Spinning Pearls

Fifty Two of the Finest! #1

2012-01-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

In my ongoing quest to create my own version of the best fifty books I've chosen to put up fifty-two posts, each showcasing one book I think stands tall among its peers and why I like it. I won't be adding any books in the spirit of "you should read/like/buy this book". It's all about the book, how we met and why I love it.

The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. 1971.

I was foraging in the second-hand book shop in Devonport's Four Ways. I turned up a book with MAGIC QUEST on the cover. The naff cover picture put me off, showing as it apparently did a curly-haired girl peering at a nest of fairies, but as I turned it over, a comment about unicorns and eggs alerted me. I recognised that as a reference to a book by Madeleine L'Engle. If this series included books by M-L, I reasoned, it couldn't be as cheesy as the picture implied. I read the book's own blurb and paid up my coin.

I read the book with delight, and it immediately vaulted over almost every other book I'd ever read to reach the heights of my "favourites" list. I loved the lucid style with the lovely touches of detail that never overwhelm the story. I loved the central character, Kate Sutton, a disgraced lady-in-waiting who took the fall for her sister's misdeed and who remained resolutely true to her self. I liked the low key romance, which included one of the oddest and most touching declarations of affection I have ever encountered. I liked the fact that so many of the characters wanted opposing things; they could have been enemies or "bad guys" but instead were simply honest people wanting the best for themselves and others. There's a Tam Lin theme running through the story, which also intrigued me, and the period - the 1550s - was familiar from books by Geoffrey Trease.

I have since seen the same book in other covers (see above), all of which are more appropriate and pleasing than the first one I saw. And yet, seeing Kate dressed in the garments she probably would have worn might put off potential readers because she looks so stiff and doll-like. The fourth cover shows a much more accessible girl, wearing a stage-musical version of the costume. It's historically incorrect, but it might appeal to more readers.

Naturally, I sought more books by my new favoured author and was disappointed to discover only one more; The Sherwood Ring, published in the late 1950s.

Remembrance Day

2010-11-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Remember them this morning, as the reveille is sounded

Its notes worn smooth along the years of soft November's rain

The Last Post sobbed their slumber, their going to the night

Remember them this morning, then, in thoughtful reveille.

The boys (no older than my son) who flew the frail craft

Have gone to distant glory in the threadbare album's page

They're peering at us from the past with shy and fervent eyes.

"Remember us this morning, in thoughtful reveille".

Sailors, soldiers, nurses, the youngsters set their hands

To duties laid upon them with many high ideals

Perhaps the question touches them; "What were we doing there?"

Remember them this morning, in thoughtful reveille.

They fought across the deserts, in the hot and windy hell

They fought in salty air that mocked of seashore holidays

The frosty air meant kites to some, to others soaring birds

They fought a world gone crazy - and they wagered everything.

And as we pause this morning as the clocks stand at eleven

Although the hour's uncertain since it's daylight saving time

Commit a moment's silence for the ones who went before

And say to them "We thank you for your sacrifice at war -

"We may not speak so much of you these cold pragmatic days

We will not seek the glorious in battlefield array

We treat with those who killed you, and were slaughtered in their turn

We sometimes don't appreciate the comfort that you earned

We sometimes don't remember that we might not be so free -

But still we will remember you in thoughtful reveille.

Be sure we will remember you in thoughtful reveille.

Written in 2000

Take Two! Leigh Wood Talks about On the Way to New Isosceles

2010-07-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Please note; The book featured in this edition of the Take Two series is for adults only.

Take Two! Leigh Wood answers two curious questions about her new book, On the Way to New Isosceles.

Q. 1. The title of On the Way to New Isosceles hints at triangles and geometry, but I assume it has a somewhat different meaning. Please tell us how you came up with such an intriguing title.

A. Only one person emailed me saying they were confused by the title. I actually hate math so I expected more questions about the title! Most people say they love it, as it is unique and gets them thinking. It is about triangles in a way-there are references to triangular locations and objects in the novel. However, there is a suggestion of two equal sides, which leads to notions about the two factions joining together. And of course, our couple JJ and Rub have to find a little equality and the happy medium in making both their angry professional and gettin' steamy personal relationships. There's a question of balance, perhaps also. We can't have any fulcrums swinging too far in the wrong direction in love or war! I have to say I don't remember how I came up with the title. Maybe it was my notions of romance and action equality along with a 'journey not the destination' feeling. I think I stink at titles! However, I am keeping up with the theme for the sequel, currently called Equilateral Planet. Some days I can't spell either one!

Q.2. Your protagonist is called JJ. Is this initialised form of name something common to people from her futuristic society, or does it say something special and specific about her character?

A.2. Wow, a seemingly innocent but deep question! I'd say the fact that she has a snappy, neutral nickname is a part of their militristic society just on the nature of simplicity, uniformity, and speed. They are an on the go, space faring and fighting people with no time for fussy names. JJ is then, an extension of her society. In some ways, her full complete name represents herself as a happy girl on earth with parents, sunshine, and no cares. Now she is alone, owns the bare minimum, and keeps a stiff upper lip. Only certain people are allowed to call JJ by other derivities of her name. It's her way of shutting herself off. JJ is short and sweet, clipped, and gets the job done. There's no need for anything pretty that rolls off the tongue! By contrast, Rub likes to make jokes about his name and calls his friends by several different affectinate terms. Opposites attract!

Thanks, Leigh!

On the Way to New Isosceles was published by Eternal Press in 2009. Visit Leigh's blog.

Thanks!

Kristin as Leigh

Take Two! Robyn Opie talks about her book, Black Baron

2010-07-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today we welcome Robyn Opie to Spinning Pearls to answer two inquisitive questions about her book, Black Baron.

Q.1. The title “Black Baron” has echoes of the German fighting ace The Red Baron. Was this deliberate, and if so, how did you jump from a fighter pilot to a cockroach? If not, where did the title come from?

A.1. Yes, the title was deliberate. I imagined Black Baron as a racing hero and every race is like a fight for his life. The story, itself, turns out to be a fight for survival. The idea for the story came when I decided I wanted to write a funny story for boys. I thought about all the things boys like, one of which was bugs. I didn't want to write about the usual bugs, such as spiders, worms, ants etc. I wanted to be different, so I settled on a champion racing cockroach. Naturally, the main character is a boy - Jake. He sees himself as Black Baron's manager and friend.

Q.2. How do you choose the “voice” for your stories? Do you generally prefer first person, third person or omniscient? Why?

A.2
For me, the "voice" of the story is usually chosen by the main character. The main character also tells me his or her name. The name comes first, then the story, then the "voice". I prefer first or third person, never omniscient. I originally wrote Black Baron as third person but the story didn't work for me or the main character, Jake, so I rewrote the manuscript in first person. The change to first person did the trick and the story came together in a way that pleased all of us, Jake and Black Baron included.
Thanks, Robyn.
Black Baron was published by Walker Books in 2008. Visit the publisher website WalkerBooks and Robyn's own website at Robyn Opie

Take Two: Yolanda Sfetsos talks about Shade of Grey

2010-07-08T17:57:00.001-07:00

Today we welcome Yolanda Sfetsos, who answers two quick questions about her newly-released novel, Shade of Grey.

Q.1. Shade of Grey is an intriguing title. Can you tell us how it relates to the plot of your book?

A.1. Thanks! I have to admit that it took me a while to come up with the title for this novel, especially since I wanted all three names in the planned trilogy to be similar. It actually turned out to be the perfect title because it highlights the things in Gypsy's life that are definitely not black or white, but shaded with the grey in-between. Also, since the story deals with the Greys, it's extra fitting.

Q.2. Contemporary romantic SF is quite uncommon. (Most SF seems to be futuristic.) Tell us how you went about planting this genre in a contemporary Australian setting.

A.2. You're right. Most SF stories are set in futuristic or otherworld locations, but there is that small percentage that brings the alien factor to our backyard... such as The X-Files and V, not to speak of a bunch of movies. I've always been intrigued by these stories, and this turned out to be my tribute.

Basically, I wanted to set this story in contemporary Australia, and cast what at first seems to be an average woman leading an average life. Then I threw her into a very alien situation. Gypsy finds herself caught in the middle of conspiracy theories, UFOs, abductions, and Men in Black who aren't all trying to save her. That's the hero's job:-)

Thanks, Yolanda! To read an excerpt, or to but Shade of Grey, pop along to http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615721375

Take Two! Claire Saxby talks about There Was an Old Sailor...

2010-04-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today Claire Saxby takes the hot seat to answer two curious questions about her new picture book, "There Was An Old Sailor", illustrated by Cassandra Allen, and published by Walker Books.

Q.1. A fish diet is meant to be rather good for the figure, but the old sailor on your cover is a brawny sailor indeed. Does this mean fish is NOT slimming, or does he sometimes sneak a bag of chips?

A.1. It's all about quantity isn't it? I mean a fish diet is one thing, but who would want to look like a fish...unless of course you're a mermaid and we all know about mermaids! My sailor never quite knows when his next meal is coming and he likes to eat like he lives - LARGE. He stores away energy against the lean times. Although, he will confess, that times have been good of late. Long may they continue.

Q. 2. Is the text of "There Was an Old Sailor" designed to be spoken or half sung, as in the original "Old Woman" rhyme? And how did you come up with a sailor as the protagonist?

A.2. It is a spoken text, but it is quite difficult to keep the song out of it. I like to think of it as being like a hot air balloon. Solid and structurally sound on the ground, but capable of lifting off and carrying all with it. I have never shared it with a group where at least some of the listeners weren't joining in by about the middle of the story. That's something that doesn't happen with prose stories, generally.

Sailor as protagonist. Well, it was a gift really. When a casual throwaway remark bemoaned the lack of ocean-themed, cumulative rhymes for young children, the sailor just stood up and bellowed 'Pick me! Pick me!' How could I refuse?

To find out more about Claire, her writing, and her new book, check out her website at http://www.clairesaxby.com/

Take Two! Courtney Breazile talks about Lilly's Turn for a Rose (Readers over 18)

2010-04-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Courtney Breazile who answers two questions about her new paranormal short "Lilly's Turn for a Rose", available from eXtasy Books. Please note; this book is suitable for adults only, although the interview is OK for general readers.

Q.1. “Lilly’s Turn for a Rose” is one of the most delightful titles I’ve encountered. What came first, title or story?

A.1. I came up with the title right as I was starting the story, before I really knew what the story was going to entail. So I would say the title helped create the story.

Q.2. Where did the initial idea for “Lilly’s Turn for a Rose” come from?

A.2. It came from the meaning behind lilac colored roses. The lilac rose means love at first sight and the need to proceed with caution. Which my character Lilly needs to do with Myra.

Thanks, Courtney! Courtney will be back later in this series to talk about her paranormal Keeping Blood.

To find out more, including how to purchase Lilly's Turn for a Rose, check out Courtney's website at http://www.courtneybreazile.com or the publisher at http://www.extasybooks.com but remember, you must be over eighteen.

Take Two! Robert Appleton Talks About "The Mythmakers".

2010-03-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

Hello again! This time we welcome Robert Appleton to answer two inquisitive questions about his new novella "The Mythmakers", available from Samhain.

Q.1. Following the adventures of Kate of Kratos, the protagonist of your new book is another woman: Captain Steffi Savannah. You write strong women well, giving them strength of character without bitchiness or lack of femininity. Did you make a conscious decision to depict your heroines in this way, or is that the way you like to “see” women?

A.1. It's a conscious decision, for sure. Somewhere between the damsel in distress and the man-killing warrior woman, neither of which interests me, exists a plausible kind of heroine for science-fiction. Strong-willed, emotional, flawed; she must be able to take care of herself but also realise when she needs help. She can do things the hero can't do, but not at the expense of her femininity. It isn't so much how I like to “see” women, it's more about how interesting, how plausible I can make them for the world(s) they're inhabiting. If I were to meet Kate of Kratos for real, I'd probably find her character too prickly and way too stubborn, but in a survival story on an alien planet, those flaws become strengths. Let's put it this way: I'd definitely want Kate watching over me if I ever got marooned on Kratos.
For Steffi Savannah in The Mythmakers, it was more about rekindling a sense of hope and wonder in a thankless and cynical universe. I made her tough because she's a starship captain and a smuggler. But by that same token she couldn't be a cast-iron bitch; to run an efficient ship, an even hand is required. So Steffi always respects her crew, even through her world-weariness. Her femininity gradually blossoms over the course of the story, as well as a vivacity she hasn't encountered in years. Speaking personally, that's one of my favourite types of story arc, and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of telling it through a woman's eyes.

Q.2. “Ship of dreams” is a very evocative description. Could you enlarge on this?

A.2. It's really about the effect the ship's cargo has on Steffi and her crew. All of a sudden, there's an element of magic and wonder in the cold backyard of space. I don't want to give too much away, but when Steffi boards the giant alien craft, it appears to be a kind of freight vessel carrying Earth's legendary creatures. Seeing as Earth was destroyed centuries before, what is the ship's purpose? Its secret? Why is Arne, a naked blond hunk who speaks English and Danish, reluctant to tell her exactly what he is? Fascinating discoveries await Steffi and her crew...
I wrote The Mythmakers for Samhain's space opera romance anthology, so I knew I had to come up with a unique story. It started out as a Firefly-type adventure, then quickly evolved into a scenario with beautiful possibilities. “Ship of dreams” is right. That's what the story became for me. But that's not to say all the dreams were hunky-dory. ::winks:: Myths are never easy on the heroes/heroines forging them.

To read more about "The Mythmakers", visit Robert's website at the link below.
http://www.robertappleton.co.uk/themythmakers.htm

Take Two! Margaret West talks about "Two Faces, One Life".

2010-03-30T06:32:00.001-07:00

Here's the second of my short'n'snappy interviews. Margaret West is the author of a "coffee break short" named "Two Faces, One Life", published by Eternal Press.

