Aussie Reviews blog – Page 5

Meet My Book: Marble Bar, by Robert Schofield

It’s always nice to welcome an author to chat in the Meet My Book feature. Today we welcome Robert Schofield – here on the release day of his new book, which makes his visit extra special. Welcome Robert!

1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

Title: Marble Bar
ISBN: 9781743316849
Publication Date: June 26 2014
Publisher: Allen & Unwin

2. Why did you write the book?

Marble Bar is the sequel to my first novel: Heist. It was part of a two-book deal with my publishers, who were adamant that they wanted a sequel, set in Western Australia, with the same protagonists. Who was I to argue?

3. How long from idea to publication?

When I was negotiating the two-book contract, my publisher asked how long I had taken to write my first book. Wanting to sound nonchalant, I told them I had knocked it out in 18 months. This was a mistake, because it was a loaded question. They then assumed that I could write the second one in the same period, and wrote a delivery date into the contract. I’d never written to a deadline before, and it was difficult with that weight on my shoulders, but I delivered. It was another six months between delivering the manuscript and publication, so two years in total.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

It was the Difficult Second Novel. As well as the deadline hanging over me, I had to prove that the first novel was not a fluke. If you’ve poured everything into your first novel, what can be left for the second? It’s only natural that on the second visit to the well, you might find that it’s gone dry. This of course is why publishers offer two-book deals. They understand that it is the second book that separates the professional from the dilettante.

5. Coolest thing about your book?

My book isn’t cool, it’s smoking hot. It’s set in the hottest town in Australia, and the cover says ‘Welcome to Hell’. With my first book, I had no input into the choice of title and the design of the cover, but with Marble Bar my publisher kept my title and used my photographs on the cover, so I guess that’s pretty cool.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

I wrote my first book in complete freedom, with no expectation of publication. It was just something to keep a restless mind occupied. The second one had a whole lot more riding on it, and I had to learn a different approach. It taught me discipline.

7. What will you do to celebrate the release?

We will be celebrating the publication at Planet Books, Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley on Friday 27th June from 7:00pm.
My friends Malcolm Dix and Sean Gorman will be officiating and entertaining.

8. And how will you promote the book?

Promotion of the book is in the hands of the lovely Lara, who is my publicist at Allen & Unwin. She will present me with a list of media interviews after the launch.

I have a series of events planned at libraries around Perth, generously supported by Dymocks Bookshops:

Gosnells Knowledge Centre: Sat July 5th 10:30am

Fremantle Library: Thurs July 10th 6:30pm

Karrinyup Library: Weds July 16th 6:30pm

9. What are you working on next?

I’m currently working on a sequel, the final part of the trilogy, which I am doing as part of a Doctorate in Creative Writing at Curtin University. As if I hadn’t got enough on my plate working full time and wrangling three kids, I thought I’d set myself another challenge.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

My website is: robertschofieldauthor.com

My publisher’s site is:

https://www.allenandunwin.com/minisites/crime-city/books/9781743316849/

Thanks for dropping in Robert – and congratulations on the book!

Meet My Book: Let Her Go, by Dawn Barker

It’s a pleasure to welcome Dawn Barker to the blog today, here to introduce us to her new book Let Her Go.

Welcome, Dawn.

1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

My second novel is called Let Her Go. It’ll be published by Hachette Australia on 24^th June, 2014

2. Why did you write the book?

I first thought about writing Let Her Go after watching a documentary about a woman with a medical illness who used a surrogate mother to have a child. In the show, her husband was very much in the background, and when the surrogate mother attended the child’s first birthday party, it was clear that she was still very much attached to the child she had carried. There was something in the body language of both women that made me wonder how they both really felt, behind their smiles.

I then heard more and more about the advances in fertility treatment, and read stories in magazines about people buying eggs and embryos overseas, then paying women to carry the children for them. Around the same time, I re-read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and saw that the world she imagined in a speculative fiction novel – where an underclass of women are used for reproductive purposes – is not that far removed from the one we live in now.

