallowed to help with digestion of plant material. While other researchers believe that the beak was more suited to tearing meat and crushing bones. The beak does not however, have a sharp tip which is found on all other birds of prey, nor is the beak seen to be strong enough for a meat-eater as even though the beak is deep, it is thin.

A photo I took of a replica of the Demon Duck of Doom at the discovery Centre in the Daintree Rainforest, in far North Queensland.

My sketch of the Demon Duck of Doom.

Have you learnt something new today?

Do you enjoy reading fun facts about little known animals and birds?

I hope you have found these articles on animals of Tasmania and birds of Australia fascinating.

Keep an eye out for more exciting information on book 4 in the Adamson Adventures coming next year.

Five Fascinating Animals of Tasmania

This past month I have been steadily working away on the back matter for book four of the Adamson Adventures.

Yes, it’s been a long time in between book 3 and four, but I hope it’s worth the wait.

I don’t want to say too much about it just yet, except that I plan to release it in June next year. There’s still much to do before then.

For this one, besides drawing a map as usual, which helps the reader see where the story is set, I decided to include illustrations and information about each animal that is mentioned in the story. I’m no illustrator, but I do like to give drawing a try, so I have been brave to attempt these myself and share them with you now. I also shared them one at a time each day on my Instagram and Facebook pages, but in case you missed any of them, here they are all in one place.

Thylacine

No story set in Tasmania would be complete unless it included the Thylacine, (Tasmanian Tiger). Presumed extinct since 1936 when the last one died in captivity in a Hobart zoo, I like to imagine that this elusive carnivorous marsupial is still hidden out in the vast, thick wilderness somewhere. Will the Adamson kids find one in their next adventure? If you've read any of their previous adventures, you know anything is possible.

 The Tassie Tiger was hunted into extinction by farmers who saw it as a threat to their livestock. Now the Thylacine is being hunted for a different reason. Today people search in the hope that it does still exist out there somewhere. As it was the largest apex predator in Tasmania the Thylacine has left a huge gap in the balance of the forest ecosystem. Today the largest predator is the Tasmania Devil which cannot compare in size. Researchers are trying to use DNA samples to bring back the Thylacine and reintroduce it into the wilderness in the hope that it will restore the balance of life and reduce and control the populations of kangaroos and wallabies.

Thylacine image courtesy of Australian Geographic archives.

My sketch of the Thylacine, commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger.

Tasmanian Devil

Below is a Tasmanian Devil, a nocturnal, carnivorous marsupial that prefers to scavenge for its food rather than hunt. They have very sharp claws and teeth and make incredibly loud raspy screams when they fight. Have you ever seen one in the wild or in a zoo? Last year when we visited Tasmania, we were lucky to catch a glimpse of two devils in the wild. I couldn’t take a photo, they disappeared into the bush very fast when they saw us.

However, it was an amazing experience to see them in the wild. I have only ever seen them in a zoo before. These little critters are listed as endangered with numbers depleting quickly due to a cancerous facial tumour which has been spreading fast throughout the population in the wild. Fortunately, there is a conservation breeding program happening on the Australian mainland in the mountains of northern NSW. called Devil Ark, where the increasing numbers of devils are enjoying the similarities in vegetation and climate to Tasmania without any threat from disease.

Tasmanian Devil in the wild.

My sketch of the Tasmanian Devil.

Spotted Quoll

The Spotted-Tail Quoll, also known as the Tiger Quoll, is a relative of the Tasmanian Devil and the Tasmanian Tiger. Like his relatives he is also a nocturnal carnivorous marsupial. He may look cute, but watch out for those very sharp teeth. Quolls can be found on mainland Australia, where they are listed as endangered. while so far in Tasmania they are listed as vulnerable. There is only a population of around 14,000 quolls left throughout Australia.

Their numbers have drastically reduced due to introduced predators such as foxes and feral cats, deforestation from logging, land clearing for housing development and natural bushfires.

Spotted Quoll - WWF Australia

My sketch of the Spotted Quoll

Pademelon

The cute little Tasmanian Pademelon is much like a kangaroo or wallaby but smaller. It has a shorter neck and a thicker, rounder body. Pademelons can be found in the rainforests all around Tasmania and throughout the mainland even as far north as Papua New Guinea.. We encountered several during our bushwalks and even outside our cabin door at Cradle Mountain.

