It is with great excitement I welcome you, dear reader, to the #JunoJonesWordNinja #blogtour! I had so much fun interviewing Kate. So strap yourself in for a great read. 

​Prior to becoming a writer, you worked as a children’s librarian and bookseller. Have you always written? Or did being surrounded by books all the time rub off on you?
Well, the answer to both of those questions is yes! My dad was a school librarian and I grew up in his library, in the back corner, on a bean-bag, with piles of books around me. And my house was very much a bookish one. Reading and writing stories was just … always a part of life. My dad writes, too, and wrote me stories and it just felt like … a thing people did? I never saw it as a viable career, though, so I did all the other bookish things I could think of, instead. When I actually became a professional writer, it was a complete (magical) accident.
 
Can you elaborate? How did this complete magical accident come about? 
I began a role as a school librarian and was encouraged to do a university course in literary studies, so I could specialise. One of the units was creative writing. The task was to write a short story, but I have always been terrible at writing short stories and two thousand words ballooned into fifty thousand. My lovely lecturer, thankfully, did not fail me and, instead, strongly encouraged me to apply for a Varuna fellowship, which I was lucky enough to be awarded. On the back of that, my first agent, Nan Halliday, took me on. She sent the story to Allen and Unwin, who didn't want to publish it but were looking for an author for the final book in their Girlfriend Fiction series. They asked me to have a go at writing one. They liked what I wrote and ... it just kept going from there! Ten years on (minus a gap of four and a half years while I was focussed on my young child), I'm still doing it! 

You’ve written five young adult novels. What drew you to write for a younger audience?
I have always wanted to write for younger kids but never quite found a way to do it – it’s much trickier than you might think (not that being a YA writer isn’t!). I still feel deeply connected to my inner kid (a blessing and a curse). It was having my daughter that finally made me work hard on writing for a younger audience – I wanted to write books that she could read NOW, instead of in five or ten years. It’s been lovely seeing her excitement at reading the books and sharing them with her friends. There’s no book fan like a six-year-old book fan!
​
Can you tell me how Juno Jones Word Ninja came about? What inspired you to tell this particular story?
I always start with a character, and usually they pop into my head completely unbidden. I’m not one of those “woo” writers who believes I’m not in control of my story, but I do often get “visited” by characters who want me to write about them. The imagination is an incredible thing! Juno was one of those characters. She’s a bit of a combination of me as a kid (and the kid I wished I was) and my little brother, Richard, to whom this book is dedicated. He was the kid who was obsessed with ninja turtles and all the active things and thought reading was boring, until he discovered books like Animorphs and Goosebumps that sparked a life-long love of books. I hope that Juno Jones does for a kid what those books did for my brother!

How important is it to have humour in children’s books?
Well, it depends! It’s important in books that are meant to be funny! I love a funny book for kids – as does my daughter – but I also adore books that are serious and moving. There’s a place for every book and the right book will connect with the right kid at the right time. Sometimes, when I was a young reader, I really needed to read a book that was sad and deep and let me connect with deep emotions inside of me. Those books are hugely important. And sometimes you just need a laugh and an escape!
​
Do you have any advice on writing humour and non-boring stories?
Golly, I wish I did! I was lucky that Juno just came out as a bit of a funny character. She has no filter and I think that can be hilarious. I have tried to write “funny” books and they’ve been terrible. I don’t think the other books I’m working on are funny at all. Juno just came out that way!

Does Juno, or any of her friends get scared in the book? If so, what do they do to overcome it?
Juno is pretty fearless, which is the “kid I wish I was” part of the story! Some of the other characters do experience a great deal of fear and anxiety, in particular Shy Vi. And it’s in Juno’s interactions with these characters that I think show that she is not all bravado and boldness. She is enormously empathetic and kind, when it comes to her friends, and this is my favourite aspect of her character. Shy Vi is able to cope with the help of her friends. Paloma also struggles with anxiety, and does not have the support of close friends to help her – at least in this book. I’m hopeful things will change for her in future books!

What’s next for Juno?
Juno has two more adventures forthcoming, full of mystery and intrigue and problems for her to solve. And the Alien Lizard men are always hovering in the background, threatening to destroy her school!

What else are you working on?
I have a few middle grade books in the works – aimed at a slightly older audience than Juno Jones (my daughter is growing up so quickly!). One is a contemporary middle grade, one is a magical school fantasy, and the other one – which I have been working on since my daughter was a baby! – is a book about a family of wicked sisters living in Tasmania during the first world war. And of course, there are more Juno books coming up, which is beyond exciting!

Three fun facts about Kate:

1. I have many obsessions, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and a singer from the United States, called Josh Ritter. I could talk for days on any of these topics. Go on. Try me. I’ll start with my thoughts on the Hogwarts houses (I’m Ravenclaw, by the way, with Hufflepuff rising) …
2. My favourite food is white chocolate.
3. I cry All. The. Time. Over All the Things. TV commercials. Songs. Paintings. Poems. Movies. I made the mistake of going to see Dumbo with my kid and she was so embarrassed by how inconsolable I was. It’s an issue. Is that a fun fact? I feel like I should add something else that’s more fun. Ummm … I still know all the dances to all the Spice Girls songs and my favourite one is the little-known classic Saturday Night Divas. That song is tragically underrated. 

Places to find Kate:
Her website: kategordon.com.au 
​Instagram: direleafhall
Twitter: @direleafhall

Today, I welcome Allison to the blog. I love reading historical fiction, and I have even got an idea for one myself. So, it was fascinating to have the opportunity to interview Allison about her non-fiction historical books, as well as her faction piece, Follow After Me.  

How much of your earlier research for your non-fiction books went into Follow After Me?

An immeasurable amount! I developed an extensive knowledge of the Australian experience of WWI during the creation of my adult title Anzac Sons: the Story of Five Brothers in the War to End All Wars (Big Sky Publishing, 2014).  That research enabled me to capture the authenticity of time and accuracy of historical events. Spending time on the Western Front also developed the capacity to address the sensory experience to create the WWI setting. In the creation of Anzac Sons there were moments of serendipity that could not be included in a work of factual content. Follow After Me has allowed me to tell some of those stories, the moments with no explanation, of which, in fiction, I had the freedom to bend and conform to the narrative.

Did Follow After Me require further research? 
​
Follow After Me is told in parallel narratives of today and a century before. It includes the experience of an indigenous soldier and the impact the war had on him and his descendants. There was more research that needed to be done to ensure I accurately represented the experience. Further research was necessary to capture the elements I needed for Lizzie who is growing up on a farm in time of drought and dealing with the coming-of-age issues of today. While I grew up on a farm and I’m very aware of the effects of drought, to capture the young adult voice I did a lot of eavesdropping on my own children. The opportunity to research and write at the Australian War Memorial, courtesy of a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship, made a significant contribution to the writing of Follow After Me.

On your website, you say, ‘My interest in the service of my ancestors began when I was studying to become a teacher.’ Can you explain what, ‘the service of my ancestors’ means and why it is important?

The historical story within Follow After Me is based on the tragic World War One experiences of my ancestors, the Marlow family. Honouring their service to Australia became a slight obsession. I wanted to share their story. Of six brothers, five went to war, only two made it home. The Anzac characters in Follow After Me are based on each of the brothers and have been developed as accurately as possible using a collection of over 500 letters and postcards which the men sent to home from the Western Front. Some of the correspondence in Follow After Me uses the actual letters of my ancestors but with additions or modifications to move the narrative forward. 

What tips do you have for researching and writing faction (fiction with historical elements)?

• Write for yourself – the places, landscapes, stories and objects that pass through your life and are meaningful to you.
• Faction has unique needs – recreating an era long gone requires research. Research will ignite the spark that creates a sense of place and brings the world to life.

• Facts can drive the narrative, or they can rest in the background, but facts provide authenticity. You need them to create depth.
• Stay as faithful to the truth as you can – savvy readers of that time period will know when you change a fact, if you do it, let them know.

 
How important is it to share Australian historical stories?

I firmly believe that we cannot understand who we are today and develop a strong sense of identity without understanding the past – it helps develop empathy for all and an appreciation and conviction for the values that Australians hold dear. Keep sharing Australian stories and reinforce our unique sentiment and characteristics!

In the lives of the two protagonists, Evie and Lizzie, there must’ve been times when they felt afraid. What are some of the ways they faced their fear and found courage?

That’s a tricky question – I might give away the plot! Perhaps I can say that being prepared to listen to their instinct and follow the values they know are right, were the key factors that helped Evie and Lizzie to face their fears. It has a lot to do with those that came before and the courage they showed in the face of great danger and adversity!
 
How have you dealt with fear in your own life?

I try turning fear into my friend, I listen to it, acknowledge it and, like Lizzie, think of the courage my ancestors displayed. If they can do it, so can I. Perhaps I don’t always conquer fear, but I do my best to give it a go and not be overwhelmed by it.