I personally felt conflicted: being a mother myself, I would never deny anyone the right to experience the joy of being a parent, but there are ethical issues to consider. I wanted to write Let Her Go to explore my own feelings about this complex issue.

3. How long from idea to publication?

About two years – though it took about a year from writing the first words on the page until it went to the printers. I didn’t realise before I was published that so much that went on behind the scenes after the author finishes writing the story!

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

I have three young children, and work as a psychiatrist, so for me, the hardest thing was finding the time to keep writing! I like to write every day so that the story stays in my head, but of course, being a mum has to take priority. I had to be very strict by setting myself daily word targets and deadlines to make sure that I kept the momentum going.

5. Coolest thing about your book?

The cover! It looks fabulous next to the cover of my first novel, Fractured.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

Writing Let Her Go really reminded me that everything we do as parents, or prospective parents, has an effect on our children. As a psychiatrist who works with children and families, I know that a family is a system where each person has an influence on everyone else, but writing this novel and putting myself in the heads of my fictional characters really emphasized to me that babies grow into adults who are influenced by their early lives.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

I am having a little party to celebrate the launch at the end of June, but I remember my publisher once told me to celebrate every stage – so I raised a glass when I finished the edits, when I saw the cover, and when it went to print!

8. And how will you promote the book?

I’ll be doing some interviews for websites and magazines, lots of library and bookshop talks in Western Australia, and hopefully some writers festivals. I’m also happy to Skype into book clubs around the country if readers would like to discuss their reactions with me.

9. What are you working on next?

I’m just about ready to start my third novel. I’ve had the idea for the topic in my head for a year or two now, and have done all the background reading. Once Let Her Go is released, I’m looking forward to locking myself away and starting to write it!

1o. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

I love to hear from readers. They can connect with me via my website, www.authordawnbarker.com, facebook (www.facebook.com/authordawnbarker) or twitter @drdawnbarker

Thanks for visiting, Dawn.

Let Her Go is out today and available in good bookstores or online.

Meet My Book: Stop the Bully, by Karen Tyrrell

Today we welcome to the Aussiereviews blog, Karen Tyrell, a Queensland author who is here as part of her blog tour, to introduce us to her new book Stop the Bully. Welcome Karen.

Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

STOP the Bully by Karen Tyrrell Publisher: Digital Future Press perf5.000x8.000.indd

Release Date May 31^st 2014

2. Why did you write the book?

I’m a survivor of childhood bullying and parent-teacher bullying. Bullying led to my “breakdown” but I returned as an author-teacher stronger than ever. I was compelled to write a book empowering children with anti-bullying strategies.

3. How long from idea to publication?

14 months

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

I wanted to deliver positive messages on bully prevention and solutions, at the same time write a fast paced mystery that would hook kids in.

5. Coolest thing about your book?

Kids Helpline endorsed STOP the Bully with their Logo, which sits proudly on the back cover with their phone number for kids in crisis. They offered a special quote for my review #1 page. Kids Helpline are guest speaking at my Brisbane and Logan book launches, providing FREE goodies for the children.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

I widened my range of anti-bullying strategies to use in different situations. I discovered bully prevention websites, agencies, and radio stations which specialize in anti-bullying. I learned how taekwondo assists teaching assertive anti-bullying strategies. (My son and his girlfriend practice taekwondo.)

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

I celebrated privately with my family, a weekend away at Noosa Heads Queensland. Plus I celebrated publicly at a launch party at BlackCat Books in Brisbane.

8. And how will you promote the book?

During June 2-13 I’m promoting STOP the Bully via my Blog Tour with online interviews and reviews. I’ve giving away copies there and on Goodreads. Media will interview me on radio and in the press. On June 21^st, I will launch STOP the Bully locally at Logan North Library. I’m presenting Author in School sessions for Gold Coast Writers Festival June 13, an author banding seminar for Queensland Writers Centre June 14, and on the Success Story panel at the CYA Conference July 5.

