Today I welcome children's author, Elizabeth Cummings to the blog to chat about her latest book, Rain Shaker, and her series, Vertyville.

What has been your greatest influence in your writing? Was it your childhood experiences, or something else?

My parents - they read to me every day and took me every week to our local library. Mum always kept a journal and insisted we did too, especially on holiday! We were always expected to write thank you letters at Christmas and birthday times and to also send our grandparents letters throughout the year. I was always close to my grandparents perhaps that is one of the reasons why!
I also took part in drama groups and enjoyed storytelling with my sister and we spent hours making up little plays and then preparing ‘shows’ (including ticket sales and refreshments!) that we got our family to attend.

You’ve studied Psychology. Has this influenced the type of stories you write?

Absolutely - my first book was a mental health narrative about a sibling’s perspective on eating disorders. I have written about family illness, trauma and recovery and about bullying.  I am currently working on a story about parental depression. 

(In fact, Elizabeth has written a whole series called, The Elephant in the Room. This series 'deals with tough health and wellbeing issues through the eyes of a young child. The purpose of the series is to help explain difficult health topics to younger children who made be going through tough times within their families as well as to empower them in seeing their role in the whole recovery process.'  You can check out the series on Elizabeth's website.)

You’ve written a number of books in the Verityville series. Why did you write this series?

It’s a series that celebrates local people in my town and in a wider sense is a series that seeks to encourage gratitude for those who help us in our daily lives.

I love hearing the stories behind the stories. The inspiration. What are the stories behind these particular stories from Vertyville?
 
Wow!  Great question!
Well, at the moment there are six main characters who feature in each of the picture books:
 
Audrey is a real person - she is a dear friend and is actually trained as a hairdresser but became a lollipop lady so that she could fit her work hours around her children’s schooling. She is so kind and her funny stories about what happened on the school crossing gave me the idea to write the book; The Sweetest Lollipop in the World.
 
The Garbage Guy is about my friend Chris who worked for the council - cleaning the beach and the streets. We would go running early in the morning on the days he didn’t work and I would hear all his stories about the pollution he saw and the careless way people disposed of their rubbish. I got to know lots of his colleagues and they were always so friendly and helpful. I began to really notice all the good they did in their daily work and wanted to share these concepts in that book.
 
Mrs T is a real teacher - she taught my daughters and had a great way of motivating the children and making them feel special. She’d go through their work with them and get the student to draw a ‘tick’ with the tip of a pencil case that looked like a pencil. Then she’d get them to shade over it in coloured crayon, and low and behold, tell them that the magic was in them as the tick showed through the colour. We were reminiscing about these happy days and so the idea of sharing this gorgeous story grew into the rhyming narrative Mrs T and the Magic Pencil!
 
The story Brave and Strong All Day Long is once more about a local person. Fiona is one of the lifeguards at my local beach. She is such a positive female role model and over the years we have chatted about surf safety and her journey into the male dominated career of a professional lifeguard. The stories about gender-based bullying and her determination and resilience struck me so naturally, she became a focus of my imagination and desire to share her back story.
 
Hair Magic is based on my hairdresser and also my grandmother’s hairdresser. I have witnessed how much a hairdresser does beyond the actual cutting of hair - the conversation with lonely older people, the support for those going through hair loss in their chemotherapy treatments, the happy experiences of having one’s hair styled in a new way or for a special occasion and the impact a hairdresser can have on making people feel good.
​
The Girl on the Road story is based on all the women we see now working on building sites. Where I was younger, I used to live in Glasgow and I would have to go to school in the city. I would pass lots of building sites and I would feel scared as there would often be workers shouting out at young women walking alone and so to see women accepted in this sector is not only a wonderful thing in terms of gender equality, but also I have heard from those in the industry that the construction workplace is a far safer, more inclusive and friendlier place since women have been encouraged to be part of the workforce. 

Do any of your characters become afraid? If so, what do they do to help them face their fears?