Q.1. “Two Faces, One Life” is an interesting title. How does this relate to your story?

A. The story really revolves around Sarah, a young girl who was caught in a fire. One side of her face and body, is very badly burnt in a fire, while the to her stays perfect. A cruel irony of what she has lost. Its an inspirational story because the 'vain' Sarah believes her life is now over and wants to die. But what she comes to realise, after a chance meeting in a park with ted, is that true beauty shines from within. The 'new' Sarah is about to embark on a whole new journey. Even though she has two very different sides to her face. She only has one life and she needs to live it.

Q.2. “Two Faces, One Life” is a “coffee-break” short. Did you set out to write a short tale, or did the length just seem right?

A. The length just seemed right. I didn't want it to go on endlessly about the trials of Ted's disability, or Sarah's disfigurement. I just wanted to get across that having a disability doesn't mean your life is over. When it was published however, I received quite a few comments from readers wanting to see what happened to Sarah and Ted. So maybe there will be a short sequel, who knows lol.

Thanks, Margaret! (Margaret will be back later in this series, talking about a longer story called "Heart of a Warrior". )
To read more about this title, or to buy it, hit the link! http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781926647500

Take Two! Heather Kuehl talks about PROMISES TO KEEP

2010-03-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

In the first of a new series of short and snappy author interviews, Heather Kuehl answers two questions on her book Promises to Keep.

Q.1. “Promises to Keep” is a lovely title. It’s a quote from Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. Could you tell us how the quote relates to your story?

A. “Promises to Keep” refers to Starlette’s quest to save her father from the Dark Lady Dreashae. Ten years ago Starlette was led to believe that her father was dead, however she quickly discovers that his death was nothing but a ruse. Starlette made the ultimate promise to herself; she was going to track down her father, save him, and bring him home. Easier said than done, since Starlette is mortal and her adversary is a very powerful sorceress. Hopefully with friends like Sivad Night and Tabitha Desdamona Drake, she can keep her promise.

Q.2. “Promises to Keep” mixes the high fantasy world of sorcery and dragons with the paranormal world of faeries and vampires. How difficult was it to bring such disparate elements, (traditionally speaking) together in a cohesive whole?

A. I’ve always loved high fantasy, and one day I thought to myself, “why can’t vampires and dragons exist in the same world?” I quickly realized there wasn’t a good enough reason why they couldn’t, and my fictional world was created. Within these worlds (both Verella and the modern paranormal one that Starlette lives in), anything can exist. Portals into both realms are abundant, so dragons from Verella could easily travel into our world just as a werewolf can travel to Verella. I’ve made it so that a character could step outside their house in Charleston, SC and see a dragon flying through the sky (something that I wish could happen).

Sounds good? I think so! Check out the links below for more information.

Promises to Keep by Heather Kuehl was published by Eternal Press. It is available as an e-book or paperback.
Read more or buy book at: www.eternalpress.biz
Heather's Blog. http://heatherkuehl.blogspot.com

Grow Your Own Sci-Fi Fantasy

2009-11-21T16:29:00.000-08:00

I was reading that wonderful book, Painting the Roses White, by Barbara Wenzel this morning. That sent me to the internet to drool over Barbara's favourite roses... which brought me to the David Austin home page at http://www.davidaustinroses.com/australian/. Here, I discovered an orange rose named "Pegasus".
I've been watching Battlestar Gallactica, and last night chanced to be the episode when the Battlestar Pegasus crashed and burned, therefore... well, if you don't understand my thought processes from that point, you'd better find a more congenial blog:-)
I already knew about the yellow rose Dr A J Verhage, which stars in so many rose pedigrees, but I was pleased to find The Doctor, a dark pink rose from 1936. You can find it at http://www.classicroses.co.uk/roses/search.php
I couldn't find a Gallactica, but there are plenty of Gallicas, which is pretty close. There are several roses called Apollo. I couldn't find a Starbuck, or a Kobol, but there's a minature moss rose named Kara, and three roses called Kobold. There's also a Madam President and more than one Laura, and a couple of Sharons, no Caprica, but two Capricorns and a Capricornus.
Reverting to The Doctor, there are several roses named Martha, a florists' rose named Donna, no Sarah Janes (but you could grow a Sarah and a Jane next to one another!) a floribunda named Dodo, several roses named Zoe, and a Katerina. As for Roses... their name is legion. At this point, I gave up looking for Companions (because their name is also legion) and moved on.
I found two Enterprises, a Kirke, but no Kirk, a Deanna, no Vulcan, but a Vulcain.
Moving on again, I discovered a General Jack, several Samanthas, and a Carter, a Daniel and a Dr. Jackson, no Jonas, but a Young Quinn, a Janet Frazer, lots of Elizabeths, a Beckett's Single (OK, so that's stretching it rather) and two roses named Atlantis.
Time constrained me to cease my search at this point, but I was agreeably surprised at the possibilities. If you want a go yourself, try http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/index.php, which kindly allows keywords, "begins with", "contains" and "sounds like"!

The rose in the picture is Double Delight... oh, and if you'd like to doubly delight ME, you'll leave a comment and check out REPLAY, my fantasy novel, available as a PDF or paperback from http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/replay/830605

Want a free cookbook?

2009-11-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

My cookbook, SALLYO'S KITCHEN, is available as part of the Great Cookbook Giveaway. To grab your download, visit http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com/products.htm

If you want more than one cookbook, or if you would like to add your own cooking-related gift to the Giveaway, click on the Great Cookbook Giveaway banner on my page.

You have until the 16/12/09 to pick up your download.

Power Cut

2009-10-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

I was working away at Chapter 13 in the early hours when the power went off. The UPS began beeping, and I was bathed in the unholy glow of the various lights on the DVD player and the screen of my computer. I waited a few seconds in case it was a minor glitch, then decided to call it a night.
Control-Save. Sleep.
The computer screen light cut out and I realised I should have left it awake for another few moments. Since my computer hates being woken when it's just gone to sleep, I abandoned the idea of shaking its shoulder and instead got up (cautiously) and shuffled forward to rest it on its little platform. I unplugged it, in case the power spiked when it came back on. (I saw a power spike once. Sparks shot out of power points and those power safety thingies melted.) Next, I located the heater and felt my way along its cord to the extension, which I pulled. Then I betook myself to the bathroom.
Working by feel, I located my toothbrush and the paste. Having removed the lid, I decided the paste smelt wrong, so I put it back and took another tube from the drawer. Just as well I did, since it later devolved I'd picked up a tube of "A Little Bit of Relief" instead. Having brushed my teeth, I tried to rinse. No go. The pump was (temporarily) dead.
I gave up and went to bed. A few mionutes later, some clonks and whirrs announced the power had come back on.
All this goes to show how much we rely on electricity. But no, this is not going to be a spiel about how decadent we've all become. If we didn't have electricity, then we'd have candles and matches to hand. We'd have lanterns, ticky-clocks, and ewers of water on the wash stand. Because we do have electricity, we do not have lanterns. Because I have a computer, I do not have a typewriter. As my husband said, what would happen if I had to go back to typing? Well... I'd find running my business almost impossible because I rely on my computer. I am no longer set up with carbon papers, Tip-Ex and ring binders. I'm not even sure it's possible to buy Tip-Ex any more. Where would I buy a ewer? Or a lantern?
... and of course if I lived in the time of lanterns and ewers, I wouldn't have almost brushed my teeth with embrocation. It wouldn't have been invented yet.

Password Protected

2009-10-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Am I the only person who continually gets locked out of my various online accounts because I can't remember my password? Sounds easy enough - set up a username and password, log in, and Robert's your mother's brother. However...

My attempts at setting up accounts generally go something like this.

Set your username: JANNY (well... I'm not about to give you my real log in, eh? 'course not. I can't remember it!) Naturally, I write it down.
Username not available. Suggest JANNYA19, JANNYX&5 OR JANNYP79Q
I type in JANNYP, and write that down.
Username not available. Suggest JANNYPZ59, JANNYPX((5 OR PJANNY740Z
Grrrrrrrr.
Sulkily, I select JANNYA19.
Set your password: PANSY. I write it down.
Password strength: weak.
PANSYPANSY:
Password strength: weak. Password must include at least one non-letter character.
PANSYPANSY1. I write that down.
Password not available.
PANSYPANSY2
Password not available.
PANZYPANSY2
Success! Login to go to your account now.
OK, so that wasn't difficult, was it? I have only to type in JANNYA19 and then PANSYPANSY2.
Only of course that doesn't work, 'cos I forgot to change the S into a Z. I meant to write it down, but after writing down several failed attempts, I just gave up. So, next time I try to log in, I have to hit Forgot password. The site obligingly sends me a new one, and then asks me to enter my old one so I can change it to the new one. Only I can't, because I forgot the old one. And the new one is something like BEETLETRACKSANSCRITX19OOPS 56 and I can't remember it. And the verification box is full of drunken squiggles that might be 2s, zs, Zs or 7s. Maybe.
My accounts are securely password protected all right. They're password protected from ME!

Welcome Claire Saxby!

2009-08-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

Claire Saxby is talking about her new picture book, Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate. The first question I asked her reflects the problems with googling titles... I happened upon a site that miss-punctuated the title!

Welcome, Claire!
1. The Sheep Goat and the Creaking Gate is a fascinating title. It asks questions immediately; what is a sheep goat? Or is there a comma missing? And is the creaking gate literal, or does it imply something that needs help (oil)? Are any of these questions intentional, or are they serendipitous?

A. There is a comma! The creaking gate was an image that stuck in my head.
Every now and then I wrestle with what I actually meant psychologically, but it eludes me. Certainly nothing intentional. So I'll settle for...it's a device to help draw in the audience. They 'creak' for me every time I mention the word. On the surface level, which is where most children will access the story, it's a sheep who's ignoring what she has for what she wants, and a goat who is temporarily led astray. I toyed with using names for each character (not the gate) but liked the generic names better.

2. Goats and sheep don't star in as many stories as one would expect, given their intelligence and humour (goats) and their iconic Aussie status (sheep). Do you have any idea why this is?

A. No idea at all! I think sheep and goats deserve their place in our literature along with the cuter, cuddlier animals. I do have a fondness for sheep, despite having worked closely with them on a farm. They are funny to watch, generally fairly content with their lot, and I have to say, quite cuddly! (lambs and sheep, not rams...they're not cuddly at all). I have written about sheep before (sort of) in my book 'Runaround Rowdy' although the focus there was on the sheep dogs they worked with. I did want to stay away from stereotypical images of either animal, despite the lighthearted nature of the story, and Judith's cartoon-y illustrations help to keep the story light and funny.

3. Did you have any resistance from editors who wanted you to make this about a more "popular" (fictionally speaking) animal?

A. Not at all. This story has had three lives. One in School Magazine, one online and now here in picture book form. Perhaps the editors all belong to the sheep and goat appreciation society and were secretly cheering the opportunity to give both animals their turn in the sun (and moon and stars).

4. Do you read your texts aloud to "test" them or do you have sufficient "ear" in your mind?

A. Yes, I do read my texts aloud, but also listen to them in my mind (is that possible?). I also test them with a couple of readers. I ask them to point out bits that don't make sense but also to read them aloud. Then I can see how the text operates in the hands/voice of a first-time reader.

5. Is the story based on fact in any degree?

A. I have seen sheep poke their head through a fence to reach something that obviously takes their fancy. This even when they have their own food supply. I've help disentangle them from said fence.Goats are more known for finding things of interest beyond their own fences. I've been slowed down on a few country roads and had to report runaway goats. And I've certainly met my share of creaking gates. But this sheep, this goat and this gate? Never met them before. Pure products of imagination.

Here's a complete list of Claire's stops on her blog tour.

Here is a complete list of the dates so you can join Claire on her blog tour:Monday 17August 2009 Dee White: http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/Tuesday 18 August 2009 Rebecca Newman: http://www.soupblog.wordpress.com/Wednesday 19 August 2009 Mabel Kaplan: http://belka37.blogspot.com/Thursday 20 August 2009 Sandy Fussell: http://www.sandyfussell.blogspot.com/Friday 21 August 2009 Dale Harcombe: http://orangedale.livejournal.com/Saturday 22 August 2009Sally Murphy: http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/Sunday 23 August 2009 Robyn Opie: http://robynopie.blogspot.com/Monday 24 August 2009Sally Odgers: http://spinningearls.blogspot.com/

Welcome Sandy Fussell!

2009-08-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today I'm delighted to welcome Sandy Fussell to Spinning Pearls. I've known Sandy for years, so it was fun to find out how she goes about researching her Samurai Kids series. To follow the rest of Sandy's tour, check out the venues at the end of her post.

The Hour of the Rat – Researching Samurai Kids

Time to confess. I’ve never been to China where Monkey Fist (Book 4) and Shaolin Tiger (Book 3) are set. Nor have I been to Japan where White Crane (Book 1) and Owl Ninja (Book 2) take place. I’ve never studied a martial art or touched a samurai sword. But I desperately want to do all of those things one day and a good friend even suggested I started writing, just so I could.

Where does the world of Monkey Fist and the Samurai Kids come from? It’s inside my head, imaginings drawn from hundreds of hours of careful, detailed research and even more hours of playing around with all things samurai, ninja and Zen. My imagination is the ultimate time travel machine. It can take me across the ocean as easily as it takes me back four hundred years to feudal Japan and imperial China.

In my mind, I always go to Japan first. When I get there it’s the mid 17th century and Japan has a historical relationship with China (always shaky) and Korea (even shakier after the Japanese invade). So I go to these places too. In Monkey Fist I journey to the Forbidden City, deep in the heart of Beijing, accompanied by the mysterious Chinese ninja.

I spent hours poring over maps and diagrams. Looking at photographs of artefacts. Sometimes I sat in my cotton kimono, listening to shakuhachi flute music. I was fortunate to interview the Australian Shakuhachi flute master Riley Lee (the interview is on the Samurai Kids website).