Download FREE teacher notes and FREE kids activities www.karentyrrell.com

9. What are you working on next?

I’ve entered two picture books in writing competitions.

I plan to rewrite Josh and the It, Book 1 of my junior sci-fi series.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

STOP the Bully is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00KMFZM42

at good bookshops and via my website www.karentyrrell.com

Thanks for dropping by, Karen.

You can learn more about the book by following Karen’s blog tour. You also have a chance to win a copy of the book at each stop (including this one) by leaving a comment. One comment on today’s post will be chosen at random to win a copy of the book.

STOP the Bully Blog Tour & BookGiveAway

Empower KIDs with assertive anti-bullying strategies!

WIN: Signed copies and eCopies of STOP the Bully.

Leave a comment on any of the 15 hops June 2- 11

The MORE comments you leave the MORE chances you WIN.

WINNERS announced on June 16 http:// www.karentyrrell.com

Blog Tour June 2-11

2 June STOP the Bully Release Party & Reviews http:// www.karentyrrell.com

Sally Odgers Interview http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com.au

3 June Jill Smith Review http://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com

Charmaine Clancy Interview http://clancytales.blogspot.com.au

4 June Sally Murphy QUICK Questions http://aussiereviews.com/2014/06/karen-tyrell-blog-tour

5 June Melissa Wray Interview http://www.melissawray.blogspot.com.au

Yvonne Mes Interview http://www.yvonnemes.com

6 June Ali Stegert Interview http://ali-stegert.com

7 June Kids Book Review CURLY Questions http://www.kids-bookreview.com

9 June Bug in a Book Review http://buginabook.org/category/childrens-books

Jackie Hosking Interview http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/school-magazine

10 June June Perkins Interview http://pearlz.wordpress.com

Robyn Parnell Interview http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com.au

11 June Nicky Johnson Review http://www.nickyjohnston.com.au/blog

Literati Radio Interview 9am AEST http://www.blogtalkradio.com/laliteraticarpelibrum

Meet My Book: Bleakboy and Hunter Stand Out in the Rain, by Steven Herrick

I’m always excited to have a visitor here to the blog – but I’m extra excited today, because my visitor is one of my all-time favourite authors, Steven Herrick. Steven is here to tell us all about his latest book. Welcome, Steven.

1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

Bleakboy and Hunter Stand Out In the Rain by Steven Herrick.

University of Qld Press. May 2014.

2. Why did you write the book?

I’m always interested in telling a story from multiple perspectives – it’s certainly what I’ve most enjoyed when writing my verse-novels. I wanted to try the same idea through a prose novel for children. Although I’ve published twenty-two books, I’m still a novice when it comes to prose fiction – this is only my fourth prose novel, so I thought I’d experiment with the narrative by telling the story through two eleven-year-old boys – Jesse, narrated in the first person; and Hunter, told in third person.

3. How long from idea to publication?

Over a year as the early drafts were much more gloomy and downbeat than the finished manuscript.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

I’m never sure how to answer this question? Everything from location to creating character to dialogue is ‘difficult’ and yet everything is a joy. It’s a privilege to be able to engage in such a pleasant activity as writing a novel and to call it my ‘occupation.’

5. Coolest thing about your book? Bleakboy and Hunter Stand out in the Rain

The cover! If I tried to even attempt to write something ‘cool’ I fear the result!

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

It’s the thing I learn from every book, which is how much I value the sensitivity, expertise and devoted attention of a good editor. My books would be garbled gibberish if it wasn’t for my editors (and publishers). It is a honour to work with people so devoted and involved in a project that has sprang from the peaty bogged recesses of my imagination.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

With all my books, I can’t remember ever having an outward celebration – no special dinner or wine or launch. But, I always hold a new copy in my hands and feel immense pride at having been a part of creating the book and as I mentioned above, enormous good fortune at being able to do this for a job. I’m pleased to say this feeling doesn’t disappear over time. Sometimes I hold one of my books written ten or twenty years ago and still feel such pride, even if I wonder where the story originated.

