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? 
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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?
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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. 
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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?
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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?
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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.
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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).
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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.’
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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.
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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, mix