Suzy Davies's Blog: Book News, page 13
September 16, 2018
Tell A Lie!
If you tell a lie, then tell a WHOPPER,
make it a MASSIVE gluey GOBSTOPPER.
Don’t cover your mouth, but let it out,
make it FUNNY and CLEVER
so there’s no doubt!
“Of course, your BUTT ain’t big in that,
an’ YEAH, you’re certainly NOT FAT!
An, I think that cut it looks so COOL!”
(wait till they see HER back at school.)
Don’t Wink or smile, or fidget your feet,
Stand quite still, like you own the street.
A little lie’s not worth the trouble -
so think up something, and make it DOUBLE!
“So sorry mate gotta catch this one
gotta get some shopping for me mum -
see you around - (like HELL I will,)
see ya LATER, n we can CHILL!”
If you tell a lie,
first act it out
in front of the mirror
when THEY are out
Convince YOURSELF
and THEY’LL believe
and please do not
forget to BREATHE!
“Ain’t seen her for at least a week,
she said she had to get some sleep!
Looked so pale, when I went round hers -
I’M LIKE - she has a temperature!
Mean, I only stopped for twenty minutes -
then I got sick - it’s catchin’ INNIT?
Won’t come to class for at least a week.”
(know she’s a truant - the little SNEAK!)
But don’t try ME
your very best friend
cos lies may be where friendship ends
unless you lie
to save MY SKIN
then I’LL forgive
YOU
for your BIG BAD SIN.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018, All Rights Reserved. No Copying.
make it a MASSIVE gluey GOBSTOPPER.
Don’t cover your mouth, but let it out,
make it FUNNY and CLEVER
so there’s no doubt!
“Of course, your BUTT ain’t big in that,
an’ YEAH, you’re certainly NOT FAT!
An, I think that cut it looks so COOL!”
(wait till they see HER back at school.)
Don’t Wink or smile, or fidget your feet,
Stand quite still, like you own the street.
A little lie’s not worth the trouble -
so think up something, and make it DOUBLE!
“So sorry mate gotta catch this one
gotta get some shopping for me mum -
see you around - (like HELL I will,)
see ya LATER, n we can CHILL!”
If you tell a lie,
first act it out
in front of the mirror
when THEY are out
Convince YOURSELF
and THEY’LL believe
and please do not
forget to BREATHE!
“Ain’t seen her for at least a week,
she said she had to get some sleep!
Looked so pale, when I went round hers -
I’M LIKE - she has a temperature!
Mean, I only stopped for twenty minutes -
then I got sick - it’s catchin’ INNIT?
Won’t come to class for at least a week.”
(know she’s a truant - the little SNEAK!)
But don’t try ME
your very best friend
cos lies may be where friendship ends
unless you lie
to save MY SKIN
then I’LL forgive
YOU
for your BIG BAD SIN.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018, All Rights Reserved. No Copying.
September 7, 2018
Obama and Global Warming
It's not very often that I choose to comment on political matters, but I am heartened by Obama's erudite speech today in which he mentioned the importance of taking action on Global Warming.
Two years ago, I launched my debut Children's Book, "Snugs The Snow Bear," which tells a snowy seaside tale of a polar bear who has had to leave his native Greenland on a floating iceberg. He misses dancing with the friendly fires of The Northern Lights and feels very homesick.
Rescued by Captain Lightowler and a menagerie of animals, he journeys on a cruise ship to Iceland, where he bathes in the hot springs, and on to England, where he stays at an old lighthouse with Mr. and Mrs. Merryweather and their grandchildren, Carla and James.
My book addresses Green Issues such as recycling and teaches children about endangered species. Einstein famously commented about the benefits of being curious, and I hope my book will encourage children to find out more about Global Warming and this beautiful but fragile world in which we live.
Two years ago, I launched my debut Children's Book, "Snugs The Snow Bear," which tells a snowy seaside tale of a polar bear who has had to leave his native Greenland on a floating iceberg. He misses dancing with the friendly fires of The Northern Lights and feels very homesick.
Rescued by Captain Lightowler and a menagerie of animals, he journeys on a cruise ship to Iceland, where he bathes in the hot springs, and on to England, where he stays at an old lighthouse with Mr. and Mrs. Merryweather and their grandchildren, Carla and James.
My book addresses Green Issues such as recycling and teaches children about endangered species. Einstein famously commented about the benefits of being curious, and I hope my book will encourage children to find out more about Global Warming and this beautiful but fragile world in which we live.
