NEW RELEASE AND BOOK TOUR - NSW - July / August

Here at Wonboyn our mornings are a touch frosty, our evenings cool but the bit inbetween is sunny and warm enough to pull off the jumper and show off my favourite Beatles t-shirt.

On Monday we head off with two brand spanking new books to visit all our lovely shops, stock them up for the busy times, and perhaps wet a line and catch a fish on the weekends.

This time around I will be visiting 6 schools - Franklin School in Tumut on Tuesday 19th of June, Forbes North School on Tuesday the 26th, Bogan Gate on the 27th and 28th, St Joseph's at Nyngan on Tuesday the 2nd of August, Narromine School on the 3rd and 4th, and St John's in Maitland on Tuesday the 23rd.  I will ask some students at two of the  schools to read a little from my two new books for this site.

Once again there are a handful of book signings - you can find me at Wylies Newsagency in Temora with Sue and John on Friday the 22nd of July, at the Dubbo Book Connection with David on Saturday the 30th, then with Dianne at the Coonabarabran Newsagency on Saturday the 6th of August, and stepping into Queensland with Lyn at Bryson's Place Gifts in Warwick on Friday the 12th and finally at the Oakey newsagency on Saturday the 13th with Sandra and Ken.  Come along if you are in the area and check out the new titles.  I will have colouring sheets for all books as usual thanks to my wonderful illustrator Helen Leach.

ALL CREATURES SHORT AND TALL- is another collection of short stories - this time featuring our best friends - our pets.

For the last few years I have been gathering stories from friends, family and many of the campers at Wonboyn.

Some have been published on ABC Open - you may remember Pam our postmistress's pig - Crackle - who grew --- and grew ----  and grew, thanks to her husband Jim who filled his supermarket trolley with piggy treats.

Other gems are a story about 3 year old Liam and his granny - a chook and their adventures.  A lovely snake story, plenty of dog, cat and horse tales or perhaps tails - and a funny, ferret slap-stick, family memory.

It will be on the shelves for $15.95

 REG THE ROOSTER - the next book in our 'tiny ant' series is a must for all chook lovers and those who love stories from the bush with lovely rhyming words and vividly coloured illustrations.

Helen went to town on Reg having lots of fun with all his hens and the places he took them throughout his day.

My cousin Peter who teaches children with learning disabilities requested a book with clock faces to help students learn to tell the time - here it is Pete - enjoy and I know all students will find telling the time easy with Reg the Rooster helping out!

Give us a wave when you see the "Little Ant" van pass you on the road - or stop and say hello when you catch up with us in your town!

Film Clip of Emily Emu Chick

                      Film Clip of Emily Emu Chick

On Friday March the 4th I visited the Orbost Primary School and had a great time with all the students.  We illustrated, composed poems, made up stories and acted out our stories.

After lunch a new program of activities kicked off and I found myself in the midst of an art class - Helen my illustrator will be laughing loudly. We sketched Emus using her beautiful pastel drawings as inspiration. 

My emu was very basic - just shapes really - then the students and teacher created beautiful art works in their brand-spanking-new sketch pads while I gave them a run down on emu facts.

Enjoy this reading of the first two pages of Emily Emu Chick by Shara - one of the talented students in the art class - her school friends are with her to give moral support - she reads very well!  Her school is very proud of her efforts.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Emily Emu Chick just email me at susiesarah@hotmail.com.au and I will send you a list of your local outlets.

 

Channel 9 TV - my 5 minutes of fame!

Vanessa Milton ABC Open Producer - PS I only just discovered that your story was featured on the main page of The Drum - this is a high profile part of the ABC News site, they only pick one of the Open Drum stories to feature, and you’re it!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/sarah-open-drum-keeping-busy-is-the-key-to-%27retirement%27/7199318

 

It all happened last week after a phone call from Channel 9 to appear on their morning program with David and Sonja - Annabelle the producer found my article for ABC Open on The Drum - I didn't realise until Vanessa contacted me that it had been on the front page of their website - amazing.

So off to Canberra, after a morning at the Wyndham market, to stay in a swanky hotel not far from Parliament House where channel 9 have a studio.

 

I wish I had photographed that studio - it was a blackened room filled with cameras - the backdrop behind me was superimposed and all I saw was a grotty desk with a red button "push it love if you can't hear well enough" - a hairy hair brush which I thought must have been used for their dogs and in front of me a square screen of light - which I stared at like a rabbit in the spotlight - that's where the camera is.  Hundreds of miles away in Sydney were the rest of the people I was talking to - I couldn't see them which was rather disconcerting. 

