The Dinosaur Romp through the Holiday Season Begins

As the end of the school year approaches and the Christmas holidays begin, you might be thinking about reading material that will keep your kids engaged, entertained and learning. Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3 makes the perfect gift for all readers who love dinosaurs, adventure, thrills and spills.

This year has been one of the most difficult years we have all ever experienced. Travel has been virtually non-existent and seeing family and friends, somewhat challenging. Reading is the perfect opportunity to share dreams of travel locations while restrictions still remain in place. A story like Fossil Frenzy will take the family on a thrilling adventure while staying safely in the comfort of your own home. By the time the family finishes reading the epic adventure your dinosaur fanatics will be planning their holiday to Winton in Queensland, the Age of Dinosaurs Museum and Lark Quarry, or perhaps a slightly easier road trip to visit the dinosaurs in Canberra at the National Dinosaur Museum.

Celebrating Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 at the National Dinosaur Museum

Young readers will develop a greater vocabulary and understanding of concepts they may not have previously considered. It will invite conversations around the dinner table on topics like climate change, sibling rivalry, resilience, survival, caring for animals and time-travel.

Fossil Frenzy was released at the beginning of November and is receiving much praise. It all started with a roaring big celebration and continued throughout the month and continues into December.

To say I have been overwhelmed with the reception Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures3 is receiving is an understatement.

I held a book launch here at home with a handful of friends while we recorded it live via my Author Facebook page. This was followed by a couple of games, pin the tail on the dinosaur and dinosaur hopscotch. We completed the celebrating with a morning tea that included dinosaur cookies and fossil cheese toasties.

If you haven’t seen the video and would like to watch it, the link is here - https://www.facebook.com/GingerbreadAliens/videos/1062373037568241

Since then, I have had fun visiting books shops around Canberra who have been eager to stock copies. It was a real honour to have the National Library of Australia Bookshop accept it, Book Face Gungahlin, and POP Canberra.

Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 in stock at the National Library of Australia

Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 in stock at POP Canberra

I was also fortunate to hold a small book signing at my local independent book shop, Paperchain Manuka, who I am very grateful to.

Book signing at Paperchain Bookstore, Manuka

The best and most exciting news was the reception both myself and the book received by the National Dinosaur Museum. I am so appreciative that not only are they stocking Fossil Frenzy, but asked to host a launch on 19th December at 11:00 am. It is going to be e very special day.

Fossil Frenzy now in stock and launching at the National Dinosaur Museum in time for Christmas 2020

The enthusiasm continues with a national book tour held on-line and hosted thanks to Romi Sharp of Books On Tour PR & Marketing. To see some of the roarsome reviews and interviews please see the following links.

Fossil Frenzy comes roaring onto the scene with its exciting mystery and Cretaceous fun facts! - Romi Sharp Check out the dino-mite videos Romi made - http://www.justkidslit.com/its-roarsome-to-meet-sandra-bennett-on-the-fossil-frenzy-tour/?fbclid=IwAR2AG0jM2ThbnzOu1vnstnrjfSAIiqRbCME9kaSqXcZeKpAYAGunLhVHsaQ

A fun and riveting read for younger readers. - Ashiegh Meikle For her full review see here - https://ashleighmeikle.com.au/2020/11/25/fossil-frenzy-the-adamson-adventures-3-by-sandra-bennett/?fbclid=IwAR2ezFDVj7PYHcOwxL7zEhgZoXBTU13XVwyQA99w-BZAn_GyY6MU2GnY4-0

Interview by the amazing Robert Vescio https://www.robertvescio.com/blog/present-and-past-collide-in-fossil-frenzy-with-sandra-bennett?fbclid=IwAR1um1IQXNDmPybCNc53LAX-70T2ydW0MVJmO4bvpmDOEuoF1JyyfI0hG2o

My Book Birthday Celebration with Michelle Worthington https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ERYNuOD2Q4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1C0A2nTj9h3lcTyZBZ3m0pU1hBCxwBEzucpjv4Y_Ng9M0u1RTMzjlyuSY&ab_channel=MichelleWor

