When Life Gives You Lemons....

Have you heard of that saying?

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade..

What does it mean to you?

I interpret it as, when circumstances change or don’t work out as planned, look for the positive things in life that happen instead.

This is one of those times. This post isn’t quite the one I had planned. I had so much happening this month that I was looking forward to sharing with you, but then life sent a curve ball or is that a bunch of lemons fallen from the tree, and plunged us back into lockdown. All my exciting upcoming events were suddenly cancelled. I am keeping my fingers crossed that when we reach the other side of this, everything will be rescheduled, but it’s not looking good for school visits.

So what are the positives that have arisen this month?

I did manage one school visit before lockdown. It was a fabulous day, full of exuberance and enthusiasm from year 6 students first thing in the morning right down to Kinders at the end of the day and all year levels in between. The school had asked me to run writing workshops instead of an author talk and book reading. At first I was unsure how I would tackle this, given each group numbered 80 plus students sitting on the floor in the school hall. So I mixed things up with a bit of inspiration, a dash of motivation and a sprinkling of humour. I had kids moving and laughing with a fun activity and they all left with fabulous ideas, plans and strategies to start writing great stories. I even received this roarsome testimonial from one of the teachers.

We had great pleasure having Sandra Bennett in our classrooms. The students thoroughly enjoyed meeting a local award-winning author and her authentic approach led students to ask all sorts of questions about the writing process and her experience as a writer. We have school visits from sporting heroes so why not writing heroes? Sandra Bennett gave our students a dinosaur writing challenge in which they eagerly participated. It was affirming for us as teachers of writing to have an author validate our practices and who knows, she may have even inspired a future great author in our very own classrooms.

Libby Emerson – Chapman Primary School

Author visit and writing workshop.

Fun learning activities that engaged and inspired.

So what lemonade have I made during lockdown?

It gave me time to make my video of reading my story ‘Jack and the Seven Giants,’ for the launch of this year’s Anthology Angel’s Once Upon A Whoops! Fractured Fairy Tales and Ridiculous Rhymes. The anthology is released on 1st September. You can watch all the fabulous authors reading parts of their stories on Anthology Angels Youtube Story Time The link for mine is below. I find making a video terribly time consuming. I am way too self-conscious and make so many stuff-ups! I needed a good cup of tea to relax before I was finished. The anthology is now available through Amazon and all proceeds from the sale of the book go towards the incredible Life’s Little Treasures Foundation who support families in their time of need when their babies are born too early. Update: Thanks to the incredible support of so many wonderful people, the book has already become a number 1 Amazon Best Seller on it’s first day of release.

This month I was also accepted to have the honour of becoming an Ambassador for Australia Reads. Promoting a love of reading in children has always been a passion of mine, so to be able to be included as an ambassador is unbelievably special to me. We were asked to give a quote about reading which you can see below, and yes, make another dreaded video. This one was a little easier as it only lasted 60 seconds, still took me over an hour to get it right. Just as well I have plenty of time on my hands. You will be able to see the video on my author Facebook page once Australia Reads have posted it later in September.

By now you know the lemon that life gave me when my publisher of the Adamson Adventures closed before book 3 Fossil Frenzy could be published. You also know I stepped up and made my own lemonade by successfully publishing the book myself and it has seen the best results yet. What you probably don’t know, is that I had trouble finding a national distributor. Lockdown gave me the proverbial kick I needed to pursue this. I finally contacted the distributor who had the contract for the first two books. My emails had not been getting through but disappearing into the ether somewhere. A phone call made all the difference. They were most apologetic and have agreed to promote and distribute Fossil Frenzy. I am so grateful that this dino-mite adventure will now be able to reach so many more readers around Australia.

Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3

The Adamson Adventures, books 1, 2 & 3.

I have so much more exciting things in the works, but for now, they will stay my little secret as I hope they still come to fruition. In the meantime, I am still writing and submitting, who knows, maybe one day I will have another elusive contract. The Adamson Adventures book 4 is in the works too. Life’s lemons dumped a full bag on me here. I spent a whole day looking for my notes I had made for this book, but came up empty handed. The lemonade - I started researching, plotting and planning all over again, maybe I will solve all the plot holes and come up with an even better story.

So what about you? Are you back in lockdown too?

What lemonade have you been making? Please let me know in the comments below.

Contemplation or Procrastination

Do you feel you are taking too long contemplating your next project? Or is it a case of procrastination?

