A Writer's Pilgrimage

5 Incredible Locations, 5 Amazing Authors.

As someone who loves to read and write and is an advocate for literacy, it’s only natural that when we were on holidays recently, that I would seek out the locations where some of my favourite authors have written their children’s books.

Beatrix Potter

Everyone know this famous writer and illustrator of the most gorgeous picture books with the most absolutely adorable little bunnies and friends as characters. My childhood was filled with her stories as were my children’s and grandchildren’s and I’m sure yours too. While staying in the Lakes District of England it was a definite must that I visited her cosy cottage.

Just a bit of a walk up the hill from the quaint little village of Hawkeshead lies Beatrix Potter’s 17th Century cottage called Hill Top. It was bequeathed to the National Trust along with 4,000 acres and 15 farms when she died in 1943. While the National Trust walks through many of the acres are all free and well maintained trails, there is an entry fee to the cottage, but for fans of Pater Rabbit, it is so worth paying to visit.

Mr McGregor’s vegetable garden is smaller than I expected, but it was wonderful to see it well kept with tools and a watering can left laying around as if Beatrix Potter or Mr McGregor were still there. Inside, as you wander around each little room, there are books open to pages where you can see the scenes that she drew from different perspectives in the house. In one of the rooms upstairs you can try on several hats just like the Puddle-Ducks did in the Tale of Tom Kitten. To my surprise and delight there is also a manuscript draft that you are invited to turn the pages of and look through.

While Beatrix Potter did not actually live in this cottage, her home was another farm across the road that is not open to the public, she did spend many days here finding inspiration and writing. For avid readers of her beautiful tales, this is a must visit place on my tourist list. Bookings are essential as they try to limit the number of people going through at one time.

William Wordsworth

Still in the Lakes District, in Grasmere, the town where we stayed, you will find the William Wordsworth Hotel, the churchyard where he is buried and Dove cottage where he lived with his family from 1799 to 1808. It is said that it is here among the rolling hills around Grasmere that he found most of his inspiration for writing his poetry. Up towards the back of his gardens is a sheltered seated area where he could look out across the valley to the lake and the hills beyond. Sadly there are a few buildings now blocking part of the view, but you can still get an idea of the gorgeous scene that he could see. Wordsworth and his sister walked around the area for miles daily. I certainly took the opportunity to do several beautiful walks myself.

One of his most famous poems is The Daffodils or I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. Here are the first few lines -

I wandered lonely as a cloud

that floats on high o’ver vale and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd

A host, of golden daffodils.

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

As you sit overlooking Dove Cottage or wander the hills of Grasmere, it is certainly evident how inspired he was to write this poem. As luck would have it, we were there in early Spring when the daffodils were in bloom everywhere, adding to the ambiance and atmosphere.

Inside his cottage is set-up just as Wordsworth left it. You can imagine him writing at the table by the warmth of the fire with his young children playing at his feet. On the property is also a museum where you learn more about this fascinating man and his love for nature. Wordsworth was so forward thinking for his time that not only did he write a guide to the Lakes District for visitors and hikers, he also encouraged the area to become National Property, which later inspired the establishment of the National trust and National Parks. There is also a fee to enter Dove Cottage and the museum, bookings are essential.

J.K. Rowling

On arriving in Edinburgh, one of the first places I wanted to visit was the Elephant Café, known as the place where Jo Rowling penned the first drafts of the Harry Potter books. These books inspired a new generation to read, a generation that included my own three boys. Can you imagine my disappointment when the concierge at our hotel said that the café had burnt down a year ago. We decided to at least take a walk and find the street where it had once stood. To my surprise and delight there was a note on the door that gave directions to the new location where the café had moved to after the fire. It was only a short walk around the corner into the street that is said to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley. I had wanted to see this street anyway, so it was a bonus to find the Elephant Café now set-up right in the middle of tone side of the street.

As we entered the building and climbed the stairs I was excited and overjoyed. It felt like entering into the world of witchcraft and Harry Potter. We sat at a table by a window that overlooked the incredible scenes of the street below. I found it intoxicating and exhilarating to be there. We sipped on peppermint tea and nibbled delicious mouth-watering shortbread and soaked in the atmosphere.

Memorabilia of J.K. Rowling and her time there was everywhere on the old stone walls and heavy thick timber rafters and window frames. I could image this resembling The Three Broomsticks Inn in Hogsmeade, the village near Hogwarts.

