Debra Clewer's Blog: Travelling Through Time, page 2

Mining for Gold

After diverting to work on other projects (3 short stories for an anthology, puppet orders), I have made a return to working on my 3rd book in the Harriet series, Harriet and the Secret Coins. Time-travel fantasy, with the aid of a red phone box, back into the Australian gold rush. They first find themselves in Lambing Flat (Young, NSW, close to home for me), and straight into some action. Once again, this is fiction based on historical fact.Last week, I was in Hobart and visited some wonderful stores, including Deja Vu books in Salamanca Place. After walking around Hobart, I was amused to discover this bit of gold in a street name. (Well, quirky anyway, after finding Harriet Street in Wallsend last year.) My trouble- causing character, Ella Harrington, makes a re-appearance in the next novel, causing even more problems. This time she is accompanied by her single Aunt who has started working at the school where Harriet, Will and Ella are students. Lila Harrington, Harriet's nemesis, thinks her niece is perfect, and so Ella gets away with a lot. But beware Miss Ella Harrington-you will be dealt with. Just let me say that a certain dragon will be allowed some sway in young Miss Harrington's life. I am also bringing back other characters in the next novel, such as the wicked principal and assistant principal, along with the dreaded green child-eating dragon who appears accompanied with a new menacingcompanion.

NO MERE MOUSE

This is a delightful book for the Middle-Grade age group. Donna uses animals to embody and portray positive actions and affirmations for young people-such as resilience, courage, friendship, (including befriending those who are different), honesty, loyalty, and perseverance. The characters are great and easy to identify with. The plucky Simon Cheddar is a survivor and passes on knowledge and helpful advice to those who are around him. He is loyal, devoted and never gives up, even in the face of losing family members and friends. He stands by his new friend Catt when she is in terrible trouble. Patty the pig is an out-there character who also never gives up, determined to help wherever she can with her super-techno skills. She is ably assisted by Freddy the frog. This diverse group of friends finds themselves attending Superhero school, but the tutor is anonymous. Will they ever find out the identity of the one giving the lessons? Have they been thrust into real-life superhero work before they finish their schooling? Let the reader decide.

THE WONDER OF LIFE

BOOK REVIEW-WONDER I had heard a lot of hype about this middle-grade book, and even more about the movie. It's an interesting story and one that certainly engenders empathy in the reader regarding how we stand in society. For me, it's easy to see how somebody who is different can be treated so badly by their peers and others. As an author, I write for this age group, and I try to get across the message of treating others the way we would like to be treated, and not to be judgmental. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. However, I also work with kids in this age group, and I have seen how cruel they can be to others, often without reason. I would like to think that any child with any sort of disability or impediment to life can be encouraged to be resilient, to ignore the taunts and to rise above the stream and not drown. Our outward appearance has absolutely nothing to do with the people we are. I did enjoy this novel, and it is thought-provoking. What I didn't like was the constantly changing POV. I would much rather have Auggie relate his tale throughout than switching from him to his sister, then to his friend, then to others, and back again. As a relatively new author, I constantly read advice to the opposite: don't change POV unless you are really skilled at it. Supposedly it throws many readers off the storyline, and I can understand why. I know this is only my opinion, and others will differ. That's fine-everybody is entitled to their opinion as an individual. I have no desire to see the movie (the producers and directors always change everything anyway, and I never enjoy the movie as much as the book.) My hope is that children who struggle in one way or another can be encouraged to stand firm, to believe in themselves and not give sway. I recommend this book to be read, and in that way, everyone can form their own opinion. A great resource for teachers to have in the classroom as a novel to be read and studied for discussion and to provide a vehicle for interactive thought on the issue of equality. I like Auggie's stoic character and quiet resilience, which is often the opposite way to which the world tells us to behave. No anger, no retaliation, just acceptance and getting on with the job of life, doing the best that you can.

Digging into the Past

I love history, all history, but especially Australian history. My first novel Harriet and the Secret Rings has my protagonist and her friend travelling through time to ancient Rome, ancient Greece and Sherwood Forest. I researched the backgrounds of each time period, the lifestyle, culture and setting. I loved what I discovered, and whilst I am a fantasy/fiction writer, everything I write is based around historical fact. Our recent holiday was also a fact finding/research task, as my next novel, Harriet and the Secret Coins is based on the Australian goldrush. (More time-travel involvement.) The book will be in three parts, just like the first one. My original plan was to have the children arrive in Lambing Flat (Young, NSW close to my home town), then Hill End in NSW and finally Ballarat in Victoria, whilst on a school excursion. The first part of the book is written, and the two friends find themselves landing in the middle of the Lambing Flat riots in 1861. My husband and I visited the Eureka museum at Ballarat, then travelled to Bendigo to stay the next day. The last time I was in Bendigo was in the 80's, and I didn't remember much about the town. After visiting the Central Deborah gold mine, I have decided to change the setting for the third part of my book to this gold mine. There is a legend associated with how the name of the mine came to be established, that is both romantic and tragic, and definitely too good not to use. The interesting contrast with this mine is that whilst gold was discovered there in the 1800's, it was not a working mine until 1939. It ceased operation in 1954. This will give me a good contrast to the two earlier parts where the children visit old gold mining areas, as far as mine operation is concerned. My other original idea was to have Harriet discovering a long-lost nugget, so that she can cash it in and help out her mother and stepfather with their financial difficulty. It was interesting to read the story of a man who discovered such a nugget, called The Hand of Faith, as recently as 1980, whilst using a metal detector. It added some credibility to my notion, and has further fired my inspiration. Research can be time-consuming, sometimes tedious, but always fun (well, at least in my mind). The old saying truth is stranger than fiction still stands. I believe, in order to make my writing believable, it needs to be based on research and actual events, with fiction thrown in. Thank you to all those tireless people who have gathered information over so many years to share with the general public. Our lives would be rather poorer without them.