Let’s consider the difference between the two. I believe it may be a fine line.

Contemplation - is the action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time.

Procrastination - is the act of delaying or postponing something.

The trick is not taking too long on contemplation so that it doesn’t turn into procrastination. While you are spending all that time thinking about your next project, are you actually putting it off? Creativity takes time, it doesn’t answer to a clock, you can’t schedule when you get a good idea, but you can over plan. There comes a point where you need to do the work.

We all need time to contemplate, a chance to brainstorm sparkly new ideas and think about where they might lead. Plot developments and structure don’t happen overnight, they need to marinate in our brain for a while to see if they are worth pursuing. It’s when we start avoiding the writing/editing by doing everything else, housework, ironing, scrolling the socials, that this contemplation becomes procrastination.

I feel like I’ve been at a bit of a crossroads lately, struggling with where to turn next. I have always been proud of being able to multi-task and have several projects on the go at once, but is that contemplating the possibilities or simple procrastination, avoiding making decisions?

Since my last project was completed, I keep playing with lots of sparkly new ideas but not making any headway. I wonder if it’s because I am so comfortable with my Adamson characters that I am not ready to let them go and move onto something new? Zac, Clare and Luke have become like my own children. I know them so well, yet like any parent, I am pleasantly surprised when they do or say something unexpected. I’m not sure I am ready to let them fly out the door forever.

In recent weeks, Fossil Frenzy, has won Finalist in the International Book Awards 2021, Children’s Fiction Category. I feel honoured and proud to have received this amazing recognition for my third Adamson Adventure, so should I continue the series? Or call it the end and start a fresh new adventure? I have the basic plot rummaging in my head, but not put pen to paper as I can’t make that final decision. It could easily be book 4, or should I change things up, develop a set of new characters for a brand new adventure? This option would free me up to submit to publishers, continuing the Adamson Adventures would mean continuing on my own.

With the opportunity to do more online writing courses through Zoom since covid, I also think I am procrastinating through learning overload. There is an old saying, that the more you learn, the more you realise, the less you know. That may be my problem, I am beginning to doubt whether anything I write is good enough. My inner critic has raised her stubborn head.

I’ve also been working on a couple of picture book manuscripts. I gave draft 7 or 8 ( or is that 12?) of one of them to my critique group and sent it to a few writer friends for review. I still couldn’t reach a decision whether it was good enough, so paid for a manuscript assessment. One of my friends said I was ‘overthinking it.’ She was right, and the manuscript assessment was probably the best decision I have made in months, it gave me the kick up the pants I needed to move forward and begin to submit the picture book to two publishers, one more to go.

Then there is the picture book I have planned to self-publish for a few years. I have all the illustrations complete and promised the illustrator that I would publish it this year. So what is holding me back? I adore the illustrations, but that inner critic of mine isn’t so sure that the text is perfect and ready to go out into the world. Penelope the Playful Platypus is a beautiful story and I even have it listed as ‘coming soon’ on my Books page. Perhaps it’s time to stop the procrastination, move forward, do the work and see this project to completion.

Maybe it’s a case of too many sparkly ideas. Perhaps it’s time to concentrate on one project at a time. Change routines, stop social scrolling and enrolling in writing masterclasses. Stop agreeing to do things for fear of missing out. Set goals and forge ahead.

How about you? Are you stuck in procrastination? Do you have too many sparkly ideas rummaging in your head? How do you solve the problem?

In Celebration of Dinosaurs

June 1st was International Dinosaur Day! Woohoo!

So in honour of dinosaurs and lovers of dinosaurs, let’s talk about those roarsome curious creatures.

Kids of all ages love dinosaurs. We all have our favourites from our childhood. Which one was yours? Here are a few to jog your memory. Have I missed anyone?

1. Dorothy the Dinosaur from the Wiggles

2. Barney from Barney and Friends

3. Little-foot from The Land Before Time

4. Rex frim We’re Back a Dinosaur Story

5. Rex from Toy Story

6. Earl Sinclair from Dinosaurs series

From an early age kids are naturally drawn to dinosaurs . By the time they are learning to talk they can name all the different types. By three years old they can even pronounce some of the trickiest ones that as an adult we stumble over. My three year old grandson can name most dinosaurs. Although I admit I have taught him to say ‘longneckasaurus,’ instead of Brontosaurus, Brachiosaurus or Apatosaurus. I figured there are so many different sauropods, it was easier to lump them all together in one group at this stage. He can learn each of the different names as he grows.