Three fun facts about Allison:
 
My Favourite Books:  Belinda – Pamela Allen (closely followed by my books, of course)
                                   
Pets: I once had a dog and three cats – now I have a native blue-banded bee who visits the herb garden outside my study window (actually, my bee is the second one I have had, the first one sadly left me).  She is beautiful and has a very loud buzz!
 
You as a Child: I grew up on a farm surrounded by dogs, cats, chooks, cows and sheep. I wish I was still growing up on the farm! I read a lot, played netball and tennis and rode the motorbike. I did lots of jobs like helping at shearing time, looking after the vegetable garden and picking fruit, but wasn’t always trusted to gather the eggs … I was a bit clumsy …

Two women live a century apart but are mysteriously connected.
 
'Follow After Me' is a unique blend of contemporary fiction and historical detail. It is a beautiful story of war, love and coming-of-age that will appeal to both male and female readers from age 14 and up and cross-over to adult readership.
 
Allison is the author of the 2016 ABIA and CBCA notable title 'Anzac Sons: Five Brothers on the Western Front', the children’s version of the adult title 'Anzac Sons'. Her children’s picture books 'Granny’s Place' and 'Shearing Time' are inspired by childhood memories of life on the farm. 'Australia Remembers: Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and War Memorials' was published in 2018 and is the first in a series. 
 
More information about Allison and her books can be found at her website: www.allisonmarlowpaterson.com.

Cameron Macintosh: a writer and editor based in Melbourne, has worked in educational publishing since 2001, editing primary literacy books and teaching materials, and author of more than 80 primary titles.

In 2017 he dived into the world of trade publishing with the release of the first book in his Max Booth Future Sleuth series — a humour-filled sci-fi series for 7 to 10-year-olds. Previous titles in the series include Tape Escape (read our conversation here) and Selfie Search, with the latest, Stamp Safari released in August 2018 (illustrated by Dave Atze, published by Big Sky Publishing).

Megan: I love how you’ve set the Max Booth series 400 years into the future. Have you thought a lot about how we are treating our planet and what the planet may look like in 400 years? Or was it just fun to dream up whatever you wanted and readers just having to accept what you say?
​
Cameron: That’s a great question. I can definitely say that I’ve had all of that in mind from the beginning. The fun side of it came first, narrowly, but it was apparent pretty quickly that a series about future people looking back at our present-day lifestyles could offer some opportunities to examine how we’re looking after the planet.
 
These thoughts play out fairly subtly in the Max stories but they’re definitely an important layer, given that Max lives in a very crowded, polluted city. Max’s hometown, Bluggsville, is also very sharply divided by class, so I hope the series might also spark discussions about social inequality, and things we might be able to do now to prevent our society from fracturing further in the coming decades and centuries.

Megan: Wow! I love the layers you’ve included in these stories. I’m sure it will generate great classroom discussions.  
Max often seems to get himself into scrapes and situations where he must overcome various fears. How does Max approach these situations? And how do you face your fears?

Cameron: Max tends to face his fears by confronting them head-on, with cheekiness and bravado. But there are definitely times when he doesn’t feel so confident. When these times come along, his robo-dog Oscar can usually supply the boost he needs. They’re pretty good at supporting each other when one is feeling frightened or discouraged.
 
As for me, when I’m facing a fearful situation, I try to ask myself ‘How scary is this, really? What’s the worst that could come of this?’ Usually, the worst-case scenario isn’t nearly as bad as the feeling of fear makes it out to be.
 
Megan: I love how Max has Oscar to give him that boost when he needs it. And you have said something I believe in whole-heartedly. Often, fear makes things appear way worse than the situation really is. 
​

Do you get fan mail? If so, what has been your favourite so far?

Cameron: I have had a few messages from happy readers – it’s a huge buzz when the readership you’re writing for responds to your stories in the way you were hoping they would. One particularly nice message actually suggested a really good plot for a future Max story. Who knows, that one might become a co-write!
 
Megan: That must be exciting.
Will Max and Oscar be having more adventures?
​
Cameron: There’s definitely more to come. Book 4 is written and in production as we speak. I won’t give too much away about that one, except to say that it deals with the discovery of some very old-school photographic gear, and more grave danger for Max and Oscar! 
 
Megan: Sounds intriguing. 
What are your favourite ways to feed your creativity?
Cameron: Apart from consuming as many good books and films as possible, at the moment I’m finding meditation to be really helpful. I don’t know whether it’s actually feeding the creativity or just giving it space to seep out – a bit of both, I suspect. There are so many demands on our attention these days, but even just a few minutes of stillness seems to help me filter out some of the white noise and hear my own thoughts more clearly.
 
I also find abstract visual art to be a useful trigger for story ideas, perhaps because it generally gives you permission to interpret it in a very personal way that can spark all sorts of creative associations in your head.
 
These things won’t work for everyone but I love hearing how other people answer this question. It’s always interesting to know what sparks ideas in other people’s heads.

Megan: Sparks of ideas can come from all sorts of places. Conversations, books, poetry, something I see…  
​Your YA manuscript, The Ascension of Saint Jay, was shortlisted for the Ampersand Prize in 2017. What has become of that story? Are you still working on it?

Cameron: I’m a huge fan of the Ampersand Prize – a competition dedicated to first-time YA and middle grade novelists. Being shortlisted was a huge thrill, as well as a much-needed confidence boost. That particular story has been with me for quite a long time, and I’ve redrafted it so many times that I’ve had to take a long break from it to look at it again with any clarity. I think I’ve finally reached that point in the last month or two. I’m pretty happy with the voice and the feel of it, but the plot needs some pretty major renovations, so I’m bracing myself for the inevitable slash-and burn. It definitely needs doing, but it’s gonna hurt!
 
Megan: Ahhh! Yes! The re-write. Or as you say, the ‘slash and burn’.  
What’s next for you?
​
Cameron: I’m currently working on Max’s fifth adventure, and having a lot of fun with it. As soon as that’s done I’ll start the Saint Jay rewrite in earnest – hopefully the 600th draft will be the last! In the midst of all of that, I’ll be writing some levelled readers too, for one of my educational publishers. It’s a lot to juggle in this modest brain of mine but I’ll always be grateful that this is what I actually get to do for a living.
 
Megan: Sounds like a busy and exciting time ahead.  
 
And as always … 3 Fun Facts:
1. As a kid, I was obsessed with the Smurfs, and built up a sizeable collection of little blue figurines. I sold them all for pocket money as a teenager but now I want them back! These days I’m slowly restoring the collection with visits to collectible shops and junk markets.
 
2. I’m crazy about dogs. Maybe when I grow up I’ll get one of my own!
 
3. I only buy socks with loud colours or unusual pictures on them. They’re so much easier to pair up after they come off the clothesline! (Today’s pair: skull and crossbones. Tomorrow: pineapples)

Title: Max Booth Future Sleuth: Stamp Safari
 
Author: Cameron Macintosh
 
Illustrator: Dave Atze
 
Publisher: Big Sky Publishing
 
Genre: Middle Grade Chapter Book
 
Age Range: 6-12
 
Description:
 
“This is a fun and fast-moving series packed with action.” – KBR
“A fun and futuristic junior fiction series kids will love.” – Just Write for Kids
Max is back. And in the third instalment of the action-packed Max Booth Future Sleuth series, Max and his robosidekick, Oscar, are ready to sharpen their super-sleuthing skills yet again.

MAX BOOTH FUTURE SLEUTH: STAMP SAFARI

A tiny piece of paper from the year 2019 might not sound very interesting to most people. But Max and Oscar – Bluggsville’s sharpest sleuths – aren’t most people! Max has a hunch that this ancient patch of paper might be valuable, and extremely rare.
​
Max is right – this isn’t just any old piece of paper. It’s a strange, sticky thing called a postage stamp, and it’s more than 400 years old! It’s an exciting discovery, but before long, it leads Max and Oscar into some very sticky situations… 

​On Saturday the 19th of May, after a sleepless night for many, too keyed up, nervous, freaking out, or just uncomfortable in a hotel room, two hundred and thirty emerging, aspiring, and established, authors and illustrators descended on Melbourne Town Hall for the annual KidLitVic—Meet the Publishers Conference.

For me, it was my third year and I felt like an old hand trying to calm the nerves of those there for the first time and letting them know what to expect. I was excited to be able to catch up with many of the authors I’d interviewed for my blog over the past year, as well as speak to many I had ‘met’ online, and to make new friends. However, for a bunch of predominantly introverts, being in a room full of mainly strangers should have been daunting (it was initially), and silent (it was not).
​
As we filed in the chatter began and it was hard to be heard above the din that arose from Melbourne Town Hall. Nerves fell away as people recognised one another from social media and started to talk. As one author said to me, ‘I’ve never felt like I quiet fit in anywhere. Here I’ve found my people!’ A sentiment I’m sure which is echoed by many.

