Kids on the Run

Kids on the Run by Dianne Bates (Morris Publishing) PB RRP $18.00 ISBN 9780645759891

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen (www.justrightwords.com.au) 

Here’s a fact nobody wants to hear: one in seven people who are experiencing homelessness are children under 12. Another fact: eight out of every 1000 children in Australia are in out-of-home care. And a third fact: Australia has a shortage of foster carers.

These facts are what make Kids on the Run, a new mid-grade fiction by award-winning Australian author, Dianne Bates, so poignant, real and eye-opening.

Fourteen-year-old Josh is well-experienced with life on the streets and in foster care – but he’s finally been placed with a family in a home where he feels safe. Sure, he must share with eleven-year-old Brodie and Jaylee, who is only three, but he has a bed to sleep in and food to eat. It will do for now.

Except, good things never last, do they?
On his first night, Josh awakes to the scared whisper of Jaylee and the smell of smoke. He grabs both children, and their bags, and the three-escape unharmed. With the house well and truly alight, and surrounded by fire trucks, Josh is petrified he will be blamed for the fire. So, he does the only thing he can do – he runs. And Brodie and Jaylee follow him.

Josh is used to looking after himself, but he’s never had to look after anyone else – let alone two traumatised children. But now, he has no choice.

Author Dianne Bates has crafted a story that is both sensitive and full of tension; both heart-wrenching and heart-warming. 

There is the slightest sense of a Hardy Boys adventure, or even Famous Five – but without the gloss and the lemonade for tea, because this is contemporary Australia.

Dianne’s portrayal of the three children, with her carefully developed characterisation, is real and believable. They have personalities that complement each other, and each character has their own arc – particularly Josh who discovers a part of himself – and a worth – that he didn’t think existed. 
To avoid the stereotype of ‘the homeless’ and ‘the foster child’ took skilful writing and a deep understanding; Josh, Brodie and Jaylee could each well be anyone’s child, sibling, friend or student.

The events that befall the children as they try to avoid capture by the police and find a safe place to stay are both ‘unbelievable’ yet realistic. For those of us from privileged backgrounds, who is to say these things could not happen?

And therein lies the power of Kids on the Run – the ability to open readers’ eyes to a reality through story.     

Despite the raw reality of the story, Kids on the Run is perfect for a young mid-grade readership, but should also be read by parents, carers and teachers – both independently and with their children and students as it is sure to inspire deeper conversations, reflections, awareness and tolerance. 

There are tough themes to deal with – poverty, parental loss and homelessness, among others – but intertwined are also messages of resilience, empathy and loyalty.

​Thank you, Dianne Bates, for writing this important story.

Ah-Fur Super Sleuth (Book 1: The Case of the Missing Moggies)

Ah-Fur Super Sleuth (Book 1: The Case of the Missing Moggies) by Debra Clewer, illustrations by Kym Langfield (Morris Publishing Australia) PB RRP $14.95 ISBN 9780645476620

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Ah-Fur is a highly regarded Australian cat detective who has been called upon to work on a top-secret case overseas. The Prime Minister of England’s two cats have been stolen, and Ah-Fur has been recommended to help find the missing pair.

Ah-Fur heads straight to London, with his cousin and driver, Show-Fur, to investigate the catnapping. He is informed that the missing moggies are highly trained and superior rat catchers, so Ah-Fur suspects an infamous gang of rats may be behind the crime, trying to protect their family and friends.

The Case of the Missing Moggies is a chapter book suitable for readers aged 7 years and older. It would appeal to an audience who enjoys adventure and mystery narratives.

Fearless Fighters: Graffiti Fighters

Fearless Fighters: Graffiti Fighters by Elaine Ousten (Morris Publishing Australia) PB RRP $17.95 ISBN 9780648878247

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

On the first day of high school, Evie Kele discovers that someone has graffitied her neighbour Mrs White’s fence. There is a signature: Leonardo. Daughter of a police officer, Evie is incensed. By the end of the day, the graffiti is covered. However, the following day there is graffiti on Evie’s own fence.

Evie, her cousin Willem, and friend Bella find graffiti all over their town, including on the statue of Evie’s great-grandfather’s statue. The three determine to find the culprit. They try to do this with the help of a magic eraser pen which Mrs White gives them. Evie and Willem see a teenager painting on the town’s water tank: the painting is well executed, but then he adds words that imply that the town’s mayor is corrupt. Evie’s dad tells her that the vandal’s name is Jack Dudley who has a record for defacing a school building.

Evie could never have imagined the danger she and her friends would face when she discovers not only magic, but also ghosts and witchcraft.

This simple, skinny book is aimed at early readers. It has the theme of ‘do unto others what you would have done to you,’ and teaches the importance of respecting other people’s property.