Brontosaurus

Brachiosaurus

Apatosaurus

Both my grandsons even have dinosaur pyjamas, and that gorgeous three year old mentioned above, even has a ‘dinosaur bed.’ His sheets and doona are covered in dinosaurs.

Many children continue to be intrigued by dinosaurs well into their childhood. Just this last month I did a book reading at the Clarke Earth Sciences Museum located in the University Western Australia, for kids from the Children’s University WA aged 7-10 years. One keen young reader said his favourite dinosaur was a Mosasaurus, an aquatic dinosaur. He was so excited when the curator of the museum, palaeontologist Dr Kailah Thorn subsequently produced a fossil fragment of a Mosasaurus for him to see and touch.

Reading and chatting about dinosaurs with Dr Kailah Thorn at the Clarke Earth Sciences Museum UWA

Having fun reading to the kids from the Children’s University at the Clarke Earth Sciences Museum UWA.

By now you probably know that I still have a fascination with dinosaurs, which is why I wrote Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3. I not only wanted to write another fun adventure, I wanted to take kids on a journey back in time and help them learn about the dino-mite creatures that have been discovered here in Australia.

Fossils can tell us a lot about dinosaurs, but they don’t tell us everything. That is a writer’s dream, as it leaves many options open for interpretation and the development of our imagination.

One of my favourite dinosaurs is the Demon Duck of Doom, also known as the Thunderbird or Bullockornis Planei. It is a flightless bird like the emu or cassowary and belongs to the Dromornithids family, sharing its ancestry with ducks and geese. To find out more about this dino-rrific dinosaur see my previous post

https://sandrabennettauthor.com/blog/2020/9/30/a-couple-of-curious-creatures

Knowing the fabulous vibrant colours on the head and neck of a cassowary, I decided I wanted to make my Demon Duck of Doom in Fossil Frenzy covered in bright feathers too.

The Cassowary is a flightless bird found in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Imagine a Demon Duck of Doom with these coloured feathers all over his body.

Fossils usually can’t tell us the colouring of the feathers on a dinosaur, even if a few feather fossils are found, they usually lack any pigmentation. Here is how I imagined and describe the Demon Duck of Doom when Zac, Clare and Luke first encounter it. -

“There were mottled hues of green that camouflaged into the rainforest all over the back., yet the head and front feathers were red and orange. The underbelly and legs were a deep purple combined with shades of blue. The beak and feet were yellow. It was quite a rainbow of colours.“ - Extract from Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3.

I have also added a short video clip of me reading an extract from Fossil Frenzy when Zac, Clare and Luke encounter the Demon Duck of Doom for the second time. Have a listen and tell me whether you think I made my Demon Duck of Doom a friend or foe?

Thanks for coming along on this journey back in time.

Now it’s your turn.

Don’t forget to let me know your favourite dinosaur in the comments below. It’s always fun to see.

Life is Full of Moments to Treasure

We have a big green shipping container out the back packed full of all sorts of stuff. When we moved out here to our property nearly fourteen years ago we planned to only have our things in storage for six months. Little did we know all these years later it would still be there, untouched like a time capsule.

Yesterday two of our sons and I finally opened that container to start cleaning it out. It brought me to consider the cliché, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Among the piles of boxes I discovered a treasure trove of so many wonderful memories from our boys childhood, (and other boxes full of junk that we easily chose to throw away). Mind you, so far after an afternoon of sorting, we have barely scratched the surface.

As we sorted boxes one by one, we laughed at the treasures and memories that each box uncovered. My middle son was never an enthusiastic reader as a child, but much to his delight we came across his treasured Deltora Quest book series. by Emily Rodda . These were one set of the few books I managed to get him to read back then. He was quick to say they were definitely keepers for when his son is old enough to read them too. They are now safely on my bookshelf to be treasured by the next generation.

Matt’s copies of Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda, now kept safely on my bookshelf.

To my surprise I also came across a couple of packets of old photos from the 90’s when my boys were little. They brought back wonderful treasured memories of son no 3’s christening, the 4th and seventh birthdays of my other two sons and life in general from those years. We talked about people in the photos, including my dad and uncle who are no longer with us, and the boys were amazed at how young their dad and I looked. Not only do I treasure these memories from the past, but I will treasure these moments of discovery together too. An afternoon that was meant to be a chore that we have put off for years was a fun and enjoyable experience.

