Star Wars Day and a Reluctant Reader

May the Fourth be with you.

May the Fourth Be With You.

Today as I write, it is Star Wars Day, a day where fans around the world celebrate this iconic movie series.

What does that have to do with a reluctant reader? I hear you ask. Read this months blog dear reader and all will become clear.

Most people will tell you that the book is always better than the movie, and I would usually agree. However in this case, I beg to differ. I was in my teens when the original trilogy first hit our screens. It amazed me like nothing before it. It was full of so much imagination and fantasy that was ahead of its time for the 1970’s. So, when one of my sons grew to love it too, I embraced it. He was the reluctant reader in our house, but Star Wars helped turn that around.

Finding books that he wanted to pick up and read was almost impossible, enter stage left, the Star Wars Encyclopedias. Large, hard cover books with amazing detailed pictures of the space craft and all things Star Wars related. The Millennium Falcon was his favourite, but he read those books over and over, each time committing more facts to his memory.

Then the paperback novels arrived. We began to collect the series. Each story read until the pages were worn. I admit, he still preferred to watch the movies, but he was reading.

Another strategy to help him read was the Monopoly Star Wars edition. Each time we played, he was having fun and didn’t think about the fact that he was reading. We spent countless hours playing this over several years, imagine how many hours of reading that all added up to.

I don’t know of any other movie series that has had the same impact on lives that Star Wars has. But I would be happy to be enlightened.

If you have or had, a reluctant reader in your house, what movies that are also books have you used to help them want to read?

In most cases the book would have come first. Star Wars is an exception to the rule.

Monopoly is a great strategy for encouraging reading without your reluctant reader realising. Have you used board games in this way? What are your suggestions?

5 Ways to Distribute Your Book When You're Self Published

Being a self published author can have it’s ups and downs. One of the hardest things to do yourself is to get your book into the hands of your readers. It takes hard work and determination, but here are 5 helpful ways that I have learnt over the years since my first book was released 10 years ago. I hope they help you along your journey as a self published author too.

Your Website.

- Selling books via your website is a great way to get your books directly to your readers and let’s face it, all readers love the chance to have a signed copy of the book. Ordered through your website, you can send them a personally signed book with a little message too. This does take a little setting up, and fortunately for me, I have an IT expert who is my son, so I don’t need to handle all that techy stuff that is beyond me. Of course, listing your books for sale on your website is one thing, but leading your readers there to purchase is another topic altogether. While I do get sales dribbling in, I admit I still need to work on this myself. My Books Sale Pages on my Website

Local Bookshops.

- These can be your best supporters. As a local author, most independent bookshops are happy to sell your books for you. Build up a relationship with the manager/owner, always be considerate and attend events at their shop to help support them. If you would like to speak to them about your book, arrange a meeting time that suits them. The Book Cow -Kingston has been a wonderful supporter of local authors ever since it opened the doors in December 2020. Paperchain Bookstore have been another awesome supporter of this local author. They have happily provided the space for all my book launches and signings when a launch wasn’t possible to due covid. It’s harder to get your books into stores outside your local area, but it too, can be done. For example, last year I knew I was heading to Coffs Harbour to attend business meetings with my husband. I emailed in advance an enquiry to the local bookstore and asked if we could meet to discuss the selling of my books. They were more than happy to meet with me. Obviously, you can’t always travel interstate to distribute books yourself, but always take advantage of the opportunity if you do. Finding a distributor to do this for you, is difficult, but not impossible. I didn’t have a distributor for my first four books, however, the first two in my Adamson Adventures were published traditionally. This meant they did have a distributor and thankfully when my publisher closed and I found myself self publishing book 3, I now had the connection with a distributor who was more than happy to take on the third book in the series. They do take quite a hefty percentage of your sales, but if distribution around the country is your goal, then it’s worthwhile considering.

My Local Book shop https://bookcow.com.au/, a wonderful and supportive shop for all local authors.

My book signing of Fossil Frenzy at Paperchain when we couldn’t hold a launch.

School Visits.