What a Pearl

Pearl the Magical Unicorn is a delightful book for 5-7 year olds. Pearl gets her magic mixed up and her friends are on the receiving end of some very pink mischief! However, everything works out and the novel is left open for the next story to follow. Written by Tasmanian children's author Sally Odgers, it is a fun tale for the young ones to enjoy.

Book Review: Charlie and the War on the Grannies

I borrowed this as an audio book from our local library on the recommendation of a librarian. Alan Brough is well known for his appearances on Spicks ‘n Specks, and I didn’t know he is also an author. This junior fiction story is imaginative and entertaining. Sure, it has the required poo and farting references that kids in this age group just can’t live without, but aside from that it is quite comical. Charlie’s desire for a paper run is thwarted by two old grannies who don’t want any competition, much less than from a 12 year old boy. He decides the only way to win is to fight them with the able-bodied assistance of his friend Hills (NEVER call her Hillary). Brough’s chapters entertain on every level, as the two gather an army for battle. The various characters add to this story in many ways, and for a crazy fictional story, it is easy to imagine each scene unfolding. Well worth reading, especially by any 10-12 year olds the you may know.

Dinosaurs and Dragons

My novels Harriet and the Secret Rings, and Harriet and the Secret Librarian, feature a helpful Welsh red dragon called Gruffyd. Last week, My husband and I visited the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra. I have been wanting to go there for many years, and I wasn't disappointed. One specimen in particular caught my eye, as he matches exactly the description of a child-eating dragon in The Secret Librarian, whom Harriet and Will encounter.........” Turning around, she came face-to-face with the evil green dragon from the book cover. He looked even more fearsome up close. His breath was shallow, and his lips curled over pointed teeth......his yellow cat-like eyes glistened, and suddenly Harriet lost her nerve......the dragon narrowed his eyes to slits, and peered through his tessellated black-green eyelids, where his almond-shaped pupils became barely visible.”It was fantastic. While wandering around outside looking at the incredibly life-like dinosaur models, I started to wonder whether dragon legends were based on dinosaurs. It was easy to see how they could have been, especially with Pterodactyls and other flying reptiles. Research was needed, and I discovered a wonderful article from the U.S. written 10 years ago, which I read with interest. Stanford Humanities Center reported that the discovery of a dinosaur skeleton, named Dracorex, (Dracorex hogwartsia in honour of J.K. Rowling), was indeed a dragon-like dinosaur. A scholar had remarked that the skull had an incredible resemblance to dragons in the cultures of Ancient China and medieval Europe. It is easy to see how legends can be born. And how good is that for those of us who like to write some fantasy and use our imaginations. Check out the article: http://shc.stanford.edu/news/research....

SNATCHING A STORY

"We are the Story Weavers of Bacalen - called to save Earth's stories. If our quest fails then this story will be the last one the world will ever know."Sammy is looking for a new book to read at the library, but all the good stories seemed to have disappeared! Miss Paige, the librarian, hasn’t noticed, and just who are the new exchange students really?Book recommendation. Annabel Bowcher's is a science communicator in Wagga. Last year she and her children published a junior fiction book titled The Story Snatchers. I recently read this book (from Cootamundra Library) and loved it. There are plenty of mystery threads and plot twists and turns to keep the reader hooked. It is type-set in Dyslexie font, as members of her family have Perceptual Dyslexia. A friend with macular degeneration found the font easy to read. An exciting story which aids those who need assistance., and a great resource. Highly recommended.

Book Review

Review-Olivia Stone and the Dread of the Dreamers I thoroughly enjoyed Jeffery E. Doherty’s second Juvenile Fiction novel. Full of suspense, drama, intrigue (not to mention the spiders, which I hate!), and glimpses of everyday 12-year-old life, it had me hooked. Each chapter moves along at a great pace. It showcases Doherty’s great imaginative ability and leaves the reader waiting for the next instalment. I particularly loved the twist at the end (which I’m not going to reveal.) I will be lending this book to a girl at the school where I work, and I am confident she will love it as well. She constantly reads books such as Harry Potter, so I will be interested in her response. Highly recommended to extend the imagination for both young and old. It squarely hits the target audience, and I’m predicting big things to come from this.

Learning New Tricks

Two weeks ago I attended a digital photography workshop, which focussed (ha, ha) on creating and sharing great images to share on social media. It was hosted by Sophie Hansen, food blogger from www.my-open-kitchen-com, and her mother Annie Herron, who is an artist. We learned some terrific techniques, several of which I wasn't aware. Having recently taken possession of a new iPhone, I'm keen to make the best use of the inbuilt camera, whereas years ago, a phone was simply a phone to me. I have been into photography since I met my late husband John back in 1976. We used to develop and print our own photos as we had a darkroom. I have a Canon Eos which I often have with me. But I don't always have the digital camera and the option of using the iPhone camera is wonderful. Given that there are many photo-editing apps available for the phone, it opens up a whole new world. I do a lot with Photoshop on the desktop, but there are certainly wonderful options available for your portable device. Some of the shots I am intending to use to promote my books (the shot at the top of the page titled My Books on this blog is one of them.) Onward and upward!