This lead me to thinking about the other treasured moments from recent weeks. Celebrating my mum’s 80th birthday, the book reading of Fossil Frenzy at the Book Cow in Kingston and my invitation to the Gold Coast Film Festival that arose from the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable Competition. Meeting the incredibly talented international award winning children’s author Adam Wallace and the co-ordinators of Adaptable, Lori-Jay Ellis and Craig Couchi, will be special moments that I will always treasure.

Hubby and I had the opportunity to see a wonderful aunt one last time before she passed. As sad as that moment was, we will treasure the memory always. We will be forever grateful we had the chance to say goodbye.

While in Brisbane, we drove up to Mount Tamborine in the ranges behind the Gold Coast where we enjoyed several rainforest walks and I found an irresistible fairy tree house that I just had to bring home. The sheer delight on my grandson’s face when I turned on the fairy lights was a moment captured that I will treasure forever. My fairy bookshelf now also includes a wizard and dragon statue that we found among the treasures from the container.

I visited the Queensland Museum and also bought a dinosaur egg that when submerged in water for 24 -48 hours, hatches and continues to grow. Watching my little cherub grab my hand and pull me over to show me the longneckasaurus (as he calls it) that hatched was a moment of excitement that made all the tears and tantrums the day before all worth it. One thing I did learn, you can’t expect a 3 year old child to wait for delayed gratification! I do think he will treasure that dinosaur for some time to come.

While some of these things are material mementos that bring back memories, others are experiences that will we always treasure. This lead me to think about Secrets Hidden Below the Adamson Adventures 1. While the story evolves around a pirate treasure hunt through Bali, the true treasure that the three siblings come to value is each other and their family. As this book is now out of stock, I am proud to be able to announce it is now available as a print on demand book or ebook via Amazon. You can find the book Here

Yesterday was also my middle son’s 30th birthday and Mothers Day. It was full of wonderful moments to treasure, not all to do with that big old shipping container. Moments that are special to a family full of love, laughter and lots of cuddles. It is my sincerest wishes that you too, had a Mother's Day to remember.

What are some treasured moments that you might like to share in the comments below?

What Do You Write When You Have Nothing To Say?

Is it writer’s block?

Should you take a walk? Immerse yourself in nature? Listen to conversations in a coffee shop or park? Kids and animals can spark loads of ideas.

Struggling with writer’s block

Is it lack of motivation?

Sometimes you just need a little spark of imagination. Writing prompts can help here. Or asking what if questions. Make up a name and see where the character might lead you. Brainstorming can produce amazing results.

Spark of imagination

Perhaps it’s being too busy with other things?

There is always so many other things that need doing. Life can get in the way. Set aside time for yourself, whether it’s daily or weekly and don’t let shiny new things distract you, unless they are writing ideas.

Too busy to write

Lately I have been struggling with all the above.

I know I should be writing daily, and I do try to but sometimes life does get in the way, and that’s okay.

I have made an attempt to write a new picture book in the last few weeks. The idea was sparked by something my daughter-in-law said in attempt to stop my grandson from being frightened by a thunderstorm. I considered it for some weeks. Rested the idea while I completed a four week picture book writing course. Once the idea percolated for awhile, the problem, main characters and setting became clearer in my head. I woke one morning and was ready and able to write the first draft. I raced upstairs to my writing desk to put the words down on paper before I forgot them.

Thunder storms can be scary to little ones.

I’ve also been busy learning how to totally self publish on my own. This has been a huge learning curve and taken up a great deal of my time. My earlier books were all published through a self-publishing company. Fossil Frenzy was published through my own imprint, but I still had help with the graphic design, formatting, editing and printing. This time I needed to learn how to use Ingram Spark. My Adamson Adventures 1, Secrets Hidden Below is now out of stock and as my publisher no longer exists, I needed to learn how to reprint it myself, both in paperback and ebook. I thought it would be available again by now, and through Amazon etc, but I am still waiting approval from Ingram Spark. I have my fingers crossed that I did everything correctly.

Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures 1.

I have decided I let myself slip into too much FOMO as I continually sign up for writing courses and workshops. These are all wonderful opportunities but again, they too are distracting me from writing. By the time I listen and take notes on everything, I feel like I am constantly chasing my tail, forever trying to catch-up. It’s time to step back and learn to say no, I can’t do it all. I am not good at setting goals and planning weeks in advance, if I want to continue to write, I must set the time aside instead of trying to squeeze it in somewhere.