Sheeza

Sheeza by Clancy Tucker (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $18.00 including postage E-book$3.00

(Overseas $21.00 including postage)

ISBN 9780646935843

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Danny has an artificial limb and wears glasses. He’s the perfect target for bullies and ‘Mad Dog’ Fletcher is out to get him. Danny can’t play sport so longs to have a dog.  Towards this end, he has been doing odd jobs for the lovely oldies in his area, and saving every penny.

He doesn’t want any dog, he wants a Kelpie, to train and enter into the sheep dog trials at the Agricultural Show. He has read every book he could find, and watched every video available in preparation for the moment he gets the go-ahead from his parents.

Joey is Danny’s best friend, confidant, and protector when things get rough. Joey is optimistic, lovable and daring. He balances Danny’s smart and responsible side well which makes for a perfect friendship.

When Danny sees the physically-challenged pup in the pet shop, he knows it’s the one. They bond immediately and training the pup, which he names Sheeza, is a breeze. They end up winning the sheep dog trials at Wanganui.

It’s when Sheeza is stolen that everyone joins the hunt to find her. Who could have taken her? Where can she be and will she ever be found? Posters, Current Affair programs, truckies with two-way radios across Australia and an informed public, set out to find and reunite the dog with the boy.

This is Clancy Tucker’s second novella. He’s a writer who loves to get his teeth into difficult themes and always manages to weave several issues into one story.

A well-researched book, Sheeza incorporates detailed information about working dogs, their training and habits. I loved this story. It kept me reading without stopping until the end. As usual, there are fantastic characters - humans and animals, bad versus good in people, and problems that are overcome due to a tight community and strong friendships. To never give up is a powerful message that flows through all the issues addressed.

Nanna’s Boot Camp

Nanna’s Boot Camp by Vicki Griffin, illustrated by Arianne Moore (Morris Publishing)

PB RRP $15 eBook $7.99

ISBN 9780987543462

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Nanna’s Storm was Indigenous author and painter Vicki Griffin’s first book. This is her second and certainly not her last, for her heritage inspires her artistic expression.

The four children are sent off to Nanna’s boot camp. They expect an adventure but don’t know what they will experience.  Here boot camp takes on a new meaning. A huge boot hangs against the wind at the doorstep. Other dirty boots are piled up outside the tent. What does all this mean? Who owns these boots?

Nanna and the mob wade into the creek. The net comes up full of prawns. They cook them over a campfire and the tale of the boots is heard.

Uncle Joe arrives minus one boot. He claims the other from the wind and hook, and also catches his dinner of prawns. But he comes out minus his boots. They will now wait in the water for the dry season. Another pair of boots is added to the creek by Jacob. Now two pairs of boots await the dry season. That means a return to Nanna’s boot camp.

This simple tale incorporates so much. It talks of family and love, sharing of oral traditions over campfires with the younger mob, and a sense of place and belonging. All this is told in picture book form in a fun-loving way for the 5+ years’ age group. 

The Spires of Kurrong

The Spires of Kurrong by Malcolm Wells (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $20, EB RRP $4.99

ISBN 978-0-9942463-1-8

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

The Spires of Kurrong is a sci-fi/fantasy novel aimed at the YA market. It is set in an alternative universe in a continent divided, with a population inhabiting twin domed spires set atop extinct volcanos. For generations they have been unaware of the population and happenings on the planet’s surface, led to believe that it is inhabited by Daemons. However, when doomed lovers Markus and Filona risk everything for a new life on the surface, they soon uncover more about the two communities, unravelling everything they have been taught to believe.

The novel spans some big themes, from race, class, war, morality and the interesting inclusion of the drug trade, to loyalty and deception. For such an all-encompassing novel, it feels as though more evocative description is warranted at times, and there is a lot of telling the reader rather than showing. The second half of the narrative appears to move at a pace too fast to really develop some of the new characters who are introduced. Filona appears frustratingly naïve at times, and it would have been interesting to learn more about her and the tensions that would inevitably ensue in her and Markus’ relationship, which is glossed over at times. Overall, Wells has created an ambitious novel with a compelling premise.

My Unforgettable Year

My Unforgettable Year by Adem Besim (Morris Publishing Australia)
PB RRP $22.95 e-book $4.99
ISBN 9780992505271
Reviewed by Dianne Bates

It wasn’t until I started reading this YA novel that I realised how little contemporary fiction there is about male teenage protagonists and their lives. In fact, all I could recall was Maureen Johnson’s Boofheads, which was published quite a few years ago.

Here is a book written by a young man in his early twenties who clearly remembers the angst of the teen years. Narrated by seventeen-year-old Nathan Thompson, My Unforgettable Year tells of the teenager’s trials and tribulations as he negotiates his final school year. On the surface, Nathan seems to have it all. He's the goal-kicking footy superstar from the small town of Kyabram. And he’s managed to snag the attention of beautiful, rich Katie who is new to town. However, his life and future at times seems doomed, especially as his over-bearing father, Mark, desperately wants Nathan to be the next national AFL player to make his town proud. Instead, Nathan plays footy for fun and dreams of university and a career in architecture.