They live in thick damp forests but will come out into clearings to feed in the evenings. However with regular land clearing we are continually reducing their chances of survival. Pademelons are usually solitary creatures, but will forage at night in groups. An interesting fact about these little fellows is that when startled, a pademelon will thump his foot, (much like the rabbit, Thumper from the Bambi movie) to alarm the rest of the group to hop back to the safety of the thick forest.

I took this photo of a pademelon just outside our cabin at Cradle Mountain,

My sketch of a Pademelon.

Wombat

The Common Wombat is in abundance throughout Australia, however the Southern and Northern Hairy Nose Wombat are much more declined in numbers. Wombats found in Tasmania are smaller than common wombats and their fur is much thicker and softer than the wiry fur of a common wombat.

Did you know that these herbivorous marsupials have a backwards pouch? This is to protect their joey from the dirt that spays up as they dig their burrow. Wombats are one of my favourite Australian animals, we even have one that has made its home under a container at the back of our house. If the opening to the burrow gets any bigger, I fear our container will fall in! Wombat burrows are usually closer to creek beds and water sources, but in years when rain is plentiful, they will move further away.

A fun fact that I recently learnt is that wombats glow in the dark when you shine a UV light on them. Scientists suspect the reason for this bio luminescence is so that wombats can see each other in the dark and know when it is safe to come closer to a fellow wombat instead of another animal that they would prefer to keep at a distance.

Southern Hairy-Nose Wombat

My sketch of a wombat


Stay tuned for more information next month on the birds that are also in book 4 of the Adamson Adventures.

I enjoy adding fact and information pages to the back of my stories. It helps curious young readers learn and hopefully encourages them to research further. Did you learn something new today?

What is your favourite Australian animal?

Dragons in Children's Stories

I have dragons on my mind a lot lately.

Dragons, Dinosaurs and Thylacines. Animals that are extinct or endangered.

It’s all because of the stories that I have been writing. Research can be a lot of fun.

Dragons are the main characters in my up coming picture book which will be released early next year, while dinosaurs and thylacines play a major part in book 4 of my middle grade Adamson Adventure. Yes, for those of you who are anxiously awaiting the final book in the series, it’s almost here. I have finished the first draft and my major edits. So stay tuned for more on that soon.

Last month I looked at the differences and similarities between dragons and dinosaurs. You can find the link to that post here.

Today I am thinking about dragons in children’s stories. Here are a few that come to my mind. They appear in no particular favourite order.

Norbert from Harry Potter.

Norbert is the first dragon we encounter in the series as he hatches under the care of Hagrid the gamekeeper, in the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Hagrid is very fond of the cute little dragon that he won in a card game. The dragon is a Norwegian Ridgeback and as it grows to full size, Hagrid must agree to let it go even though to do so breaks his heart. Norbert is soon to be revealed as a female, hence the name change to Norberta. After book 1 this dragon is never seen again.

Image of Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback taken from https://www.quotev.com/story/11666155/The-Sisters-Black-and-the-Philosophers-Stone/14

However, other dragons do appear in book 3, the Goblet of Fire. A Hungarian Horntail, the Chinese Fireball, the common Welsh Green and the Swedish Short-Snout. These dragons are part of the first test in the Triwizard Cup, and Harry must try to gather an egg from a dragon’s nest to find a clue to continue in the competition.

While Norbert is seen as a cute and cuddly hatchling, these other dragons are far more fierce and deadly creatures. I think I know which dragon I would prefer to have as a pet.

Falkor from the Never Ending Story.

Falkor is a very different dragon to the usual scaly skin reptilian dragon. He is a 43 foot, (roughly 13 metres) long, soft, furry luckdragon more like a Chinese dragon than those found in British mythology.

He has a kind heart, is optimistic and only wants to help and encourage people, like Atreyu, who is trying to save the world of Fantasia from ‘the Nothing.’ Falkor is a wise dragon full of advice. He would be a great companion on any quest.

Falkor and Atreyu in flight from the Never Ending Story.

Elliott from Pete’s Dragon.

Elliott is a green scaly dragon with little pink wings and a tuft of pink hair on the top of his head. He is an adorable dragon who always means well. Elliot is a guardian dragon that becomes Pete’s best friend when the dragon sees that Pete is in need. The trouble is, that Elliott is a bit of a clumsy dragon, and with his ability to disappear, Pete often finds himself in trouble for the dragon’s misadventures. I think Elliott could be a fun dragon to have around, despite his clumsiness, as it is his job to protect and help children without any family support. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that there is a dragon out there doing his best to keep us all safe from harm.

Elliott from Pete’s Dragon

Draco from Dragonheart.