Yes, my young sailor in The Very Bad Thing is afraid. They are at sea and stuck in a storm surrounded by THE VERY BAD THING. The Very Bad Thing causes the sailor much distress and fear as well as a sense of self-doubt as they wonder what they have done and why the Very Bad Thing is happening to them. During the story, the sailor calls for help and discovers that, with help, The Very Bad Thing is less powerful, and so the sailor journeys on in the new knowledge that they can go on and be safe beyond the reach of The Very Bad Thing.

The message of this story is that help is there even in the darkest of times. It is a gender-neutral story and The Very Bad Thing is not named so the readers can apply the message and the ideas to their own experience and interpretation.
 
There is also a surfer boy in the picture book Brave and Strong All Day Long who is caught in a rip and is scared. He is lucky as Fiona is there to rescue him and save the day!

Your new book, Rain Shaker has just been released. This is a bit different to what you’ve written before. What prompted this story?
Well, it’s a little different as it does not deal with mental health nor does it focus on real people, however it does centre on important conversations and finding a way to be empowered. So, there are some synergies… The trigger to write Rain Shaker came from the many conversations my children had about the weather with their grandparents overseas in the UK and Northern Ireland. They used to joke about how unfair it was that all the rain was over there and that here in Australia we were having droughts and needed rain! There, the little seed of an idea for this book was born. The driver for taking this concept through to publication comes from my passion about the natural world and our responsibility for its future.
 
Do you have a favourite story/book/ character from any of your own books?
Oooooh - a tough question! They are all my favourite characters. The one I admire the most is Fiona the lifeguard as she is so strong and has been resilient in the face of gender-based bullying, as well as reaching the top levels of achievement in women’s surf sports. I find her strength and bravery inspiring.
 
My new heroine - Erin- is a favourite too, as she is dynamic, innovative and full of self-belief. Her personality reminds me of my sister Lucy, my niece Cerys and above all, my daughter Heidi, all who are so creative and strong in their sense of self and their conviction in taking action about things that are important to them.
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Three fun facts about Elizabeth:
I have run 5 marathons
I hate my toes being touched!
I love snorkelling!

You can find out more about Elizabeth on:

​Her website  and on Facebook: Elizabeth Cummings 


This interview was organised as a part of the ‘Verityville’ book campaign with Books On Tour PR & Marketing. 

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Velvet, Valentine and Vanilla Bean are sleeping out in their treehouse when leaves rustle and branches scrape.
"Fox claws," Velvet whisper-shouts.
What can the bunnies do to protect themselves?
How do they work together to scare Foxy-Foxy away?
With wonderfully bright illustrations by Naomi Greaves, Go Away, Foxy Foxy is a beautifully told tale of how working together can solve a problem.
Today I'm chatting with Karen Hendricks, author of her picture book, Go Away, Foxy, Foxy.
Hi Karen. What inspired you to write Go Away, Foxy, Foxy?
 
My pet rabbit called Thumper, that I adored as a child was one source of inspiration. He slept on my lap and drank milk from a baby’s bottle. He was a very smart bunny. This got me thinking that the biggest threat to a bunny is a fox or a dog. You guessed it, for my story I chose a fox. Then the idea for balloons in the story was inspired from being a teacher and children made paper poppers to flick and pop! They made super loud noises. And as a child I always wished I had a treehouse and I finally got one in my story. 
 
That's the fun thing about being an author. You can live your dreams through the pages of a book. How long did it take to write this book?
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This story has been worked on for four and a half years. Every time I thought it was done I put it to bed but I couldn’t give up on it. The bones of the story stayed the same but I always believed in this story.
 
 Haha! I know all about that. What did you edit out of this book?
 
That’ s easy peasy! I originally had paper poppers in the story and I changed them to balloons.

​How do you select the names of your characters?

One of my favourite things is name selection. I play around with names a lot. Vanilla Bean was inspired by vanilla ice cream. Vanilla is my favourite flavour and then the idea came to have the other names start with a V too. Velvet is a soft fabric that is strong. Valentine is meek and mild and this name came from Valentine’s Day.
 