Just like Sensei, I have a gong I’ve been known to bang in the middle of the night, to find just the right onomatopoeia for its sound. I discovered Sensei’s wisdoms in the many Zen, Tao and Confucian texts I read. Some I found in my own sense of humour. (“Sensei sounds just like you,” my eldest son said, accusingly.) I went to sword fighting classes. I learned how swords are made, how to imagine the moves and choreograph a sword fight. I also learned I should never be allowed anywhere near a real sword. Luckily I wouldn’t do too much damage with my wooden bokken.

The best research tip I ever received came from Felicity Pulman, author of the wonderful Janna Mysteries. “Never overlook the value of pictures in non-fiction books meant for children,” she told a roomful of aspiring historical fiction writers, including me. It’s wonderful advice. Adult non-fiction often assumes we can work it out from the words. But children’s books often contain wonderful artistic impressions that kick-start the imagination. Japanese castle layouts. Battle scenes. Samurai heroes and ninja villains.

My constant companion for the writing of Samurai Kids still is Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings. The legendary samurai swordsman wrote it after he grew weary of fighting and retired to live the last years of his life alone in a cave. Every time I read it, and I read it over and over again, a fuse is lit in my imagination. I am transported into the world of samurai honour and swordsmanship principles. I am on 17th century north-east Asia time. When I finish writing for the night, it’s not one am. It’s the Hour of the Rat drawing to a close….

Follow the tour:

Sat Aug 1 Dee White http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/
Sun Aug 2 Dale Harcombe http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale
Mon Aug 3 here! http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/
Tues Aug 4 Sally Odgers http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com/
Wed Aug 5 Mabel Kaplan http://belka37.blogspot.com/
Thurs Aug 6 Sally Murphy http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Fri Aug 7 Robyn Opie http://robynopie.blogspot.com/
Sat Aug 8 Rebecca Newman www.soupblog.wordpress.com
Sun Aug 9 Susan Stephenson http://thebookchook.blogspot.com/
Mon Aug 10 Jefferey E Doherty http://wordsandpictures.blogspot.com/

(Giving our kids) A REASON TO WRITE

2009-06-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

In April 2009 I had an email from a high school teacher, asking if I could suggest a source for one of my books. The book in question was a handbook for teachers, outlining writing workshops to use with schoolchildren. I suggested some bookshops, but no one seemed to have stock. Having had no luck sourcing copies from the publisher, I decided to write a completely new book on the same subject.

"Just a small book," I assured myself. "One about 6-7000 words, like your picture book writing workshop."

Blithely, I set to work.

43,000 words and many mini interviews later, the first draft of Reason to Write was done. Now came the hard part, deciding on a title. I found that using the short version Reason to Write, gave people the wrong impression. Almost everyone thought this was a book for adult writers who wanted to be published. No, no, been there, done that. Then they thought it was a handbook for children to use. No, no, haven't done that yet, but probably will. What is it then?

It's a handbook for adults who want to help children with their writing. Got it? Yes, they had it, but I couldn't explain that to potential customers, could I? Reluctantly, I decided the book needed a subtitle.

Many were suggested and considered. A handbook for parents. Yes, but it's also for teachers. A handbook for teachers. Yes, but it's for parents too. A handbook for teachers and parents. Too long.

Children's writing. Yes, but it sounds as if it might be for adults who want to write for children.

Child writers. Yes, but that sounds like a study of children who are writers.

Helping children write. Yes, but that could be about actual writing lessons.

The more subtitles I considered, the more I realised no subtitle of a reasonable length could explain the book's content and purpose. Finally, I hit on the idea of a subtitle that came first. How would that look?

Oddly, it looked OK. That's why the book is called (Giving our kids) A REASON TO WRITE.

Phew! Now the title was out of the way, I had to think about publishing... and that's another story. Tune in tomorrow! And, if you want to see, preview or buy the book itself as a PDF or paperback, follow the link. Reason to Write

Letters to Leonardo

2009-06-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

Today I'm happy to welcome Dee White's novel, Letters to Leonardo, to Spinning Pearls. I asked Dee some curly questions...

1. Imagine you're pitching Letters to Leonardo to the following readers, and give a high concept (25 words or fewer) for each pitch.

A boy who's heavily into computers and aircraft.

15yo Matt surfs the internet for info on his ‘dead’ mum. Copes with his discoveries by writing letters to early aircraft inventor, Leonardo da Vinci.

(phew, just made it with that one – 25 words)

A woman in her 40s who wants to be a writer.

Letters to Leonardo uses dual narrative to add story layers and suspense. Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings symbolise the turmoil going on in Matt Hudson’s life.

A girl who enjoys TV soaps.

Action, drama and a hunky main character with a secret make Letters to Leonardo essential reading.

2. Can you remember when you first became a fan of Leonardo da Vinci? (In my case it was a story called "The Boy Who Set the Birds Free" in a school reader, and also some of Leonardo's drawings in an encyclopaedia.)

I can’t remember exactly when I was first drawn to Leonardo da Vinci, but I remember looking at the Mona Lisa when I was in my teens and speculating about what secret she was hiding. Don’t you think she looks as if she knows something that nobody else does? I’ve always been inspired by the detail and the depth of emotion you can see in the people Leonardo painted – like he ‘really’ knew them.

3. How do you suppose an eccentric gay Italian genius would respond to letters from a 21st Century Australian boy?

Leonardo da Vinci was always searching for knowledge and truth – was always open to new things so I think he would have been intrigued with Matt’s letters – and fascinated to find out more. He is quoted as saying, “The desire to know is natural to all good people”.

When you look at some of the things Leonardo designed like tanks, flying machines etc, he was way ahead of his time. So I think that when Matt told him about our 21st Century world, he would have nodded his head, stroked his beard and said, “Hmmm! Just what I expected!”

4. What made you pick Leonardo as your character's unwitting aura?

Matt’s character was in my head before I started writing. Leonardo seemed the logical aura choice for an artistic, sensitive boy who could see layers in things - and deeper meanings. They had other things in common too; like being removed from their mothers when young and having strong, overprotective fathers.

5. Tell us about your next project.

I’m putting the finishing touches on a new YA novel, Cleopatra’s Cat. It’s about a girl with three obsessions – the ancient Egyptian queen, cats and getting her brother off drugs.

Thanks for having me, Sally – and for making me think ‘outside the picture’.

The tour kicks off at Sally Murphy's blog http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com tomorrow, then on to Sally O's blog where I had to answer some very tricky questions:-)

Anyway, here's the complete itinerary

24th June 2009 http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com
Dee and Matt (the main character) talk about promoting Letters to Leonardo online.

25th June 2009 http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
Author interview - some very curly questions

26th June 2009 http://thebookchook.blogspot.com
How art has been used in Letters to Leonardo - with some teaching activities included.

27th June 2009 http://belka37.blogspot.com
The research process involved in writing Letters to Leonardo

28th June 2009 http://weloveya.wordpress.com
Guest blogger – talking with Vanessa Barneveld – interactive discussion about dreams and writing

29th June 2009 http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale
An author interview on the writing process - covering things like inspiration and perspective

30th June 2009 http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com
Use of mentors in YA fiction, and Leonardo da Vinci’s involvement in the book

1st July 2009 Cyber launch http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com including cross to Robyn Opie’s blog http://robynopie.blogspot.com – hurdles overcome on the way to publication.

2nd July 2009 http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
How the author’s life paralleled Matt’s – her growing obsession with Leonardo da Vinci

3rd July 2009 http://bjcullen.blogspot.com
Working with a publisher and the editing process

4th July 2009 http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com
Interview with the elusive Matt Hudson at Sandy Fussell's blog. Sandy is the author of the Samurai Kids series

5th July 2009 http://teacherswritinghelper.wordpress.com
Class writing activities based on Letters to Leonardo - themes in the book

6th July 2009 http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
Tips 4 young writers on how Letters to Leonardo was written - how the author turned fact into fiction

7th July 2009 http://www.JenniferBrownYA.com
An overseas stop before heading home - USA blogger Jennifer Brown talks to Dee about bipolar themes in the story and the affect on teenagers of having a family member with a mental illness.

The Goanna Island Mystery Tour

2009-05-31T05:48:00.000-07:00

Today I'm happy to welcome Dale Harcombe to Spinning Pearls as she stops by on her Goanna Island Mystery Blog Tour. Read on after my interview with Dale to see the other stops on the tour.

1. Hi, Dale! Seeing Goanna Island on your book reminded me of an old favourite - Dolphin Island by Arthur C Clarke. Dolphin Island was based on the real life Lizard Island. Is Goanna Island based on a real place?

Dale: I have to admit I have not read Dolphin Island. Is it shaped like a dolphin or because there are dolphins there? I didn’t know there was a Lizard Island. To the best of my knowledge there is not such place as Goanna Island. Imagination called it into being after seeing two other small islands at varying times that evoked a response in me. One was in Sydney Harbour. The other up near Fingal Bay. But in The Goanna Island Mystery the editor chose to move it away from the NSW coast to place it near The Great Australian Bite. Not sure why unless she knows something I don’t know.

2. If someone blindfolded you and whisked you off to Goanna Island and ripped off the blindfold, what would you expect to see first?

Dale: Scrub everywhere. Spindly dull grey-green scrub and little black crabs that look like spiders scuttling for cover back towards the black rocks. Behind that I'd see the dilapidated house flaking green paint.

3. What comes first when you're writing - character, setting or plot or theme?

Dale: Nearly always charcter. The rest gets worked out or just appears as I go along and discover more about the character and where the story is leading. With The Goanna Island Mystery that was not the case as it started with the setting and a character that arrived at about the same time. As a child I loved mystery books so that’s probably how the mystery got in the act.

4. Did you consider other titles for this book, and if so, what?

Dale: It actually started life as The Pirate Ghost. I suspect the editor decided to take ghost out of the title because some schools get a bit peculiar about such things. The editor asked for other suggestions from me. After tossing around several, it became The Goanna Island Mystery.
I mostly find titles a bit of a problem. A manuscript I’m working on at present is untitled and probably will reman so till something leaps out of the text. Even with poems, which I also write, the title is invariably last.

5. Any funny stories about the genesis of Goanna Island?

Dale: Don’t know that it’s al that funny but the goanna idea wasn’t originally part of the story. The name refers not so much to inhabitants of the island but to the shape of it. It was a later addition to the story because I was looking for something else to call it other than The Pirate Ghost, so I hit on that idea of having the island in a goanna shape. I decided I liked that idea and so then wrote the goanna shape into the text.
It became The Goanna Island Mystery. This doesn’t give away as much of the plot in the title.
The last short chapter was also a late addition as, even though the manuscript had already been accepted for publication, I wasn't completely happy with the ending. This ending the editor and I both agreed was more satisfying.

Thanks for stopping by, Dale, and all the best with The Goanna Island Mystery.

Catch up with Dale at her earlier stops...

Monday 25th Dee White at http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com

Tuesday 26th Sally Murphy at http://aussiereviews.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 27th Mabel Kaplan at http://belka37.blogspot.com

Thursday 28th Claire Saxby at www.letshavewords.blogspot.com

Friday 29th Sandy Fussell at www.sandyfussell.blogspot.com

If you want to buy copies of The Goanna Island Mystery they are $9.95 from Blake Education http://www.blake.com.au/Aussie-Aussie-Aussie-Set-2-The-Goanna-Island-p/9781921255199.htm

Foods and Fats and Heart Disease

2009-05-03T01:44:00.000-07:00

It must be a coincidence... but here I am, filling in time between finishing a job and starting a meal when I hear a piece saying heart disease is now a major killer of Australian women. At the same time, 'cos of course I'm multitasking as usual, I see a piece on the internet about feeding the family for under $10.00 a meal.
This sounds good, but I checked the recipes and found most of them are unacceptably high in fat and salt.

Please - remember that buying cheaper (fattier) mince and sausages is false economy. You're better off with a can of no-added-salt tuna.

Exciting new author

2009-05-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

I do the occasional editing job for an e-book/POD publisher and I'm quite excited about the ms I have just edited. The author, Donaya Haymond, was born in Thailand to Thai and American parents, lived in China for a while, and seems peculiarly well-suited to write a novel of two people with secrets who come together in a Halloween Romance. Donaya first wrote this novel five years ago, when she was thirteen. She is currently at work on the last book in the series.

I can't say much about the storyline, since the book isn't yet available, but I can say I loved it. It's not a children's book, but adults who love children's books are likely to enjoy it for the depiction of two affectionate families and two groups of friends coming to terms with... but that's two secrets, for now.

When Halloween Romance is released, I'll be able to tell you more, but for now, I can take a leaf out of those weird lists one gets in libraries. "If you love Pamela Dean's Tam Lin, Diana Wynne Jones' Deep Secret, the gothic romances of Barbara Michaels, Madeleine L'Engle's YA family stories and Sally Rogers-Davidson's Polymer, then you'll enjoy Halloween Romance as well."

Sally Murphy's on Tour!

2009-04-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

Today I'm delighted to welcome Sally Murphy as guest blogger at Spinning Pearls. Sally's on tour with her brand new verse novel, the cleverly-titled "Pearl Verses the World".

Here's what Sally has to say.

Thanks for having me here, Sally.

Today is a special day for me, because it marks the release of my first verse novel, Pearl Verses the World, a verse novel aimed at primary aged children, about a girl dealing with isolation at school, and with her grandma’s illness at home.

As someone who loves to laugh, I didn’t expect to ever sit down and write a book dealing with loneliness, death and grief. But one night as I was getting into bed a poem came to me, speaking of loneliness and isolation. I wrote it down, and left it alone. Soon afterwards, other poems came to me, and I realised I had a story about a girl who was very sad and very lonely. There was a story which needed to be told and I needed to sit down and be the teller.