​Leigh Hobbs inspired and encouraged us with his opening address as he shared his own journey to be published. ‘In this industry you need talent, luck, and perseverance. I had some talent, some luck, and plenty of pigheadedness.’

Leigh went on to say, ‘How do you know you are a writer and/or illustrator? The need and urge to paint/draw/write is always there. You should nurture and protect what you do, and it should come first.’
​
The rest of the day went by in a blur. I know I’m not alone in saying there was a huge amount of information packed into the day which we’re still trying to sort out and get our head around. These came from the panels, and the workshops, as well as the Q & A at the end. So many of our questions were answered. However, there was the, ‘It depends,’ quite a lot. 

Many of us took the opportunity to have a manuscript or portfolio assessment by a chosen publisher or agent. I suppose this was to answer the question, ‘Do I have any talent?’ I didn’t think I was nervous until suddenly while waiting for my assessment time, my mouth dried up completely and my tongue felt glued to the roof of my mouth. I wondered if I’d be able to even speak. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten slowly, I managed to get myself together. This was just in time to have a relaxing conversation for the next fifteen minutes with my chosen agent. 

I’m sure others will have a lot to say about the content shared throughout the day. For me, these are my key takeaways:

1) As Leigh said, we need perseverance and pigheadedness to stay in this industry. One of the best ways to be able to persevere is to create a community of like-minded people around you. These are people who will support, encourage, and be honest with you. We need to develop our talent, put ourselves out there, and be prepared to be in it for the long haul. And why would we do this? Because we can’t not write/paint/or draw. If you have a story you believe in, hold on to it and keep submitting. It will find a home somewhere.
​
2) You are not alone. The Australian KidLit industry is competitive, yes. However, more than this, it is supportive and encouraging. The people I’ve met over the past four years have been proven this to me. I belong to a few Facebook groups, and the KidLit ones are by far the most helpful and inspiring. There is no reason to hide in your cave writing or drawing/painting by yourself wondering if this is what you should be doing. 

Going to conferences like KidLitVic—Meet the Publishers is where you find ‘your people,’ and it is where you have opportunities available to you, you would never have otherwise (luck); opportunities to find out about professional development (develop talent), hints and tips, industry insider news, and a day to immerse yourself in the publishing industry and see if this is what you really want to do (perseverance). These are things you can put into place, so you will be able to persevere, as well as nourish and protect what you do.

I applaud the organisers of KidLitVic, Coral Vass, Jaquelyn Muller, Alison Reynolds and Nicky Johnston for changing things, mixing things up, and making this year’s conference bigger and better than ever. 
 
This post originally appeared on the KidLitVic website 23rd May, 2018: Talent, Luck, and Perseverance by Megan Higginson

Today, I have the pleasure to welcome Maura Pierlot to my blog on her whirlwind book blog tour for her latest book, The Trouble in Tune Town. 

Maura is an author and playwright based in Canberra, who enjoys writing fiction for children and young adults. The Trouble in Tune Town is her first children’s picture book. 
​
Megan: Hi, Maura. How are you today?
 
Maura: Morning, Megan. I'm great. Slightly tired ... my 18 year old came in at 5am after his last cricket match!
 
Megan: Oh, dear!
 
Maura: I'm like my mother ... can't sleep properly until all the kids home. I say 'kids' but they're 16, 18 and nearly 20 so I better get used to late nights.
 
Megan: Those days are long behind me, but I remember them well.
 
Maura: One of the down sides of being an older parent ... less energy (and tolerance lol).
 
Megan: Well, let’s dive straight into the interview, shall we?
 
Maura: Rightio!
 
Megan: You grew up in the Bronx. What brought you to Australia?
 
Maura: I was working on my PhD at Georgetown Uni in Washington DC. I was at the thesis stage – no more coursework – so I was actually working in NYC at the time as an ethicist of all things. One of my professors told me about the Fulbright Program – it's an international study program, similar to Rhodes Scholarships, and I was intrigued. I had always wanted to visit Australia, so the choice of location was easy.
 
Professor Peter Singer, a well known philosopher and animal rights advocate, was heading Monash University's Centre for Human Bioethics. I wrote to him, asking if he'd support my Fulbright application (to be based at his Centre) and he wrote back straight away and said yes. Sounds funny now to say 'wrote back' but these were the old days where people actually wrote and posted letter - computers were still clunky and no internet to speak of. Only four Americans were chosen for Australia and I was one of them so I was thrilled beyond belief.
 
Sorry that was a bit long haha. The short answer is I came here to work on my PhD thesis (philosophy/ethics). My thesis focused on HIV issues – very topical in the late '80s.
 
I was comparing the US response to HIV and Australia's, arguing that public policy needed to meet minimum ethical standards and not just be based on economics or expediency. So, I came to Australia for a year, went back to New Jersey, where I had been living since high school days, then came back to Australia for another six months when they granted me an extension. Lucky!

​Megan: You certainly did come in from a very different pathway to creative writing. Wow! What an amazing opportunity. So, what did you do during the Fulbright Program?
 
 
Maura: I should say that I studied hard, laboured over my thesis, ready philosophy tomes, but the real answer is I had a ball just being in Australia, meeting great people, enjoying new experiences. Peter Singer was the absolute best person to work with – so accessible, open minded and supportive. Writing a thesis is like creative writing; some days the words and ideas come, other days not. So, it was a lesson in perseverance and self-belief on many levels.
 
 
By the end of my second stint in Australia I had competed the 300-page thesis and submitted it to my (American and Australian) supervisors. In America, you have to orally defend your thesis ... you get grilled by a panel, but fortunately I passed.
 
Megan: It certainly sounds like you learnt a lot of great lessons, including those of perseverance and self-belief which are doing you in good stead now. I read that you only turned to creative writing only about five years ago, and your short stories, plays and young adult manuscript have won or been shortlisted for awards. What would you attribute to your success?
 
 
Maura: I'm not really sure but I suspect it's a combination of factors. I've always had a "can do" attitude. I like challenges – I've had many over the years in business, work, study, life! My parents instilled a very good work ethic and I've been working (usually several jobs) essentially since my teens.
 
I had a lot of interests as a child and always loved learning. I devoured books, wanting to step into new worlds but also being fascinated by facts. I remember struggling with the idea of a career – how can someone possibly commit to one field? The standing joke was that I was going to become a professional dilettante, which I have in a way.
 
I think the long haul of doing a PhD was good practice for writing a novel. Simply put, I don't give up easily and when I get an idea in my head that I want or need to do something, there's usually no stopping me. Of course, I have my days when I second guess everything I've done and am doing – ah, the writing life. And there are many days that I wish I could have bottled the enthusiasm and confidence of my youth. So, I'm just plugging away at various projects the best I can, mainly for my own pleasure and journey… but hoping also that my writing resonates with others.
 
At the risk of sounding cynical, I don't think winning or being shortlisted for awards means my work is any better than anyone else's. I've been blown away reading work that has never won awards or been published. And I've read plenty of books and wondered how they got published. There's so many titles on the market, and so many people trying to get published, that awards certainly help get noticed but I think it's often being in the right place at the right time – having the right work be read by the right person in the right moment.
 
It's unfortunate that people tend to measure success by publication standards. I nearly fell in this trap myself. I started writing 'midlife' after many other careers, mainly because I wanted and needed to exercise the creative side of my brain, which had been dying a slow death.
 
I always said – and really meant it! – that I was writing just for me, that the process was far more important than the outcome. I still believe that, but the problem is when you've poured your heart and soul onto the page, often for several years, you want that imprimatur – a supposedly independent third party to say, Hey, this work is so good that we want to publish it. And when you don't get that, you then start to second guess everything you've written.
 
It's a very dangerous and unhealthy cycle. Publishing decisions are based far more on commercial considerations (marketing/sales) than literary value. And the people who decide are essentially just one voice. There's no universal truths to be imparted from a decision to publish or not publish.

Megan: I can pick a few points out from what you’ve said that I think are key to succeeding at anything. 1) A ‘can do’ attitude. 2) Work hard 3) Love learning new things. 4) Devour books. 5) Practice writing 6) Don’t give up.
 
As for your next points, I’ve often wondered the same things. And I think you are right in saying that it really is a whole range of factors that contribute to getting published.  
 
Maura: Hahaha! Yes, your six points are great. Why didn't I just say that?
 
Megan: You also write plays. Do you think this helps you visualise each scene, write dialogue, develop characters etc?  
 
Maura: Maybe I watched too much TV as a child but I often write visually. When I imagine characters and scenarios, it's always dialogue driven. Perhaps that's why I gravitated to YA (though I think it's because I never quite grew up lol... maybe I have some unfinished teen business!). So writing for the stage seems like a natural fit.
 