This story perhaps is more for older kids, teens and adults but still worth a mention. In essence, I find Draco absolutely adorable as his voice is narrated by the wonderful actor, Sir Sean Connery. I just love hearing a dragon speak with a Scottish accent.

Draco is like the dragons of British medieval legends. While he could be portrayed as a fierce fire-breathing dragon that attacks villages and fights knights, he is given a kind heart and soul. Draco agrees to give half of his heart to the injured Prince who is next in line to the throne. This is in the hope that the prince will become a kind and benevolent ruler. Sadly, the prince becomes a harsh tyrannical ruler of his kingdom. If Draco could always speak like Sean Connery, I would have him as a pet any day.

Dragonheart clip. Bowen pretends to slay the dragon.

H.R. Pufnstuff from the TV show of the same name.

This one takes me right back to my childhood. Pufnstuff was a big yellow dragon with orange hair. His head was a bit too big for his body but this made him appear all the more friendly and lovable. It’s a magical story of flutes, witches and dragons. When a young boy named Jimmy finds a magical talking flute, he is promised an adventure of a lifetime. Taking a trip on a boat, unknowingly owned by the evil Witchypoo, Jimmy is lead to a magical island. Lucky for him, H R Pufnstuff comes to his recue. Would this story work for the kids of today? Probably not, but as a child of the Sixties, I found it very entertaining.

H R Pufnstuff from the 1969 children’s TV show of the same name/

Puff the Magic Dragon.

No list of dragons could be complete without the mention of this one, even though strictly speaking it is not a children’s story. Puff the Magic Dragon is a song written by the group, Peter, Paul and Mary in 1963, so again it is from my childhood. To this day I can still remember the words and tune to the chorus of this endearing song. It’s all about a little boy and his wonderful imagination. As he plays with his magical dragon they frolic and have wonderful and whimsical adventures. But sadly all little boys must eventually grow up and their imagination is lost. Puff’s scales all fall away as he fades from memory. It’s a tale of childhood wonderment and the wish that we all could keep that hint of playful childhood alive as we grow into adulthood.

Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Paul and Mary.

Do you know all these dragons? Have you read their stories or seen their movies?

Which is your favourite dragon? Or can you think of one I haven’t mentioned?

Leave a comment below, I am curious to know.

Are Dragons Related to Dinosaurs?

This burning question was asked of me during the writing workshop I ran last month. See last month’s blog for further details on the workshop.

I hesitated before I answered this question as the more I thought about it, the more I considered the complexities of answering.

In a nutshell, the kids came to one conclusion - maybe.

Let’s consider the similarities and differences of dragons and dinosaurs before we come to our conclusion.

Dinosaurs - are real. Palaeontologists have discovered many fossils of dinosaurs proving their existence.

Dragons - are probably not real. No one has ever found any fossils or evidence. They are mythical creatures based in legendary stories passed down over generations. They are the subject of bedtime stories, picture books, novels and movies.

Dinosaurs can be found all around the world on every continent and in all types of environments and climates.

Dragons were said to soar the skies from mountain tops, caves and volcanoes, causing havoc wherever they appeared.

Dinosaurs existed millions of years ago, and were extinct long before humans walked the Earth.

Dragons were said to be hunted by medieval knights and set fear into the hearts and minds of terrified villagers. Some dragons could be trained by humans to be ridden like horses, imagine trying to train a dinosaur!

Both dinosaurs and dragons hatched from eggs.

Both dinosaurs and dragons looked like large reptiles with scaly skin and sharp teeth.

Not all dinosaurs had scaly reptilian skin. Fossils have shown that some dinosaurs were more avian or bird-like with feathers covering their body.

Only a few dinosaurs (known as pterosaurs) could fly, but all dragons had massive wingspans and could fly. Pterosaurs are not actually dinosaurs, although they are related.

The largest pterosaur to be discovered in outback Queensland Australia, is said to be the closest looking dinosaur that resembles a dragon. It had a wingspan of over 9 metres or 30 feet and had a head as long as 1 metre or 3 feet. It also had very sharp teeth. While this is the largest pterosaur found in Australia, it is not the largest in the world.

Thapunngaka Shawi the largest pterosaur discovered in Queensland, is the closest dinosaur to resemble a dragon.

Dinosaurs did not breathe fire.

Dragons were known to be able to breathe fire, causing devastation to timber walled, grass thatched roofed homes. They could reduce a medieval village to ashes within minutes, scolding everything and everyone in their path. Dragons were able to breathe fire either because they were magical, or possibly by breathing out flammable gases that they could ignite with a spark.