- Over the last two years due to Covid, this has drastically reduced. I had many school visits cancelled but hopefully this might start looking up again this year. Some schools you will sell quite a few books, while others you may be lucky to make one sale. Always check with the school if they are happy for you to send in order forms. I have had schools in low socio-economic areas that have preferred I didn’t. In that case, just be happy to motivate the kids, read to them, discuss your writing process or inspiration and hope they enjoy the experience. School visits can be hard to book, as there are so many other wonderful authors out there trying to do the same thing and schools have very little money or time to allocate. I recommend a speakers agency to help you with bookings. Here in Canberra I use Kellie Nissan from Just Write Words and her Speakers Agency Write Angles . Kellie is wonderfully helpful, I can’t recommend her enough.

Telopea Park School visit 2020. Talking about Australian dinosaurs and introducing Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3. Years 3- 6.

My visit to Chapman Primary School last year. I ran writing workshops for all year levels, K -6.

Markets and Conferences.

- These can be a great way to interact with readers and their parents. As a children’s author our market audience is not only the kids, but their parents too. They hold the purse strings so it is beneficial to be able to talk to them directly. Markets and conferences are a great place to be able to do this. I live in a small rural community that every second year holds a Country Fair, I always have a stall at this event. There are often local markets throughout your area, it’s up to you to decide how often you want to be involved. A new night market Tuggeranong Night Markets is just starting in our area but as it’s outdoors and we are coming into our winter months, I am yet to decide whether I will hold a stall there or perhaps wait until the weather starts to warm up again. I definitely prefer indoor markets but these are hard to find. Conferences can be worthwhile, during the CBCA National conference held here in Canberra in 2019 I was able to contribute to the local author stall and get my books in front of teachers and librarians. My next opportunity is in 2 weeks time at the Goulburn Bookfest.

CBCA National Conference 2019

Royalla Country Fair, March 2020, just before we were plunged into our first Covid Lockdown.

Canberra Writers Festival 2019

Think Outside the Box.

- When I published my two Australian picture books nearly 7 years ago, I didn’t settle for just local bookshops. I thought about other places that might like my books. National Park gift shops, tourist information shops and other tourist destinations were keen to support my books. I managed to distribute them in both National Parks near Canberra and even the Big Merino in Goulburn. Then, when hubby and I did our drive across Australia, I took the books with me and spoke to tourist places from here, all the way across the Nullarbor to Perth. Even The Pinnacles north of Perth purchased copies. With Fossil Frenzy, I found the National Dinosaur Museum here in Canberra to be hugely supportive. They not only held my book launch but invited me to return for a second reading twelve months later. While in Perth last year, (yes WA did open briefly to interstate travellers) I was fortunate to be able to do a talk at the Clarke Earth Sciences Museum at UWA. I’m always on the lookout for different or unusual opportunities. Just recently I saw that the Australian Museum in Sydney were holding a Dinosaur Festival this upcoming school holidays in April. So I reached out with an email, and now have copies of my book for sale in the Australian Museum Bookshop. How roarsome is that!

My talk at the Clarke Earth Sciences Museum UWA, with paleontologist Dr Kaila Thorn.

Book launch at the National Dinosaur Museum December 2020.

As a self published author, distribution of your books does take quite a lot of work. However, even with a traditional publisher a lot of the marketing is still up to you. My goal is to get my books in the hands of as many readers as I can, especially those reluctant readers looking for something different, irresistible, and packed full of fun and action so that they learn to love reading. All the hard work it takes to distribute my books is worth every moment.

How do you share your books?

Do you have a distribution plan?

Do you have other thoughts on how to distribute books other than my suggestions?

I would love to hear your thoughts, please share in the comments below.

Every Summer Has a Story.

Summer holidays are the perfect time to relax, unwind and read a good book or two. January is that time for me where I feel no pressure to work, write or feel guilty about putting my feet up and enjoying a good book or two or three. As #australiareads celebrates Library Lovers Day on 14th February again this year, I thought I would share my choice of books that I loved and read in January in the hope that you might like to read them too.

image courtesy of @australiareads

This summer break I read three fabulous middle grade fiction books. Each so different from the next, but all equally entertaining stories.

Here are my reviews in no particular order.

Emergency Rescue Angel by Cate Whittle.