What was it like working with your illustrator?

The illustrator Naomi Greaves, created the visual narrative herself. I was surprised and delighted by her illustrations and they do pop. Most of all they work with the words to tell the story beautifully. The story narrative is deliciously layered with Naomi’s bright vivid illustrations.
 
How does your book help children face their fear?

It shows children that although they are small it doesn’t mean they are powerless. Problems can be solved and challenges overcome with team work that recognises each individual’s talents with creativity.

That's all so true. Have you ever been afraid? What happened and what did you do to face your fear?
 
I have been afraid many times. I hate people sneaking up behind me because as a child I was hit by a car from behind in an horrific accident walking home. I am terrified of hospitals and dentists and germs because of health things that have had me hospitalised. I face my fear by taking a deep breath and just getting on with things and not overthinking.

It sounds like it has a lot to do with controlling your breathing, and controlling what you are thinking about, and how you are thinking. Great tips. What do you hope children will gain from reading your book?
​
There are so many things I hope children will gain from reading my book, but if I have to choose…

1. Reading is a superpower.
2. By working together and using your creative talents you can do just about anything.
3. I hope my book makes children happy inside and out.

What's your next project?
 
I have my second picture book Feathers coming out in two weeks, so that is going to keep me busy. I have another picture book story that I want to put some polish to. I write lots of stories but finding a gem is like finding a needle in a haystack.
 
That all sounds exciting. What’s your favourite place to write?
 
This is tricky - on the lounge, the dining room table and our local coffee shops. 
 
Three fun facts about Karen:

I love flying foxes, carousels, dodgem cars and rollercoasters.
I have lots of random ideas that sometimes turn out to be such fun things to do.
I like being with me and travelling and exploring, but I love home more.

Go Away, Foxy Foxy is available  in selected book shops and online from https://daisylanepublishing.com and Booktopia for $18.99 (soft cover) and $29.99 (hard cover)
 
You can find out more about Karen on:

​Her website 
Facebook: Karen Hendricks Childrens Author
and on Twitter.

This interview was organised as a part of the ‘Go Away Foxy, Foxy’ book campaign with Books On Tour PR & Marketing. 

Today's chat is with author Marg Gibbs about her book, Jasper's Jumbled Up Words.

Megan: What are some of your influences in your picture book writing?

Marg: Most of my influences come from family situations with the grandchildren who range in age from 2-10 years. I am also inspired and influenced by what I notice in shopping centres, parks, travel and holidays.
 
Megan: You’ve said on your website that ‘always present was a passion for children’s stories, writing and art.’ In what ways have you followed this passion? Has it always been writing stories?

Marg: My passion and zeal for children’s stories started when I had my own four children, visiting the libraries, reading to them daily and browsing over the art pages for myself. I love that you are transported to amazing worlds via characters and vivid settings. I followed the passion of art from high school to now, when I have gained more time after retiring to write stories, paint pictures and dabble in artistic and creative pursuits. My passion for poetry is strong with the wonder in language that echoes music, sound and imagery.

Megan: Did being a teacher influence you and your writing at all? If yes, please explain. If not, what has?

Marg: Most definitely, my teaching career allowed me to encourage and influence young people to explore, experiment and persist in their writing. Not every student enjoys writing, in fact, many times writing assignments is hard work and tedious.

And, through teaching, I also developed my own writing style.
 
Megan: Can you explain the story behind, Jasper's Jumbled up Words? How long did it take to write and publish?
Marg: Jasper’s story is about a small boy who has difficulty speaking out the words clearly so that his family can understand him. He willingly tries to say many words but gets frustrated with the mixture of babble and pronunciation.

Jasper’s story idea developed from my twin grand children who talk in their own toddler language.

Jasper took me six weeks to write and have edited, with a few changes along the way. From finding an illustrator in Emma Stuart to having it published and in my hands, it took nine months. Throw into the mix Covid 19 and Christmas holidays.

