Kitchen gardens, pear pies and drawing - what Covid 19 did for me

As a childrens' author I am constantly thinking of cool ideas to write about. Sometimes there's a bit of a traffic jam in my head as all the ideas start shouting at once! That's when I have to get organised.

I used to write everything in notebooks. Then I filled 18 of them and couldn't remember where I wrote things! So I switched to a totally different system - index cards. whatever idea that comes to me is jotted down, whether its a story idea, a character, a scene or random stuff i don't know where to put. If I can't sleep  because an idea is buzzing inside my skull I reach for a pen and a card, which are next to my bed. Then the next day I file them with similar ideas. So far its working really well! If I have ideas about the book I am currently writing, the cards help  me keep important bits of information close by, where I can access them, rather that hunting through all those notebooks!

So, being a bit organised helps me keep all these exciting little tidbits handy for when I want to use them. Try it!

So, living through Covid 19 has been interesting hasn't it? Some families have unfortunately suffered from a parent losing their job. Other families have had to adjust to working from home, with all the distractions and jobs to do! PLUS kids being home schooled! What it unique is that every country int he world has been experiencing this together, AT THE SAME TIME. Never have we all been so closely connected by experiences.

Lots of new music and films and books have already begun to emerge from this interesting period. I have gone back to serious drawing, which I used to love so much! I completed the eagle drawing, then a horse and now I am working on a tabby cat. (somewhat ambitious I think, because it's a lot harder than I thought!).

We live on a beautiful 100 acre farm in Tasmania, where there is always lots to do! In a few months we will have lambs popping out, so things will get VERY BUSY! (see my other blog about the farm https://crumbletonmanor.blogspot.com/ )

During isolation we home schooled our daughter, so that took up lots of writing time. I also had a very productive kitchen garden (not a garden in the kitchen, silly, a garden FOR the kitchen!) and was cooking, bottling and chopping all sorts of yummy stuff. I cooked pies, bottled pears and tomatoes, made jam and all sorts of things. It was all very exciting, but there was little time to work on book 2 of my FLIGHT trilogy. Remember book 1 - Rebel?

buy Rebel on smashwords

Isolation made things very difficult for my publisher too, Shooting Star Press. Consequently Rebel is only an ebook at the moment. Print version will be available soon. We've all had to change how we do things,  haven't we? Except Harry, of course. He just does what he pleases most of the time, which generally involves sleeping. I bought him a harness and we go for walks outside now. He is a little scared of the sheep! But quite happy to sniff noses with Polly and Flossie, our border collies. Sometimes he 'helps' me in the kitchen. 

apple pies!

Harry 'helping'

Harry and Flossie pear picking

some produce from my kitchen garden

Harry on a day trip to our bottom 50 acres to pick rosehips

As we all start to get back to the 'new normal' I find myself quite keen to get moving with new projects. So I am working on the tabby portrait, AND book 2 (called Runaway) AND planting out vegetable seedlings in my garden AND planning what flowers I want for spring. Phew! Covid 19 has made me very busy.

Christina Booth - Australian Author/Illustrator of fabulous stories!

Recently I attended a CBCA (Childrens Book Council of Australia) function here in Tasmania and met Christina Booth, author/illustrator, who was the guest speaker. Not only is she an amazing and talented author and illustrator, but a really nice person to boot! And quite funny! I can see why she enjoys writing for children so much and why they enjoy her workshops/visits.

Christina has written, authored and illustrated many books for kids, some winning awards, such as The ANZAC Tree, which won a Notable award this year.

"The Anzac Tree is the story of those left behind at times of war. Inspired by the true story of two brothers who planted two trees before departing for The Great War, The Anzac Tree follows the stories of the children left behind in each generation as Australia faces a new conflict. After one hundred years of Anzac Commemorations and war history, we journey through the changes in attitudes, events and circumstances looking through the eyes of Phillip (WW1), Kenneth (WW2), Sophie (Korea), Emily (Vietnam), Chris (Iraq) and Jack (Afghanistan). Presented like a scrapbook of memories and notes, this story is suitable for younger children through to adults." (from Christina's website: click here

One of her favourite books is Too Many Sheep, which is such fun!

"When Grandpa Jack can't sleep, he counts sheep, and off to sleep he goes. So what happens if you can't find any sheep to count? you invite them to your house of course. Follow the antics of too many sheep and how they can't help you sleep, or can they?"
(click here)

Other titles include: Kip, Welcome Home, Purinina and Potato Music. At the CBCA function Christina unveiled her newest book, which hadn't been released yet, about the last Tasmanian Tiger, or Thylacine, as they are officially called. I will freely admit we were all affected by her reading of this story. Beautiful detail in her artwork and a very moving and sad tale of the life of the last female tiger, inaccurately called Benjamin, who died in Beaumaris zoo here in Tassie in 1936.

Christina is not afraid to tackle these hefty subjects. She has written about war, whaling, forgiveness, the environment, family and more.

The SCBWI conference is in Hobart soon and I look forward to catching up with Christina again!