When problems arise in his life, Nathan is often explosive and erratic, for instance when he resorts to physical violence against a footy team-mate. He is constantly on a hormonal roller-coast ride. Sometimes he seems mature and wise, other times he acts like an emotional juvenile. His emotions range from feelings of betrayal to disrespect to satisfaction to love. Often, like any teenager, he struggles with peer relationships, at times querying the motives of Katie and his best friend Matty. Nathan’s relationship with his ambitious father, whom he mostly detests, is tempered by his warm relationship with his mother and brother, Josh. Luckily, he has two positive male role-models, his Coach Garry and teacher, Mr Hazelman. What works best in the book is how Besim manages to capture the tension and action of an ongoing football match from a player’s perspective. The role of his coach is beautifully captured.

Besim has a unique insight into what makes a teenage boy click. Mostly his dialogue is true and the emotional depth of his characters is also true but at times his writing is self-conscious and needs a more vigorous editorial hand. I thought that sex would have been a driving force in a book about a seventeen-year-old – lots of talk among boys about girls -- but that doesn’t happen. Yes, there is one sexual episode in the book, but it is glossed over.

For the most part, though, this is a book about things that matter to teen boys – footy, mateship, partying, studying, examinations, thoughts of the future, and relationships with parents, siblings and peers. The book deals, too, with the big issues of bullying, death, and falling in love. Overall it’s an ambitious novel as the reader follows Nathan’s difficult, but ultimately successful coming of age. It is, as the book says, an unforgettable year.

My Unforgettable Year is available from all library suppliers, Dennis Jones and Associates or wholesale from Morris Publishing Australia’s website http://morrispublishingaustralia.com. It is also produced and available as an eBook and on Amazon, Smashwords, Apple and Kobo.

  

The Chronicles of the Knights of Katesh Book 2: The Summoning of The One

The Chronicles of the Knights of Katesh Book 2: The Summoning of The One by Royce Bond (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $20.00

ISBN 9780992505202

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Andy was just a teenage boy going to high school, forced to face his bullies daily, until the day the eagle with the black talons came to him. Now he has the life essence of the knight Methelgin inside him and he has become a Knight of the First Order of Katesh. He has gained great powers and fighting skills. He is believed to be The One that the warriors have been waiting for.

A long and dangerous quest begins for Andy. Maligor the wizard must be defeated, and the orb of power reclaimed in order to save the known universe.

But Andy’s transition from school boy to warrior holds other adjustments to those of simply tapping into and using his new abilities. His role as leader is one of great responsibility, especially after he learns the secrets regarding his lineage. Although he is determined to honour the role thrust on him, can he succeed when nothing and no one is ever what it seems? Especially Princess Katarin, the wind walker.

Royce Bond has created a fantastic world. Its characters and settings, the enemy demons and unnatural species that he has designed with great imagination thrill and excite. Powerful, courageous and intelligent female characters blaze their way through an action packed storyline, with battle scenes equal to a Hollywood movie.

Blog Tour: On The Nose with Robert Favretto

Buzz Words chats to Robert Favretto about his latest children’s book, On The Nose (Morris Publishing Australia). Robert is a primary school teacher and Victorian based writer of children’s fiction. His previous publishing credits include CAT-astrophe (Morris Publishing Australia), Leonardo’s Spot of Trouble (Blake Education) and Lost for Words (Limelight Press). He has also had his short story The Cuckoo Clock published in the CHARMS anthology. Robert has completed a Diploma of Professional Children’s Writing and has presented writing workshops for primary school aged children and the Mornington Peninsula Libraries.

Comment on this post to be in the draw to win a copy of On The Nose. Details below. There is also a review of Robert's book.

Welcome Robert. Please describe your book in five words or less. 

Not to be sniffed at!

How did the ideas for your book come to you?

Disgusting smells have always held a fascination for kids. So when I came across an article about a rare, living thing that emits a repulsive scent, I thought it would make a great idea for a children’s story. The foul odour would take over a city, and all I needed was someone special to solve the mystery of the phantom stink. Enter Justin Credible – a comical, quirky character with a long nose and expert on smells. The ideal person to sniff out the problem.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 

Justin Credible uses his super nasal powers to solve crimes of a smelly nature. However, unlike talented kids who are sometimes singled out and teased for being exceptional, Justin isn’t resented at all. At a time when bullying is becoming more and more frequent among children in schools and online, it’s great to see that his difference is embraced and celebrated, not shunned and ridiculed. So apart from OTN being a good rollicking fun read, it also has a light-hearted message.

Why did you choose to write in this genre?