JK Rowling’s writing desk in the original building looked out a window to the view of Edinburgh Castle just a little way up the hill. There is no such window in the new café, instead there is a framed window with the image of the castle just as she would have seen it. While this is obviously an image, it still gives the appearance and feel for what it would have been like to sit there and ponder the drafts while filling her mind with imagination. I was thrilled to be able to write a note in the book placed on the table, maybe one day, JK will read my message.

Hans Christian Anderson

I grew up with the fairy tales of this Danish children’s author. Some of my favourites were, Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Princess and the Pea, just to name a few.

On arrival in Copenhagen, Denmark, it was wonderful to come across a tall bronze statue of this famous author from my childhood. He is seated wearing a suit and top hat and holds a cane in one hand and a book in the other. We had caught the train into town from Aarhus where my nephew lives, as he was taking us on a walking tour of the city and a visit to the National Museum. I had not given any thought to finding this statue, so when we stumbled across it, I was delighted.

I had hoped however, to see the statue of the Little Mermaid. My nephew was not so keen, he believed it was too touristy and impossible to get a good photo because of all the crowds So I had to be content with a glimpse from the boat while on a river cruise.

He did take us for a walk along the beautiful and colourful canal, and showed me where H.C Anderson had lived. I took a photo of the plaque on the wall and sat on the steps at the front door where he had stepped so many times. The house is in private ownership, so there was no going inside to explore.

Kenneth Grahame

On our return to London, we stayed a few days with Hubby’s cousin. He just so happens to live just around the corner from the woodlands of Bisham near the picturesque village of Cookham Dean with it’s beautiful views over the Thames Valley and river. Kenneth Grahame spent his childhood exploring and playing in these woods and returned as an adult to write the magnificent and memorable Wind in the Willows.

As we roamed the many twisting trails we played spot the squirrel and I could image Toad, Mole, Badger, Ratty and the weasels chasing each other through the long grasses, purple flowering fields and climbing the trees.

Like Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, I think many people would have fond memories of reading Wind in the Willows during their childhood. I certainly do and loved my afternoon breathing in the fresh country air and filling my mind with imagination.

My writer’s pilgrimage complete, I was ready to come home.

These are my 5 top picks for incredible places to visit about 5 amazing authors. I could have added Alnwick Castle in Northumbria, as it too was so much fun reliving Harry Potter scenes and making memories, but I think this post has been long enough.

If you could travel anywhere in the world to see where your favourite author wrote your favourite book, where would you go and why?

Travel and Adventure Go Hand in Hand.

It’s been a few months since I wrote my monthly blog post. Where have I been? I have been travelling, making memories, experiencing new environments and discovering adventures.

I love nature, and exploring the country is my happy place. This time I was not confined to Australia, as we travelled to the UK and parts of of Europe. It was an experience of a lifetime and inspiration for what I am sure will be at least one new adventure story, if not, a new series.

When we were last in Tasmania, we explored many wilderness areas on foot that culminated in my being able to write Tracks in the Mist, The Adamson Adventures 4. I can only imagine at the moment where my latest adventure will lead my writing.

Several places we visited stood out and are sure to be great resources for my creativity.

The Lakes District, England.

Four places here stood out and set my mind and senses tingling with ideas and possibilities.

Twice we walked around Gracemere Lake and the surrounding hills. We found moss covered dry stone walls, intricate and beautifully designed gates that lead into magnificent gardens that begged me to enter and explore. Sadly they were private, so the gates remained closed, but I did stop to take in the ambience and imagine where the beautiful stone winding path might lead as it wound through thick ferns and gardens, across a stone arched bridge with a babbling brook below and further beyond stone stairs that disappeared among the vibrant green hues of the flora. We followed Heritage Trust trails through meandering fields, along a crystal clear blue water’s edge of the lake and up into the splendour of the mountains. Trails climbed the hillsides rough and rocky at times. We jumped trickling streams and stopped to marvel at the view. Could this be the place where fairies flutter as they scatter and laugh wistfully in the gentle breeze? One trail eventually lead us to a cave. At the entrance it had large stepping-stones through freezing water, the depths of which I didn’t particularly want to fall into. Could this be the opening to a dragon’s lair?

My gloved hands touched cold standing stones in not one, but three stones circles. Only one of these was in the Lakes District, the other two were on the Orkney Islands. Each were however, in open wind swept fields and drizzling rain. Could they be time portals that lead to another dimension? I cannot say, but I did ask my hubby to follow me through just in case I suddenly disappeared.

Then there was the cascading waterfall, with torrents of water that gushed over the edge and roared as it fell to the river waiting below. I traversed many steps and crossed more stone bridges with both the descent and return ascent, all the while wondering what could have been lurking in the rushing water or hiding beneath an arched bridge.