Dinosaurs were not magical.

Dragons were often magical. How else could a reptile that huge manage to fly? Dragons would have to have a very big wingspan to carry their body weight or have an extremely unusually light body.

Dragon magic is said to be based on the four elements, earth, wind, fire and water. They could camouflage or change colour to suit their environment and even form clouds. (hint: my upcoming picture book has something to do with this.)

Dinosaurs had a varied appetite. Some were carnivorous, (meat eating) , some were herbivorous, (plant eating) and some were omnivores. (meaning they ate both plants and meat.)

Dragons on the other hand were meat lovers only.

Dinosaurs had very small brains, therefore they are not considered to have been very intelligent. It is generally considered that they were not even as intelligent as birds that exist today.

Dragons according to legends, were extremely intelligent, possibly even more so than humans.

Both dinosaurs and dragons are depicted to have tails. Most were very long and often spikey like the ankylosaurs or stegosaurus.

A stegosaurus had a long spiky tail and scaly skin.

Dragons had long spiky tails and scaly skin.

Have I helped you make up your mind yet? Perhaps you could draw a Venn diagram like the one below with all the possibilities of contrasts and overlaps to help you reach your final decision.

As for me, what do I think? I do like to write fiction stories for children, so I’ll leave that answer to your imagination.

Leave a comment below to let me know if you believe dragons are related to dinosaurs..
















Writing Adventure Stories With Kids.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of presenting a writing workshop to a group of kids. It was for the very first kids book club organised by the amazing and supportive Book Cow-Kingston.

Running a writing workshop for kids at the Book Cow Kingston for their Kids Book Club.

There’s always so much fun to be had when talking about adventure stories, dinosaurs and volcanoes.

We decided that instead of asking kids to read a certain book or chapters before attending the event, all they had to do was to think about an adventure story they had read.

The question was then posed - What makes a great adventure story?

We spent the next hour or so, discussing the key elements that go into writing the story structure to develop their own fantastic adventure.

To do this yesterday, as we went through each item, I used examples and read extracts from my Adamson Adventure series. This lead to much discussion about dinosaurs and volcanoes. (more on that later).

Let’s examine seven key features we need to be able to write a thrilling adventure story for kids.

A Hero

All great stories need an equally great hero or protagonist. The hero needs to be likeable and relatable so that the reader will be invested in the story and want to see the hero succeed. A hero, also however, needs flaws or weaknesses. Things that they fear or worry about that they must attempt to overcome throughout the story.

My main character in the Adamson Adventures is Zac. Each story is told from his point of view. Zac is a bit of a know it all. He loves reading, science and learning about everything, but this can be a little annoying to his siblings. Zac’s knowledge about dinosaurs does come in handy to help keep them out of danger in Fossil Frenzy.

Supporting Characters

A hero often doesn’t go on his journey alone, (although he can) he usually needs supporting characters or sidekicks. These provide comic relief when the tension gets too much, or push the hero to keep moving forward when the obstacles get too difficult.

Zac’s sidekicks are his sister, Clare and his brother, Luke. They too, need to have good and bad traits. Clare started out quite shy and frightened in Secrets Hidden Below, book 1, she didn’t like to take risks or do anything that might get herself and her brothers in trouble. By Fossil Frenzy, book 3, her character has grown, become much more confident and self assured, in fact you might even say that she becomes the unwilling hero. Luke on the other hand, is the spontaneous sibling, who likes to rush into things without thinking. This could be seen as either good or bad. On one hand, he is never afraid to try new things, or not paralysed by self doubt, but it can lead him into inevitable danger where Zac and Clare must follow to protect him.

A Quest

All adventure stories have a quest or journey in one form or another. Whether that is in solving a mystery, searching for a treasure or resolving some sort of major problem. Within the quest, their must be an inciting incident that drives our characters forward to a point of no return. They have no other choice but to head deep into the chasm of difficulty and danger. It is always good to drive them into an unfamiliar or perilous environment.

In Fossil Frenzy, the kids are on a quest to find fossils to help save their Uncle’s drought-stricken farm. The inciting incident occurs when the massive storms converge and they are forced to take shelter in a cave, only to discover when they emerge that they are no longer in their own time.

Villains

This brings us to the baddies in our story or the antagonist. This can come in many forms. It could be another person, it could be a crippling fear that prevents the hero from achieving his goals, or it could be a threatening animals. In this case it is a dinosaur, a theropod to be exact that is not only chasing them, but preventing them from finding a way safely back home.