8. And how will you promote the book?

Like every book, I’ll stand up in front of over one hundred and fifty school audiences each year and talk about the characters or maybe read a short section and hope that it meets with an approving response.

9. What are you working on next?

Firstly, a book of poetry for young adults, but not a verse-novel. Perhaps it’ll be a follow-up to my first poetry book for teenagers ‘Water Bombs’ which was published 21 years ago.

Secondly, a prose novel for young adults about two young men who live in a rundown fishing village which is slowly being gentrified by weekenders from the city.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

At my web-site – http://www.stevenherrick.com.au Or better still, invite me to your school! http://www.youngaus.com.au

Twitter: @steven_herrick

Thanks so much for visiting, Steven. It’s been an honour to have you.

Meet My Book: A New Friend for Marmalade, by Alison Reynolds

If you visit here regularly, you’ll know that I love to have authors drop in an introduce their book. Today I’m happy to welcome Alison Reynolds, who is here as part of her whirl-wind blog tour to celebrate the release of her latest book. Welcome Alison.

Hi Sally,
Thank you so much for having me here!
1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.
A New Friend for Marmalade, The Five Mile Press, Heath McKenzie, March 2014
Little Simon US, July 2014

2. Why did you write the book?
The publisher commissioned me following the success of A Year with Marmalade, and I was thrilled to revisit Ella, Maddy and, of course, Marmalade! I wanted to explore the themes of friendship and tolerance. Toby is different to Maddy and Ella, and I wanted to show them giving him “a go” rather than being mean and excluding him.
3. How long from idea to publication?
About 14 months.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?
Introducing a new character, Toby. He wants to be friends, but instead his behaviour is annoying for the girls. I didn’t want Toby to be too annoying, nor Ella and Maddy to appear too mean.
5. Coolest thing about your book?
I love the look of it and how Heath has captured beautifully what was inside my mind in his illustrations.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?
I learnt quite a few words to describe cats. I didn’t want A New Friend for Marmalade to sound too like A Year with Marmalade. So if anybody wants a list of cat words, I can send them an extra-long one.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?
Nothing yet as life keeps intruding. But definitely have a dinner and a few lunches planned in the near future!

8. And how will you promote the book?
I’m doing a blog tour with some fabulous prizes and arranging some signings.

9. What are you working on next?
I have what I hope is an excellent idea for a pair of picture books. I have a draft for them scribbled down on the inside of a Panadol packet.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?
I would love to meet people at
www.alisonreynolds.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/alison.reynolds.524
alrey@msn.com.au
Thanks for having me, Sally! Hope everybody likes the book.

I’m sure they will Alison – it’s adorable. And good luck with the rest of your blog tour (and the panadol packet stories!)

You can follow the rest of Alison’s tour by visiting the following sites during March:

11th Dee White – review and post

11th Chris Bell – post

12th Angela Sunde – interview with Heath

12th KBR – book giveaway

13th Boomerang Books – Post with Dimity Powell

14th KBR Guest post

14th KBR Review

14th Aussiereviews – Meet my book

15th Buzz Words – Interview

17th Ask the Bean Counter – Mr X

17th Pass-it-on Post and Review- Jackie Hosking

18th Ask the Publisher – Kay Scarlett

But wait, there’s more. If you follow the tour, you can win stuff. Alison has the following contests running as part of the blog tour:

Pet contest for all ages!

Marmalade the cat is full of personality. Do you have a pet with personality? Win a piece of artwork by Heath McKenzie. Send along a photo of your personality-plus pet to www.alisonreynolds.com.au or upload to https://www.facebook.com/alison.reynolds.524

Random book giveaways!

Just leave a comment on one of the posts in the blog tour, comment on facebook or even email me that you want to enter competition to win A New Friend for Marmalade.

Prizes for writers!