Lastly, an old ruined castle and it’s enticing gardens. I followed a trail through tall trees that first opened to a magnificent view of the sweeping valley below with a little village almost hidden in the distance. Continuing along the track as gravel crunched underfoot I imagined a lost castle snuggled among the thicket of lush green.

Lucerne, Switzerland.

This old town was definitely enchanting as it sat encircling a river and beautiful blue bay. One of the oldest covered wooden bridges in Europe crossed the river in a long arc that invited visitors to traverse as they examined the medieval paintings that adorned its triangular support beams. High atop a hill snuggled behind the town was a magnificent white chateau that beckoned me to explore. This fairy tale castle had to be the home of fantasy and royalty. Timber stair cases with age worn steps climbed as they wound their way up though tall turrets that lead to secret chambers. Long corridors with huge thick timber doors opened into more mysterious rooms. Then hidden out the back beckoned a tall pine forest full of aroma that tingled the senses as I filled my lungs with fresh mountain pine filled air. After passing a massive pile of wood cuttings that instantly brought to mind an old woodcutter spending his days harvesting, I discovered smoke that wafted from a tiny timber cottage. Was it the home of the woodcutter or a witch stirring a cauldron with her latest magic brew? As we followed trails that lead further into the forest I imagined mischievous goblins and pixies that could be a problem to the unsuspecting traveller.

Who knows where these memories will lead my imagination just yet. There was so much atmosphere to soak up that I need a little time to take it all in and let it simmer in my mind. These above mentioned places are just the beginning. I’m sure a story will emerge, just like Tracks in the Mist did after visiting Tasmania. if you’re keen to read how that adventure turned out, or any of the others in the series, you can purchase a signed copy of the book Here.

What sort of adventure do you think I should write from my recent travel experience?

What would you like to see me write next?

Have you ever travelled and thought about turning it into an adventure story?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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.

Classroom clip art

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.

Baby boy wearing headphones classroom clip art

Classroom clip art child wearing headphones

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.

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 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?

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.

Book Fairs and Market Stalls, Are they worthwhile?

The short answer : Absolutely.

The long answer : That depends on your goals and what you hope to achieve.

Let’s look at the Pros and Cons.

Pros.

1. You sell books.

2. More people are able to read your books.

3. You gain exposure as an author.

4. More photos to post on your socials.

5. You get to catch up in person with other author friends.

6. You make new author friends.

7. You make connections within the industry.

8. You can learn from how other authors promote themselves.

9. It’s great to meet and chat with book lovers about your books.

10. Lots of books for you to purchase too.

Sharing a stall with a friend helps reduce costs and gives you fabulous company to share the experience with. I shared my stall with the amazing Jacqueline De Rose-Ahern .

The Book Fair meant a great opportunity to have dinner and catch-up with wonderful author friends.

Cons.

1. The cost of your stall can vary for the type of event, from next to nothing to quite expensive.

2. You have to weigh up in your mind whether the cost is worth it.

3. You may not sell enough books to cover your costs.

4. If the event is not in your home town, you have added costs of travel and accommodation.

5. It’s hard to know how many books to take. Not enough and you may sell out before the end of the event. Too many and you may bring most of them back home.

6. Books are heavy to transport.

This weekend I attended the inaugural Book Fair Australia in Sydney at Sydney Olympic Park. I don’t live in Sydney, so this meant travel and two nights accommodation. Did I find it worthwhile? Yes. While I sold enough books to cover the price of my stall, I certainly didn’t cover the cost of accommodation. Did that matter? No. It was a great weekend away and a wonderful experience. I enjoyed a great girls weekend away catching up with friends I hadn’t seen in years because of Covid. Spending time with your tribe is so important to your mental health. I enjoyed talking to people as they wandered passed our stall and selling books was an added bonus. Meeting other authors and publishers was a fantastic networking opportunity and seeing the quality of printed books first hand is always helpful for future reference.

I had the opportunity to read a segment of Fossil Frenzy to kids in the children’s corner. It was a small group, but that meant I was able to engage with them personally. Connecting with kids is what being a children’s author is all about.

On Sunday afternoon I even joined the panel discussion on Engaging Curious Minds in Kidlit. I was both surprised and delighted when I read I had been selected to join the panel. I admit I was also somewhat nervous about the idea. But that didn’t last long once the discussion began, I relaxed into it and actually can say I enjoyed it. It was another marvellous opportunity to engage with my reading audience and their gatekeepers, their parents and carers.