I read about a writing comp in 2014 and thought, what the hell, I always wanted to write a play, so I'll give it a go (there's that 'can do' attitude haha). My mother was very unwell overseas, and I was struggling with a lot of related issues – the tyranny of distance, guilt about moving to Australia years ago, the burden of caring that had fallen on my brother who lived locally – and I essentially just dumped that scenario/conversation on the page and the play was picked up. That got me hooked!
 
Megan: My writer’s group and I just did an activity on the weekend where we took a scene from our current work in progress and turned it into a play. It was a lot of fun, but I also found that, even though I visualise my scenes as I write, this made it even more focused. It was a great exercise.   
 
The Trouble in Tune Town is your first picture book. What inspired the story? 

Maura: Our three children were the inspiration for the story. They were all very musical but never liked to practice. That's an understatement ... there wasn't a week that went by without one of them wanting to quit.
 
Their teacher was fantastic, but the kids felt like lessons focused on what they did wrong rather than how far they had come. They were flat out with school work and co-curricular and practice was just another chore in a busy week. In fact, it was taking the fun out of music for them.
 
When waiting for my son at his lesson one day, I had an idea of a child struggling with a new song, blaming the music, only to find that the notes flew off the sheet and far away, leaving the town without any tunes. And the story grew from there.
 
Megan: I love hearing the inspiration behind the story. I’m sure that your book will help a lot of kids out there, and parents. Music should be enjoyed. I love how you have the notes of music fly off the page.  
 
Maura: Thanks, I hope the book helps some kids and parents. Every family I talked was having the same battle, trying to get their kids to practice.
 
So much of what kids do these days is geared to achievement – trying to get top grades at school, to make the Division 1 side in their sport, to play a song beautifully on their instrument. The book encourages kids to relax when they're learning, whether it's music or at school (or even a hobby), to try their best and to not be afraid of making mistakes ... that’s where the real growth comes from.
 
It reflects my view that the process in itself has value irrespective of the outcome. (Similar to the writing journey generally.) That's also the basis for the message (on the opening pages of the book): "Practice should never be a fight. If you're having fun, then you're playing all right."
 
Megan: Why did you decide to go with Little Steps Publishing for this picture book? And was the publishing journey like?
 
Maura: I was offered a contract from a (small) traditional publisher but my gut feeling was that they weren't a good fit for several reasons. Always go with your gut.
 
With my business experience, I knew I could self publish but I was flat out with other projects and didn't think I'd be able to devote the time and energy needed, so partner publishing seemed like the best option.
 
Little Steps was quite good – they know what they're doing, and they have a business model that works. There were a few little hiccups, as there often are in business, but I think they learned from the experience and made some needed organisational changes.
 
I think my book challenged them on many levels as it was very detail oriented, and I wanted the music to be depicted accurately while still allowing the illustrator artistic license. With hindsight, I think partner publishers are geared more to getting the book out; they don't invest in authors per se or offer much in terms of post-production services. I think at the end of the day, the author has to believe in her work and do the hard yards trying to get it out to the market. There's no shortcuts.
 
Megan: I think publishing in any sense, is a learning curve. And there is so much to learn. It’s a good thing that you stuck to your vision of the book. Are you happy with the outcome?
 
Maura: Yes, the good news is I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome. Little Steps has very high production standards – everything from the stock, the print quality, the vibrancy of the colour.
 
I love the look and feel of their book. Sophie Norsa, the illustrator, did a fantastic job for such a challenging task and I love the little touches she added. With respect to Little Steps, I think many partner publishers (probably publishers generally) operate from the false assumption that every author is just so damn grateful to be published that they'll take a back seat and go with the flow – not a trait that feisty New Yorkers are known for.  

Megan: That’s such good news that, in the end, you were happy with your book.
 
You’ve also written a young adult novel, Freefalling. Where are you up to with the writing process?
 
Maura: My YA novel has had many manifestations in recent years. Every time I think I can't possible add to it, or change it in any way, I leave it for a bit then pick it up with new eyes. That said, I'm very happy with where it's at right now.
 
I was thrilled to be named winner of the Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program late last year. The mentorship involves spending time with HarperCollins staff (in editing, marketing and publishing).
 
I’m currently talking to the publisher about how my mentorship will work, and I’m pleased that she’s interested in customising an approach based on what my manuscript needs at this point in time. It’s too early to know the precise mentorship details, or the outcome, but I have no doubt that the process will be worthwhile, and that my manuscript will be much stronger as a result.
 
I wrote the story for me, perhaps also in a sense for my 16-year old daughter. It's an important story about losing your sense of self and finding it again, and seems to be resonating quite strongly with readers. I'd like to see it published because I think it's an important story to tell. Ideally, I'd love to see it picked up as a text for high school English.
 
Megan: You’ll learn so much about the writing process through a mentorship, I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with your manuscript by the end.
 
Maura: I'm sure I will! Writing can be a lonely pursuit and it's so easy to be in your own head for too long. I'm super grateful for the mentorship opportunity and am really looking forward to having the industry input!
 
Megan: I’m sure you’ll love it. So, what’s next for you?  
 
Maura: I'm currently working on a series of monologues on mental health issues faced by young people. In a few weeks, I leave for WA to write the second act of my play, Leaving, as part of a KSP Fellowship. Leaving ran as one-act play in Melbourne in 2014 but was always intended to be full length. The Trouble in Tune Town is being launched at the National Library of Australia on 6 May, so there's a fair bit of work to do for that event too.
 
I'm also trying to do more school visits. I did a few last year and loved it. Kids are a very enthusiastic and honest audience and I had a blast!
 
Megan: It sounds like you will be very busy over the coming months. I enjoy doing author visits too. I love how the kids are so honest. You really know where you stand with them.

Is there anything special you are doing with your book launch?
 
Maura: A local community music organisation called Music for Canberra is a big supporter of the book and will be involved with the launch. One of their youth ensembles will be performing at the event.
 
There will also be an author's reading and activities for the kids and book signings, of course. It will be in the lobby of the National Library – a beautiful space with vaulted ceilings, oodles of natural light, great architectural elements, a bookshop and cafe nearby. I can't wait!
 
Megan: Wow! That’s sounds like an exciting day. I hope there will be lots of photos.
 
Well, Maura, it has been fabulous chatting with you today. I can hear the passion you have for your creative writing. Good luck with your plays, your mentorship, and your book launch.
 
Maura: Lovely chatting to you, Megan, and thanks for your insightful questions – a fun creative exercise for the morning! Best of luck with all your work too.
 
Megan: Thank you, Maura. 

And finally, three fun facts about Maura:
 
I nearly pursued a career in comedy.
I have a long history of natural and political travel disasters (earthquakes, two coups, near mid-air collision).
There was an attempted hijacking too.
At university, I pushed a pram from Durham, North Carolina to Washington DC (as part of relay team) as a fundraiser for a US Presidential candidate and also to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. That's about 400 kilometers. Funny to remember that because now a 5 kilometers run is challenging!
 
Exciting News: The Trouble in Tune Town has just been awarded Joint Winner, Best Children's Illustrated E-Book in the IPPY Book Awards 2018!

About Maura:
Maura is an author and playwright based in Canberra, who enjoys writing fiction for children and young adults. The Trouble in Tune Town is her first children’s picture book.
 
Late last year, Maura was named winner of the CBCA Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program, and recipient of the Charlotte Waring Barton Award, for her young adult manuscript, Freefalling.
 
Her short plays have been performed in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, with one of them winning an international monologue competition in 2016 and another currently being redeveloped as a full-length play as part of a KSP Fellowship.
 
In addition to her creative writing achievements, Maura has worked as an ethicist, medical video writer/producer, small business owner, freelance journalist and editor of Australian Medicine. She has a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate, each in philosophy.
 

Title: The Trouble in Tune Town 
Author: Maura Pierlot 
Illustrator: Sophie Norsa 
Publisher: Little Steps 
Genre: Picture Book  
Age range: 3-8 years
 
The Trouble in Tune Town is a fun, imaginative fantasy told in rhyme, featuring Meg and her song's quirky music notes, inviting readers to step inside the experience of music.
 
https://thetroubleintunetown.com/
Link to buy: https://thetroubleintunetown.com/buy-now/

Where to find Maura:
 
Website: www.maurapierlot.com

Facebook: Maura Pierlot Author

Instagram: Maura Pierlot

LinkedIn: Maura Pierlot

Goodreads: Maura Pierlot 

Websites: www.maurapierlot.com
www.thetroubleintunetown.com 

Today, I welcome Science fiction and fantasy author Carolyn Denman to the blog and we're chatting about her exciting and unique Sentinels series. 

Megan: Hi Carolyn. You completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne and then came to the awkward realisation that you didn’t want to do research in a lab for the rest of your life. You then found work in the finance industry. How have these helped you in writing science fiction and fantasy? 