There’s always a Zoom session, Facebook live chat or writing workshop to learn something from.

From now on I will write to those weekly writing prompts in one of my writing groups. I managed one this week for the first time in months. It’s amazing how a prompt can get words flowing, the mind stimulated and the fingertips buzzing. It even motivated me to start thinking more about the Adamson Adventures 4. I am excited to start the writing process for this next adventure soon.

What do you do when you struggle to write?

How Do You Handle Publishers Rejections?

In the past two weeks many of my children’s author friends have faced the gut-wrenching feeling of yet another rejection from not one but two publishers. I too, received a rejection and am preparing myself for the next inevitable one.

So how do we deal with this painful reality?

1. We can kick and scream, feel absolutely defeated, and give up.

2. Or drink our sorrows with a glass of champagne and celebrate the success of exposing our manuscript to someone else’s opinion.

Celebrate your successes no matter how big or small.

The world is full of examples where a story has been rejected time and time again, only to finally find a publisher willing to take a chance on an unknown.

Allow yourself time to be upset, wallow in a bit of self misery, even get angry, but don’t give up. Keep re-writing, keep submitting. Your story will find a home.

I am the perfect example of all of the above. Twenty years ago, I thought I had done it. Two of my manuscripts reached acquisitions by two different publishers. I was ecstatic. Twelve months later the rejections dropped like a bombshell. I did the unthinkable. I gave up. I look back now and wonder what I might have achieved had I continued to edit and resend to other publishers.

Twelve years later, I began my journey into publication again. A teaching friend self-published her own book. Until then, I had no idea that this was even possible. Full of naivety and bravado, I set forth to do it too. It was a huge step and one I’m glad I made. It was through this endeavour I found like-minded people who were grappling with the same issues. I learnt a lot and shared just as much. I also continued to write and dived deep into writing workshops and social media writers groups.

Me with fellow children’s authors from SCBWI ACT and The Duck Pond at the CBCA Conference 2019.

For the first book I published, I used a self-publishing company. You know the ones, they take your money, promise you the world but give you nothing. These are vanity publishers and you want to run a mile in the opposite direction. They pay for editing, formatting, graphic design, even an illustrator. Their packages are expensive as they promise you marketing, distribution, sales and even royalties. Beware, they never deliver. I persisted with this particular company for four books, I never saw a cent in return for my investment.

So why did I continue to return to them?

1. I had no idea what I was doing.

2. I perceived they were helping by at least making my print book become a reality.

My four self-published books that helped get me started.

However, any money I made was through my own endeavours. My marketing, my social networks, school visits market stalls and word of mouth. In fact, even after 5 years these books are still selling. Emma the Eager Emu is in her second print and I am about to reprint Frazzled Freya as I found another market for her.

I am a bit of a slow learner, but I finally came to the conclusion that I had better options. I started sending out submissions to publishers again. Naturally the rejections started flowing in again, or often ‘crickets,’ nada, nothing but silence. This time was different, I had learnt a lot and didn’t let the rejections get me down. We move on, we grow, rewrite, edit and resubmit.

I joined a critique group and had manuscript assessments. These are both essential in your journey to improving your writing and a chance for that holy grail - finding a publisher.

Finally in 2018, I had a manuscript accepted and the Adamson Adventures was born. Yes, my publisher was new and small, but they sent me an advance payment, (which was so much nicer than paying out for a change.) They also found a distributor and my series was sold all around Australia. Again, much better than I could do on my own. They promoted and marketed my books, even found me school visits I couldn’t book myself. I started to be known in the industry. I was recognised as a published author and even enjoyed receiving royalty payments. My publisher entered my books into competitions, which was another learning curve for me, and Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures 1, was shortlisted in the Australian Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards 2019.

Sadly at the beginning of 2020, my independent publisher was forced to close. I entered the submission slush pile again. - More rejections. No publisher wanted to pick up a third book in a series. Then with book3, Fossil Frenzy, still in manuscript form, I won shortlisting in the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable - Book to Screen Competition 2020. After pitching to film producers, I was more determined than ever to see this book published.

Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures1, Shortlisted Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year 2019.

Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures3, Shortlisted Winner, Queensland Writers Centre Book to Screen Competition 2020.