Will I return next year? I haven’t decided yet. I would like to, but I need to consider my options. Perhaps market stalls closer to home where I don’t have travel and accommodation costs are better. However, as James Bond once said, ‘never say never.’

Our Panel Presenter was most excited to learn that I had written a middle grade adventure set in Indonesia that incorporated some Bahasa Indonesia for kids to learn.

Our Panel Presenter asked some thought-provoking questions on Engaging Curious Minds in Kidlit.

Have you ever appeared at a Book Fair or done market stalls?

Did you find it worthwhile?

Would you do it again?

Please let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear your opinion.

What Makes A Successful School Visit?

I have been doing author school visits off an on for almost ten years now. Each time I do one, I learn something new that helps improve how smoothly they run.

School visits have been fairly scarce over the last couple of years due to Covid-19 restrictions, but just last month, I had the pleasure of finally being back in a school for a half day visit. This had been much anticipated as it had been postponed several times. The original year 3 cohort that I had been invited to speak with are now in year 5. Sadly I didn’t get to have a session with them, however I was delighted to have a visit with several of them during their recess break. It was lovely to chat with theses kids not only about one of my books but all three in the Adamson series and why they enjoyed them so much. One of the young girls was quite articulate and explained that she believed they were so good because the plots were full of twists and turns and they had great character development. I thought that was great insight and high praise from an 11 year old reader.

So what have I learned that helps make school visits successful?

Plenty of Planning and Preparation.

As a former teacher I have always made sure I take the time to plan the lesson. But not all children’s authors have a teaching background. That makes it all the more important to carefully plan your day. Kids naturally can’t sit still for too long, which makes it even more important to be as engaging as you possibly can. If you do your prep, the more likely the session will run smoothly for you, the kids and the teachers.

Send a poster announcing your upcoming visit so that the kids will get excited. Send in a pre-order form with your website listed so that kids and their parents can view your books beforehand and make an informed decision.

If you are planning on a slide-show presentation, forward it via email or google docs to the teacher so that they have it on file on their computer. Also, make sure you have a thumb drive back-up just in case. I have also been known to have a printed copy just in case the techy stuff goes wrong on the day.

Author School visit St Claire of Assisi

Author visit St Claire of Assisi

Organisation and liaison with the school and teacher.

Keep an open correspondence with both the organising teacher and if possible the school administration officer. Ask the teacher what they might be hoping to gain out of the visit? Is there something they would like you to discuss that fits into the current curriculum guidelines that they are working on?

This recent visit was with a Year 2 cohort who are studying Indonesian, so the teacher was reading Secrets Hidden Below with them. I was able to give them more in-depth information on Bali along with photos I took during my last visit to Indonesia in 2019. I naturally incorporated some Bahasa Indonesia language learning as well.

At a visit to a school last year where I was asked to do sessions which each year level, K through 6, I was asked to incorporate writing activities that fitted in with core curriculum literacy skills. I was able to incorporate all my books instead of focussing on just one.

My biggest takeaway from this most recent experience was the importance of the admin officer, particularly if you plan to send a book order form in before the visit. It was this wonderful lady that suggested I add my bank transfer details to my order form so that parents could transfer electronically their payment directly to my account rather than the school and myself on the day needing to handle cash. This worked brilliantly as I then had an idea of the number of books I would need to take along with me on the day. Added to this, this amazing woman went above and beyond expectations and sent me a spreadsheet with children’s names. whether they paid via bank transfer or cash and which books they ordered. This meant I could pre-sign copies of my books and easily have them ready to hand out on the day.

Variation in activities during the session.

As mentioned earlier, variation is key to a successful school visit. Never plan to just talk for an hour or just read your book and leave it at that. Kids and teachers expect more, especially when they are paying you for your time. You are there to entertain, enlighten and engage. While activity sheets are always useful, I find kids get so much more out of a session if you get them moving. Games are fantastic for ice-breakers, those moments when kids begin to get restless or fidget in the middle and are a fabulous way to wrap up at thee end.

For this recent visit with the Indonesian classes I found a couple of Indonesian games to teach and play with them. Then added a Heads and Tails game near the end. It’s like true and false but sit with hands on heads if they think the answer is true, or stand up and put their hands on their tales if they think the answer is false. Kids have a lot of fun with this one, and you and the teacher can see who has been truly listening.

When I have done visits with Fossil Frenzy, I have also added a couple of dinosaur songs for the kids to learn and sing-a-long. Doesn’t matter if you can’t hold a tune, I certainly can’t, just be brave a go with the flow.