 

So hours of travel to Canberra, hours of travel home and all for this short segment which was wonderful and all scripted - I still have that script to prove to students in schools I visit that everything is set out - it was certainly a great help and my words were taken from the ABC story and a phone call I'd had with Annabelle - all very professional and set out to help me relax.

 

I left Canberra for home then headed off to Buchan for my first school with 30 students to visit followed by a day with students at Orbost Primary School and calls to Paynesville and my bookstores in Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance.  Next week I'm on the road again visiting schools at Paynesville, Omeo and Swifts Creek!

 

 

 

Wilma reading Snug Cove Sam reading with "Sam" helping out

Wilma reads Snug Cove Sam

Wilma turned up in her camp with her little dog Polly who loves fishing and gave me the basis for the story of Snug Cove Sam.  I sent my illustrator Helen Leach photographs of Polly and some of Snug Cove for her to work from and l think you will agree that the results are lovely.

Polly will be appearing in one of my short stories in a book almost ready for publication called "All Creatures Short and Tall".  She is a very active little dog and barks at all the fish!

To purchase your copy of Snug Cove Sam email me at susiesarah@hotmail.com and l will send a list of your local outlets.

 

Film clip of Jumping Jack Jones

     Film clip of Jumping Jack Jones

Here is just a brief part of Jack's story for you to enjoy.

This unusual picture book is designed to be read as "a page a day story".
I was amazed, when describing the story to my illustrator Helen Leach, that she in no time flat sketched the cover and brought Jack  instantly to life!

Poor Jack is not a well lad and due to illness is unable to jump on his much loved trampoline.
He also misses his friends and has to stay home from school.  His mother leaves a photo album on his bed to entertain him - then the adventure begins.

Caitlyn Taylor very kindly agreed to read part of the story, choosing a beach scene as she is staying at Wonboyn and loves the beach.  I was very lucky to find her home with her best mate and the family.  Most days they are out fishing, swimming or simply enjoying being in the bush near the lake.

To purchase your copy of Jumping Jack Jones just email me and I will send you a list of stockists of my books in your area.  susiesarah@Hotmail.com.au

Film clip of How To Wash Your Undies

    Film clip of How To Wash Your Undies -
       a Chook Lit Book for older readers

Sylvia quite enjoyed reading the start of How to Wash Your Undies, one of the twenty short stories in this book.
This is the first book in my Chook Lit series.  You will note Helen's delightful line drawings are all chook themed.
As it was set in the shower block in a caravan park Sylvia happily sat on a chair in the shower recess with the water off and settled in for a read.
The stories are set in a variety of places around Australia and at different times in my life.  One - a memoir about my mother won a major award - another undies themed story entitled Never Listen to Your Mother shot to stardom on the ABC Open website gathering over 5,400 hits in just a matter of days.
There are stories for everyone and for all ages.  I'm happy to report that this book resides in the libraries of many primary schools proving that funny stories are suitable reads for everyone!
When we finished recording Sylvie raced off to her van to finish reading the story.

To purchase your copy of How to Wash Your Undies email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.
susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

Film clip of Bob the Bakery Cat

          Film clip of Bob the Bakery Cat -
         a Tiny Ant book for young readers

 

Duncan was in his camp with Ashlyn, Kade and Ryan who all love a story read to them - at any time of day.  They set up their chairs and settled in to hear the first few pages of Bob the Bakery Cat.

 

I met Bob when in Longford Tasmania I watched all the children feeding him at the bakery door.  I thought this might be a great way to introduce the days of the week to littlies - they seem to remember everything Bob has to eat each day of the week.

 

To order your copy of Bob the Bakery Cat email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area. 

susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

 

Film clip of The Big Green Tractor

          Film clip of The Big Green Tractor
                   The first two verses of this book.

 

Hannah and her family are staying with grandparents Robbie and Bucky Rowlands, owners of  Wonboyn Cabins and Caravan Park at Wonboyn Lake.

Her favourite Susie Sarah story is The Big Green Tractor and she was more than happy to read the start of the story for me.
This is a true story about a farmer who loves, and dearly wants to own a big green tractor.  It is a must for all those who enjoy a bit of a mystery about big machines.

To order your copy of The Big Green Tractor email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.  susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

Film Cilip of Mother McGinty's Goat

         A film clip of Mother McGinty's Goat 
                        The first two pages of this book.

 

 I decided today was dads day.  Lots of fathers enjoy reading to their children. Andrew Walker was up for it after he had packed up the camp ready to head home to Melbourne. 

His two boys Leo and Gus enjoy stories and especially love goats.