I feel comfortable writing in this genre because of my work as a primary school teacher. I am familiar with children’s interests and the sort of books they like to read, especially reluctant readers. Humorous, imaginative, and fast-paced stories with plenty of action are generally favourites, so I try to steer my stories in that direction.

Does the life of your main character parallel with yours in any way?

Like Justin, I have a prominent nose, although I don’t share his super-sniffing prowess. I enjoy pleasant smells, like the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee, but certainly not disgusting odours like the ones featured in OTN. Justin and I both enjoy mysteries. However, Justin’s investigative powers are better than mine. (He has a better nose for solving those hard to crack smelly cases).

Thanks for chatting with us Robert. Good luck with your book. 

As part of the blog tour, we will give away a copy of On The Nose. To be in the draw, simply comment on the post and send an email of your comment to info@morrispublishingaustralia.com with the subject "On The Nose competition". Competition closes midnight EDST 15th April 2014.


On The Nose by Robert Favretto, illustrated by Kevin Burgemeestre (Morris Publishing Australia)
PB RRP $13.95
ISBN 9780987543479
Reviewed by Ramona Davey

Robert Favretto’s chapter book On The Nose is a fun read for children aged 8-12 years old. The main character is Justin Incredible, a Grade 4 school boy who has a nose like no other. Perfectly made for such tasks as guessing what his classmates have for lunch in the game ‘’Sniff-a-snack,’ or playing quoits. But the most important job Justin’s nose will have is to solve the mystery of the bad smell of Aroma City. Justin, who has been trained as a super sleuth for the DNA (Department of Nasal Affairs), follows his nose in this fast-paced, detective story. Armed with a compass, a scent-o-meter and following a whole bunch of smelly clues, Justin discovers who and what is causing everyone to leave Aroma City.

On The Nose is full of puns, similes and play on words which teachers may find very useful during Literacy lessons. I read this book out loud with my eight and nine year old children and they loved the humorous names of all the characters, such as Stella Mozzarella, Marsha Mallow and Barry Mundi.

The front cover has a colourful illustration that shows Justin’s unusual nose. Inside there are four fun, black and white cartoon style illustrations throughout the story. Boys that love humour and aren’t put off by gross sneezes will find this a fun read as will readers who prefer books that have a few illustrations in them.

Ramona Davey is a trained Primary teacher and children’s writer. 

Kate

Kate by Kevin Burgemeestre (Morris Publishing Australia)
PB RRP $22.00
ISBN 9780987543448
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

All the four main characters in this story have lost something significant which has changed their lives. Kate has lost her mother to illness, her obscurity due to her changing body, and her best friend Jess to Canada. Jess lost all that was familiar and her sense of belonging. Wilde the dog had his faith in humans and his freedom snatched from him by the brutality of his owner. Mal lost his sister to drugs and his life to crime. These four broken beings are brought together by a strange serendipity.

Kate, Mal, Wilde and later Jess who returns from Canada, are drawn into a mystifying, suspenseful and life-threatening adventure that stems from Mal’s secret past. Who is the complex Mal really? What is he hiding?

Kevin Burgemeetre’s first novel with themes of loss, grief and renewal, and complicated human relationships is fast-paced and impressive. It holds the reader’s attention from start to finish by keeping its mysteries undisclosed, allowing only tiny particles of information to float into view at specific times. This generates a sense of urgency; a need to discover what is being hidden and why.

The story is sharp and witty with excellent main characters, a strong story line and lots of humour flowing in and out. The excellent art work in black and white accentuates the characters and adds elegance to a surprising debut novel.

Blog Tour: Kevin Burgemeestre and Kate

Buzz Words chats to Kevin Burgemeestre about his debut YA book Kate (Morris Publishing Australia). Kevin is no stranger to readers with over 60 published books that contain his illustrations. Kate contains five illustrations which were exhibited at the Stonnington Literature Alive exhibition earlier in 2013. He has recently turned his hand to writing. Kate was completed as part of a Copyright Agency residency at the University of New England in 2012. It is a story of growth and mistakes, danger and excitement, loss and discovery.

Comment on this post to be in the draw to win a copy of Kate.

1. Welcome Kevin. Please describe your new novel in five words or less.

Teenage mistakes not the end!

2. How did the ideas for your book come to you?

I am shocked how quickly we are willing to write young people off. Young people are meant to make mistakes. I made a ton of them.

I was aware that teenagers in our circle from happy families were making unexpected decisions. They were going off the map. They were getting into creepy stuff. I wondered if our teenage judgement is a little impaired. I also reflected on the importance of friendships in those years. I got Kate to collide into someone she may not even have given a second glance. Mum and Dad, who survived a war, told me that when the duck fat hits the fan it was often the people they least expected that stood up and did the right thing.

3. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I remembered what good companions our dogs were when I was going through my lumpy and bumpy teenage years. On a really bad day, ten minutes with one of our dogs would totally bring me out of myself. If you want a dog get a mutt from the pound, its got a harpoon pointed at its head. Full breed dogs will always find a home.