Carolyn: I studied science because it interests me, not because I had any particular career goal in mind. Given that evolutionary ecology was one of my favourite subjects, perhaps it was inevitable that my curiosity about the Garden of Eden went a little too deep!

Let me be clear – I have no definitive answers as to how much of early Genesis is poetry or metaphor (or a history of the planet told in a format that could be easily passed down as spoken story from one generation to the next), and how much is literal. My passion is simply that those stories are there for us to explore and perhaps even learn from.

As for my experience with finance, I guess it helps me to avoid the cliché of the starving artist! More or less…
 
Megan: When did you discover that you were a writer of fiction? And what drew you to science fiction and fantasy in particular? 

Carolyn: ​ I’ve been obsessed with reading speculative fiction ever since Elyne Mitchell led me to it using books about horses (sneaky). My dad and brother were great role models for me too. They had a pretty good collection of books for me to lose myself in. Not once did I ever think I’d end up writing. Not until a few years ago. My eldest daughter is to blame for inspiring me to give that a go. I had no idea it would be so addictive.
 
Megan: I love that you’ve set your series in Australia. I’m writing a sci-fi novel set in Australia too as our country has such an amazing country with a rich and varied landscape. Why did you decide to set your series in the Wimmera region? 

Carolyn: At first I tried to write the story without referring to a particular place at all, which worked fine until the story left the country town it was set in. Then it just became confusing. Besides, I decided that if I was setting it in Australia then wherever it was, there would have been traditional custodians of that land. So which nation would I acknowledge? In the end I decided on a general region, mostly so I could pay my respects. I hope it’s clear that I was not trying to hijack anyone’s history.

Megan: I love hearing the story behind the story. What was the inspiration behind the series? And did you intend it to be a series when you started to write it? 

Carolyn: When I started to write it, I’m not even certain I intended it to be a whole novel, let alone a series. I had a few scenes in my mind, and then the characters just kept talking to each other and wouldn’t shut up until I wrote out their conversations. And then they started asking questions about their past, which I had to answer.

Honestly, Lainie can be like a dog with a bone sometimes. That first draft of Songlines took me about six weeks to complete. It probably would have been even faster if I hadn’t had to keep looking up how to write prose correctly. Then when I wrote that last page, I just kept going. I could hardly just leave everyone where they were, could I?
 
Megan: What research did you have to do for the books? 

Carolyn: Other than googling what dangling modifiers were? (Being an avid reader did not mean I knew how to structure a sentence well). I did ask a heap of questions every time I met anyone who had ever lived or worked on a commercial farm. There is always more to learn about farming. And always more stories about growing up on one!

Last year on holidays I started chatting with a man in the café at the Hobbiton movie set. He mentioned he’d just dropped in to help with the shearing, so I grilled him on all sorts of local sheep disease questions. It was only at the end of our chat that he mentioned he was the property owner. Yes, he was the one who (many years ago) answered the door to a man who wanted to know if he would consider letting a film crew in to shoot a movie. Boy had I been asking the wrong questions. He seemed so pleased to be asked about his sheep for a change, though. 

Megan: What prompted you to intertwine the various belief systems? 

Carolyn: I guess that really stemmed from intertwining my Christian beliefs with my ecology studies. I don’t believe they need to contradict each other, and I have a deep respect for a creationist belief system despite not following it myself.

There is no ‘science vs religion’. Science is simply a method of enquiry. It doesn’t ‘verse’ anything. Neither does religion. And neither do I believe that religions need to compete with each other. To write a story about Christian beliefs set in Australia and ignore an Indigenous perspective would have been inexcusable. On the other hand, their stories belong to them. They are sacred.

Eden is also a sacred story, and that’s something I felt I could speak about. Perhaps if Christians can comprehend why stories of Eden should be kept hidden, then we can also understand why other stories might also be hidden for good reason.
 
 Megan: Good points. Is there ever a time in the course of your series where your main character, Lainie, is afraid? If so, how did she overcome her fear? 

Carolyn: That’s an interesting question which is addressed more in the final book. Lainie has some different instincts to other people. That’s one of the reasons Cherubim need Guardians. She doesn’t get easily daunted by physical danger, but she does fear things.

Fear has many different faces. She fears loss and failure very keenly. She fears letting people down. Ultimately she has to overcome her fears the same way we all do. Firstly, she needs to recognise them, and then try to put things in perspective. Ironically, she also needs to learn to trust her instincts. 

Megan: Are you working on any new stories at the moment? 

Carolyn: I love getting stuck into fresh writing, but I also know that when I do I need to put aside almost everything else for a while until it’s done. Otherwise the pace of the story really gets lost. My newest series is a post-singularity time-travel romance. A very rough draft of the first book is done, and book two is calling to me.

Getting my teeth stuck into it will be a lovely reward for all the other work I need to do to get the Sentinels series out into the world. When that day comes, could someone please feed my kids from time to time?
 
Megan: What advice do you have for anyone thinking about writing a story? 

Carolyn: Start with the parts that excite you the most and don’t worry too much about how everything will fit together. Yes, you will probably end up throwing out a heap of good writing by not planning it all out first, but if you let yourself enjoy the writing process then that time will not have been wasted. Every sentence you write helps to improve your craft. And you never know what gems you’ll stumble across when you free yourself up to just ‘create’.
 
 
Three fun facts about Carolyn Denman:

• I adore bungy jumping and zip-lining, but have a healthy fear of the ocean
• I used to be pretty talented at ballet, but my Mauritian Sega dancing falls way short of genetic expectations (it’s still fun to try though – you should give it a go)
• I love the science behind training horses and other animals, although my efforts seem to have resulted in all my pets being overly affectionate and not particularly obedient.

 
Author bio:
 
Carolyn lives on a hobby farm on the outskirts of Melbourne with her husband, two daughters, and her parents. The fact that she always has at least three of her pets following her around at any one time in no way means that she is the fairest in the land. They probably just like her taste in music.

As well as writing stories for Aurealis and Andromeda Spaceways magazines, Carolyn is also the author of the YA Australian fantasy series The Sentinels of Eden.

Songlines, Sanguine and Sympath are available now through Odyssey Books and all the usual online bookstores. The final book in the series is due for release early 2019.  

This week I'm chatting to Pauline Hosking about her new book in her Cinnamon Stevens series, 'Ghost Light'. 

Megan:  Hi Pauline. I’m so excited to chat to you today.
 
Pauline: Likewise. Thanks for the opportunity.
 
Megan:  Let’s dive right in, shall we?
 
Pauline: Holding my breath!
 
Megan: Hehe! You’ve had a lot of previous jobs: as a journalist, TV script assistant, theatre manager, theatre publicist and even as a bar maid. And you’ve taught Drama and English in secondary schools. How do you think all these experiences and skills have influenced your writing?
 
Pauline: Absolutely. The theatre stuff has definitely helped writing dialogue, and the school teaching (I hope) has given me an understanding of the things students laugh at, and the issues they are concerned about. Working in a library was an excellent way to check the kind of books that were walking off the shelves - and the ones that never moved.

​Megan: Wow! Those experiences and insights would be invaluable. So, while you worked in the library, what books did you notice walk off the shelves? Is there anything in particular that stood out?
​
Pauline: Boys divided into two groups. One read only non-fiction. The other was deep into fantasy. The girls seemed to prefer more realistic books, especially ones with pink covers and a hint of romance. Please understand these are generalised comments about junior secondary students. Any book that had been turned into a movie was popular. Every lunchtime the Guinness Book of Records was studied and enjoyed.
 
Megan: It is an interesting observation. And yes, it is, as you said, generalised. As a child and teen, I read fantasy and non-fiction, and nothing could have tempted me anywhere near romance or pink covers. We’re all different.   
 
Pauline: I agree with you about the pink covers, Megan. In fairness, lots of those books do discuss serious issues about relationships, friendship groups and family breakups.
 
Megan: I heard that your first book in a series, Cinnamon Stevens Crime Buster, is included in the 2017 Premiers Reading Challenge booklist for Grade 5 and 6. How did it make you feel receiving that news?
 
Pauline: I was incredibly excited when my book was included in the Reading Challenge booklist. I went around for days with a big smile on my face. I even laminated the acceptance email and put it in a frame!
 
Megan: I don’t blame you for framing that email. It must have been so exciting.
What, would you say, is an essential ingredient in your books? Or is there more than one?
 
Pauline: There's always a main mystery/crime to be solved and a secondary one to puzzle over. I try to sprinkle honest clues along the way so they are like Agatha Christie for middle-grade readers. I hope the books are funny. They are designed to look like Cinnamon's diary, with footnotes, Notes to Self, text messages, illustrations etc. Kat Chadwick did the illustrations for both books. She gets the characters just right.

Megan: That sounds wonderful. I love a good mystery. I love having the text broken up with other varieties of text which are part of today’s world.  And now you now have a new book coming out, Ghost Light, which is set in Walhalla, a nearby town (to me). Can you tell me what Ghost Light is about?
 