Pearl’s story was easy to write in many ways. It was almost as if Pearl was channelling through me – she told me her tale, and whenever I felt that I didn’t know what was going to happen next, I stopped writing and waited for it to come to me. And come to me it did; often when I was in the shower, or lying in bed, or doing something totally removed from writing. I gradually worked out why Pearl was sad, and why she felt lonely. She was watching her beloved grandmother fade away, and her grief had forced her apart from her classmates.

Having said that, Pearl’s story was in other ways terribly hard to write. When I wrote the scenes dealing with Granny’s death I experienced grief. A grief so real that I had to stop writing, curl into a ball and howl. Even long into the editing process I still cried. I also had to consider whether the book was too sad for child readers. Did I want children to cry as I had cried? The eventual answer was yes, I did need to share this story with children. They may cry when they read it – but hopefully they will also smile and even, perhaps, laugh out loud. Above all, I hope they will see that although they may experience loss or grief in their lives, life does go on and there is always hope. I also hope they will know it is okay to grieve, in their own way and in their own time.

I hope that readers – young and old - will smile with Pearl.

Thanks, Sally! I feel it in my bones that Pearl Verses the World is going to storm into the world and take it over... by storm. And I'm sure many writers who read Sally's account of the writing of "Pearl" are nodding with sympathy. Some books are just books, but some books, authors LIVE, even if they have never experienced the situations themselves.

Follow the tour!

May 1st - Here at Spinning Pearls. http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
May 2nd - BJ Cullen - The Writing Life at http://bjcullen.blogspot.com
May 3rd - Tips 4Young Writers at www.tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
May 4th - Persnickety Snark at http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/
May 5th - Let's Have Words at http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com
May 6th - to be announced
May 7th - to be announced
May 8th - Write and Read with Dale at http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale
May 9th - Tales I Tell at http://belka37.blogspot.com
May 10th - Robyn Opie's Writing Children's Books at http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com

Sally Murphy's Favourite Five

2009-04-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today I welcome Sally Murphy to Spinning Pearls. Sally is a children’s author and poet, with 28 books in print and more in production. She also runs a book review site which reviews only Australian books.

I have sent out an open invitation to authors and readers to nominate their favourite ever children's books. This is Sally's list.

(Note, Sally reserves her right to change her mind as often the book she is currently reading is her favourite book ever and, a her moods change, so do her favourites – but these one are pretty consistently favourite.)

Dragonkeeper Series, by Carole Wilkinson - fantasy as it should be for children – beautifully crafted, and a sense that it is true.
The Naming of Tishkin Silk, by Glenda Millard - a tear jerker. I loved the sequels as well.
C-a-a-a-r, Ca-a-a-a-ar, by Geoff Havel – laugh out loud funny picture book
Gordon’s Got a Snooky, by Lisa Shanahan – also lots of fun, and beautifully illustrated by Wayne Harris
Pearl Verses the World, by Sally Murphy (that’s me) – my favourite one of my own works to date.

Spinning Pearls in Paperback!

2009-04-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to announce my two poetry books, Fernseed for Fairysight and Spinning Pearls are now available in paperback. You can buy them, if you're so inclined, from Amazon. If you prefer the PDF versions, buy directly from www.eternalpress.ca or from Fictionwise.

Guest Blogger Mabel Jean Kaplan!

2009-03-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

Today I have a new visitor at Spinning Pearls; Mabel Jean Kaplan, the West Aussie author of "Connie and the Pigeons". "Connie" was illustrated by Kelli Hainke, who drew the entertaining little lizard you see on this page.

Here's what Mabel has to say, but read on afterwards for some of my comments on Connie.

THE BIRTH OF CONNIE

The writing of ‘Connie and the Pigeons’ was a real buzz for me. From the moment I read the six line blurb in a newspaper column, I had a story. An aeroplane of Australian historical significance had been rediscovered in an aeroplane graveyard in Tucson, Arizona by two Australian aeroplane enthusiasts where it had been saved from demolition by a flock of pigeons who had taken up residence inside her. All I had to do was get it out or get it down on paper.

Now I’m a storyteller at heart, so Connie’s first airing was during ‘Celebration of Story’ a storytelling concert in a small hall over Perth Central Railway Station. I thought it went over quite well until I saw myself on video. Ugh! Didn’t know I moved so much. Then I remembered the card I’d received from colleagues when I left one of my previous places of employment. It had shown a picture of a mechanised woman with an inscription that read: You could never be replaced by a machine. Too many moveable parts!

I knew then, this story had to be written down. In my mind’s eye it was already a picture book, I could see those moveable parts as ‘the ground crew climbed over her body, checked her joints, rubbed her down and wiped over her engine parts … put a drop of oil here and tightened a loose bolt there’ and when ‘she felt her body begin to shake so much her wings moved up and down' and again when she ‘shook her propellers and flicked her lights as she bumped over the rough ground.’

MY AFFINITY WITH AEROPLANES

I’ve always loved aeroplanes. I remember as a child living on a farm in the north eastern wheat belt of Western Australia being woken one night by my father to see an aeroplane flying overhead. Since that time I’ve flown in all manner of aircraft large and small. In the ‘60’s, as a teacher on Kalgoorlie School of the Air, it was the Flying Doctor Service plane that took me out across the Nullabor to Cook on the WA-SA border to visit a group of isolated children. This is the desert I saw when I thought of Tucson, Arizona. In the 70’s I worked on an aboriginal settlement on Elcho Island in North East Arnhemland. The plane that took us island hopping was a single engine, two seater. Many a time a group of children and I looked on as an elderly mechanic climbed over the craft and carefully checked the engine parts after each flight. And I’ll never forget my first trip to Vienna in 1983. Vienna was my husband’s birth place and we were on a journey back to the haunts of his childhood. Bad weather prevented landing in Copenhagen, where we were to have changed planes for our flight to Vienna, and the plane was forced to fly onto on to Oslo in Norway. As we waited for our flight to resume, an airport attendant approached us and advised if we didn’t mind flying in an Austrian DC3 over Czechoslovakia we could leave immediately. We accepted his offer and were soon flying so low over Czechoslovakia we could almost see the grass grow. At this time Austrian airlines were one of the few foreign planes permitted to enter then communist controlled Czech airspace.

BEHIND THE STORY

I find researching the background behind a story half the fun. For Connie, the story had all but written itself before I had time to do any research. But I soon discovered that Connie, far from being the name of a particular aircraft, was the generic name for all the Lockheed Constellations of the period from 1947 to the early 60’s. I uncovered a political wrangle between the Australian and British Governments over the purchase of the Lockheeds and in the process found the reason for Connie ending up in Tucson, Arizona. As for the so-called aeroplane graveyard, it turned out to be a museum. Saved by pigeons? Yes. But not because the smell of their droppings dissuaded would-be salvage crews from stripping her down, but because the acid in the droppings rendered the metal unsuitable for melting down and re-use. And the two Australian aeroplane enthusiasts? They turned into a whole team of men and women, members of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) based in New South Wales who worked tirelessly over many years to bring a Connie back to Australia.

But this was a children’s picture book and I saw no reason to complicate the story line with literal truth. Just knowing this background greatly enriched the story for me.

One piece of information I was really glad I didn’t know prior to writing the story concerned the pigeons. The live pigeons were long gone. Far from shooing pigeons from inside the cabin, the restoration crew spent long hours removing ‘tightly wadded nests of twigs and the remains of dead birds’ and scraping dried bird dropping from every surface and orifice.

The greatest delight of all came after the book was published. A telephone call from a Qantas pilot in New South Wales who had learned about the book from a Western Australian Qantas pilot. He was also a member of HARS and well acquainted with those involved in the restoration and return of Connie. He was full of enthusiasm and generous in his praise. I felt relieved and delighted the book rang true even to those in the know!

EXPLORING MEANING

I never cease to be intrigued by the underlying messages different readers attach to a story. Here are two unsolicited comments about Connie and the Pigeons.

This book is based on a true story and the strange adventure of little aeroplane called Connie (Lockheed Constellation L749). But as with all books there is more. It is also about separation anxiety, friendship, doing what you do best, and even recycling! Kathy Pierce, Pittsburgh USA

The text is pitched towards middle and upper primary, the comic sans font enhancing the lively pace of the story. Kelli Hainke’s illustrations complement the text and encourage the reader to look deep and uncover more. Her wandering lizard has its own story to tell and adds a ‘Where’s Wally’ aspect to the story.

The text is ideal for thematic planning and act as a stimulus and springboard into further studies of flight and the history of aviation in Australia. Within my room I have used the ICP strand in S&E to encourage internet research in several learning areas. Year 5 teacher, Caversham Primary School.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks, Mabel, for a fascinating story behind the story of Connie and the Pigeons. The picturebook, (which you'll find reviewed at my other blog, http://readandreviewed.blogspot.com ) tells a happy and simple story, but the guest blog you just read gives us the background and facts behind the story. As Mabel rightly points out, the sweeter and simpler aspects of the story are not strictly what happened, but, they are "right" for a picturebook. This seemingly throw-away comment deserves careful consideration. When turning a real event into a fictionalised story, authors must choose what facts to keep, what to leave out and what to change or smooth. Having been lucky enough to read both versions of the story, I believe Mabel chose well.

Follow Mabel on her blog tour. She is appearing at the following blogs.

Monday, 23 March Sally Murphy at http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com

Tuesday,24 March, Sally Odgers at http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com (You are here now.)

Wednesday, 25 March, Dee White at www.deescribewriting.wordpress.com

Thursday, 26 March, Refuelling stop at http://belka37.blogspot.com

Friday, 27 March, Brenton Cullen at www.bjcullen.blogspot.com

Connie and the Pigeons is available through Westbooks in Victoria Park WA (08) 9361 4211

Email: orders@westbooks.com.au; online through http://www.justlocal.com.au/clients/book/mabel-kaplan/ or direct from the publisher Stories for the Telling 54 Hudson Avenue Girrawheen WA 6064 Tel. (08) 9342 7150 Email: mabelka@hotmail.com

For those on the Eastern coast it is also available from

HARS Souvenirs
cnr Airport and Boomerang Roads

Albion Park Rails, New South Wales 2527

and

Qantas Founder Outback Museum
PO Box 737
Longreach Qld 4730

Replay first chapter

2009-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here's the first chapter of my century-spanning love story, REPLAY. It's available as a PDF or a paperback from www.lulu.com, and I'd really LOVE someone to read it and give it an honest review.

REPLAY;
SONG CYCLE ONE
VARIATIONS ON A THEME.

Scored in a locked room.

TRACK 1. AUSTRALIAN OVERTURE. (2007.)

This time round, I am a human girl and Harry is a dog. This is inconvenient, because my parents didn't really want a dog with a jutting eyebrow fringe and a shaggy, untrimmed beard. Nor did they want a dog that cost five hundred dollars.

A pedigreed Schnauzer! I said in despair when I recognised him that morning at the agricultural show. Why did you have to be a pedigreed Schnauzer, Harry? I mean - why did you have to be a dog?

Harry looked sheepish. His beady little eyes peered out from underneath that peculiar fringe. Sorry, Aelfthryth...

Ellie, I corrected. I'm called 'Ellie' now.

I was speaking to Harry mind-to-mind, of course. Australian English is the language I use in this Replay, but it isn't something a dog can ever learn.

Harry's little pink tongue polished his button nose. Sorry, Aelfthryth... I really couldn't help it.

Oh, never mind, I said. Of course you couldn't, any more than I could help the popinjay affair. (He was looking mournful. I never can stand it when Harry looks mournful.) It could have been worse. You might have been an elephant. Or a flea.

Or a bank manager, said Harry. I wish.

He was joking, of course. We both knew there was no way he could ever have made it as a bank manager.

I knelt down and gave him a hug, because I was so pleased to see him again. A computer nerd is about as high as you could have aimed in this time and place, I told him gently. A bank manager isn't one of the options, love. You can't be a postman, either. Not this time.

Harry sighed. Schnauzers never do look particularly happy, but poor Harry looked as if his last chunk of beef had turned out to be plastic.

I'm just so tired of being sixteen, he grumbled. It seems to get younger all the time. Except this time, when it's older.

You're not wrong, I said.

I thought back, carefully, more than ninety years. I was a kitchen maid that time, working for a man called Dr Large. He was a good enough doctor, I suppose, but his wife was very strange. Long red nose (I know she drank), stupid hobble skirts. And half the time she was off in a daze of laudanum. As for the housekeeper, Mrs Gurney! She was an evil old bat, unnaturally fond of Morals (with a Capital M) and caustic soda. Cruel stuff on the hands, that was, but not so cruel as her tongue.
She cuffed me round the ear once, and called me a slut, just for wearing my cap a bit off-centre. I was measuring the soda at the time and some of it splashed on my arm. The scar made a livid mark and Harry was furious.

There was nothing he could do about it, though. He was working as a postman, that time, with a bicycle and all and a peaked hat that made his ears look lonely. He passed his Post Office exam with the best marks anyone could remember.

"I'm going somewhere, Aelfthryth!" he told me, after he'd fussed about my soda-burn. (We'd met up down the alley, behind Doc Large's house.)

"Mary," I said. "I'm going by 'Mary' just now, remember? Mrs Gurney insists. She says 'Elvie' is no name for a kitchen maid."

"I'm going somewhere this time, Mary," said Harry. "I'll work my way up to Postmaster, just you wait and see!"

I hugged him as if I believed him, and he swaggered a bit as if he believed it too.

We both knew it was nonsense. He'd never make Postmaster, but he did have some independence. He was earning a wage and living in a boarding house. "You'll move in with me soon, won't you, Aelfthryth," he said.

"Mary."

"Aelfthryth." He grinned. "We'll be together, and the old bat won't be able to hurt you any more."