Be the friend to your friends. Be to them what you are looking for in a mate. Forgive a true mate even if they've hurt you. Find adventure, and I don't mean crazy danger, but try some things that take you a little out of your comfort zone. You will be surprised what you are capable of.

4. Why did you choose to write in this genre?

As an adult, I often reflect on my formative years. I was so lucky, and yet I saw what was happening to children from my neighbourhood, what they were going through. Not all of them survived, yet they were people just like me. How does that happen?

I also like teenagers, I have respect for the challenges they face. I like to listen to their stories and hear their opinions. I'm not sure adults often ask them what they think. I feel blessed that I came from simpler times, we had less, but the pressures were far less.

As part of the blog tour, we will give away a copy of Kate. To be in the draw, simply comment on the post and send an email of your comment to submissions@morrispublishingaustralia.com with the subject "Kate competition". Competition closes midnight EDST 17 December.

Kate by Kevin Burgemeestre  (Morris Publishing Australia)
PB RRP $22 (eBook coming soon)
ISBN 978-0-9875434-4-8

Kate is struggling to deal with her best friend leaving, a school bully and with the death of her mother. She believes that life is hard. Then a chance encounter with a battered, heroic hound she rescues from the streets, and Mal, a troubled young man with a dark past, leads Kate into more danger and excitement than she could have wished for.

She wonders about her unusual friendship with this damaged young man, but when things go really wrong, they’ll need each other ... and they’ll have to run!

To see more of Kevin's blog tour go to:

Tuesday 3rd Dec - 10  writing tips http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com

Wednesday 4th Dec - Interview http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com

Thursday 5th Dec - Interview http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au

Friday 6th - article http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com

Saturday 7th Interview http://bookmusterdownunder.blogspot.com.au

Sunday 8th Dec www.jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com

Monday 9th Interview  http://www.kidsbookreview.com

Monday 9th Interview http://UncommonYA.com

Tuesday 10th Review http://www.melissawray.blogspot.com.au

Wednesday 11th Review www.karentyrrell.com

Thursday 12th Interview http://aussiereviews.com/reviews/blog/

Friday 13th Interview http://lorrainemarwoodwordsintowriting.blogspot.com

Saturday 14th Article http://clancytucker.blogspot.com.au

Sunday 15th Dec Interview http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/news-update-blog.html

Monday 16th Dec Interview http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au

Tuesday 17th Dec Interview http://elaineoustonauthor.com.au

The Princess and the Pirate

The Princess and the Pirate: Book One of The Chronicles of The Knights of Katesch by Royce Bond (Morris Publishing Australia)
PB RRP $20.00
ISBN 9780987543400
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Here is the first of a fantasy series filled with action, adventure and space wars, whose battles are so descriptive it is like watching an adventure of Zena in full battle mode.

Beloved Queen Hibana is one of the famed Knights of Katesch. She sees herself equal to her people. Her husband was killed ten years ago in an ambush along with all his men. The wizard Maligor is her greatest enemy and power battles have been raging for countless years in the attempt by Maligor to control all the dimensions in space.

Hibana is murdered in battle by a Kladath assassin and her daughter Hepzebah, inherits the powers owned by her mother, adding to the ones she already owns. Maligor wants her dead too. But he underestimates who he’s dealing with. Hepzebah and her supporters are helped secretly by Maligor’s wife, Legonin, who longs to see her husband’s treachery come to an end.

Captain Sergio Andronovich is a smuggler, space pirate and blockade runner. He is more than he seems and his eyes are filled with Hepzebah. He is a crafty, resourceful person who is ready to stand by his love and even die for her as she battles to destroy the evil one.

This is a complex pirate adventure with murder, intrigue, betrayal and tension throughout. There are many sub-stories and plots weaving in and out which add additional suspense to the galloping pace of the story. With excellent main characters and even some terrific minor characters that will surely reappear in the future titles, this book offers escapism into a fantasy world of space wars and other dimensions where anything is possible.

Blog Tour: The Princess and the Pirate

Today Buzz Words Books is thrilled to be participating in Royce Bond's blog tour to launch The Princess and The Pirate – Book one of The Knights of Katesch (Morris Publishing Australia). (And comment on this post and go in the draw for a free signed copy.)

Royce Bond’s new sci fi/fantasy novel The Princess and the Pirate is a swashbuckling adventure of a Pirate, a Princess and their followers as they fight to save the universe from evil forces. It is the first book in a series called The Knights of Katesch. The books are the chronicles of  The Knights of Katesch who, for time out of memory, have fought the wizard Maligor across all the dimensions of the known universe.