So I did it myself. No self-publishing company to help this little duckie this time. I had the contacts. I had the editor, formatter and graphic designer all sorted myself. I learnt where to purchase my ISBN and contacted the printer. Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 was released under my own imprint in November 2020 and is receiving amazing reviews and recognition from children and my peers. I am marketing myself and it is selling well, in three months since publishing I have already recovered my costs. Now, I just need that distributor to come on board too.

The Adamson Adventures, books 1,2 & 3.

I’m still submitting to publishers, chasing the next contract. Finding an acceptance in my inbox would be wonderful, but I’m no longer getting hung up on disappointment. I celebrate the opportunities, and maintain a positive outlook on rejection. I have decided to become a hybrid. A little bit of both traditional and self-publishing can only be a good thing. I plan to publish another picture book soon under my own imprint. After all, you’ve got to be in it, to win it. Publishing is a long term game, nothing happens overnight, but it will happen.

All my books are available right here on my website. I am always happy to send signed copies. https://sandrabennettauthor.com/books

How do you handle those rejections?

Do you go it alone or seek help from others?

Please let me know in the comments below.

Multi-layering and Writing a Series

Last week while my Mum and sister were visiting, we indulged ourselves at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra for a scrumptious high tea. It was while I gazed at the variety of mouth-watering treats on each tier of the high tea stand, that I realised each tier was like the multiple layers in a story or series.

The largest layer at the base of the plate is usually savoury. It’s where most of us start our indulgence. So too with a story or series, this is where there must be the largest, savoury idea or theme to our story. In my Adamson Adventures throughout the series the savoury bit is the growth, resilience and co-operation of the three siblings. In Book 3, Fossil Frenzy, it is the desire to save the family farm from drought, which brings in the theme of climate change.

When we reach the second layer, we are beginning to enjoy all the sweet treats. In this scenario, the story becomes a time travelling mystery as the kids are transported back to the time when dinosaurs roamed Australia. We are entranced with the animals they encounter, the fast thrilling action and suspense.

By the time we reach the top delectable layer, we are so full from our experience, yet eager to continue. The top layer is so irresistible it is impossible to put the book down and we look forward to reading the next book in the series. This is the emotional level where we are truly invested in the characters, concerned for their well-being and willing them to succeed in their quest.

High Tea at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra

While each story stands alone in its own right, the series comes together with an over arching story arc, like the plate stand holding all the treats together. The characters grow with their concern for one another, each developing as they encounter every new adventure.

So, what makes a great series?

1.       Memorable characters that you come to love and want to learn more about. They grow and evolve with you as they learn from their many mistakes, successes and incredible adventures. Harry, Ron and Hermione age from 11 to 17 years throughout all the Harry Potter books. This means you can grow right along-side them as you read the series. The characters feel more like good friends than mere characters in a story. In my Adamson Adventures, Zac, Clare and Luke all grow and learn as the story arc builds from one book to the next. In book 1, Secrets Hidden Below, Zac believes he must be in charge and take care of his younger siblings. He feels responsible for much of the danger they find themselves in. By book 3, Fossil Frenzy he realises that he can’t do it all alone and each must share responsibility for their actions. Clare begins quite shy and frightened, but by the third book she is no longer intimidated, she is much stronger and willing to speak her voice. Even the mischievous Luke, gradually learns to slow down and not rush into wherever danger lurks.

My set of Harry Potter books, the last one seems to be missing.

2.       Intriguing settings that you may or may not be familiar with until you read the story. A great setting if described well will lure you into the world of your characters. Narnia is a fantasy world of ice and snow, evil Queens and lots of Turkish delight. The setting transports the reader to a place vastly different from their own. We become comfortable with the fantasy world and enjoy being lost in it every time we read the next book in the series. So too, I transport readers into settings they may not have experienced and take them on a journey of suspense with details in the description of the scenes as seen through the point of view of the main character. A series may have a different setting in each book to add another dimension to your story. If you have ever been lucky to holiday in Bali, Secrets Hidden Below will take you back to the fragrant incense, and salty humid air that you also experienced. A Lighthouse in Time will transport you to the familiar beach holiday scenes that most of us have enjoyed at one time or another and Fossil Frenzy will take you on a thrilling journey through drought-stricken outback Queensland and a rainforest like no other.

The Chronicles of Narnia, I’ve had a set since I was ten years old.