Pauline: I like the idea of putting the characters in real places. So, in the first book the crime happens on Phillip Island after the Penguin Parade, and in the second book Cinnamon's class go to Walhalla, the old gold-mining town in Gippsland.

Much of Ghost Light happens in Walhalla. Cinnamon's class, Seven B, go there to research an Australian History assignment on the gold rush. Showy Daniels, the class trouble-maker, dares Cinnamon to visit the old graveyard there at night. The graveyard is very dangerous - being on a steep hill and a bit run-down.

​Showy has an accident, and one of Cinnamon's best friends is blamed. To stop her friend being bullied Cinnamon has to find out what actually happened to Showy. There's also a link between the graveyard and a "ghost" that is seen at a theatre in Melbourne.

Megan: Wow! That sounds utterly fascinating. Is there ever a time when Cinnamon is super afraid in Ghost Light? What does she do?
 
Pauline: Well, she doesn't like being in the dark and when they visit the cemetery it is very dark. She's also spooked hunting for the ghost in the theatre basement. Luckily Cinnamon is intent on developing Nerves of Steel to help her become a better detective. She manages to overcome her fear by taking action, exposing the "ghost" and uncovering the Walhalla crime. Afterwards, being a fairly normal twelve-year-old girl, she has a nervy meltdown. Although now she knows that she can cope with dark places.
 
Megan: I love how Cinnamon is so intent on developing Nerves of Steel and taking action to overcome her fear.

Pauline: Yes, well it's all part of her burning desire to be a super sleuth. Both her father and older brother are members of Victoria Police and she is determined to join them.
 
Megan: What sort of research did you do for Ghost Light?
 
Pauline: When I was teaching I took several classes to Walhalla for exactly the reason described in the book. I thought the place was fascinating. We even went to the graveyard when it was dark. This was a number of years ago and it wasn't closed at night, as it is now. Last year I visited Walhalla again, to remind myself of everything. I even went on the Ghost Walk and took the Long Tunnel tour.
 
Megan: I’m excited by the fact that you set in a small town in Victoria, as lot of people don’t realise the significance of Wahalla in Victoria’s gold rush history. Where did the idea come from for setting a story in Wahalla?
 
Pauline: I knew a little about Walhalla and its importance during the gold rush. The days of Marvellous Melbourne in the 1850-1880s are fascinating. I was reading about the Eureka stockade when I thought of linking the past with a Cinnamon adventure.

​It took a while to connect the two. I did it by creating an imaginary actress Adelaide Glendenning, who built the theatre in Melbourne that is haunted and who was born in Walhalla and is buried in the cemetery. Her legendary gold brooch features in the story as a lost treasure.
 
Megan: Oh, my goodness! What a great way to connect the two. And I’m sure it’s made for an intriguing story.

Pauline: Fingers crossed.
 
Megan: It’s fabulous how you are involving children in the book launches. You’re having two I hear, and one of those in Traralgon and I hope to attend. Can you tell me what special activities you have planned for your launch of Ghost Light?
 
Pauline: There will be cake! And door prizes! And a slide show if I can work out how to do it! I am hoping to have an expert panel made up of Grade 5 and 6 students from Stockdale Rd primary school and St. Paul's Anglican Grammar school in Traralgon.

​They will ask me questions about the book, which they will have read. That's my target audience. Hearing their thoughts will be more interesting than having an adult talk, I think. Also, I really want to find out what they didn't enjoy and what they liked and want more of. Call it author's research.
 
Megan:  What a great idea. So, that is at the Traralgon Library, Thursday the 12th April at 2 pm. I’m sure it will be a fabulous day and I look forward to seeing you there. Well Pauline, I think that about wraps it up. Thank you so much for your time today.
 
Pauline: Thank you, Megan. All the best. Hope to see you at the launch.
 
Megan: You shall. Bye for now.
 
Pauline: Bye and thanks again.
 
 
Three fun facts:
1. I play a mean game of table tennis.
2. I don’t like chocolate (weird, eh?).
3. I am fascinated by the Bronze Age period in Europe. Must write about it one day.

Author Bio:
To pay the bills Pauline has worked as a teacher, teacher-librarian, journalist, theatre publicist, radio producer, TV script assistant and lecturer in the Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing and Editing). She’s also run creative writing workshops as part of Arts Victoria’s Artist in Schools program and tutored in the G.A.T.E.WAYS programs for talented and gifted children.
​
Cinnamon Stevens – Crime Buster (2016) was her first novel. Her second is Cinnamon Stevens – Ghost Light. Both are illustrated by Kat Chadwick and published in collaboration with Lilly Pilly Press. Previously Pauline wrote a number of plays for adults, children and teens. Many of these are held at the Australian Script Centre http://australianplays.org/playwright/ASC-472.

About Ghost Light
When Cinnamon’s Year 7 class has an excursion to Walhalla, trouble-maker Showy Daniels dares her to visit the out-of-bounds graveyard at night. It’s a dangerous place. Showy ends up unconscious with a wound to the back of his head. His friends blame Meera, one of Cinnamon’s besties, for the ‘accident.’

To stop Meera being bullied Cinnamon must discover exactly what happened to Showy AND solve the mystery of a haunted theatre (Cosette, Cinnamon’s other best friend, thinks she sees a ghost when she is auditioning for a part in Macbeth – the play about murder. And witches. And ghoooosts!!!).

While the main plot follows Cinnamon’s investigation, subplots deal with bullying and the nature of friendship. Like Crime Buster, it is a fun, mystery/detective story aimed at readers aged 9-12.
Cinnamon Stevens Crime Buster has been included on the 2017 Premiers Reading Challenge book list for Grades 5 and 6.

Where to find Pauline on the internet:
Website: www.paulinehosking.com
LinkedIn: Pauline Hosking  

When you have lived with fear your whole life, it takes years to learn a new way of living, and thinking. I’m not talking about the type of fear that is healthy, the one that keeps you safe; the fear that you can make friends with. I’m talking about the type of fear that is crippling and holds you back from living an amazing life.   
I’ve lived with fear my whole life. In the past few years, I’ve learned how to overcome the crippling fear that held me back and I’m living a life that I only dreamed about. Recently, I had fear rise up. A new fear. I had no idea where it came from, and, to tell you the truth, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with it.      
 
This fear was different, and it was to do with the Overcoming Fear, Living Courageously  workshops I’ve talked about. I kept putting them off. I wasn’t even researching. I stopped reading the book I had bought to help me prepare these workshops. I procrastinated. And I’m not one to procrastinate. I don’t put things off… normally. I was getting so frustrated with it all. I was ready to pack the whole idea away. I don’t need to have these workshops; I reasoned to myself.   

I wondered what on earth was going on with me. I tried to push through and shove how I was feeling down. That behaviour only brought everything to a grinding halt… again. I finally decided to put half an hour a day to finish reading the book I was mainly using for research. A small step towards my goal. During my reading I came across a story about a boy who was anxious about a play he was in. When asked why he was so anxious he replied, ‘This is really important to me. I’m afraid to stuff it up.’ 

Until recent years, I’d lived with fear controlling me my whole life, but now it doesn’t. I’ve learned to manage my emotions and not be controlled by them. So, this whole fear of completing and running these Overcoming Fear workshops was nuts to me. When I read this story, it resonated within me and I realised why I couldn’t move forward.  These workshops are super important to me and I don’t  want to stuff them up.  

However, I want to share what I’ve learned with others, children and adults alike. I want to be able to empower children, and adults, to overcome fear and live a courageous life. And, I also realised something else. I would've wanted to run these workshops even without my book, ‘Raymund and the Fear Monster’. The book has only served as a catalyst towards me planning these workshops. 
   
Now that I realise this, I can get on with creating these workshops. I have my ‘why’. I won’t suppress how I feel. I look at it, recognise the emotion, name it, and then deal with the emotion appropriately. And I will take it one small step at a time so I don’t overwhelm myself.     

Here is a quote from the book, The Opposite of Worry by Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D.  

It is by doing this I will get these workshops done, one step at a time. 
​
I want to encourage you today, to look fear in the face and take a step towards it. One small step. Allow yourself time to feel what you are feeling. And, when you are ready, take another step. For some, it may be a just taking public transport for the first time by themselves. For others, it may be standing up to speak for two minutes in front of people you don’t know.  
​
My challenge is for you to do the above exercise this week. As for me, I’ll try Facebook Live.

​Let me know how you go.      
Until next time,  
Live courageous.  

My first Facebook Live video.

Below: My second Facebook Live a week later. 

Week 3: Think about what you're thinking about.

Disclaimer: This is not intended for clinical use. These videos and blog post are dealing with the general symptoms of fear and anxiety. It's me sharing my personal experiences and what I've learned. If necessary, seek professional help.