Win a jump the slush pile pass with a children’s editor or an adult non-fiction editor. Or you can win a picture book assessment from me. Just comment on a post. Remember the more you comment the more chances you have to win. Put CB if you want to enter in the children’s editor competition or NF if you want to be in the adult non-fiction competition or PB if you want to be in the picture book assessment competition. Or you can always put them all down

Meet My Book: The Gobbling Tree, by Mark Carthew

I’m happy to welcome Mark Carthew to the blog today. Mark is here to introduce us to his latest book, The Gobbling Tree, which has just been rereleased.

Welcome Mark.

1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

The Gobbling Tree

New Frontier Publishing

By Mark Carthew, illustrated by Susy Boyer

Release Feb 1 2014

2. Why did you write the book?

The idea came from a real life experience as a primary teacher, seeing a student kick a football up into a tree and the efforts of everyone around (including me) try to get it back down! It was very funny.

3. How long from idea to publication?

About 4 … or 40 years; depending how you define the ‘idea’ germ – as I suspect the idea really started in my childhood when lots of the toys and objects my brother and I played with such as kites, Frisbees and balls sometimes got caught up in trees.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

Making sure the rhyming text rolled off the tongue with both logic and energy, while still allowing the text and visual narrative some space. It was also important to me to build up some tension to the resolution – along with the ‘teasers’ of predicted outcomes in each stanza.

5. Coolest thing about your book?

Winning the Speech Pathology Australia Book of Year Award. (… and Susy’s great illustrations. I love her use of shadows and the fun element of the little dog in every picture)

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

That working with illustrators is one of the greatest things about being a children’s author. I loved working with Susy and the way she enjoyed all discussions about text and illustration placement.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

We had an exhibition and book launch event at the wonderful Mark’s and Gardner Galley & café in Tamborine Mountain, Qld. They placed full sized objects from the story in a grand old oak tree in their beautiful open garden. The locals still call it The Gobbling Tree!

8. And how will you promote the book?

I present at lots of festivals, libraries, events and schools and provide bookmarks, posters and activity sheets and notes for teachers and children.

9. What are you working on next?

Like most authors I normally have lots of projects and ideas bubbling away! I have written a sequel to my latest book The Moose is Loose! and I have also written a follow up title to Five Little Owls (Six Little Ducks) which will also have a matching CD / song. I’m also working on a graphic novel for older children and a number of other picture books.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

My website www.markcarthew.com.au is a good place. I put lots of fun free songs, activities, book links, interviews and resources up there for parents, teachers and students … and I’m adding things all the time!

Thanks heaps for visiting Mark. You can see a review of The Gobbling Tree here

Meet My Book: Jonathan! by Peter Carnavas & Amanda Francey

Today Peter Carnavas is here to share the news of his new picture book, Jonathan, which was released on February 1. Welcome Peter!

Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

Jonathan!

Written by Peter Carnavas

Illustrated by Amanda Francey

New Frontier Publishing – February 2014

2. Why did you write the book?

I remember walking my dog and thinking about the sorts of books my children really enjoyed. At the time, they were about three and five years old, and they loved simple, funny and playful stories, with little bits of repetitive suspense throughout the book. I initially thought of two sibling characters that always tried to scare each other, then decided to keep it to one child character who tries to scare his family. It’s one of the first stories I have written with my children’s tastes in mind. They quite like it, so I hope other kids do, too.

3. How long from idea to publication?

I had sent Jonathan! to my publisher quite a while ago, along with some other stories. At the time, we decided to go ahead with another story and work on Jonathan! later, as it targeted a slightly younger audience, compared to my usual stories. I’m glad we waited, as I met Amanda Francey the following year and she agreed to illustrate the book. So it was probably over two years from idea to publication.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

This is the first picture book I have written in rhyme, so that was a challenge. I have always been reluctant to use rhyme, as I always felt it would be harder than it seemed. I was right!

5. Coolest thing about your book?

For kids, I think the coolest thing about the book is when Jonathan meets the thing that will help him REALLY scare his family.