Author Visit Chapman PS, engage kids through movement and games

Author visit Chapman PS engage through movement and games

Make sure you allow time for Q & A somewhere towards the end, kids will ask the most incredible questions. Sometimes about your books, sometimes about you, be prepared for anything but remember you don’t have to answer everything, especially when someone asks the inevitable ‘How old are you?’

Lastly, remember to relax and have fun. Kids are always fascinated to have an author come and visit their school, they will be so excited to meet you.

Have you ever done author school visits?

Was there something you learned from your experience that I haven’t mentioned but others would find helpful?

Is there anything you still want to know that you didn’t find here?

Ask me any questions or leave a comment below. I would be happy to answer.

What I Have Learnt As A Writer That Can Also Help you.

If there is one thing I have learned over all the years I have been writing, it is as Aristotle is famous for saying - ‘The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.’

A quote from Aristotle that is apt in all that we learn. Thanks to azquotes for this image.

I admit I have gained some worthwhile knowledge in my writerly journey but there is always so much more out there to learn and share. Here are a few tips that I now know and wish I new earlier.

When writing a blog post, make it helpful to the reader.

Mix it up a little.

Write posts that will help readers gain information. They will be more interested to read further if you assist in their learning about something of their interest. Pique interest with anecdotes about yourself but don’t make it all about you. Even in my earliest blogs I wrote about topics to help others.

In one of my original blogs back in 2013 I wrote about the Classic Middle Child Syndrome

While it was an attempt to discuss the characters in my first self-published book Gingerbread Aliens, it was also a way of helping my readers understand the differences of each sibling in their family and the importance of treating each sibling as unique individuals.

The next post was also an attempt to help families with a light-hearted look at our neighbours and how to live in a community together without living in each others pockets. Curiosity Killed the Cat

Looking back on these, I realised I started off my blog writing journey in the right manner, but somehow lost my way for a while and forgot this important message. Today I now know the importance of making sure I am focussed on my reader. If I were to write these now, I would have written them slightly differently. I should have used my characters as examples to make my point after my discussion, not the other way around.

Gingerbreadaliens can be found here

Dot points/Headers and links.

Readers like to scroll.

Remember your reader is often time poor and will only glance at your post. You need to give them a reason to pause and read further. Dot points and headers draw attention to the point you are making.

Embedded links are important for your SEO. They provide pathways to help reach a larger audience.

You can see in the two above early blog posts that I neglected to do either of these.

Photos/Images.

Images whether they are your own or found online are another way to help your reader pause and consider what you have to say. Add links to the original source if it doesn’t belong to you and make sure it isn’t copyright bound.

Publishing Takes Time.

While Gingerbread Aliens was the first book I self-published, it was not the first story I wrote.

I remember my first ever piece I had published was a poem I wrote when I was sixteen. It won a state-wide writing competition and was published in a magazine. I was so proud of that piece, yet after all of these years I have no record of it. I do not have the original hand written poem, nor do I have a copy of the magazine publication. I have written to NSW RSL in hope that they may have had it archived, but had no luck in receiving a response. My advice here, is to always keep a copy of your writing, you never know when you might want to revisit it.

A Good Story Needs to Percolate.

It can take a long time from original idea to publication.

When I first wrote Secrets Hidden Below it began with a different title, - ‘The Map, the Cave and the Volcano.’ At that stage I thought it was ready for publication and even found some interest with publishers. Sadly it didn’t make it through acquisitions , which was probably a good thing as I eventually made many improvements to the original story. Not knowing anything about self-publishing back then, I had a handful printed through Officeworks and gave copies to my family members. I am glad that is all I did , as I allowed it to sit in a drawer for years while I learnt more about the craft of writing and eventually produced a story that was traditionally published and won a shortlisted award in the Australian Speech Pathology Awards 2019. My patience, persistence and commitment paid off in the end.

Don’t rush your story, allow it to take time to germinate properly, edit and rewrite until you can make it the best story you can. Then have a professional editor help you. Never be afraid to ask for help and be prepared to listen to advice.

A copy of my original story, “The Map, The Cave and The Volcano.’ that finally became Secrets Hidden Below

You can find more information about Secrets Hidden Below here.

I am sure there is so much more I could share, but another thing I have learned is not to make my blog posts too long.

I hope you have found this not only interesting, but helpful too.

What is one particular thing that stands out to you that you have learnt over the years. Please comment below.

To read more about what some other authors have learnt since their early days writing, please click on the links below.

3 Ways Writing Made Me a Better Person by Julie Gorges

What I've Learned as a Writer by Rosie Russell