Mother McGinty's Goat was my second book illustrated by Richard Herbert in Tongala.  We employed a local goat to pose for the illustrations!

This story was written about one of the goats I remember well from my childhood in Ballarat.  Mum's favourite song at the time was Paddy McGinty's Goat so every goat was a McGinty's goat to us. 

 

To order your copy of Mother McGinty's Goat email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.  susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

 

 

 

Film clip of The Bunyip in Fiery Creek

 

Film clip of The Bunyip in Fiery Creek - a chapter book for older readers.

 

 

 

 

Sue is a Palawa aboriginal woman and lectures in Aboriginal studies.  She very kindly offered to read  part of this story about the Bunyip in Fiery Creek.
The bunyip story fascinated me and I wanted to take it from pre settlement to present day.
Sue helped me by reading the manuscript to ensure I had presented all the Koorie information correctly and sensitively.
At the back of the book I have produced the newspaper article from the 1950's which was reprinted from an earlier edition in the 1800's. 
Introducing a young Koorie boy from the city to the bush was quite a challenge but Levi proved to be a vital link from first settlement of the land to present day.
I hope everyone enjoys this celebration of the relationships grandparents have with their grandchildren.
 This story is suitable for 8 to 80 year old readers!

To order your copy of The Bunyip in Fiery Creek email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.  susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

Film Clip of Wilberforce the Wombat

        Film clip of Wilberforce the Wombat -  
         a tiny ant book for young readers.

                                                                

 

Sally Triggs and her family were camping at Wonboyn Lake when she kindly offered to read  a couple of pages of this story to her children Chloe and Jessie.  The children were still a little sleepy as it was quite early in the morning.  Not long after they packed up and headed off towards Victoria on their way to Perth, Western Australia.  They love wombats and we have a big fellow who wanders the park after dark, feeding on the grassy slope just near the laundry with a mob of kangaroos.

This story was initiated by a family camping trip in the high country.  Uncle Tot just happened to pitch his tent on a wombat trail.  He refused to move it and was kept awake all night by the wombat bouncing off his tent.

Helen has managed to capture the almost slapstick wombat behaviour beautifully.  Her illustrations create great hilarity with littlies rolling around laughing at Wilberforce.

 

To order your copy of Wilberforce the Wombat email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.  susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

Film clip of Snug Cove Sam

                           Film Clip of Snug Cove Sam -
                 a tiny ant book for young readers.

          

 

It was a beautiful day at Snug Cove - perfect for filming this little film featuring the first two pages of the book.  This time I am the reader and my patient, long-suffering husband Brian filmed the clip. 

Helen Leach's colourful illustrations reflect the beauty of this busy port in Eden on the New South Wales coast - not all that far from Wonboyn Lake where we live.  A huge cruise ship had just arrived and over 2,000 passengers and crew were disembarking. 

Small fishing trawlers were returning at the same time - much the same as the Jaunty Jane, the boat in this story - I wonder if their catches were good ones?

 

To order your copy of Snug Cove Sam email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area.  susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

 

Film Clip of Playing Possum

               Film clip of Playing Possum

My project for 2016 is to provide an insight into my books with a film clip of just the first page or so.  I hope you enjoy these little tastes of each story. 
It's pretty obvious that l'll never be a contender for an Oscar. 

 
Using the QR code on my business cards and those on the latest books readers can visit this blog and see the parts of each book.
My niece Julie was here for a visit with her children Kaitlin and Jarek.  Playing Possum, my first book, is one of Kaities favourite stories.
Each night they were out spotlighting possums in the park and visiting the kangaroos feeding on the grassy bank just near their cabin.
Richard Herbert's gentle illustrations have made this story a classic now in it's third reprint.

To order your copy of Playing Possum email me for a list of those stocking my books in your area. susiesarah@hotmail.com.au

 

     COLOURFUL BOOK SIGNINGS

 

My pre Christmas book signings were great fun and more than a little social as you will note by the photos.  The tour started at Bairnsdale and Sale Collins stores then on to Euroa Naturally Made and finishing with the Tumut Newsagency. The two ladies on either side of Rita, who with her husband Michael own the Mallacoota News Agency, were at the book signing in Euroa at Naturally Made with shop owner Leah Jones. It was a fast forward week and extremely successful for all - I met a descendant of Ned Kelly which was a great surprise to us both I think!

                                                   

Heading home along the Snowy Mountain Highway I finally saw a mob of brumbies and almost wore out the camera taking heaps of photos.  At one of the roadside stops Brian noticed this sign on the concrete track - thankfully we didn't see any snakes.  Being on the road does have some wonderful moments!