But of course we weren't together. We were old enough to be paid a wage, to be done with education... but they wouldn't let us board together. They said it was immoral. They said I'd be at risk. I don't know what they thought about the risk of caustic soda. And that wasn't even the worst of it-

I sighed, coming back to the present. This particular present, where Harry is a Schnauzer dog.

I'm tired of never getting past sixteen, he said again. It really sucks, big time.

"Don't you think I'm tired of finishing at fourteen?" I said aloud. I flicked his nose, which is what I always do the first time we meet in each new Replay. I wanted to kiss him. It would have seemed the natural thing to do, but I thought that people might stare. What they would see right now was a girl kneeling down beside a Schnauzer dog, which happened to be tied to the railing outside the ring at an agricultural show. Not too unusual, really. Lots of girls kneel down and talk to dogs. It's something girls tend to do in the here and now.

Kissing them is something else. Very unhygienic.

Then I bent and gave him a kiss anyway, because I really do love Harry with all my heart. And I'm sure you agree I should, since he's my husband.

Brenton's on Tour!

2009-03-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today I'm pleased to host Brenton Cullen for his current book tour for his book Ronda's Gang. Brenton has agreed to be guest blogger on Spinning Pearls, and has chosen to present this essay. (For more from me, read on at the end of Brenton's essay.)

The Writers: A Journey Through Writing Biographies

By Brenton Cullen

Brenton Cullen recently published his first non-fiction book, The Writers: A Collection of Australian Writers’ Biographies, with Lulu Publishing. A second edition was printed by I-Proclaim Press, in early April of 2008.

Putting together The Writers was a fun, and at times, difficult, process. It was also gruelling and troublesome. But nevertheless, I did indeed enjoy doing it. I first received the idea for a collection of biographies on well-known Australian children’s authors in December 2007.

I had just finished unwrapping all of my Christmas presents, and I was looking at a new book I had received for one of my presents. It was How To Self-Edit by Dianne Bates (my writing mentor). This book also proved very helpful when the editing process of my book came around.

Anyway, I turned How To Self-Edit over and read the back cover. A short excerpt, photograph of Dianne Bates, and a paragraph about her. I was sad that not much information was there about her. That had happened a lot with many of my other favourite children’s authors.

And then … it hit me! BAM! I wanted biographies on my favourite authors, why not write them myself? The first bit of writing material I did for The Writers was to make a list of the authors I would ask to be in the book.

The list looked a bit like this:

• Dianne Bates
• Libby Hathorn
• Duncan Ball
• Bill Condon
• Paul Collins
• Hazel Edwards
• Jackie French
• Sue Gough

The authors in the finished product of The Writers were all the writers above, except for Paul Collins and Sue Gough. Paul Collins because he hadn’t really written actual children’s books, but mostly YA novels, and teenager fantasy books.

I am a friend of Sue Gough’s, and met her at the 27th Annual Meanjin Writers’ Camp, and the reason she did not make it into the book was because she just was not that much of a well-known children’s author.

As soon as I had all the writers down that I wanted in my book, I sent each one of them a special email. In these emails were a list of questions, the biography request, and a request for a recent full-colour photo from each author.

After I had sent the emails to all six authors, I began to research them on Google. I typed in things like ‘Jackie French interview’ or just ‘books by Duncan Ball’. You know, general research starts.

About a week later, I checked my emails to find:
SIX NEW MESSAGES
All messages were from people by the names of: Hazel Edwards, Bill Condon, Jackie French, Libby Hathorn, Duncan Ball, and Dianne Bates.

‘Yes!’ I cried. ‘This is definitely going to be awesome!’

As a matter of fact, Bill Condon had actually been a later addition to the biography collection. He had originally not even been considered to be in The Writers: A Collection of Australian Writers’ Biographies. But when one author I had considered,
dropped out, I emailed Dianne Bates.

Bill very kindly agreed to let me write and include his bio in my book.

The Writers: A Collection of Australian Writers’ Biographies took me approximately two half months, if not three months, to complete. Those three months included writing time, research time, and also emailing the authors and waiting for them to respond time! But when that was all over, I had to add on about three and a half weeks for re-writing and editing time. So nearly about four months all together, for everything!

Self-publication had always seemed to appeal to me. ‘If I never get commercially published, then I’m doing it myself,’ is what I used to tell myself every time I got a rejection letter for a book of mine.

I first ‘dabbled’ in self-publishing when I went onto lulu.com, the website for Lulu Publishing.

After looking around Lulu Publishing’s website, I forgot about it for a couple months. But then, later on when I was trying to get The Writers published, I came back to it. I immediately got excited by the idea and uploaded my manuscript file to them right away!

I had to edit the book again, because I found a few typos that I had not noticed before. With Lulu Publishing, you were the boss, not the publisher! I got the chance to design the cover and back cover, enter information in, typeset it, etc, etc.

The whole thing was a very wonderful experience. Still, I would like my book to be published commercially, so I would appreciate any information or offers. I just checked my hits count for The Writers on lulu.com and found 253 hits. That’s in only four weeks, so far!

And after writing their autobiographies, all the authors in my book and I have become friendlier and are operating on a more personal basis, now. I have sold some few copies, so I look forward to selling quite a few more.

Promotion for my books, that I did all myself, had not really been a problem much at all. I sold copies at school, advertised them, and also put notices out. And every time my dad went away for a show I went with him with a good stock of books with me! I actually sold over $250 worth of books this way. So, as you can see it turned out to be quite profitable.

But as I said, it was a wonderful experience. But I suppose it will be even more wonderful if my book is commercially published! I am now working on a kids’ health book and a YA novel.

Brenton Cullen can be contacted at author.guy@hotmail.com
His blog is ww.bjcullen.blogspot.com and he is currently finishing up a series of play scripts.

This is me, Sally, again. In the essay above, Brenton was discussing an earlier book rather than Ronda's Gang. However, much of what he says has to do with any and all books. Brenton's experience showcases the determination and proactivity needed to succeed in the writing business. And make no mistake, it IS a business.

Buy Ronda's Gang online from Lulu, and can follow Brenton's blog tour at
tips4youngwriters (18 March)
http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com/ (19 march) Here... and apologies for the late lift off!
sallymurphy.blogspot.com and
Tales I Tell (21 March)

Brenton's on Tour!

2009-02-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

Today I'm happy to welcome young author Brenton Cullen back to Spinning Pearls as one stop on his blog tour. If you want to track Brenton's tour, check out the following stops.

Day 1, Saturday 21st Feb. http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Day 2, Sunday 22nd Feb. Here at Spinning Pearls.
Day 3, Monday 23rd Feb. http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/

Brenton’s book The Writers: A Collection of Australian Writers' Biographies, can be purchased as a download or in paperback or hardcover versions from Lulu by visiting http://www.lulu.com/content/2377107

Hi, Brenton;

I’ve already done an interview with you at Spinning Pearls, but I’ve come up with some questions for the blog tour.

Q. Young writers often find themselves categorized as “different” from other kids. Is this something you accept, or even enjoy, or do you prefer to see yourself as an ordinary writer who happens to be younger than most? (Or as an ordinary teenager who happens to be a writer.)

A. Well, I am not ordinary, but very different from the other kids in my classes. But I do think that people come down a bit too much on teenage authors. Sonya Hartnett hated being referred to as "the teen writer". I feel sort of the same way, as people do not take me as seriously as they would take a 35 yr old author.

Q. You write non fiction (in your biographies of Australian writers) and also fiction. Which style of writing comes more naturally to you?

A. This is hard to say. Non-fiction is easier but I prefer fiction and fiction is harder but I prefer to not do nonfiction all the time!

Q. Do you have other creative talents, such as music or drawing?

A. I am not fond of music, except for listening to it! My drawings would, put it this way, want to make you throw them in the bin! I enjoy some art, but am terrible at it, especially painting!

Q. Do any of your peers at school like writing too?

A. Yes, my best friend and I co-wrote a novel in 6th Grade.

Q. If you could interview any writer, living or dead, and write his or her biography, which one would you pick, and why?

A. I love this question!! I would love to fly to their house and sit down for a two hour interview or something with J.K. Rowling, or, much more likely(!) my mentor, Sally Odgers.

Thanks for answering my inquisitive questions, Brenton. Good luck with the rest of your tour.

Winning the Paperback in Your Hand contest 5

2009-02-17T03:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a fifth tip for those planning to enter the Paperback in Your Hand Contest at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com (or any other writing contest for that matter!)

Enter a project you feel passionate about.

Sometimes, strategies of market study and technical proficiency are enough, but winners often have that little bit extra. You might call it spark, passion or X-factor. It's difficult to categorise but unmistakable to see. Care about what you're writing, whether it's a recipe book, a family history, a poetry collection or a comic novel. If you find yourself smiling, sniffling, laughing or just grinning like a harvest moon when you think of your manuscript, then you care, and that's half way to making others see the light emerging from the bushell.

How to Win the Paperback in Your Hand contest 4

2009-02-15T02:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone! Today is the fourth day of this Event. It's very informal, as you will note. Each day I'll be putting up a tip or trick to help writers make the most of contest writing... not only the Paperback in Your Hand Contest, but other competitions, too. Please be sure to read the comments for the earlier parts, as the writers had some useful tips of their own. If you plan to enter this contest, you'll find all the details at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com .

Here's the fourth tip.

If your entry is fiction, make sure the plot has plenty of highs and lows.

Most readers prefer a story where there is plenty of action, but which allows for some quieter and more reflective passages that allow them to get to know the characters. It is also better to show characters who have shades of grey in behaviour, emotion and luck. You can test this by plotting your protagonist's emotional journey on a graph, If the emotional journey appears to be flatlining, so, probably, is the story.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to check in tomorrow for the fifth tip.

How to Win the Paperback in Your Hand Contest 3

2009-02-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone! Today is the third day of this Event. It's very informal, as you will note. Each day I'll be putting up a tip or trick to help writers make the most of contest writing... not only the Paperback in Your Hand Contest, but other competitions, too. Please be sure to read the comments for Parts 1 and 2, as the writers had some useful tips of their own. If you plan to enter this contest, you'll find all the details at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com .

Here's tip 3.

Consider your style, genre and target readership.

You probably have considered these already, but have you looked at them as a whole? Writing style is closely tied to readership and to genre. The style that is perfect for a category romance won't suit a hard-boiled thriller. The chatty first-person style that fits a chapter book might be quite wrong in a detective story. One of the most common errors I see is a style that fights with the genre, or with the age group. For example, there are very few science fiction stories for very young readers. This is because such young readers don't know the conventions of sci fi, and so need a lot explained. A lot of explanation in a short book overshadows the action and character.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to come back tomorrow for another winning tip. Any comments will be welcome.

How to Win the Paperback in Your Hand Contest 2

2009-02-12T19:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone! Today is the second day of this Event. It's very informal, as you will note. Each day I'll be putting up a tip or trick to help writers make the most of contest writing... not only the Paperback in Your Hand Contest, but other competitions, too. Please be sure to read the comments for Part 1, as the writers had some useful tips of their own. If you plan to enter this contest, you'll find all the details at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com .

My second tip is simple.

Submit a manuscript of the right length.

The rules call for a manuscript of 25,000 words or under. This can be short stories, a novella, a short story or a chapter book, poems, a biography, a cook book... well, just about anything! Technically, a story with five words in it or a haiku poem would fall within the rules, but remember, this is a Paperback in Your Hand contest. How many paperbacks have you seen with one or two pages? A book of ten poems would probably have fewer words than a chapter book, but it would cover several pages because poetry is traditionally displayed in short lines with plenty of white space. A recipe book would likewise take up more pages than the word count would suggest. A chapter book would cover more pages than a short story of the same word count. A children's picture book would take up the traditional 32 pages... but since this particular contest cannot provide for coloured illustrations, any pictures would be black and white, and, additionally, will need to be provided by the author.

All these matters need to be taken into account by entrants in this contest. When planning your entry, visualise it as a paperback. How will it look? Will it be impossibly slim? Will it need saddlestitching, or will it be perfect bound? If you can't "see" a proper book, then maybe you should reconsider your entry.

Comments? Questions? Come back tomorrow for another tip.

How to Win the Paperback in Your Hand Contest 1

2009-02-11T23:29:00.001-08:00

Welcome everyone! Today is the first day of this Event. It's very informal, as you will note. Each day I'll be putting up a tip or trick to help writers make the most of contest writing... not only the Paperback in Your Hand Contest, but other competitions, too.

First up... if you want to enter the contest, check out the rules at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com .

Now, here comes the first tip. It might be self-evident to some people, but it obviously isn't to others.

Obey the contest rules.

Rules are there for a number of reasons. Some rules make sure there's a level playing field for entrants. Others make life easier for the judge(s). Still others are there to help weed out entries. If you're unsure about the meaning of a rule, you should contact the contest organiser(s) and ask. For example, the Paperback in Your Hand contest asks for manuscripts of 25,000 words or under. As it happens, the contest will accept mss of up to 26,000 words, simply because editing will often remove this many from the finished product. However, this is not always so. Some contests are strict about the word count, and you may be disqualified if you overshoot the mark.

If you have any comments or questions, send us a comment. Then tune in tomorrow for the next tip.

The Big Blowie! Sally Murphy swats my questions

2009-02-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, and welcome to this stop on the inaugural Aussie Blog Tour! Today author Sally Murphy has kindly agreed to answer my inquisitive questions regarding her new book, The Big Blowie.

Q.1. The Big Blowie is a title to send me for the swatter. Please provide one (1) true-life horror story concerning one or more big blowies.