After the death of her mother Hibana, one of the famed Knights of Katesch, at the hands of a Kladath assassin, Princess Hepzebah faces the fight of her life. As the new queen, she has inherited her mother's powers. The space pirate Captain Sergio runs the blockade to bring an unearthly army to fight the last battle against Maligor's hordes. He has plans for this young queen, but his plans are hijacked and they are thrust into an inter-dimensional battle for the future of the known universe.

Welcome Royce and thanks for popping by Buzz Words Books.

My pleasure and thanks for asking me to visit. I hope I can inspire others to pursue their dream of becoming an author.

Did you submit your manuscript to many publishers before you had an offer to publish?

I had submitted The Chronicles of the Knights of Katesch to nine publishers and each said no. Then I gave up submitting and kept writing and editing to improve the story. I write not to be published, but just for the pure enjoyment of writing. I absolutely love slipping into my world when I write. Publishing is the icing on the cake, because now others can enjoy my world as well.

How did you become a writer?

I used to watch a television series called The A Team. In 1985 I decided I’d like to write a series of television scripts called The Beetlejuice Pirates. They would be a bumbling space version of The A Team. I actually finished my first episode, but then lost it when we moved from Brisbane to Rockhampton.

I still wanted to write but changed from a television script to a short story. I called it The Time Warriors. I finished it and then went on to writing weird stories about the time I spend working on market gardens in the bush.

Did you have to do much research for this book?

I am a medieval re-enactor and often train with swords, axes, and bows. I have researched this craft and the era when it was practised. I consider my whole life to be the research. I have day dreamed most of my life, as well as immersing myself in fantasy/sci fi movies and television series.

Can you tell me about the main character and what you like/dislike about her?

My main character is Hepzebah. I find her a complex character, as well as an exciting one. She is quite an emotional person, because of the experiences she went through as a young child and teenager, but has chosen to lock this emotion away behind a wall in her mind.

I like her strength of character. And how she allows the most unlikely of characters (Sergio) to come into her life and affect her in such a way that she commits her life to him – even though at times she threatens to kill him. Of course, she would never do this. Although she does often have outbursts of emotion directed at him, for example when she single handedly destroys his castle. She is ferociously loyal to those she loves and is very independent.

Is there something that sets this book apart from others?

Yes. This book can be read on a number of different levels, depending on the age and experience of the reader. I know of ten year olds who have loved it and the oldest reader I know of is 85 years old.

Other adults have commented on how complex the characters and plot are, while younger readers revel in the fast paced action. The reader gets out of the story what they are looking for. It caters for a huge variety of interests. It’s a huge amount of fun to read and you can quickly get into this world and not want to come out of it. Even though I have written this book, I still love reading it whenever I get a chance.

Do you have any tips for writers about the writing process or the path to publishing?

a) Create a world you want to live in.
b) Create characters you want to be.
c) Create adventures/action you would like to be involved in.
d) Let your writing goal be enjoyment, not publishing, because when you enjoy the experience of writing, then your readers will enjoy what you have written.
e) Edit, edit, edit.
f) Writing is an apprenticeship. Very few people are so gifted as to pick up a pen and become instant stars.
g) Surround yourself with books, movies, and television series in the genre you wish to write in.
h) There is nothing new under the sun, so take ideas from what others have written, and change it to make it your own.
i) When you get rejected, don’t give up. Keep writing.
j) Enjoy your writing.

The Princess and the Pirate is available from your local bookstore.
Signed copies are available from the MPA website.

Follow the blog tour get some great writing tips, read reviews, and learn more fascinating information about Royce Bond. Comment on this post and go in the draw for a free signed copy.

BLOG SCHEDULE:

Monday August 12 Morris Publishing Australia Interview
Tuesday August 13   http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au/ Interview
Wednesday August 14 http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Interview
Thursday August 15  http://www.elaineoustonauthor.com Interview
Friday August 16  http://www.melissawray.blogspot.com.au Interview
Saturday August 17  http://www.losangzopa.wordpress.com Review
Sunday August 18   http://www.kids-bookreview.com Interview

The Girl in the Basement

Today Buzz Words reviews Dianne Bates' new book, The Girl in the Basement, as part of Dianne's blog tour. You can read yesterday's blog tour visit at author Chris Bell's site. Tomorrow Dianne will be interviewed by Elaine Ouston. 

Comment on any of the blogs or websites (including Buzz Words Books!) throughout the tour to go in to the draw to win a free copy of the book. 

The Girl in the Basement by Dianne Bates (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $24.95

Ebook $4.99

ISBN 9780987543417

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Dianne Bates’ new thriller The Girl in the Basement is a page turner that once started you will not be able to put down. Sixteen-year-old Libby is snatched off the streets by a man and spends the next few months swinging between terror and calculating her escape. Extra dimensions are added when Psycho Man, as Libby thinks of him, kidnaps a young boy to complete his family.