Risks

As the quest continues, we must up the tension with more and bigger risks. Their must be perils to face that become harder to avert or resolve.

We talked about different types of dinosaurs, which ones may be herbivores or carnivores and what dangers these may lead our characters into. I read an extract from Fossil Frenzy and we decided whether the Demon Duck of Doom was most likely a friend or foe.

Time Limit

A great adventure also needs a time limit. It also increases the suspense, pace, drama and pressure as our heroes race against the clock to succeed. In Fossil frenzy, not only are they in imminent danger from carnivorous dinosaurs, they are running out of food and Luke becomes critically ill making the trio desperate to return home to get him to hospital.


Transformation

By the end of the journey the hero must have changed in some way by the time he has achieved his goal. Zac is more grateful to have his siblings by his side and has come to realise the importance of family. Clare is more courageous, although at times still somewhat reluctantly, while Luke, is now starting to consider his actions before diving in headfirst.



Other than dinosaurs, I also used as an example a volcano. It could be seen as a setting or a villain, depending on how and where in the story it is used. I read an extract from Secrets Hidden Below where the volcano appears in the climax of the story. It is antagonistic and prevents our heroes from seemingly achieving their final goal. It is not until the resolution that we find out whether or not they have found the sought after pirate treasure. To demonstrate the use of the volcano as part of a setting, and the initial action, I read from my early reader ‘Alien Shenanigans’ where the volcano is a classroom experiment that goes inevitably and drastically wrong. To the delight of the book club, I did the experiment and erupted the volcano. It was a fantastic way to finish the session and one I am sure the kids will remember.

The volcano began to fizz and slowly ooze over the sides.

An erupting volcano is always a big hit with kids.

Do you like reading adventure stories?

What is one of your favourites that you read as a child?

All my books mentioned above are available here from my website.

How Do You Find Your Winter Bliss?

While my friends in the Northern Hemisphere are currently enjoying the warmth of fresh air, balmy sea breezes and delightful summer evenings, we down south in Canberra, Australia are in the midst of hunkering down for a long cold winter around cosy fires, snuggled in plush blankets and sipping hot chocolate to keep the chills at bay.

What do you like to do this time of year, whether it’s Winter or Summer in you part of the world. Below are 5 ways I am enjoying the delights of this wintery season. I invite you to join me in experiencing Winter in my world, then visit the other #gr8tlogs at the end of this post for more inspiration and smiles.

Seeing Through my Camera Lens.

As we stack the piles of timber and gather kindling to prepare for another freezing season, the last thing I expected to see so early in May, (7th May actually!) was a snow fall that was so thick our entire valley became a white-out of a winter wonderland. I had spent the day at the National Dinosaur Museum reading from my chapter book ‘Fossil Frenzy,’ to an enthusiastic audience, when on return to our little valley the snow was gently floating in a silent stillness that enticed smiles from all the family. Snow ball fights and lots of laughter ensued as we played in sheer delight.

I was invited to do book readings at the National Dinosaur Museum, two months in a row. This was May 7th.

A month earlier, 8th April at the National Dinosaur Museum.

Reading

As the outside temperature plummets and gusty wind billows through the trees, there’s nothing like lounging back in a comfy chair in the middle of the afternoon reading a good book, while brilliant sunlight streams through our double-glazed windows keeping me warm.

My genre of choice, is as always middle grade fiction, as it’s what I like to write, I like to read and keep up with the latest that has been published. During May, I had the opportunity to attend the book launches of two middle grade fiction books, both by two of my favourite local authors.

‘Pearly and Pig and the Lost City of Mu Savan,’ by the incredibly talented Sue Whiting, was the first book launch. As I had missed the launch of the first book in the series, ‘Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast,’ I bought a copy of both books and enjoyed many an afternoon devouring these two fun adventures.

Pearly is an adventurologist in training and with her best friend Pig by her side she manages to become entangled in quite the adventure in both books. Perfect for readers 8 -12 who love adventure and the chance to travel around the world, these books will take them deep into the depths of the ice cold snow in Antarctica and in contrast to the sticky heat in the jungle travelling down the mighty Mekong River in Laos and Thailand. Having lived in Thailand for two years twenty something years ago, I enjoyed the familiarity of the jungle scenery and the mischievousness of the monkeys. Both books in the series are light easy reads, fun for all the family.