Today I welcome Felicity Banks to the blog. Felicity is a Canberra author specialising in fantasy and interactive fiction, including her Antipodean Queen fantasy steampunk series, which is also published by Odyssey Books. 

The Monster Apprentice is the first in a new series you’re writing. What is the story behind this story/ what inspired it?

​I think the story behind The Monster Apprentice might be longer than the book itself but here goes! When I was eighteen years old, I lived in Indonesia for six months. One day, while listening to a sermon (obviously not very attentively) I had the idea of inventing my own fantasy world—something that was different to the overwhelming majority of fantasy novels (ie written by white men and set in a place somewhat like Great Britain). I invented Rahana that day: a tropical archipelago like Indonesia, with a wide range of different cultures and traditions (so I could set all kinds of different books there), and with a magical system that made physical strength irrelevant.
 
I wrote a book set in that world, then turned that book into a trilogy. Years later, after writing the entire young adult trilogy, I went to New Zealand to travel on the Young Endeavour sail training vessel. Who says research isn’t fun?
 
While staying in Christchurch before the voyage, I ran out of sightseeing money and decided to stay where I was and write a kids’ book set in Rahana. The first draft of The Monster Apprentice was written by hand in ten days. I was staying in a backpacker within sight of the famous Christchurch Cathedral (this was more than ten years ago, before the earthquake), and I’d walk down to the Botanic Gardens and write there. I asked for a discount at the backpacker in exchange for a future book dedication—and they said yes.
 
The book has changed a lot since then. Captain Sol didn’t even exist until after I’d gone on a tall ship myself.
 
Naturally, The Monster Apprentice turned into a trilogy too. The Princess and the Pirate will be released in early 2019, and Waking Dead Mountain in 2020.

Is it illustrated? If so, who by?
​Yes! My publisher, Odyssey Books, has an imprint specifically for beautiful novelty books for adults, and one of those books is Makeshift Galaxy, which is stunning. When I asked to have Tash Turgoose illustrate my kids’ trilogy, the publisher said, ‘Yes!’ and the rest is history! She does amazing pencil drawings. It actually looks like my magical world has been photographed.

What age group is this series aimed at?
 
It’s middle grade, meaning it’s written for 10-14 year olds—but having said that, it’s a story that I’d enjoy reading as a 36-year old. I asked the amazing Australian children’s author, Sandy Fussell, to write a cover quote for me, and was stunned when she said yes. I enjoy reading her children’s books for my own pleasure, and I like to think mine are also in that class of being an excellent book for any age.
 
What drew you to writing for this age? Or was it just that the story you wrote fit that age group?
 
Ooh, good question! I usually write young adult books, because they tend to be faster-moving and more optimistic than “adult” books. Children’s books share those qualities, and are also gentler on the emotions (usually!) so that appealed. At the time I’d been thinking about writing for Penguin’s “Aussie Chomps” series. That, plus knowing I was due to set sail in ten days, meant a shorter book made sense for me at the time.
 
Why do you enjoy writing for that age group?
I’m fascinated by coming-of-age stories, and the idea of deciding who you and and/or who you want to be. It’s a classic theme for non-adult books, but I think we’re all constantly figuring out who we are, and that’s a great thing to write about.

​How will you be celebrating the release of your book?
With a free pirate ball! Here in Canberra there’s an amazing dance group called the Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy  that runs a themed ball every month. I contacted them asking for a pirate-themed ball in February, with a free half hour at the beginning. They said yes, and the rest is history!

Three Fun Facts:

1. I met my husband at a pirate ball in September 2006. We were both dressed up as pirates, but only one of us had a beard—and it wasn’t Chris. I fell for him instantly, and he was characteristically oblivious. Because this is Canberra, we had several mutual friends and it was relatively easy for me to track him down. Several months later, he began to suspect Something Was Afoot. Fortunately, by that time he rather liked the idea. Today we have two young pirates of our own.
2. When I was on the Young Endeavour, I was quite seasick and threw up from the rigging, leaving a diagonal orange stripe across one of the sails.
3. My daughter has had a “pirate and mermaid” themed birthday party every year for the last three years. She also helped me edit The Monster Apprentice.

​Blurb about The Monster Apprentice:
The only weapon Dance has is her name.
When pirates threaten the tiny hidden island of Luar, Dance knows her home has only one hope of survival: the magical monsters that killed her twin sister.
Dance loses her friends one by one as she attempts to prepare her strange apprentices for the showdown between monsters and pirates. Can she do it alone?
The Monster’s Apprentice is a powerful story of looking at the world differently and finding an answer in an unexpected place.

Author bio:
 
Felicity Banks is a Canberra author specialising in fantasy and interactive fiction, including her Antipodean Queen fantasy steampunk series, which is also published by Odyssey Books. All her interactive fiction is listed under “Felicity Banks” at Interactive Fiction Data Base (IFDB): Felicity Banks and most of her interactive fiction can be read via an app.


Where to find Felicity Banks:
Website: ​felicitybanks.wordpress.com
Facebook: Felicity Banks Books
Twitter: @FBanksBooks 
Book Launch Event Page: Free Mini-ball and book launch
Illustrator: Tash Turgoose
​Book Trailer: The Monster Apprentice

​Adam Wallace likes to march to the beat of his own drum. Hilariously funny, I managed to get him serious for a few heartbeats. 

Megan: Hellooooo, Adam. Are you there?
 
Adam: Ready when you are!
 
Megan: Let's dive right on in, shall we?
 
Adam: Let's do it!
 
Megan: In your life before writing fulltime, what did you do?
 
Adam: Haha! Wow! We really are straight into it!
 
Megan: Oh, yeah!

Adam: Okay, well, to cut a long story shortish sort of, I had about twenty jobs, but the main things after school were not writing for ten years and becoming an engineer! Yes, I am a numbers nerd! I did that for a while, then got a Primary Teaching Diploma of Education or grad dip, or dipping sauce, I don't know, something that let me teach, and then from there I morphed into writing children's books!
I must also warn you I am currently working on a book called Weird, so my answers may get a little crazy!
 
Megan: Thanks for the warning. I’m now prepared for the answer to my next question. How exactly did  morphing from engineer to primary school teaching to children's book author look like?
 
Adam: Haha well I guess it was a cross between Mission Impossible and X-Men and the Incredible Hulk, who is my favourite Avenger, and I actually had a pair of Hulk jeans when I was a kid. I was missing the muscles, but I had the jeans.

Anyhoo, I would do a flow chart to show you, but don't know how, so basically, I was bored as an engineer, didn't have motivation to go further with it as a career, and wanted to work with kids, or play golf. I started writing and what came naturally was rhyming children's stories. I loooooooved it, and started writing every day.

And also bought The Artist's Way, which I recommend to everyone in the world, no matter what you do.
From there I went back to Uni and did my teaching degree, while still engineering, and on my rounds and in my assignments, I wrote and did rhymes and one assignment was to write and illustrate a kid's book, and I loved it. I put more into that than any assignment I had ever done, and I still have that book today! So that writing led to more writing and more submissions and many rejections and finally books!
​
That last sentence was 8 years in one sentence. And people say I waffle on!
 
Megan: I love The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. It was an essential part for me diving into the world of illustration. Julia has certainly made an impact across the globe in the wold of creativity. And it's that whole ripple effect too.

Adam: Yes, I love the ripple effect! The butterfly effect freaks me out a little, but the ripple effect is amazing. Especially in creative fields, where this leads to that leads to something else. Even with the book I am working on now, I will write something that will spark something else and suddenly I am doing things that never crossed my mind in the initial draft.
​
I think a creative career is like that as well. When you get started, things happen. If you sit around, nothing does.

​Megan: I love how a spark can leads to another thing, and that leads to something unexpected and a complete surprise.

So, it took you eight years to break into the industry. And I noticed you’ve self-published, partner published, and traditionally published. Can you talk us through how you made the decision to self-publish, partner publish, and traditional publish? Was it depending on the individual book? Or were other factors involved?
 
Adam: Hmmmm. Okay. Well there are a few answers to this. I will try and not waffle ... mmmmm, waffles.

I initially self-published because I was working with kids and reading them my stories and was feeling confident they were liking them (except for the time I read a story to two kids and halfway through they got up and walked off!!!).

Megan: Kids don't try and be polite about how they feel about something. They tell you straight up. Honesty. Love it.
 
Adam: Definitely! And as creative people, yes men are no good to us at all! We need to know if something isn't working, or we can head down the wrong path for a long time. Not all advice is going to be right for what we want, but at least it needs to be honest.

Adam: However, publishers weren't as keen on the stories as the kids were, and I built up around 150 rejections over 5 years.

That helped me decide to self-publish to 1) Actually have a book rather than just hundreds of stories on my computer and 2) Show the publishers there was a market for these stories. So, I borrowed a little cash off Dad and got an illustrator - you may have heard of him ... Heath McKenzie? He's done some stuff since.