A.1. Blowies (or blowflies if you are not Australian) are truly insidious creatures. They are worse than ‘normal’ flies, in their ability to just stick around, being big and buzzy and gross. Living in hot, dry parts of Australia, I’ve spent many hours trying to get rid of persistent blowies. The worst is when they start buzzing in your bedroom in the middle of the night. If you turn on the light to spray or sat them, they go quiet and you can’t find them.
But a story? Hmm – let me think. Perhaps this one: yesterday morning I took a bag of kitchen rubbish to the green wheelie bin outside. When I opened the lid, it was wriggling with big juicy blowfly maggots. One of my darling children had taken some rubbish out for me the day before and not pushed it in far enough. As a result he lid was ajar, and a blowfly, attracted by the delicious aroma of week old rubbish had decided to make my bin her nursery. Eeeeewww. Fortunately for me, yesterday was bin day and the whole stinking mess has now made its way, to the local tip.2.

Q.2. The best way to make a big blowie into an ex-blowie is via a folded newspaper. Discuss.

A.2. Oh definitely. And it works for other pests, too. After my recent holiday, I bought in the morning paper, which had been buried deep in a bush in my front garden. When I started to unroll it, a family of big cockroaches came scurrying out. The newspaper was hastily employed to say goodbye to the cockroaches. It turned out it was not that day’s paper at all, but one which had been lost in the bush for some time, long enough to become a little cockroach heaven.

Q.3. That’s a very feral-looking child on the cover. Is he based on one of yours? (You may take the fifth on this if necessary.)

A.3. Lol – MY children wouldn’t dare look feral. Okay, well maybe occasionally. Very occasionally. Is there such a thing as frequently occasionally or occasionally frequently?
But no, Syd doesn’t look like any of my children, though I do have sons about his age, and three of my kids do have blue eyes. But none of them have yellow hair. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a kid with yellow hair.

Q.4. Oh, the story. Yes. Did the Aussie Aussie Aussie theme set you thinking about Things Aussie, such as thongs, chops, and blowies? Or was it the sight of a Big Prawn, Big Pineapple or the daddy of them all, the Big Spud that set you off?

A.4. Yes, the story was definitely prompted by the series theme, although I’ve always been strangely fascinated by Big Things, and on my recent trip across Australia insisted on not just viewing as many as possible, but also photographing them.
The Big Blowie, came about because the publisher was looking for very Australian stories for the series. I wanted to have a good chance of being accepted, so I tried to think of things were very Australian – I came up with the Outback, blowflies, and Big Things . The guidelines also mentioned that it wanted books to deal with issues, so I decided to include a drought in my book because drought is a huge problem here in Australia. From this list of ideas, I came up with a plot where the drought is affecting a family’s livelihood, so the child comes up with the idea of building a big blowfly (blowie) to draw tourists in.

Q.5. How do you individualise the voice of a young protagonist? One pervasive problem in books at this level is that the protagonists CAN begin to sound generic… boy, smart, eight-to-eleven, scrape-prone, or girl, smart, feisty, tomboy or proto-feminist, eight-to-eleven, scrape prone.

A.5. You are so right. In these shorter length books you have less room to develop the protagonist’s character, and there is a risk of them all sounding the same. I sued first person narrative for this book (I tend to use it a lot, actually), and there is always a risk in first person that the character sounds just like you, the author. For Syd, I tried to have him focus on the things a kid would focus on, rather than having him have an adult take on the world. For example, Syd’s in a rural area in a drought. For an adult, there would be worries about stock and crop prices, concerns about water for the house and property, financial concerns. These issues are not what’s at the top of Syd’s list of concerns. He likes Dougie and the tourists coming to visit – he’s a social kind of kind – so his concern is with the tourists drying up when the water does. Kids are, by nature, egocentric, so he’s concerned about the things that affect him. But he’s also proactive. He can’t fix the drought, but he can come up with a way to get the tourists to come back, and that’s exactly what he does.

Q.6. Is this book a move to rehabilitate the humble blowie?

A.6. No, I think they’re beyond redemption, quite frankly. But it is a move to make the most out of the things that we can’t change. Before Syd comes up with his big idea, he and his mum are being bothered by blowies. That’s the source of his inspiration. The blowies don’t go away, and although they don’t appear much again in the text after Syd gets his idea, the illustrator (Craig Longmuir) has them there in the illustrations right till the last page.
I’ve noticed a bizarre tendency for me to right about things that gross me out. Obviously blowies, but previously Giant Cockroaches (blehhhhh) and, more recently an incident with a huge spider is fodder for a new story I’m planning. Snakes and bitey insects such as scorpions also feature prominently in two nonfiction titles I’ve written, and flies, snakes and snails are in my poems. Will I rehabilitate them? No. But sometimes when I write about them I do learn things that make me feel more kindly about them. Sometimes

Thanks, Sally, for visiting Spinning Pearls. And readers, why not follow the tour? Sally Murphy has been to..

February 8 - Dee Scribe - http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com
February 9 - Let’s Have Words - http://letshavewords.blogspot…com/
February 10 - Robyn Opie’s Writing Children’s Books - www.robynopie.blogspot.com
February 11 - Spinning Pearls - http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com

Tomorrow she will visit -
February 12 - The Book Chook - www.thebookchook.blogspot.com

The Big Blowie is part of the Aussie Aussie Aussie series published by Aussie School Books and distributed by Blake. http://www.blake.com.au/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=9781921255366&Show=TechSpecs

See where I walk!

2009-02-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

To see one of the walks I take regularly, click on the link above.

Running Pink

2009-01-16T18:25:00.001-08:00

Deb and Maggie are still running for a cure for breast cancer. For some inspiring reading, check out their blog at http://www.runningpink.com.au and please... if you read this in 2009, leave them a message of support.

Updating Websites

2009-01-09T07:33:00.001-08:00

I've spent a few days updating my websites, with help and guidance (OK, lots of the latter) from my son. The Sallyodgers.com, Jack Russell and Affordale Manuscript Assessments sites now have (gasp) FRAMES! Sally Odgers at 50 Megs is a tougher nut to crack. Maybe in a few months or so...

The Character Posts.

2009-01-01T04:17:00.000-08:00

Hello again! One of those writing related resolutions is to update this blog more often. I have also decided to create a new blog for Character Posts, which will talk about some of book characters. I have well over a thousand named characters by now, but some of them are walk-ons. I'll restrict entries to major characters. Where possible, I'll include the cover of the book in which the character(s) appears.

The new blog is at http://sallyspeople.blogspot.com

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T04:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Tasmania! I'm making a few resolutions, one of which is to keep my blog updated more regularly. Anyone like to share a resolution?

And remember - the Paperback in Your Hand contest is now open for entries. Details are at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com

Paperback in Your Hand contest

2008-12-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

Affordable Manuscript Assessments announces the first Paperback in Your Hand contest. The contest opens on January 1st 2009 and closes on March 31st. Any author may enter a work of up to 25,000 words. Full details at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com

What's your favourite Sally Odgers book or series?

2008-11-28T18:39:00.000-08:00

I've just discovered Survey Monkey, a nifty site that lets me make... well... surveys! I'd love to know which of my books, or series, readers like best. You can vote (or just have a look...) by clicking this link.

Click Here to take survey

Passing on the Book Quote Game

2008-11-24T03:44:00.000-08:00

(Thanks to Judith Ridge for reminding me of this one!)
Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions in a note to your wall, and post your sentence in a comment here as well. Include the title of book and author.

Here's mine... and no, I didn't cheat.

Catsnatcher: Someone who snatches or kitnaps a cat. (The Kitnapped Creature, by Darrel and Sally Odgers.)

Meeting Deborah de Williams

2008-11-07T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today Tess (our elderly Jack Russell) and I were lucky enough to meet Deborah de Williams and her border collie Maggie, who are running for charity. They are attempting a world record run around Australia with 365 days on the road, and raising awareness of the search for a cure for breast cancer along the way. Deb's artist husband drives the wonderful pink support van. I was especially interested because of the tie-in with my book WILDERNESS (Eternal Press - www.eternalpress.ca ) which is also about a cancer survivor running for charity. To support Deb and Maggie and their team, check out www.runningpink.com.au .

Treasury of Flowers

2008-09-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

I found A Treasury of Flowers by Alice M Coats at the market last week. It's too wet to walk there today, so I've been vegetating with the computer, Tilly-Trump, Jeanie and a pear... and the book. It's charming, with a fine turn of phrase. I'm bidding on another one by the same author at eBay.

Wilderness

2008-08-07T06:08:00.000-07:00

My new book, WILDERNESS, is now available from Eternal Press. To read an excerpt, check out the blurb or to buy a copy, go to http://www.eternalpress.ca/wilderness.html

Miriam Moses is running for her life. She has a long way to go, and along the way she meets a string of people who turn out to be connected in a mesh of possibility.
Wilderness is where you find it... and Miriam is running for her life.

Under the Waterfall

2008-07-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all! My new book, UNDER THE WATERFALL, is available now from Devine Destinies at www.devinedestinies.com.
Someone is out to kill Corrie!
Stranded at a campsite with her brain-damaged brother, Ethan, Corrie swims under a waterfall. She finds herself in the land of Sisterin, where women rule and men are subservient. As a female, Corrie should be among the favoured ones, but in Susterin she is a nullard, a person without a trade. Only one person is prepared to help her, and that's a boy named Athen. He seems strangely familiar.
Dealing with a self-sufficient and healthy version of her brother Ethan is bad enough, but Corrie soon finds herself if deadly danger.

Under the Waterfall is available for download from www.devinedestinies.com for (US)$5.99.
If you buy a copy in the month of July, let me know and I'll send you a free copy of my century-hopping love story, "Replay".

Wilderness

2008-06-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

I just got the cover form my upcoming book, WILDERNESS, to be published by Eternal Press.

Miriam Moses is running for her life...

Stay tuned for more about this story soon.

Interview with Brenton Cullen

2008-04-19T02:24:00.000-07:00

Today I have an interview with author Brenton Cullen, whose book, The Writers: a Collection of Australian Writers' Biographies, is now available from i-proclaim.

Brenton has interviewed six well-loved Australian writers, resulting in a thoroughly engaging and illuminating book. Interviewer Brenton agreed to become an interviewee for Spinning Pearls, and here's what he had to say.

SALLY: It’s rather unusual for a younger writer to produce a book of biographies. How did you first get the idea for this?

BRENTON: I thought about all my favorite authors and how I wished I knew more about them and their websites provided little, at least not as much as I wanted to know about them. Then idea sparked me: The Writers: A Collection of Australian Writers' Biographies. I would get to know more info about my favorite authors and also get to write another book. The way I saw it, two cool benefits!

SALLY: How did you choose your six featured authors?

BRENTON: I set about emailing a few authors, I think about ten or 11 in total. The way I got these six authors is simple: the other never replied! I originally had plans to do a second book of author and illustrator biographies, so I am now considering it.

SALLY: What was the authors’ reaction when you invited them to tell you their life stories? Did anyone refuse?

BRENTON: They reacted pretty good. Some were excited about the concept of it like Libby Hathorn. And some others just took it casually like it happened everyday! Jackie French was very enthusiastic and supportive of it, answering many questions and giving me all sorts of info as did all of them and including Hazel Edwards . And no, all the authors that replied enthusiastically agreed to let me write their biographies.

SALLY: As a young writer, have you had support from your friends, or do they think you’re a bit unusual?

BRENTON: Support from my friends?? hmmm.... not so much, from a couple of my friends. From my 6th Grade teacher Mrs. McDonald a lot!! At school, amongst all the kids and my friends and that, we don't really talk about my being an author (I think the most talk of it is from a few of the kids "Can I have your autograph?" and "Can I buy a copy of your book?") I politely either say No, All right just this once, or Buy it from my publisher's website bookstore, please!"

But some kids just think I am weird and do not believe I am a writer. They think that it is just something adults do. Well it's not!"

SALLY: What are some of your other interests, besides writing?

BRENTON: Hmm, my other interests are: cooking food to eat, playing basketball and handball and soccer with all my friends at school, surfing the Net, chatting, listening to Music, and reading and I acting (I am wanting to also pursue a career in the future as an actor/voice actor).

Brenton's book is available from
http://i-proclaimbookstore.com/wrcoofauwrbi.html

2008-03-21T16:28:00.001-07:00

2008-03-21T16:26:00.001-07:00

The Blowhole!

2008-03-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

That's the name of my short adventure story in the new anthology, TRUST ME! from Ford Street Publishing. You can see the book at http://www.fordstreetpublishing.com

In my story, Lily wants to go on an overnight fishing trip with her boyfriend, Macca, but Dad won't let her go unless her brother tags along... Having a gooseberry brother is bad enough, but then Macca falls into the sea near the treacherous blowhole... Suddenly, Lily's dream outing turns to horror.

"Trust Me!" is edited by Paul Collins with a foreword by Isobelle Carmody...

Blockbuster anthology
RRP $22.95
ISBN 978-1-876462-57-4
Publication date: April, 2008

Trust Me! Features 46 contributions by some of Australia’s best known children’s authors, poets and illustrators. Original stories, poems and art cross all genres: mystery, romance, crime, fantasy, SF, humour and more.

Sally Odgers on eBay!

2008-03-15T19:36:00.001-07:00

A PDF copy of my fantasy romance novel REPLAY is for sale at eBay Australia, along with some of my how-to writing guides. Check them out this week. If you'd rather buy directly from me, go to http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com/workshops.html

Pet Vet Preview

2008-02-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

Today we received the first covers for our new Pet Vet series. Here is "Cranky Paws".

News from Affordable Manuscript Assessments

2008-02-12T22:36:00.000-08:00

This month, I'm delighted to welcome novelist and manuscript assessor Gillian Curtin to the Affordable Manuscripts Assessments stable. I've known Gill for many years, and our assessing styles and philosophies match up well. Here's to providing a faster (but always friendly and affordable) service to clients!

Gillian's novels are published under a penname. She specialises in erotica
fantasy
romance
dark fantasy/paranormal
urban fantasy
and any combinations of the above
Plus historical fiction.

Aristocratic titles to go...