September 3, 2018
What Makes a Book Unputdownable by Suzy Davies.
An unputdownable book tends to have everything working together - plot, characters, authorial voice, scene setting, point of view and pace.
What makes the reader turn the page is the “gap” in their knowledge about what will happen further on in the book. Good characterization will always keep readers interested; they care about the characters and want to know what will become of them.
Perhaps the most essential element after good characterization is pace. How a scene or a chapter ends will influence whether the reader stays up all night to complete the next chapter and satisfy their curiosity. Writers reward their readers along the journey, and as one question is “answered” another question presents itself until the end of the book. Of course, an ending may be ambiguous so that the reader is challenged to work out the meaning for themselves.
Young Adult and Adult genres have layers of meaning below the level of the text, and part of the enjoyment of reading these genres is the fact that a relatively simple read on the surface may be deceptive. Each time the reader reads the book again they discover something new. The feeling that we have discovered something for ourselves is a feeling of being rewarded. These kinds of books grip the reader because the themes, sometimes depicted at a metaphorical level, speak universal truths which are timeless. Thus “your book” and “your story” becomes “my story.” In this sense, a book is unputdownable since readers want to read this story that is relevant to their lives and speaks to them again and again.
When readers talk about paperback books, they talk about them after they have read them. Clearly, a book that is unputdownable is memorable, and this means that in a sense, books act as time-markers for times in our lives when we enjoyed them. We talk about unputdownable books, (objects,) when they are alive for us!
Children’s books that are unputdownable have iconic characters we love forever, and we revisit them to recapture those feelings of love, warmth, excitement, and nostalgia, again and again. They appeal to our emotions at a deep level.
There is a certain kind of writer who can mesmerize a reader with their stunning use of language. It is hypnotic and addictive. The way in which language is used is the writer’s signature and the style is unmistakably them. These writers have a magic about them that makes you want to read every single book they have ever written.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
What makes the reader turn the page is the “gap” in their knowledge about what will happen further on in the book. Good characterization will always keep readers interested; they care about the characters and want to know what will become of them.
Perhaps the most essential element after good characterization is pace. How a scene or a chapter ends will influence whether the reader stays up all night to complete the next chapter and satisfy their curiosity. Writers reward their readers along the journey, and as one question is “answered” another question presents itself until the end of the book. Of course, an ending may be ambiguous so that the reader is challenged to work out the meaning for themselves.
Young Adult and Adult genres have layers of meaning below the level of the text, and part of the enjoyment of reading these genres is the fact that a relatively simple read on the surface may be deceptive. Each time the reader reads the book again they discover something new. The feeling that we have discovered something for ourselves is a feeling of being rewarded. These kinds of books grip the reader because the themes, sometimes depicted at a metaphorical level, speak universal truths which are timeless. Thus “your book” and “your story” becomes “my story.” In this sense, a book is unputdownable since readers want to read this story that is relevant to their lives and speaks to them again and again.
When readers talk about paperback books, they talk about them after they have read them. Clearly, a book that is unputdownable is memorable, and this means that in a sense, books act as time-markers for times in our lives when we enjoyed them. We talk about unputdownable books, (objects,) when they are alive for us!
Children’s books that are unputdownable have iconic characters we love forever, and we revisit them to recapture those feelings of love, warmth, excitement, and nostalgia, again and again. They appeal to our emotions at a deep level.
There is a certain kind of writer who can mesmerize a reader with their stunning use of language. It is hypnotic and addictive. The way in which language is used is the writer’s signature and the style is unmistakably them. These writers have a magic about them that makes you want to read every single book they have ever written.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
Essential Skills for Children's Writers.
The skills that are needed to write a quality children’s book are:
1) Empathetic understanding of a child’s world - what is important and interesting to him/her.
2) The ability to write a story which “sees” “hears” and “feels” the world through the eyes of a child.
3) Imagination, in bucketloads!
4) Humour - the younger the child, the more obvious and slapstick the humor should be. Think bodily functions or humor that is naughty - tummies rumbling, snoring, farting, seeing the baddies fall over, and so on.
5) Writers of children’s books need to be aware that young children’s attention spans are shorter. Therefore, the ability to make smooth, relatively swift transitions from scene to scene, to write clearly, simply, and at a good pace is important.
6) Characterisation and character-led stories work very well indeed in children’s books. The ability to create larger than life, lovable heroes and heroines is the essence of a good read for children. It’s good to have baddies, too. Larger than life characters work - ones that kids want to hug, and ones that they love to hate! Think pantomime!