I printed 2000 copies of Better Out Than In and set about selling them. I sold the 2000 in around a year or so, which was awesome, and then I heard a whisper that a publisher was looking to start doing children's books. This was JoJo Publishing. I submitted, they accepted, and they offered me either a traditional or a partner publishing option. I went for Partner. We redid Better Out Than In, and then I did another 7 books with JoJo’s. It didn't end so well, but they really gave me a start when no one else would, and I am forever grateful to them for giving me that chance!
 
While all this was going on, I was still submitting to other publishers, but they weren't interested, so I also started self-publishing some little how to draw books, which went offfffff! They are now the backbone of my writing business, and so I continue to self-publish them because they are going so well. I have also done freelance books, basically pay for hire work, for Hinkler Books and now for Sourcebooks in the USA, which has also been amazing!

With traditional publishing, the choice to do that was made when Paul Collins at Ford St took me on, and again I am so grateful to him for that as well. I met Paul, and after a while he came to me with a style of book he wanted, and so I wrote and illustrated that for him and we were away!
 
Megan: You’ve certainly come a long way since your JoJo publishing days. Your book, How to Catch an Easter Bunny was read out at Trump’s first Easter Egg Roll in 2017. You’ve also hit the New York Best Seller list several times, and some of your books like, Spark, have received awards. Can you explain what these experiences were like?

Adam: Oh wow, all of those things were AMAZING and bizarre and exciting. Especially the Easter Egg Roll thing. I had no idea it had even happened, and to this day don't know how it did! I have had different reactions. The Easter thing was laughing and telling everyone, the bestseller list was so awesome and, in a way, a nice justification that I was on the right track.

For a long time, I had been told that my books only sold because I was selling them, so for these books to reach the Bestseller list without me doing anything aside from writing them was really nice and made me feel like I was actually writing books that worked, regardless of if I was there telling people about them and jumping around like a crazy person.

Spark was amazing. I actually burst into tears with that one, because it was dedicated to my grandmother, who was also a writer, and who actually had some of her stories illustrated by Mirka Moira! So, Spark was inspired by an experience I had with her, and was totally written for her and in a way with her, so for us to be recognised for our book together was incredible. And I can't thank Andrew Plant enough for his paintings/illustrations that brought the book to life.
 
Megan: I love Spark, and yes. The illustrations are so amazing and evocative, and to have Spark which is so important to you to be recognized in that way is fabulous. Did these accolades make your next manuscript easily accepted, or do you still get the odd rejection letter?

Adam: Haha! No! I get rejection letters still! What I have found is that the accolades give me more exposure, which is incredible, and so it gets a bit of a foot in the door and gets me out of the slush pile (sometimes). But the publishers still have to like what I write, and it still has to fit with their vision and mission. So, I still get rejections!

But rejections can also be opportunities! The How to Draw books, for example. They were rejected all around and have now sold over 70,000 copies! Or ones I did with JoJos that got rejected everywhere else, did really well and in fact are still going well now! So, it is definitely worth persisting, especially if you really love something you have written.
 
Megan: And that is what is comes down to, doesn’t it? Doing what you love. Believing in your work. And persisting. And you’ve certainly shown all that in bucket loads. There is so many ways to get your work out into the world now.  

Adam: It totally comes down to that. I mean, sometimes we still have to take a look and realise that perhaps a certain piece of work just isn't good enough, but, also, sometimes a rejection doesn't mean that at all. It just means it either needs work or it isn't the right time or place for that story.

Megan: At KidLitVic-meet the publishers last year, you were described as the publishers’ author. You have the qualities as an author that they love to see. What qualities are they?
 
Adam: Oh, yes! That was a funny experience, and really nice and made me blush at the same time. Well, the things Paul was talking about at KidLit were the fact that I am prepared to put in the slog. The glory is great, but you have to do the slog, get out there and show kids your work, and let them get to know you as a person as well as a book making guy.
​
Social media and computer stuff is great, but for me face-to-face is the best! I do school visits and go to craft markets and look, to be honest, I love being with the kids, it gives me energy and inspiration, and I can fully be myself. Also, I think I am quick. I can write and draw quickly and with quality, so deadlines are very rarely an issue. I like to get my work in fast so that there is then time to work on it with the publisher and make it as awesome as possible for the kids, who are the only ones who matter in the end, I believe.

Megan: You are so right. We need to be able to stand back from our work and cast a critical eye over it and see if what they say has merit, and we need to put in the hard slog and persist.

And your comment about school visits is a nice segue into my next question. Besides writing disgustingly funny stories, you make visits to schools around Melbourne. You just said that you ‘love author visits because I love being with the kids, it gives me energy, and I can fully be myself." 

What do you think makes your author visits memorable? And what advice would you give authors considering author visits?
 
Adam: I really want to ride on a Segway ... just sayin'.

Well, I think what makes my visits memorable are that I bring hiiiiiigh energy, and really try and engage with the kids. My visits have morphed like the Hulk over the years, and now I have found a nice mix that works well. There is a lot of interaction with the kids, they get to tell stories and use writing techniques that I use, and we also draw pictures and have lots of laughs.

And I think that probably the main thing is that what I do is fun, and it is achievable, and with kids, especially those who find reading, writing, and drawing a chore, or too hard, or think they can't do it, that is a massive key; letting them see they can have fun and come out of it with something they never thought they could achieve. It's awesome for them and it's awesome and a massive buzz for me as well.
 
In terms of advice for other authors, pretty much the biggest thing is be yourself. I jump around and get a little crazy and really try and wind up the kids, but if you aren’t someone that feels comfortable doing that sort of thing, don't do it! Be you! That is what should be coming across in your books, and also in your presentations, or workshops. If you are you, and comfortable in that, it will come across and that will relax the kids as well.
 
And the other thing would be to get the kids involved. Don't just get up and talk at them for an hour. I did that at the start and bored myself and the kids to tears.
 
Megan: I love doing author visits and having fun with the kids. I’m not a live wire like yourself. But, I think that if they can see you are passionate about what you do, they’ll catch that too. And I apparently get really fired up about story writing.
 
Adam: Haha! That is awesome!!! You getting fired up about it will get them fired up too ... maybe not all of them, but that's okay as well. And you're exactly right about the passion. Fun and energy can be all sorts of different things, it doesn't have to be right out there. Some people have props, some sing songs, some tell stories, some are passionate about writing, and some are really low key but the kids have a ball and love what they hear and do.
 
I think connecting with the kids is the key. Even fun without connection will bore them in the end.

Megan: So true. Nearly finished, Adam.

I love hearing about the courageous acts of others. And I’m not talking about saving someone or being heroic. I’m talking about feeling afraid of doing something and doing it anyway. Do you have a personal story of courage? Something that you felt you had to do but felt so freaking afraid you thought you’d pee your pants, but you did it anyway.
 
Adam: Oh man, well there was the time I needed to pee my pants, and I was scared that if I did I would get into trouble, and then I did it anyway ... and I got into trouble. But aside from that!

Oh man, it happens all the time! In terms of physically, I have bungy jumped and done sky-diving and things like that which were terrifying. But there are also things like speaking in front of hundreds of people when I am naturally shy, or sending off my first story, or doing my first interview, or being open and honest even though I know it will cause conflict.

I get scared all the time, professionally and personally, but I love the saying that courage isn't the absence of fear, but feeling it and doing it anyway, and I try and live by that. I got a tattoo of the word YES, because I want to be someone who, even if they're scared, says YES and goes for it anyway.

Fear has its place, don't get me wrong, fear is a safety mechanism, but if it controls us and stops us doing what we love or being who we want to be, then we have to overcome it and say YES!
 
Megan: I agree with 100% with your statement, Adam. And I live by that motto too. ‘Courage is not the absence of fear but feeling it and doing it anyway.’ Here’s to saying, ‘YES!’
 
Adam: Absolutely!
 
Megan: Finally, three fun facts about you.
 
Three Fun Facts about Adam:
Haha! Oh, wow, okay ...

1. My left big toe is 6cm long.
2. My sister is one of the very top pole fitness competitors in the world
3. I love horror movies, and when I was a kid I named my dog Krueger, after Freddie Krueger!
   

 
Megan: Yay! Brilliant. Thanks so much for the chat today, Adam. You have been so generous with your time and sharing your experiences with others. It’s been a blast.
 
Adam: My pleasure, thanks so much for letting me play!

Just for fun: 
Megan: One of my top posts for 2017 was 5 Ways Zombies Can Inspire You. Adam wrote the book, Zombie Inspiration, which I read and ultimately blogged about what I gained from that book. Check it out if you'd like, and be inspired to say, 'Yes!' 

Places on the internet to find Adam:
​
Website: www.adam-wallace-books.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wallysbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/wallysbooks

YouTube: www.youtube.com/awallace100