For me, the coolest thing about the book was having another illustrator bring my ideas to life.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

I learnt that being an author is much easier than being an author/illustrator!

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

The same thing I do whenever I celebrate anything – I had a nice cup of tea.

8. And how will you promote the book?

We will launch the book in March, in Brisbane. I believe Amanda has organised some costumes for the event, which will be loads of fun. I’ll also be visiting lots of schools throughout the year, getting kids involved in the Jonathan! story and inspiring them to make their own books.

9. What are you working on next?

I have illustrated an hilarious book called My Nanna is a Ninja, by Damon Young, which comes out very soon. I’ve also just finished working on another book of my own, called Oliver and George, about a cheeky boy trying desperately to get his big bear friend’s nose out of a book.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

You can visit my site www.petercarnavas.com or my publisher’s site www.newfrontier.com.au

Thanks so much for visiting, Peter.

Jonathan! is available now in good bookstores.

Meet My Book: A Savage Garden, by Chris Muir

Today I’m delighted to welcome Chris Muir to the blog. Chris is here to introduce his new book, A Savage Garden. Welcome Chris.

Chris Muir

1. Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.
TITLE: A SAVAGE GARDEN
AUTHOR: CHRIS MUIR
PUBLISHER: RANDOM HOUSE –BANTAM IMPRINT
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 4TH 2014

2. Why did you write the book?
In many ways it was a book that had to be written. Africa is a very easy place to fall in love with, but it’s also very easy to hate the wars, corruption, greed and violence that’s endemic right across Central Africa and more particularly in the lawless wilds of Democratic Republic of the Congo where A Savage Garden is set. I’ve been there many times. I’ve seen what goes on. The world had to know, but for the most part there’s a great deal of apathy about Africa so I’ve wrapped up a very important subject in an adventure thriller. I hope readers will find it thought-provoking as well as entertaining.

3. How long from idea to publication?
The first draft was written 7 years ago when the Congo was having its first democratic election in over 40 years. It looked like a glimmer of hope…it wasn’t. 21 rewrites and 2.1million words later I had a 90,000 word version that my agent, Jenny Darling, was able to sell to Random House….so to answer your question, it’s been 7 years from idea to publication.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?
Writing it was the easy part. I knew my subject intimately, I had authentic situations based on fact, and if I do say so myself the writing wasn’t too bad, but getting the deal was the hard part. I guess for a first time author it always is.

5. Coolest thing about your book?
There’s nothing quite like when your publisher hands you the first copy. You forget about all the hard work and when no one is looking you stroke that 354 pages like it was a new born child.

6. Something you learnt through writing the book?
This whole exercise has been an amazing lesson in patience, faith and perseverance and hoping that if I keep at it one day someone would say…hey, this is pretty good. Fortunately they did.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?
There’s a launch party on February 11th where I’ll celebrate with 150 family and friends but the real celebration is inside my head. When Jenny Darling rang me and told me about the deal she thought that I would be excited, and I was, but mostly I felt an enormous sense of relief. I’d been waiting so long for it to happen. I knew it would and it had. I’ll celebrate when the sales figures come in and by writing another book.

8. And how will you promote the book?
The publicity people at Random House and right behind this but first timers always have a hard road to hoe. I’ll be using social media, launches, library tours, media interviews and point-of-sale.

9. What are you working on next?
My next book is another adventure thriller set in Somalia. Let me tell you, Somalia is one scary place…it’s no wonder that it has been dubbed ‘the most dangerous country on the planet’.

10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?
At the Random House website here
Twitter: @chrismuirwriter
Facebook: chris.muir.9256

Congratulations Chris, and thanks for dropping by.

A Savage Garden is available now in good bookstores and online.

The Verse Novel Form: How and Why, with guest blogger Lorraine Marwood

When her second verse novel, Star Jumps, was released, Iasked author Lorraine Marwood to guest blog on a blog I’d just started, focussing on the verse novel form. That particular blog is now defunct (I came to realise I really didn’t have time to devote to multiple blogs) but I came across the interview today and thought it was well worth publishing here. Since the interview was published, Lorraine has had more poetry collections published, as well as prose, and has won the prestigious Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Star Jumps. Anyway, here’s the original post.