3.       Thrilling story arcs or plots. Both Harry Potter and Narnia take the reader on a thrilling and turbulent adventure across the series. It becomes a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with various twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting to read more, eagerly waiting for the next book to arrive and be devoured. Each book has a stand-alone story arc, but another story arc is woven throughout the complete series. You may choose to write a series that can be read in any order like my Adamson Adventures. I weave a hint of a greater story arc throughout the series that may make the series better if read in order. However, being stand-alone stories, each book can be read on its own and intrigue the curious reader to read the others.

My series, The Adamson Adventures.

4.       You have time to develop your characters. This encourages your reader to want to know more about your characters and how they might evolve.

5.       You can explore many scenarios and take your characters on a range of exciting adventures. This way you are also able to explore how they will react to situations, which in turn may help a reader learn how to manage fear, sadness, taking care of the environment and animals or wherever your imagination may lead you.

6.       They become collectable. A series looks great on a shelf and readers will want the entire set.

It’s all up to you. If you have the imagination and desire to write a series, there is so much you can write and explore. Plan your setting/s, build your world, develop your characters and have fun as you take them on thrilling tales of adventure into the unknown.

Any good high tea will include a glass of champagne. Sip it slowly and celebrate your multi-layered story or series, take time to breathe, relax and enjoy the journey.

What is your favourite series? Let me know in the comments below.

Cheers.

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.

A Couple of Curious Creatures Part 2

We stared at the Megaraptor standing on the other side of our fire. It smelled the smoke-filled air then took several slow steps towards the fire.

‘So much for the fire keeping us safe,’ Clare whispered. ‘He looks curious.’ It started sniffing at the ground where we had been sitting and eating. Clare had dropped a ham and cheese sandwich, the Megaraptor was quick to snaffle it up. It sniffed at the remains of my apple. To my surprise , it gobbled it up too. Then it moved onto the chocolate Luke had dropped. - an extract from Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3.

Did the Megaraptor eat Luke’s chocolate? What happened next? You’ll have to read Fossil Frenzy if you want to find out.

Every good story needs a good antagonist, or villain. In Fossil Frenzy it is the Megaraptors that roamed Australia during the late Cretaceous period. The most famous one is a raptor named ‘Banjo.’ He is an Australovenator Wintonensis. I first encountered this fellow during a visit to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Winton, Queensland. A replica of him stands out the front of the museum. I became fascinated with this dinosaur, he was a raptor bigger than the usual ones you see in the movies. I knew kids would find him interesting too. When I did my research for the story, only the remains of one of these fossils had been found,. However, I have it on good authority, (a dinosaur expert aged 10 at a recent school visit) that they have now found the remains of a second one.

Banjo- Australoventator Wintonensis found outside the Age of Dinosaurs Museum, Winton.

Banjo stood about two metres tall, had sharp claws and was a very fast carnivore. He was found in a dried up river bed or billabong alongside a massive sauropod. This specimen the palaeontologists named Matilda. Diamantinasaurus Matildae was a large herbivorous dinosaur that was also around during the late Cretaceous period. So far only two of these sauropods have been found in the Winton area. However the museum is also a working science laboratory with many fossils still to be cleaned and pieced together, much like a giant jig-saw puzzle. They may find more of both of these dinosaurs yet.

Matilda - Diamantinasarus Matildae, found in the Winton, Queensland region.

When I have told the kids at school visits the reason for the naming of these two dinosaurs, they are amazed. A herbivore named Matilda and a carnivore named Banjo found beside an old billabong as if they came from the famous poem, Waltzing Matilda, by well known Australian poet, Banjo Patterson, who by the way, happened to have lived in the Winton area for some time. Pretty awesome don’t you think?

During school visits we have also looked at the full size footprint of an Australovenator Wintonenis and compared it with the size of a human footprint. The kids take amazing guesses at how many human feet can fit inside the fossil. How many do you think?

Footprint of an Australovenator Wintonensis drawn to scale.

How many of your feet would fit inside Banjo’s footprint?

Inside the pages of Fossil Frenzy you will also find an armoured plated Ankylosaur and a Qantassaurus named after our national airline that had its beginnings in the Winton/Longreach area. but I am not going into any details of these two curious creatures here, you will need to research those yourself. Not too many spoilers here.

Qantassaurus information at the Daintree Discovery Centre

A replica of Qantassaurus from the Daintree Discovery Centre.