My interview with Megan Higginson as her first guest on Megan Meets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLzUBAxrKbI&ab_channel=MeganHigginson&fbclid=IwAR0AOP9d8GSEMVvbWtHYwnoFT0gzF9vIk4IA1p87bKxeCmop8eKjMd7P2Qc

Are you fascinated by dinosaurs? Which dinosaur is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

You will find many strange and unique dinosaurs buried within the pages of Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3. There’s still time to grab a copy before Christmas or as a roarsome fun read over the Summer holidays.

We Drove A Sunburnt Country Part Three

Three days and 2068 km after saying goodbye to Darwin we finally reached Winton, dinosaur capitol of central out back Queensland. It had been three days of dry hot flat desert and I was keen to reach the museum first thing in the morning. Twenty minutes out of town we reached the turn off, an unsealed road not really suitable for our car. Now I admit that when one is travelling in the outback you really should be in a four wheel drive as we had learnt previously with our unexpected flat tyre, but we had come this far, I was not going to let this minor obstacle make me miss out on something I had anticipated for many years. We agreed to continue on, slowly and carefully, four wheel drives overtook us, billowing up great gusts of dust in their wake as they rushed to reach the museum to start work for the day. The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum did not disappoint! We booked into both tours. Firstly the tour of the working laboratory which is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Here we were told, believe it or not, that they only go out on digs for three weeks a year. They find and collect so many bones that they now have a backlog collection to clean up and classify that will take at least ten years to work through! They now house the worlds largest collection of dinosaur bones and we were able to walk passed most of them! Throughout the tour the guide gives a wonderful and thorough explanation of how the first bone was discovered, plus the reasons behind why the area is prolific with dinosaur bones and why it was so important to build the working museum on the site. You are even given time to watch them clean debris from bone fragments.

During the second tour we were able to watch a film explaining the topography and changes in geology of the area from the dinosaur era to today. We were shown fragments of bones found in the area of the two main dinosaurs, Banjo and Matilda, that put Winton on the map and made fossil hunting so significant to Australian scientists. Research into these amazing creatures continues to fascinate adults and children to this day and at this facility everyone can come together to share their passion.

The museum stands atop a rocky plateau that overlooks the dry open plains where all the dinosaurs are dug up among the farmers cattle stations. Hard to believe that 65 million years ago this was once a lush rainforest and swampland. The view however, is spectacular.

Next stop was Longreach. A fabulous old country town and one not to be missed. Plenty of character and charm and of course the Stockman's Hall of Fame. An amazing museum in itself, too big to go into great detail here. Suffice to say if you ever want to know anything about the outback way of life, from stockmen, pioneers, shearers, pilots, teachers, miners, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, it's all here. Plan to spend hours meandering through the galleries as there is so much to look at and learn. My favourite part of the exhibition would have to have been the swagman that came to life to tell a bush story of life in the saddle. His facial expressions were magnificent.

While in Longreach you can also visit the School of the Air. Our son assumed I meant a school to learn to fly. I didn't realise I had never taught him about this important place in Australian history. The school of the air teaches school by radio to children all over the outback that are isolated and cannot reach a school classroom. Unique and iconic in its day it is now taught through Skype. There is also the museum for the Queensland And Northern Territory Air Service, yes QANTAS was born here.

The drive from Longreach to Bourke the next day was a long one. Broken by capturing the odd shot of an emu or two that ran along the side of the road at sunset. One last day on the road and we finally drove through meandering country roads that rose through the mountains until we felt like we had reached home. Somewhat green rolling hills and rising eucalypts bent to greet us and present a little cool shade. As we turned off the highway and rolled through our valley kangaroos stopped grazing on the side of the road and stood to gaze in the window of our car. I gave a huge sigh, home at last!

We had driven nearly 4,000 km in 6 days. Seen some amazing sights. My conclusion, Australia really is a harsh dry wide brown land but I love her.