2008-02-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Most Serene Highness Lady Sally the Splendid of Much Bottom
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

O'Connor's Last Stand

2008-02-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

O'Connor's Last Stand is launched today. It's a ghost romance thriller set in the Australian outback, so if this sounds like your cup of billy-tea, feel free (well, not quite free, but it's very reasonably priced...) to buy a PDF copy directly from Eternal Press.

http://www.eternalpress.com.au

Read and Reviewed

2008-01-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

I've launched a new blog called Read and Reviewed, that's strictly for book reviews by me and by guest reviewers. If anyone would like to review a book (not necessarily a new one) just let me know. You can review books you own, books you borrow or actual review copies. From time to time I'll be offering a review copy from the blog. http://readandreviewed.blogspot.com

Jack's Fans

2008-01-04T19:25:00.000-08:00

Jack Russell: Dog Detective has fans in the US, UK, Canada and at home in Australia. Yesterday, when I was out walking with Preacher, I met one when her mother flagged us down. They'd picked up one of our business cards in the local pet shop, and recognised the Jack Russell tee-shirt I was wearing. Today, when I was out with Tilly and Tess, I met two more fans... Richie and Lachie from Melbourne along with their dad Tim and mum Anne Marie. It's always wonderful to meet Jack's friends. Many of them have the same query: they have some of the series, but where can they get the other titles? I asked the publisher and got the following answer;
Scholastic titles in print can be ordered from book shops. On-line bookshops will order them too. If in a hurry, it may be quicker to contact Scholastic Australia directly, and order the books by telephone. A packing charge of about $7.00 applies to each parcel.

Summer Daze

2008-01-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

It was a warm day today. This morning I slaughterd about 70 e-mails, and took Jeanie, one of the Jack Russells, for a walk. Then it was back to work, working on Book 10 in the Jack Russell: Dog Detective series, which we will be turning in to the publisher shortly. This evening, Preacher got a walk. (Having dogs means having exercise!)
Reading.
I've just finished reading "Blood Sinister" by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, and embarked on "Wicked Lovely" by Melissa Marr. I've also been audio-reading "Comeback", a Doctor Who tie-in and am now onto "Point Blanc" by Anthony Horowitz. I like audiobooks, because I can read them while walking. Much as I love reading paper or e-books, I usually feel guilty because I should be working. However, I defy anyone to write or assess manuscripts while walking a likely Jack Russell (or two).

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T06:01:00.001-08:00

I am going to try to get and keep caught up with my projects and paperwork this year. What about you?

Coming up from the House of Odgers... two more titles in the Jack Russell Dog Dectective series, "Fowl Play" and "The Blue Stealer", two books in the Pet Vet series, "Cranky Paws" and "The Mare's Tale". (Scholastic Australia.) Two books by Tiffany Mandrake, provisionally called "Flax" and "Mal" (Little Hare), and a novel called "O'Connor's Last Stand" from Eternal Press.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to go out in the garden...

The dogrose bloometh!

Sally O.

The models are a rose called "Smooth Buttercup" and Tilly-Trump, our smallest Jack Russell. She looks very delicate, but is in fact a feisty little thing.

Writing Guides from Sally Odgers

2007-12-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

As a manuscript assessor, I know a lot of first time (and tenth time) writers make mistakes. Some of these are basic mistakes that are obvious, once pointed out. Unfortunately, they're obvious only to someone who already knows the score.

Since the same problems pop up over and over in manuscripts from widely differing authors, I coralled some of them in writing guides which I self-published through http://www.lulu.com/ .

Self-publishing let me get the guides out right away. It gives me the right to sell tem directly, and also to revise them whenever I choose. They are available as PDFs or as paperback books. Titles include "Writing a Picturebook Text" (what to do and, even more importantly, what NOT to do), "20 Top Tips - the Unwritten Rules of Writing", which is a distilation of all those errors I've met, and made, in nearly 40 years of writing, "Writing Metrical Verse", "Creating a Fantasy Setting", "Writing a Manuscript Proposal" - and five guides that cover Ideas, Plots, Characters, Style and Dialogue.

These guides are available from the Affordable Manuscript Assessment site at http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com/workshops.html or directly from http://www.lulu.com/sallyodgers .

5 Things about me

2007-12-17T02:59:00.000-08:00

I got tagged by http://carol-carolsinkspot.blogspot.com/

Rules:Link to the tagger and post these rules on your blog. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I really hate it when people put "your" when they mean "you're".
2. I really hate it when people put "it's" when they mean "its".
3. I really hate it when people bestow an apostrophe on every s.
4. I detest jazz.
5. I do not like tinned spaghetti.
6. (Can you tell I am felling a little sour today?)

Serial Thriller!

2007-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Professor Julia Eternity is smart, curious, and sociable, so what drives her latest house party to flee through the London fog in a horse-drawn cab? Her old friend Martin knows, but how can he tell the fashionable guests about the Thing in the laboratory? Follow Julia, Martin and their friends through an adventure that owes a little to HG Wells, a jot to Saturday Serials, and
a whole lot to the mad imaginations of Team Eternity!
Julia Eternity, the Thing and Me is a free serial thriller available at the Eternal Press Website. Click on the url below for an instant fix.
http://www.juliedarcy.com.au/eternalpress/Serial.htm

The Pony Game Virtual Blog Tour

2007-12-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Robyn Opie, author of The Pony Game.

Robyn has agreed to answer some inquisitive questions.

1. Was the title for this story always "The Pony Game", or was it a changed or last-minute choice?

The title was always "The Pony Game". I decided on it at the time of developing the idea, shortly after writing my non-fiction book "Looking After a Pony". I've had very few titles changed from my original ones.

2. Do you think the popularity of pony stories has changed since its heydey in the 1960s?

No. The books and stories have obviously changed with the times, but not the love of ponies/horses. I think children have the same interests, though technology has introduced many new ones. However, when I queried Era Publications with this story line, it was rejected as unsuitable for the US market. Apparently we have to write for urban US children and keeping ponies/horses is not for them. I was a little surprised as I thought the fascination with ponies/horses was universal. I think this rejection stemmed from the fact that the US publisher Era Publications works with wouldn't purchase my non-fiction book "Looking After a Pony". Therefore Era Publications were avoiding pony stories.

3. Part of "The Pony Game" is role-playing... Black Beauty is inserted into the role of "pony". This role/substitution is a surprisingly common habit with real-life children, but is not often addressed in children's books. Do you think your protagonist is a writer-to-be?

Yes, I think my protagonist is a writer-to-be. Me! After writing the story, I realised how much of my childhood was reflected in the story. I grew up in Port Pirie, a regional city in South Australia. Behind my house was a horse stable. I used to walk the long way home from school so I could visit the horses. I used to climb my back fence so I could look at the horses. For most of my life, I've had a dog - different ones, of course. When I was young, I played games with my dog "Boots". I even played the pony game. My favourite animal has always been the dog. My best friend at primary school was mad about horses. Put it all together and you have "The Pony Game". In a lot of ways the protagonist is me, growing up in Port Pirie.

4. I read somewhere that pony stories are the precursers (sp?) of light romance, with Pony in place of Handsome Hero. Comment?

I guess I can see that. Ponies/horses usually have that "handsome" look to them. And, of course, our Prince Charmings are supposed to ride on horseback and whisk us away to some glamorous life. I wasn't thinking of any of this when I wrote "The Pony Game". A confession - I tried writing romance many years ago. I prefer children's stories. So I'll stick to ponies/horses as the handsome heroes.

5. You did quite a lot of rewriting and restructuring on "The Pony Game". Did you feel this improved the story, or did you do it because that's what others wanted or suggested?

The story itself didn't change much. But I rewrote and restructured for different publishers. The first series I submitted to was Puffin's Aussie Nibbles and the word count had to be between 1,500 and 2,000. My second submission to Walker Books was a long short as I suspected the story would be too short for them. Third time is the charm, so they say. I rewrote the story up to around 2,500 for Lothian Books' Giggles series and it was accepted and released twelve months later. I believe this is the best version of the story. That may be because it's the version I'm most familiar with now. But I think the extra 600-700 words added to the depth and characterisation.

6. How do you classify The Pony Game's genre? It's certainly not the classical pony story, but would you call it "family", "animal", "problem" or just plain "story"?

The first time I saw "The Pony Game" in a bookstore it was under the heading "Classics". Great, I thought. It's a classic in its first month of release. "The Pony Game" was shelved with other horse stories under this general heading. If I was to classify "The Pony Game" I'd call it "animal". The protagonist's dog, Black Beauty, was the main focus for me, being a big dog lover. I was more interested in Lucy's relationship with her dog because, again, the story reflects me as a child.

Follow the tour!

For Day 1- Mon 10 Dec - visit Tina Marie Clark's What is Happening in my Office?
Day 2 - Tuesday 11 Dec, was with Claire at http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/

Day 3 - here at Spinning Pearls.

Day 4 - Thu 13 Dec - Jacqui Grantford at http://www.jacquigrantford.com/page3.html

Day 5 - Fri 14 Dec - Sally Murphy's Scribblings

Day 6 - Sat 15 Dec - Bren MacDibble's Beast of Moogill

Book Tour! Witch's Brew, by Tabitha Shay

2007-12-09T19:39:00.001-08:00

I'm delighted to welcome author Tabitha Shay to Spinning Pearls. Tabitha is the author of the hot new romance Witch's Brew, published by Eternal Press.

Q 1. Tabitha, all readers are fascinated by the writing process. I'd love to know what came first for Witch's Brew. Did you envisage the plot, or did it start with a character? If so, who or what?
A tiny bit of the plot came to my mind first, then I developed the character, Saylym Winslow, from there the entire plot began to take form in my mind.

Q.2. The image I carry in my mind is of Saylym's hairbrush behaving in a very weird way. How on earth did you get the notion for a talking hairbrush?
A2. I wanted things she used every day to suddenly come to life. Just imagine how shocking that would be for someone. A hairbrush is such a personal item and one of the first things we use of a morning and I wanted the action to start fast, so I thought this was good beginning.

Q.3. You use the term "waken" for a male witch, and "warlock" for a bad male witch. Did you invent the first term, and if not, where did you find it?
A3. Yes, I made up the word "waken"because I'd learned that some editors felt like a male witch was still a male witch and warlocks were considered evil. But for my story, I wanted readers to have a way to distinguish the female witch from the male witch, so I came up with the word, "waken" to represent the male and left the word "witch" to represent the female of the species.

Q.4. How did you come up with the names of the characters? Does Saylym's name echo the place called Saylem?
A4. Actually, I have a niece named Saylem...and I always thought is was a cute name and would sort of fit a witch story and have my lead character named after Salem Village as well, so I changed the spelling a little to make it more unique. Thanks, Tabitha.

You're very welcome and it's been my pleasure. Thank you.

The Witch's Brew Book tour continues!

On Wednesday visit http://mizging.blogspot.com/ for another interview. On Thursday, it's Sloane Taylor's blog at www.myspace.com/sloanetaylor .

To buy Witch's Brew, visit http://www.eternalpress.com.au/

New Author Promo List

2007-12-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

There's a new author promo list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mynewbook/
Anyone is welcome, as long as the books are suited to general readers (there's also an adults-only list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mynewadultbook/ )
Rules are simple.
Books must be promoted by author, editor or co-author.
Each book can be promoted once a month.
Books and publishers are given a level playing field. Everything, from self-published books to Harry Potter 8 (well...) is given equal value.
The only books excluded are those designed to spread or create hatred, and those for 18+ readership (but see above).
Book covers may be uploaded at the group site.
Contests are welcome.
Come and STRUT!

Freedom

2007-12-07T03:49:00.000-08:00

Four generations of women, linked by blood, parted by fate.
Eva Kawolska - the Polish war widow. Eva escapes the devastation of occupied Poland and brings her child to the promised land of Australia.
Terenza Rhodes - the deserted child. Raped by her uncle, Terenza flees her home town and journeys across Australia during the heady days of rock 'n' roll.
Emma West - the good girl. Brought up to believe herself an orphan, Emma is shocked to discover her mother may still be alive.
Philippa Freedom Darcy - the lucky one. The legal barriers are down… but can she mend the links and reunite her family?

Freedom was published by Eternal Press on Dec 7, 2007.

Bone Box Blues

2007-12-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

Dogs. One of ours is gnawing a bone in the bone box right now.
What's a bone box?
Well, our dogs love great big bones from the butcher. Since they're JRTs, the bones are half their size, but they still drag them about. Their one ambition was to fetch the bones into the house. We wouldn't allow this, but then we started having a problem with wasps. Rather than end up with Damaged Dogs, my husband built a special wooden pen that allows a JRT in and out, but which keeps large bones IN. The wooden walls magnify the gnawing sounds to an unholy degree...

Read My Back

2007-12-03T17:46:00.000-08:00

In the old days, publicising books was the province of the publisher. That's still so in many cases, but these days most authors feel obliged to do a bit of self-promotion.

My writing partner and I have found one good and relatively cheap way to advertise the Jack Russell: Dog Detective series. We had tee-shirts printed with an advertisement. Instead of using a cover image, we used a big photo of OUR JR on the front, with the series title above him. On the back, we have the website and a simple slogan. If I wear my shirt in public, not many people react. If we BOTH wear our shirts, people do. They know, because there are two, that it's not just a random dog picture. All kinds of people comment, which means one of us will turn to reveal the slogan. People read the slogan in queues, too. If anyone smiles, comments or even gives us a second glance, we whip out a business card with the picture and slogan and website on it, and tell them they can read the story behind the story right there.
Granted, the dog angle is easier to "use" than some other works would be. For example, if I had my GOLD'S BRIDE slogan, "WIFE FOR SALE" on a tee-shirt, and wore it in public, it might cause a rather weird reaction. I am, after all, a wife. I am also 50 years old.
Come to think of it.....

Pompeii

2007-11-29T23:44:00.000-08:00

One of my recent jobs was to write a short book about Pompeii. This was a bit of a coincidence as there is a poem addressing Pompeii, Herculaneum (and Atlantis!) in my most recent book, "Spinning Pearls".