I am delighted to welcome children’s author and poet Lorraine Marwood to my blog today. Lorraine’s second verse novel for children, Star Jumps has just been released (you can see my review of it here), so I asked Lorraine to drop in and talk about why she chooses to use the verse novel form This is what she had to say:

Why use this genre as a way of story telling?

Years ago when I finally gave into my life long desire to write, I could only snatch a few morning moments before the cowshed work, before getting the six kids ready for school, or after the evening meal; to write down lines. I trained myself to write quickly- poems- maybe three a day about details that happened, words spoken, emotion expressed through the rural landscape. Poems were attainable, satisfying and I began sending them out into the literary world of journals.

Many were published. But I still wanted to write for children. I began to write poems specifically for children and many of these poems found their way into the journals of School Magazine New South Wales.

After gathering a collection of poems together, Five Islands Press published one volume ( Redback Mansion) and then later a second ( that downhill yelling).

Now, I wanted to evolve a longer piece of writing. I wrote a short prose verse poem about a picnic in a paddock. I loved the intensity of feeling and atmosphere and setting that prose poetry could give. I wanted to write a novel. But how to take the plunge?

Of course I’d read Sharon Creech’s novels and Karen Hesse’s novels and always enjoyed Steven Herrick’s work. How could I find my own voice in the verse novel?

I researched my topic: I researched human accounts of gold finding and the turmoil and untold stories that were humped across the gold fields. Then I found a voice, an entry, an immediate creation of suspense and atmosphere that I wanted. The striking of atmosphere in the first few words of Ratwhiskers and Me’ was the steering of the story trail.

‘Boy, they call me boy.’

Yes! I was on my way to the exploration of theme and plot and voice. I could use what is kinda instinctive in my writing: my poetics.

The verse novel became an atmospheric device in itself. It is very conducive to the playing out of sensory detail, and the propelling of the bare bones of the story. And while it is shorter in words than an ordinary novel, it strips back the verbiage and puts the reader right there emotionally.

Recently two students from Latrobe Uni were researching the editing process and came to ask me a few questions. They highlighted the way I make a narrative of the verse novel rather than individual poems, and for me that was a point to ponder. I make this distinction because I do naturally write so much poetry. I wanted to experiment with form. And my version of the verse novel is one long poem.

Because my writing is always evolving, the subject matter of the verse novel itself dictates the way a book is written.

Star Jumps, my recently released novel allowed a more poetic vista of details like the ghostling breath of the cows on a cold frosty night. I wanted to convey to non- farming children, as much as possible; a real life snapshot of a farm at its most busy period- the calving season. I wanted to show the drought in action and the decisions that are constantly being made in many rural communities.

My words made flesh and blood of Ruby as she took us through her farm life and showed us hope played out. Only the genre of the verse novel allowed me to recreate the emotion of farming without the didactic and sentimental picture so often stereotyped as farming.

Thanks so much for sharing, Lorraine. You can visit Lorraine Marwood online at http://www.lorrainemarwood.com/.

Victorian Premier's Literary Awards

The winners of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2014 were announced last night. The winners were:

Winners

People’s Choice Award Burial Rites, Hannah Kent
Young Adult My Life as an Alphabet, Barry Jonsberg
Drama Savages, Patricia Cornelius
Poetry Liquid Nitrogen, Jennifer Maiden
Non-Fiction Forgotten War, Henry Reynolds
Fiction Coal Creek, Alex Miller
Victorian Prize for Literature Liquid Nitrogen, Jennifer Maiden

Wonderful to see the big winner being poetry, with the overall prize going to a poetry collection. I had intended to post something here about how wonderful it is to see the poor cousin in the limelight, but poet and columnist John Kinsella has said it so much more eloquently than I could. Read what he has to say over at Crikey.