7) Young children adore animal and nature stories so a knowledge and love of animals and nature is very useful to a writer of children's books.
8) Writers of children’s books should have a good ear for their story. All books should flow, and sound good, but with children’s books, this is all the more important if they are the kind of books that are read out loud.
9) Unless the author illustrates their own books, authors of children’s books need the ability to communicate their ideas to their illustrator in a visual way. Illustrations in young children’s books help to convey information. Having a good rapport with an illustrator collaborator is essential.
10) Excellent artwork is at the heart of good children’s books.
11) Voice acting ability is very useful to writers who narrate audiobooks and/or do readings of their books. Personal warmth, a liking for children, and the ability to have a rapport with them is essential.
Authors of children's books need to be entertainers and educators. It is a great responsibility writing children’s books which will influence a generation growing up, and many generations to come.
Copyright Suzy Davies, Author, "Luna The Moon Pig," "Snugs The Snow Bear" 2018. All Rights Reserved.
1) Empathetic understanding of a child’s world - what is important and interesting to him/her.
2) The ability to write a story which “sees” “hears” and “feels” the world through the eyes of a child.
3) Imagination, in bucketloads!
4) Humour - the younger the child, the more obvious and slapstick the humor should be. Think bodily functions or humor that is naughty - tummies rumbling, snoring, farting, seeing the baddies fall over, and so on.
5) Writers of children’s books need to be aware that young children’s attention spans are shorter. Therefore, the ability to make smooth, relatively swift transitions from scene to scene, to write clearly, simply, and at a good pace is important.
6) Characterisation and character-led stories work very well indeed in children’s books. The ability to create larger than life, lovable heroes and heroines is the essence of a good read for children. It’s good to have baddies, too. Larger than life characters work - ones that kids want to hug, and ones that they love to hate! Think pantomime!
7) Young children adore animal and nature stories so a knowledge and love of animals and nature is very useful to a writer of children's books.
8) Writers of children’s books should have a good ear for their story. All books should flow, and sound good, but with children’s books, this is all the more important if they are the kind of books that are read out loud.
9) Unless the author illustrates their own books, authors of children’s books need the ability to communicate their ideas to their illustrator in a visual way. Illustrations in young children’s books help to convey information. Having a good rapport with an illustrator collaborator is essential.
10) Excellent artwork is at the heart of good children’s books.
11) Voice acting ability is very useful to writers who narrate audiobooks and/or do readings of their books. Personal warmth, a liking for children, and the ability to have a rapport with them is essential.
Authors of children's books need to be entertainers and educators. It is a great responsibility writing children’s books which will influence a generation growing up, and many generations to come.
Copyright Suzy Davies, Author, "Luna The Moon Pig," "Snugs The Snow Bear" 2018. All Rights Reserved.
August 28, 2018
Tea Roses (an old-fashioned poem)
‘Midst the hedgerow,
evergreen,
were flowers with blousy crimson heads,
dark as jewels,
worn by a queen,
with pale skin,
and hair, fire-red.
She took the rose,
smelled its perfume,
and Summer entered her cloistered room,
how radiant the fragrance
that swept her away -
back to the garden
throughout the day,
away from a room,
with timbered floors,
and dusty tomes
on bookshelf walls.
Evening came,
and Madelaine lay
happy and tired
from that Summer day;
beside her bed was the beauteous rose
the fragrance wafted
across the pillows.
The hour was late,
she dimmed the light
and Madelaine,
she slept so tight,
she dreamed of the hedgerow and the moon,
and the rose
of flaming June.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved. No Copying. Show less
evergreen,
were flowers with blousy crimson heads,
dark as jewels,
worn by a queen,
with pale skin,
and hair, fire-red.
She took the rose,
smelled its perfume,
and Summer entered her cloistered room,
how radiant the fragrance
that swept her away -
back to the garden
throughout the day,
away from a room,
with timbered floors,
and dusty tomes
on bookshelf walls.
Evening came,
and Madelaine lay
happy and tired
from that Summer day;
beside her bed was the beauteous rose
the fragrance wafted
across the pillows.
The hour was late,
she dimmed the light
and Madelaine,
she slept so tight,
she dreamed of the hedgerow and the moon,
and the rose
of flaming June.
Copyright Suzy Davies, 2018. All Rights Reserved. No Copying. Show less
August 25, 2018
Liminal Spaces and My Book, "The Cave," based on the real story of The Thai Cave Rescue.