Bates pulls off a major writing coup: she successfully flits between the heads of Libby and her kidnapper giving us insights into the motivations and emotions of both. A lesser writer would have failed in this but it is testament to Bates’ skill that the head hopping enhances the story. I identified strongly with Libby’s ordeal. Memories of her own loving family strikingly contrast with Psycho Man’s warped version.

The mind of a psychopath is an unnerving thing to delve into. The accommodation of his distorted sense of reality into his life view is chilling, and fatal to others. Since I always hate to know the ending of a book, I won’t tell you whether Libby survives or not but if you are after a light read then this is not the book for you. There is violence, brutal at times, and more than one death (but no sex). The violence is always in context and never gratuitous.

This is definitely a book for older readers or adults and one that is particularly timely given the recent release of three women kept captive in Cleveland.  While the events in this book are fictional, it is a disturbing reminder of the depths humans can plunge to. Fortunately, it is also a reminder of the strength of character and tenacity we can summon in the face of the most cruel circumstances.

Books are available from any bookstore in Australia, many online stores as a paperback (including Amazon) and eBook, and from Morris Publishing Australia.  

Interview: Dianne Bates

Today Buzz Words Books is hosting Dianne Bates on her blog tour for her latest title, a YA novel, The Girl in the Basement. It is released this month by Morris Publishing Australia and is now available online and in bookshops. 

Dianne Bates is well-known in the children’s book world, having published over 120 books and won the Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services to children’s literature. She lives in Wollongong NSW with her award-winning YA author husband, Bill Condon. Di has won numerous grants and awards for her books, some of which have sold overseas and in translation. You can find out more about Di, her books and other projects at Enterprising Words.

Welcome to Buzz Words Books, Di. Your new novel, The Girl in the Basement, is very timely with the recent release of the three women kidnapped in Cleveland, Ohio. Where did you get the idea?

The Girl in the Basement is based on the real-life discovery in 1987 of a Polaroid photograph picked up by a shopper in a Florida (US) car park. It showed a girl around twenty, and a boy around ten who were both bound and gagged and who appeared to be in the back of a van. Disturbed by the photo, the finder took it to police.  Hundreds of stories about the picture were run in national media. It was also featured on the TV program, Missing People. The boy was thought to be Michael Henley, who had gone missing from a camping trip 17 months earlier. The girl, identified as Tara Callico, had disappeared 75 miles away a year earlier while out cycling. Both Michael and Tara were from New Mexico but were unrelated. For their parents, it was the first inkling of what had happened to them.

I remember being very distressed by the story and often wondered if either of the victims were ever found. As it turned out, there were numerous unconfirmed sightings of Tara in 1988 and 1989, mostly in the southern half of the United States. However, she has never been found, alive or dead. Remains found in the Zuni Mountains in June 1990 were eventually identified as Michael’s. It is believed he died of natural causes. Thus the identity of the boy in the photo is still unknown.

In The Girl in the Basement the story is narrated by a teenage girl, Libby, who is taken on the night of her 16^th birthday. Her kidnapper is a serial killer looking to start a ‘family’.

It must have been difficult to get into the minds of two such different people.

Yes, it was. I must say I struggled more with the teenage voice than I did with that of the kidnapper who Libby thinks of as ‘Psycho Man’ but whom she eventually comes to call ‘Papa’. I was helped in my writing to understand the psychology of a captive by reading several books written by Jaycee Lee Dugard, Natascha Kampusch and Sabine Dardenne who were held by different psychopaths at different times.

Why do you think teenagers would want to read a book about a kidnap victim?

Wikipedia reports dozens of cases of kidnapped victims over the past century; some have been found alive but many were murdered. More than any demographic, young women are likely to be victims of crime, especially kidnapping, so it’s not surprising that teenage girls would have a fear of being abducted by a stranger.

The Girl in the Basement sets a scenario of how the combination of being a teenage girl, over-indulging in alcohol, being alone, being in the wrong place and being very unlucky, can predicate abduction. My book also shows a young woman’s resilience in dealing with her captor and how she sustains herself with the hope of being rescued.

Is there a hopeful ending to your novel, or would that be giving too much away?

Since it’s a thriller I really can’t divulge the ending, but I can tell you that Libby never abandons hope. Like most teenage girls, she is fiercely independent, brave and resourceful.

Can you talk about the writing of the book and the drafting processes?

Finding the impetus for writing was easy enough; the first real problem was to decide on and find the narrative voice. Both Psycho Man and Libby demanded to be heard so I finished up having multiple voices, Libby telling her story in first person present tense, the kidnapper’s story being told in third person present tense. I wanted show Libby always living in the moment, whereas the kidnapper, being more elusive and anonymous, needed to be presented in a cloak of mystery. The use of present tense means there is more immediacy to the story as events unfold.

There were countless drafts of this book. Before submitting it to a publisher, I not only underwent weekly copy-editing workshops, but I also paid for the finished draft to be assessed by a professional, in-house editor. She made many suggestions, all of which I followed to finish with a manuscript I finally decided was publishable.