The second book launch was for one of my dear friends, an equally talented author, Cate Whittle. I am in the midst of reading her novel now, and I admit I find it hard to put down. ‘Starberries and Kee,’ is set in a ‘Solar Punk’ world as Cate herself describes it. A future of hope for the upcoming generations where the world has changed for the better. With Fossil Fuels no longer in use, the people rely on solar and wind energy, living in self sustainable communities. They grow their own crops, reuse, recycle and come together to share a life of contentment. This is a wonderful story for readers 8 -14, as it illustrates that if we all slowly begin to make changes in our lives now, we can still have a prosperous tomorrow despite climate change and the devastation man has done to the world today. We all need to learn to live in harmony with nature and the world will be such a better place to live.

Sue Whiting and I at the book launch of Pearly and Pig and the Lost City of Mu Savan.

Cate Whittle and I at the book launch for Starberries and Kee.

Watching

In the evenings I enjoy taking a hot cup of tea, (my tea of choice in the evenings is a chamomile and spearmint) upstairs to our big TV, snuggling under a fluffy blanket while relaxing with my feet up and watching the latest movie or series releases usually on Netflix or Amazon. ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ with George Clooney and Julia Roberts was a lot of fun. Knowing this was filmed in the middle of the pandemic, it tickled my heart to watch the way they transformed parts of Queensland to make it look like they were actually in Bali where the film was set. It’s a light-hearted fun movie that everyone can enjoy..

Somehow I managed to stumble across a great movie on Amazon titled ‘A Walk in the Woods,’ with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. Have you ever seen it? Based on the novel by Bill Bryson, the two old men plan to try to walk the entire distance of the Appalachian Trail. Filled with lots of hysterical one-liners it’s a joyous journey of discovery and friendship. This is a must watch if you love hiking yourself and love being out in nature like I do.

The series I just finished was season 16 of Heartland. I had been wondering if Netflix would ever show another season here in Australia. When it dropped onto our screens a couple of weeks ago, I must admit I couldn’t help myself but binge watch it. I love everything about this series, the scenery is spectacular, the horses are fabulous and after so many seasons the characters are all so familiar and endearing.

From a writer’s perspective, I just finished watching (or doing) a two week course on Rewriting Fiction. It was incredibly insightful, inspirational and motivational. If you ever struggle with copy or structural editing this course will clarify and enlighten you, making the process that much more doable. Thanks so much to the amazing Jen Storer for putting this course together.

Loving

As winter knocks at our door, we do still experience the occasional warmth of sunny Autumn days that invite you to head outside to walk and explore. I’m loving the opportunity this is giving me to walk further as it’s not too hot. I definitely cope better in cooler climates when it comes to walking in nature, climbing hills and exploring the mountains around us. Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s nearly 18 months ago, has seen me embark on a fitness routine that now has me walking on average 5km (3 miles) most mornings. Living on top of a hill, there is nowhere flat to walk around here, so I have embraced the challenge and enjoy setting my pace to continually improve my personal best. I am now down to walking the loop through our nature reserve and back up the hill in just under an hour. I did it in 50 mins the other day, but I don’t think I will be repeating that any time soon, I was wrecked when I made it home. Luckily my family is encouraging too, and I take the opportunity to head out for walks with my family in the National Parks that are close by. I love walking the trails, listening to the wildlife, spotting the odd kangaroo and reaching peaks where I can see forever.

The climb up Mt Taylor is a massive effort, but the views are worth every last out of breath step.

The path up the hill takes you passed many beautiful gum trees.

Anticipating

From a writing perspective I am anticipating the end of my latest Adamson Adventure. I had originally planned to finish the first draft by the end of April, but I had forgotten about the family commitments that would make that an impossible task. Now May has come and gone and I’m not much further to reaching my goal. I’m now setting a more realistic goal of having the draft finished by the end of July. I hope giving myself two months to complete the story will make it a more realistic possibility. Then it will be time for editing during the rewrite phase. I had anticipated that this book would be complete and ready for release by Christmas, but I fear it may be more likely sometime early in the New Year. The working title has changed frequently, but I think I have finally settled on the right one. You’ll just have to be kept in suspense a little longer.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have stayed warm with a nice hot beverage of choice while reading this. How do you prefer to survive the long cold winter months? Many friends here tend to plan holiday escapes further north. What might be on your reading or to watch list to help keep those winter chills at bay? If, like my friends on the other side of the world you are experiencing hotter days than me, how do you plan to spend your Summer?

Below are my friends suggestions to help you with a few ideas.

Julie Gorges

Rosie Russel