"Books are a portable kind of time travel. We go back as well as forward when we read them. When we come back into the now, after being immersed in worlds previously unknown to us, we find ourselves, transformed. Touched by their magic, nothing we ever perceived beforehand remains quite the same.” - Suzy Davies
When writing my Y. A /Adult Book, "The Cave," I wanted to write something that was more than just a fact by fact account of The Thai Cave Rescue, and take the reader on a magical journey into a liminal space - a place where reality itself is distorted, and boundaries of Time and Place as we know it are overturned. Liminal Spaces are places where anything is possible - and they are a kind of threshold and portal of transition between two states of being.
It makes sense that my story, "The Cave," is a coming of age story, and marks the rite of passage in which The Wild Boars felt the warmth of people's love for them which emanated from all over the world. In my book, I depict a Dantesque journey from the darkness into the light and show how these courageous young men passed on their way to manhood. At the end of their mystical adventure, they understood the importance of their family and friends and the true meaning of love.
When writing my Y. A /Adult Book, "The Cave," I wanted to write something that was more than just a fact by fact account of The Thai Cave Rescue, and take the reader on a magical journey into a liminal space - a place where reality itself is distorted, and boundaries of Time and Place as we know it are overturned. Liminal Spaces are places where anything is possible - and they are a kind of threshold and portal of transition between two states of being.
It makes sense that my story, "The Cave," is a coming of age story, and marks the rite of passage in which The Wild Boars felt the warmth of people's love for them which emanated from all over the world. In my book, I depict a Dantesque journey from the darkness into the light and show how these courageous young men passed on their way to manhood. At the end of their mystical adventure, they understood the importance of their family and friends and the true meaning of love.
August 19, 2018
Ordinary
When the wall came down
there was nothing ordinary
anymore.
We glimpsed the trappings of The West
denied to us -
luxuries manifested,
from the dust.
All of us encrypted
words in stone.
One by one
they fell;
graffiti
of the oppressed.
Yet
our eyes
glittered
with the dust.
We saw a man
carry a fragment
home;
it was a History book,
a tome,
of an ordinary man,
and a bargain
with his soul.
Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved.
there was nothing ordinary
anymore.
We glimpsed the trappings of The West
denied to us -
luxuries manifested,
from the dust.
All of us encrypted
words in stone.
One by one
they fell;
graffiti
of the oppressed.
Yet
our eyes
glittered
with the dust.
We saw a man
carry a fragment
home;
it was a History book,
a tome,
of an ordinary man,
and a bargain
with his soul.
Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved.
August 16, 2018
August 13, 2018
The Artist
From my window, I see him.
Squalls of wind wire his hair,
charcoal snaps and smudges
between his fingers.
The tide churns debris
to the sands.
He reaches for another piece,
measures
the rocks,
huddled together,
where tide meets shore
sky, the water.
The iron colossus of the pier
grinds in the gale,
gulls screech;
he paints their feathers,
soft, ethereal,
ghost-winged.
Paper buffets
in the breeze -
he nails it,
flapping onto board,
with pins.
His skin’s
ruddy.
He wrestles
with the canvas,
a boy bringing in his kite.
My words
paint his character
submerged
below the surface.
He’s at one with this
corner of the world.
Words roll
with the surf,
then crash
and burn.
Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved. No Copying.
Squalls of wind wire his hair,
charcoal snaps and smudges
between his fingers.
The tide churns debris
to the sands.
He reaches for another piece,
measures
the rocks,
huddled together,
where tide meets shore
sky, the water.
The iron colossus of the pier
grinds in the gale,
gulls screech;
he paints their feathers,
soft, ethereal,
ghost-winged.
Paper buffets
in the breeze -
he nails it,
flapping onto board,
with pins.
His skin’s
ruddy.
He wrestles
with the canvas,
a boy bringing in his kite.
My words
paint his character
submerged
below the surface.
He’s at one with this
corner of the world.
Words roll
with the surf,
then crash
and burn.
Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved. No Copying.
See my Twitter Page for some Exciting News and a Sneak Preview of an Illustration for the Paperback Version of "The Cave," Coming Soon. EPUB of "The Cave" by Suzy Davies, Cover Design by Sheila Graber Available now on Smashwords!
Book News
"The Flamingos Who Painted The Sky," our new picture book is NOW fully available to bring in #Christmas #sunshine, #flamingo #sunsets, and #happiness #worldwide Illustrated by the talented Shirin Mass ...more
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