Thanks for dropping by Di and all the very best on your tour. You can see yesterday's interview with Di at author Alison Reynolds' site. Tomorrow Di will be interviewed by Chris Bell.

Comment on any of the blogs or websites (including Buzz Words Books!) throughout the tour to go in to the draw to win a free copy of the book. 

Books are available from any bookstore in Australia, many online stores as a paperback (including Amazon) and eBook, and from Morris Publishing Australia.  

The Mystery of Nida Valley

The Mystery of Nida Valley by EJ Ouston (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $19.99

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

As a child my imagination was so fired by reading Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree that I spent many hours wandering the bush looking for the enchanted tree that promised to lead me into a magical world. It is likely that today’s young reader, engaging with Elaine Ouston’s fast-paced adventure set in the mysterious and mystical Nida Valley, might very well also go looking for a land filled with extraordinary fauna and flora.

The first of a series set in Queensland, The Mystery of Nida Valley starts with 15 year old Meg Sealy in search of her missing best friend. Accompanied by her older cousin Jaiden, Meg enters a cavern in the grounds of Millson Manor where they find Amanda. There they discover a natural pool from which all three children drink, an act which is later to give them mystical powers. Facing off a savage dog, they proceed to a homestead where they are made welcome and where they learn that the valley in which they find themselves is the home of Meg’s Aunt Charlotte, the Grand Leader of the Guardians of Nida. All Guardians have amazing powers, such as the ability to heal or read minds. And Meg is to assume her aunt’s role when she comes of age.

This story is the stuff of action and fantasy with children on a learning curve as they traverse a hidden land where dangerous creatures abound and where they must undertake perilous challenges that test their ingenuity, resourcefulness, and physical prowess.

At the heart of the valley is amazing megafauna -- creatures such as archaepteryx, muttaburrasaurus, ichthyosaurs and zygopmaturas that are ‘extinct’. Some are threatening, but the two-metre high winged featherless pterosauradon allow the children to move about the valley freely and joyfully. It is up to Meg and her friends to protect the existence of the Valley’s creatures. In doing this, they search for a special moss to keep alive the last of an animal species and try to determine who are the ‘moles’ trying to undermine the efforts of the Guardians. 

There is so much in this book – romance, political intrigue, stun guns, magical potions, mind control, not to mention non-stop action. In undertaking a series of quests, the teenagers display teamwork, co-operation, inventiveness, bravery, and loyalty. Nida Valley and all it contains has what many children want from a book – thrills, action, adventure, friendship, mythical and mystical animals, fantastical sights, and praise from adults who appreciate the teenagers’ roles in maintaining the status quo.

Blog tour dates: Dianne Bates and The Girl in the Basement

Buzz Words is thrilled to be part of Dianne Bates' blog tour for her new YA spine-chilling thriller The Girl in the Basement. Follow the posts to find out how Di conquered a writers' ultimate characterisation challenge: how to be an innocent teenage girl one moment, a terrified teenage boy the next, then a psychological killer. 

As well as reviews you will discover the reason Di wrote the story, the research she had to do and much more. 


Plus comment on any of the blogs and go in the draw to win a free copy of the book. 

Monday July 1^st. www.creativekidstales.com.au Review

Tuesday July 2^nd  www.alisonreynolds.com.au  Interview

Wed July 3^rd  www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Interview

Thurs July 4^th  www.christinemareebell.wordpress.com Interview

Fri July 5^th  www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Review

Sat July 6^th www.elaineoustonauthor.com Interview

Sun July 7^th www.kids-bookreview.com Review

Monday July 8^th  sherylgwyther.wordpress.com Interview

Tuesday July 9^th  deescribewriting.wordpress.com Interview

Tuesday July 9^th clancytucker.blogspot.com.au Interview

Wed July 10^th  www.morrispublishingaustralia.com Interview

Wed July 11^th www.jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com Interview         

Thursday July 12^th www.melissawray.blogspot.com.au

Here's a sneak peek into The Girl in the Basement:

Enter the minds of a psychopath and a defenceless teenager in this mesmerising and timely page-turner, with its unforeseeable twists and edge-of-the-seat suspense.

A man lurks in the shadows, spying on a girl in a red party dress.

The girl, Libby, is trying to shrug off a bad date. Not for a moment does she suspect that this night is the end of life as she knows it. The man pounces; Libby is grabbed and driven away. Held prisoner in a basement, she grapples with constant fear, all the while sustaining herself with thoughts of escape. Meanwhile, her captor is engaged on another mission, that of abducting a young boy to complete his 'family'.

Will Libby ever escape? Or will the man kill her? And what of the boy who refuses to submit to the man's demands? Can he possibly survive his merciless anger? 

Books are available from any bookstore in Australia, many online stores as a paperback (including Amazon) and eBook, and from www.morrispublishingaustralia.com.