Fossil Frenzy is a thrilling and fun time-traveling adventure from the drought-stricken outback of present day, to the rainforests of millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed Gwandana. It is a fiction story filled with plenty of facts for the avid reader to digest. It bridges the gap between those readers who only read non-fiction and leads them into reading fiction with adventure and knowledge. It also encourages fiction readers to learn a little along the way. It is suitable for readers aged 7 -12 years and anyone who loves a dino adventure.

Me standing with a copy of Fossil Frenzy in front of a dinosaur fossil at the National Dinosaur Museum.

Are you fascinated by dinosaurs?

Which dinosaur is your favourite?

Please leave a comment below.

A Couple of Curious Creatures

‘Did you know that the giant monotremes, the echidna and platypus, were the first of the mega-fauna to appear?’ I whispered.

‘What, even before the giant wombat, diprodowhatsit? Luke giggled.

‘Yes, even before the mighty diprotodon,’ I corrected.

- an exert from Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3.

The Children’s Book Council of Australia theme for Book Week this year is Curious Creatures, Wild Minds, so in this month’s post I am talking about a few of the curious creatures in Fossil Frenzy , The Adamson Adventures 3 (release date 31st October 2020,) that will inspire the imagination of wild minds.

I love wombats, so when I thought of the idea for Fossil Frenzy, the first animal that came to mind was the giant wombat, diprotodon. Like the wombat of today, it had a pouch that faced backwards but it was similar in size to rhino, (Pretty big huh!) although unlike the rhino it did not have a horn. I really wanted this amazing creature to have a starring role in my story, however as I dived deep into the research of the time-line I was looking to use, I soon discovered it was too early for this mighty wombat.

Replica of the Diprotodon, taken by me at the Daintree Discovery Centre, Far North Queensland.

The information board in front of the replica of Diprotodon at the Daintree Discovery Centre.

I did discover, much to my delight that the giant monotremes were the first of the mega-fauna to appear. What’s a monotreme? I hear you ask. It’s an egg laying mammal, and there are only two in the whole world. My story was not going to work with a giant platypus, I needed a land based animal, so I introduced ‘Spike’ the giant echidna. Echdnas are also cute little creatures, so to have a character that is a giant echidna in my story is awesome. The giant echidna is also know as Zaglossus hacketti. They had much longer legs compared to the echidna of today and stood almost as tall as a sheep. Their snout was longer and more curved too. As I said, Monotremes are egg-laying mammals, and Zaglossis hacketti was no exception. In Fossil Frenzy I have given Spike, many of the same characteristics as I have seen an echidna of today portray. Spike too, would roll into a ball and hide his head making all his spikes stand up straight and tall whenever he felt threatened. However, as the story develops, Spike becomes a hero in his own not so small, way.

Zaglossis hacketti, the giant echidna, photo taken by me at the Daintree Discovery Centre, Far North Queensland.

Sign in front of the giant echidna at the Daintree Discovery Centre

Another creature that has a major role in Fossil Frenzy is the not so well known Demon Duck of Doom. Also known as Thunderbird or Bullockornis Planei. This was a flightless bird similar to an emu, however it had an enormous, frightening looking beak. There is controversy over whether this bird was in fact a herbivore or carnivore, or whether it was a scavenger or a hunter. When comparing its beak to other typical carnivorous birds, the Demon Duck of Doom did not have a curved sharp point at the tip. What do you think he might have been? The fun thing about fossils and not being able to determine a creature’s habits is that as a fiction writer for children, I can play with the possibilities. I can use my imagination. If you want to know what I decided to make the Demon Duck of Doom, meat or plant eater, you’ll have to read the story, there’ll be no spoilers here.

Demon Duck of Doom, Bullockornis Planei, photo take by me at the Daintree Discovery Centre, Far North Queensland.

The information board in front of replica of Demon Duck of Doom, Daintree Discover Centre.

As for the colours of the feathers, what would you make them? Would the giant bird camouflage into his environment or would he be a multi-coloured stand-out? Below is the illustration I did to reach my decision.

My impression of a Demon Duck of Doom

There are a number of other Australian dinosaurs roaming within the pages of Fossil Frenzy, but you will need to read my next blog or the book, to discover exactly which creatures they are.

Zac, Clare and Luke have an amazing adventure with Spike, the Demon Duck of Doom and a few other characters along the way. If you could have a creature as a pet from long ago, which would you choose? Why

Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3, is open for pre-orders now. https://sandrabennettauthor.com/product/fossil-frenzy

Release date 31st October 2020.

Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 available for pre-order now.