Megan: How did you find Emma to illustrate your book?

Marg: I searched one day on the internet to find an illustrator who could draw children and realistic family scenes. I had a short list of three names and emailed each of them. Emma enthusiastically liked the story with the view that I would self- publish it. She sent me some sketches, I sent her a few photos and my ideas and we collaborated from there.

She is a professional artist who has been commissioned for her work with traditional publishers.
 
Megan: What was the process like working with an illustrator?

Marg: At first, I learnt how to write an illustrator brief to send to her. She asked me questions about the size and details of each spread. I calculated how many double page spreads I could afford.
​
She was working on my manuscript then after a few months, she juggled a couple of other bigger projects, so I extended her time to another six weeks. Emma was professional, hard-working and captured the day to day family routines capably. There was one illustration I didn’t use in the end. Overall, our working partnership was very positive.

Megan: What is the bravest thing you have ever done in your life? Were you afraid? How did you overcome your fear and do it anyway?
Marg: I guess way back when I was 17 years old, I wanted to travel to Scotland to visit my grandmother. My father was against me going and wasting my savings on an air ticket to a freezing, unforgiving country. My Dad was a Scot. I went by myself, gave up my savings to buy a car and travelled by plane, then bus to stay in Falkirk. I did have a few home sick moments but overcame my fears with prayer, an open heart and the belief that I could do it.
 
Megan: What next for you?More writing, creating and enjoying the beauty up here in Mapleton. I long to be a kinder and more loving person to my family and friends. My travel goals would be to reach the Kimberleys and visit New York one day and Novia Scotia.

Three fun facts about Marg:
I love to dance to Blues music.
I love to run backwards down the street farewelling my grandchildren.
I love to play hide and seek with the twins.

Marg Gibbs can be found at the following links:
Website: www.mjgibbs.com.au      
Facebook: Marg Gibbs                                    
 Twitter: Marg Gibbs   
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​This feature with Marg Gibbs is a part of the ‘Jasper’s Jumbled up Words’ book campaign with Books On Tour PR & Marketing (www.booksontourpr.wordpress.com). 

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.

Recently I have had the privilege of interviewing Karen Tyrell. 

​So Karen, tell me a bit about the development of your latest book, Jo-Kin Battles the It.

Goof ball Josh Atkins aka Jo-Kin wins the Super Space Kid contest alongside nerdy Sam Jones aka Sam-Wich. Their first Super Space Kid mission is to save the galaxy from deadly alien called the It. When the It kidnaps Captain Astra, it’s a race against time.

 Can Josh save Astra, the galaxy and us all … before it’s too late?

 “Brilliant, Action-packed, Humorous, Creative.” - Buzz Words

Themes: STEM science & astronomy, brain power, humour, perseverance, teamwork, self-esteem, family, friendship.

What made you decide on the sci-fi genre for this novel?

Since I was a child, I loved sci-fi. First, I was enthralled by TV series Lost in Space, Superman, Jetsons, Thunder Birds and Get Smart. Later, I read Jules Verne and Emily Rhoda and am avid movie fan of Star Wars and Star Trek. My favourite school magazine story in Grade 6 was about the IT, a mysterious fantasy creature, whom children discovered living in their backyard sandpit.
 
What is the underlying message of Jo-Kin Battles the It.?

It’s all about perseverance, working as a team, and never giving up. Use your brain to solve problems. Keep on trying no matter what: until you succeed.

How does this book fit in with the other books that you have written?

All my books have positive resilience messages of perseverance and hope from my viewpoint as a teacher. I wrote two empowering memoirs on my recovery from parent-teacher bullying and mental illness, ME & HER: A Memoir of Madness and Me & HIM: A Guide to Recovery.

Books to empower kids to live strong: STOP the Bully, (bully prevention) and Bailey Beats the Blah, (coping skills for anxiety).

​Harry Helps Grandpa Remember (memory skills) is an endearing story about Harry who never gave up on helping his grandpa remember.
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