I have had this on my ‘to read’ list since it was published in 2020 and it didn’t disappoint. More upper middle-grade seeping into the young adult category, this story is definitely one for readers 12- 14 years. Mitch is having a hard time fitting in at school after everything changed when his father drowned saving a kid swimming at the local surf club. His best friend also moved away, leaving Mitch all alone and unmotivated. Enter Max, a strange new girl at school who seems to make it her mission to befriend Mitch and help get him back on track with his studies and life in general. But all is not as it seems and Max has a secret agenda. She is Mitch’s Emergency Rescue Angel, sent to help him whether he likes it or not.

I enjoyed the mystique of this story as Mitch began to unravel his new best friend’s true identity. Clues are given as Mitch slowly realises that no one else at school seems to know Max even exists. Cate Whittle is a masterful storyteller who weaves relatable characters and scenarios into magical scenes. She captures the imagination using all the senses at her disposal. Whether it’s the mouth watering piping hot meat pie with tomato sauce oozing through Mitch’s fingers and dripping onto his uniform during a conversation between the two or the chill of the incessant rain pelting down as he struggles to push his broken bicycle home from school. This story will hook the reader with intrigue, empathy and a wonder of the possibility of angels looking over our shoulder. A wonderful read for any student that is an outsider needing to come to terms with their own reality and learning to accept themselves in all their glory for who they are.

Emergency Rescue Angel by Cate Whittle

Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee.

This was a really quick read. It only took me two days, mainly because I just couldn’t put it down. I knew it was a good story when my hubby read it too. He never reads fiction, no matter how good I tell him a story is, but he too, was captured by Karen Foxlee’s incredible story telling. Suitable for young readers 8 to 12 years this story will tug at your heart strings. Set in the Queensland outback mining town of Mount Isa, the imagery is rugged and beautiful. Dragon Skin explores a host of emotions from friendship and loss, to love and caring and the deep desire to escape the reality of ones world.

When Pip discovers a tiny dragon almost lifeless in her favourite waterhole, she is determined to save it. But Pip needs help. First from the memories of a friend lost forever, then from two unlikely friends from school. This story draws on imagination and the desperate need to change things, even those that are beyond her control. It explores the meaning of love and loss and the heartbreak of letting go. There is so much depth in this beautiful tale my words could not do it justice. Suffice to say, this one is a must read for anyone who needs help escaping family violence or for kids who would like to understand. Learning how to care for a dragon and what Pip feeds it, is a delight too.

Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo.

This story was not something I am used to reading. Written in the genre of a fairy tale or fable, it too, had me hooked. It is a tale about the power of words and how they are interpreted. When a monk finds a young girl hiding in the stables with only a goat for comfort, he soon takes her under his wing as her protector. Beatryce has no idea who she is or where she came from. To add to the mystery, she knows how to read and write, but it is forbidden in the kingdom for girls to be educated. Why is the king hunting her and what is the foretold prophesy that leads her on a quest to freedom and understanding? Learn the importance of words and how powerful they can be when the world of reading and writing is available to all.

An intriguing story for readers 8 to 12 years, especially those who enjoy a quest and adventure told in a unusual manner. Kate DiCamillo is an incredibly clever story weaver that will take you on a journey of discovery in a world far, far away from our reality.

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

With Library Lover’s Day being celebrated again this year on 14th February, why not head to your local library or school library to borrow one of these amazing books or any other amazing book that is waiting for you to choose to read. Your favourite Librarian is always there, keen to help you find that special book, the one that is a must read for you. I have fond memories of some amazing librarians over the years. They are passionate about the books and the children in their care and always know the right questions to ask to find that one special book for every individual reader.

Image thanks to #australiareads

I’ve told you what I have read, now it is your turn. What have you read over the summer break?

I’m reading two books at the moment. ‘ Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone’, book 9 in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and Tracey Hawkin’s new middle grade release, ‘The Riddle of Tanglewood Manner.’ What are you reading now?

What is on your ‘to read’ list?

I would love to read your book choices in the comments below.

Was the Duck of Doom a Demon?

Have you heard of the Demon Duck of Doom before?

If you have read Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3, then there is no doubt you already know about this fascinating creature. I have recently been researching more about this bird in an attempt to get a clearer understanding of it before I begin writing book 4. Yes, the Demon Duck of Doom will return, but you’ll find no spoilers here. You’ll have to wait until the next book is released.