Atlantis Fading

When misty-halled Atlantis
Trembles to the doleful sounds
Of Pompeii’s passing from the worlds of men;
Then legends start to gather
As Vesuvius resounds
Herculaneum is lost and sinks again.

But how can Pompeii’s going touch the shattered halls of yore?
Atlantis faded many moons before.

When jasper-walled Atlantis
Shudders to the dreadful beat
Of Troy’s despoiling at the vengeful hands;
See companioned shades appear
As spirits in retreat
Shall Flock about in melancholy bands.

But how can Troy’s a’reaving strike the sunken walls a blow?
Atlantis faded many miles below.

When coral-shawled Atlantis
Quivers to the deathful groan
Of cities burst asunder in her sight;
The elders of the cenotaphs
Awake with grieving moan
That resonates beyond the fall of night.

Yet how can cities’ dying stir the rests of coral’d dead?
Atlantis faded and its folk are fled-
But while the heartbeat lies within a million dreamers strong
Atlantis fades but never shall be gone
Yes, Atlantis fades but never shall be gone.

Bookshopping

2007-11-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Being in Sydney yesterday, I hopped on a train to Town Hall Station and walked to Galleries Victoria to visit the biggest bookshop in Sydney; Books Kinokuniya. This plac is massive. Looking out through a window, one sees what seems to be another bookshop a hundred metres away across the gallery, only to find it is more of the same one. Books Kinokuniya has vast departments for categories of books lucky to merit a quarter shelf in most shops. There are catalogue kiosks scattered throughout, and also Help Desks. These can be necessary as the kiosks tell you how many copies of a book are stocked, and in which department, but not their position on the multiple shelves. For example, having gone through about ten shelves of picturebooks (and that's spine-outwards, with just two or three copies maximum of each), a Help Desk person walked to the Character Books shelves. Evidently Books Kinokuniya calls Australian picture books "character books".

The shop has a cafe attached, so the punchdrunk bookbuyer can stay in there for hours at a time, refuelling at intervals...

Picture from http://www.urbanboheme.com.au/directory/premium.php?ref=dir18&affiliate=359

Prioritising 101

2007-11-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

I am not very good at prioritising. I always have a series of lists of Most Urgent jobs... but which is the most urgent?
One job has a deadline set a few days ahead. That's urgent, but I have a contract and might be forgiven a few days more.
One job has a deadline set a few days ahead. It is contracted, but won't bring in much money.
One job has no special deadline. It isn't contracted, but an editor expressed an interest. It needs to be done before she forgets our discussion.
One job has no deadline. It isn't contracted. An editor expressed a vague interest, but has now left the company. I need to track her down.
One job is more of a possible market. I'd have to start fom scratch.
One job is a new market I just spotted... Hmm...

One job is a bread-and-butter commission. It has to be done today. Oh! That's the one I just finished.
Then there's the short piece half done, that an editor wants to see, and... and...
AGHHHHH! If you were me, which would you prioritise?

7 Random Facts About Me...

2007-11-16T05:04:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Sally Murphy at Scribblings .
Here’s how it works:Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.So here we go - 7 random and/or weird facts about me:

1. My internal clock is so weird that for years I was tagged "insomniac". I later realised that I wasn't, and never had been. I sleep perfectly well when I follow my clock.
2. I used to collect magic stones. I'd hold up pebbles to my ear, and if they spoke, I kept them.
3. I am a pack rat. Until my son came home on leave and tossed it out, I had a tin of curry powder dating from 1984.
4. I am not tee-total, but I have never been drunk.
5. I have spent fruitless hours trying to prove the existence of Grapefruit chocolate, Checkmate chocolate and Mini-melon icecreams. No one else seems to remember them.
6. I have off-kilter taste. If any book by a writer is universally admired more than his/her others, that is probably the only one I dislike.
7. I never quite fit my clothes. This is because I have one shoulder higher than the other, and uneven ribs. It took me many years to realise this.

I want to know about the weirdnesses/random facts of the following bloggers, but I won't mind at all if they can't find the time:
callmemadam , Satima Flavell , Kylie , Tarja , Tooticky , Jack Russell and Patrick .

Day 7 of the Squeezy Tour

2007-11-15T04:25:00.001-08:00

I'm delighted to welcome Jacqui Grantford, illustrator of "Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs" on this, Day 7 of her blog book tour. Here are some of the questions I really wanted answered!

Me: Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs is an intriguing book title. When you are approached to illustrate, do you react more to the title, the concept or the writing style? To clarify, what "triggers" you?

J: It's a combination. All of them need to work to make a great book. I guess I react in order of appearance which is normally - title, concept and then writing style - but to me the most important of all three is concept. The idea and message need to be worthwhile and relevant to kids.

Me: Do you need to roll a concept around to get an "angle" before you can start,or do you read it through and start straight out?

J: There's definitely a lot of rolling around. I like to sit with a text for a while before doing anything to get a feel for it (deadline willing). I then do very rough thumbnails and a lot of talking to my family. Their input is crucial and quite often a lot of the ideas I get are as much theirs as mine. It all gets reworked a lot before I'm happy with the end result.

Me: Writers always hate it when illustrators nick off on holiday or are inconsiderate enough to get sick or move house halfway through a job. What do authors do that annoys illustrators?

J: I think authors are Fabulous!!! (Especially the ones on this blog tour.)Illustrators don't often have contact with the authors, so they don't get much of an opportunity to be annoyed. I'm pretty sure, however, if authors were involved the illustration process it would be very frustrating as we would undoubtedly see things differently to their original imaginings. I'm always incredibly nervous before the author sees the illustrations for the first time. It's so important for me that they love the pics.

Me: Being a writer yourself, do you ever get an itch to reword the things you illustrate?

J: Oooh, good question. I have to say I do. I've hinted at it a couple of times with the publisher, but figure that it's the editor's job and that if I'm sensible I'll just but out. Usually anything I notice ends up getting changed through the natural editing process. Gotta love a good editor.

Me: New Frontier, the publisher of "Squeezy Cuddle" produces visually-delightful books. How much of the design comes from you and other illustrators, and how much is decreed in-house?

J: New Frontier are gives lots of creative freedom which is fantastic. They always let you come with the whole design and only step in if they think something isn't quite working. It's a good level of involvement. I heard Ann James saying that with one of her latest books she had an art director working with her in much the same way as an editor does with the author. This is done more commonly in the US. I think that's a great idea.

Me: How does your illustrating style, which is positive, fluid and joyful, reflect your character?

J: I guess I'm positive, fluid and joyful? I'm having to do a little soul searching to answer this one. I do like to find joy in things and I especially love showing a bond and connection between characters. I don't feel that my character is fluid. I sometimes focus too much on details. But maybe in our art we sometimes try to express what we haven't quite let out yet. It's always much safer to express it in creative pursuits before applying it to our lives.

Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog, Sally. I've had an absolute hoot.

Thank you Jacqui!

So, there you have it... Jacqui's view of illustrating "Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs" by Peter Whitfield, published by New Frontier. Of course, if you're an author, you're probably already hoping (like me) that one day you'll get the chance to work with Jacqui. Maybe you already have! To see where Jacqui has been, follow the trail!

Day 1 - Sat 10 Nov -- Bren MacDibble's "Beast of Moogill" Day 2 - Sun 11 Nov - Sally Murphy's "Scribblings" Day 3 - Mon 12 Nov - Robyn Opie's "Writing Children's Books" Day 4 - Tue 13 Nov - Pemberthy Bear's "Pemberthy's Ponderings"Day 5 - Wed 14 Nov - Claire Saxby's "Let's Have Words" Day 6 - Thu 15 Nov - Tina Marie Clark's "What's Happening in my Office?"

To buy the book - Purchase page link: http://shop.newfrontier.com.au/shop/products/detail.html?Product__product_id=139 )

Breeding in the Computer

2007-11-15T01:10:00.000-08:00

I'm sure jobs breed in the computer. I finished one rewrite today, and am about to start another. Meanwhile, I need to proofread a short story, run through a round of edits for a novel called "Freedom" (coming soon from Eternal Press), write a short commission work before Monday and finish a book called "The Quicksilver Files"... I also need to catch up on editing and assessments for other people.

As I said... jobs breed.

"Freedom" is a change of pace for me, as it is neither fantasy nor science fiction. Here's the blurb...

Crackers with Animals...

2007-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Writers with animals are never short of subject matter, but on the flip side, they are sometimes short of time.

Together, our dogs have earned us thousands of dollars in royalties, not because they write themselves, but because they inspire characters and plots, and even concepts.

Yesterday, they helped us out in the back yard, playing soccer with a large ball and digging in the newly exposed earth. Today, Trump needed a bath because she's shedding hair. She intimated that she was being tortured, and couldn't even fancy a liver treat guilt offering. That is, until Preacher came into the bathroom. Then Jeanie shot in, all muddy paws and flying tail and ears, and needed a bath as well. Tess, meanwhile, is out on the front lawn, revelling in her status of Senior Dog, and the only one Trusted in the front yard unattended.

In the midst of it all, I had to feed Jake, our daughter's lorikeet. He bit me.

Floral Motif: Have camera, will click it.

2007-11-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

I love flowers, especially those growing in gardens, on hillsides, by the river, among old gravestones... you get the picture. This is probably an inheritance from my grandmother, Elsie Florence May, who was a great gardener. Whether it is in the blood or simply childhood conditioning, I don't know, but I love them.

Quite a lot of my books have a floral motif. My w.i.p., Garlands of Thorn and May, has a hawthorn motif. Translations in Celadon, (HarperCollins 1998), had willow. A long short story, published under one of my pen-names, has roses. Replay has oak leaves. Two other books, to date unpublished, had roses and heath. Another w.i.p. has flax.

Flowers turn up, time and time again, even in the illustrations. Since I've had a digital camera, I can take pot-shots at any flowers that please me, which helps when I'm writing out of season. Yesterday, I potted buttercups by the river, river rose, and hawthorn and guelder rose.

Of course, I usually have no influence on my book covers, but for Replay, I designed the cover myself. Flowers again! I have no particular talent in design, but I was quite pleased with the way this one turned out. For the record, the daisies are from a photo of our lawn, under the plum trees, the oak leaves are from the oak that hangs over our fence, the girl is our daughter, Tegan, and the schnauzer is a chance-met charmer named Zac. I encountered him with his human friend outside the post office once, and asked permission to capture his image for a book cover... I wonder if the owner believed me?

Rewriting with Attending Dogs

2007-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

I quite like rewriting. There's a sense of security over having the initial run of words done, and now refining the story. Editing is not rewriting. Editing is that finetuning that can be done with one eye on the clock. Rewriting engages the same gear as writing, except that it's perhaps more like darning, as one has to blend the patch of new fabric seamlessly into what exists of the first run.

Sometimes, rewriting works as a result of a decision made to change direction. Often something didn't quite work first time around, and a new idea or device will oil the works. Usually I would never advocate authorial intervention, but since I'm writing pseudonymously at present the writer-persona is legitimately one of the characters.

I am typing this with one dog on my head, (perched on the back of the chair) one under my left elbow, and a third sprawled half across the computer. I'm not sure where the fourth one is, but, much as I love him, I trust he won't join the rest of us in the chair just now. Mind you... I owe them all. Without our dogs, the Jack Russell series would not exist.

A Positive Spin on Rejection...

2007-11-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

Here, in part, is the reply I made on a publishing list in response to the concern about having no guarantee of acceptance for works after a first publication...

Having no guaranteed acceptance of our works down the line is a huge advantage to us, as well as to EP and the readership. I can't tell you how strongly I feel about this. In the writing world, full time pro mid-listers run on a 70% acceptance of commissioned work, and maybe a 30% acceptance of spec work. Sometimes it's lower. These are people who live on their writing income. Does it mean that only their very best work is accepted? Not necessarily, but on the whole it means that, 90% of the time, their most sellable work is accepted.

For every Harry Potter, rejected over and over and becoming a runaway success afterwards, there are countless titles rejected over and over, finally published... and sinking without trace. No one can predict the shooting stars, but most experienced editors can predict the sellers, the cut-and-come-again titles that will build an authorial rep and a happy readership.

Sure, some gems slip through the cracks. I self-published two books very dear to my heart because my regular publishers (all of them) didn't see enough sales potential in them. My 30+ years in the business, with 20 of those spent making my entire living from writing, were not enough to outweigh their doubts and persuade them to take a risk.

Some publishers are more likely to take risks. If so, I hope they will take a risk only on the beloved end of the scale, in that they may take the odd-ball gems. They will never, I hope and trust, take a risk on the mediocre or the sloppy.

Yes, rejection hurts, but where is the thrill of success without the knowledge of failure? What is life without the flipside of death?

Here endeth my spiel...

To see my beloved titles, and buy them, should you be so inclined, go to Sally's Favourites and scroll down to REPLAY and PRIDE: BRIDGEOVER SUNDOWN.

Spinning Pearls

2007-11-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

I'm Sally Odgers, Tasmanian author and manuscript assessor. I've been writing ever since I can remember... and I still love it. My attitude is a blend of practical and commercial concerns (since I write for a living) and impractical romanticism (since I am in love with the English language). In the posts that follow, you will probably spot numerous examples of this strange blend.

Maybe I am a cross-genre w.i.p.

So... spinning pearls... or, turning words into garments.

If you write in as many genres and forms as I do, you develop all kinds of acquired styles to suit different clients. Now and then, when I write something to please myself, I remember what my natural style is like.

It is allusive and elusive, spinning metaphors and weaving in threads of myth. These days I use it mostly in poetry, although it does get an airing now and again when I write fantasy.

It's most recent public airing was in the publication, by Eternal Press, of my second book of poetry. "Spinning Pearls" follows "Fernseed for Fairysight".

Click here to find out how to win some poetic prizes