In the meantime, here for kids information and as a teaching resource, is what I have discovered.

It was a giant flightless bird, an Australian megafauna, an avian dinosaur.

Also known as the Thunderbird, the Bullockornis Planei and most recently Dromornis Planei. Found in the area around Bullock Creek in northern Queensland, it was originally believed to be a separate species. After continued research it was concluded that Bullockornis did in fact belong to the Dromornithid family.

The Demon Duck of Doom was a fearsome looking bird that weighed over 225 kilos, over 5 times the size of an emu. It had two massive thick legs and two tiny wings. However, its most terrifying feature was the horse sized head with an enormous beak. This dinosaur stood about 304 cm tall. That’s almost twice the height of an average adult person.

Bullockornis Planei

Did you know that this dinosaur is closely related to birds of today?

This creature has caused much controversy among palaeontologists. These are people who study animals and plants from our past by digging up their remains that have become fossils, or imprints in the earth that have turned to rock. With it looking more like an emu, an ostrich or even a cassowary, it is easy to believe this flightless bird was an ancestor of these birds. Classified by researchers into the Dromornithid family, it is believed to be more closely aligned with ducks or geese. Some scientists have even included it in family trees that link the Demon Duck of Doom to chickens. Imagine the size of those eggs in a chicken coup. You could have scrambled eggs for a week on just one egg.

Emu

Cassowary

Goose

Duck

Was the Demon Duck of Doom a foul foe or is it a case of being a misunderstood fowl?

Could it have been…..a carnivore?

There are several theories on this subject too. With its ginormous and scarily sharp beak, the Dromornis Planei was originally presumed to be a carnivore. Those long legs would have meant it would have been able to run fast and chase its prey. Coupled with the huge snappy beak, it should have been able to easily prey upon smaller dinosaurs and rip them apart for dinner.

Was it more likely ……a herbivore?

However, upon closer inspection of the beak, scientists noted that it did not have a sharp pointed tip like other meat-eating flying predators. Birds like hawks and eagles have this feature to bite and tear into their prey. Without this pointed tip on the beak, scientists then concluded that perhaps the Demon Duck of Doom was a herbivore after all. The reason for the massive beak was more likely to be used to crush tough plants and fruit husks or break thick stalks. The avian dinosaur possibly ate plants like the Cassowaries and other birds today that feed on ancient giant plants such as Hope’s cycad with its seeds like a banksia and the Australian fan palm with its huge fronds and red fruit. These plants first appeared during the age of dinosaurs and are still found in the wet tropics of Far North Queensland today. The beast was undoubtedly tall enough to reach high branches on any plants.

Birds of prey like eagles have a sharp pointed beak.

Dromornis Planei lacked the sharp point on the tip of the beak.

Was it …….an omnivore?

The third and finally theory was that maybe the Demon Duck of Doom was neither carnivore nor herbivore, but instead a combination of the two, making it an omnivore. A scavenger feeding off the leftovers from megaraptorans like Australovenator and enjoying a nice side-salad of cycads and ferns. If you have ever had pet chickens, you would know they eat leftover meat, grains, and vegetables. Just maybe the theory that the Demon Duck of Doom is an avian ancestor of your chooks is correct.

Hope’s Cycad still found in the Daintree Rainforest of Far North Queensland.

Seed pod from the Hope’s Cycad.

Will we ever know?

Palaeontologists are constantly searching for more clues as to the truth behind the Demon Duck of Doom. Was he wrongly named? Was he a fearful predator or a friendly and innocent plant eater? To fully understand and know for sure, scientists need to find and examine the fossilised dinosaur poop, also known as coprolites, of a one of these amazing avian dinosaurs. Only then, will they discover the true digestive habits of the Demon Duck of Doom.

What are your thoughts? Do you believe the Duck of Doom was a Demon rampaging around the outback chasing smaller birds and animals for a meal? Or has it been a case of mistaken identity and the flightless bird was a friendly fowl?

Our contented chooks. We have ten girls, not all shown in this photo.

If you’ve read Fossil Frenzy, you know my thoughts, I’d love to know yours.

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?

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.