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In the business of selling

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler

Capalaba signing small sizeI’m very fortunate to have a fabulous bookshop near me, which not only stocks good books, but offers great reading advice too. They have been super supportive of  my first children’s book, Smooch & Rose, and of my second, Spud & Charli due out in September this year. I often pop in for a chat, and make sure I support them too, as good bookstores are getting harder and harder to find.

I asked them 10 questions about book selling, and this is what they had to say …

How many books do you sell in an average week? Between 500 and 600. (Wow that’s a lot: more than I thought to be honest). 

Which would be your most popular genre of book? Crime Fiction and Kids books. (Mmmm, I thought it would be cook books. Weren’t they all the rage?)

What age group are the most prolific book buyers? Adults (Figures). 

How many new childrens’ books enter the market a week?  There is a lot going on a month in regards with kids books. We only see a small percentage that come through to the Australian market, but to give you an idea in the UK and US there are thousands of new publications every month. Bookshops in Australia don’t reflect the full range that is published monthly. 

How long do you keep a children’s book for before you send it back unsold? Approx 3 months. 

06/12/2013 FEATURES: The Year My Life Broke by John MarsdenWhat sells a kids book? Is it the cover, the way it’s positioned on a shelf, or do the children/adults come in asking for it? A bit of everything: cover, price, well respected author and a good display is always a winner. 

Do adults come in and choose books for children aged 8-12, or do children come in and choose their own books at that age? A bit of both, word of mouth between the kids at school help them to know what is good and what is popular.

How many people ask for your recommendation and go on that alone? About 6 out of 10 (Wow, that’s a lot! So it’s good to get to know your booksellers and keep up a good relationship with them.) 

Is price a problem for many of your customers. Eg: do they think they want a book, but then put it back because of price? (in your opinion?) Yes, price is a major factor in the buying process.

 

going on a bear huntWhat has been your bestselling children’s book ever? Best ever, Going on a Bear Hunt.

And has there been one which has surprised you?  The Wonkey Donkey was a big surprise for us: it sold heaps.

wonkey donkey

 

 

So there you have it folks. Just in case you were wondering … that’s how it works on the cold face.

 

 

 

 

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My turn on the dance floor

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler

CAM00387My very first Blog Hop!

Now I feel like a teenager again. How can anyone resist an offer from the talented Michael Gerard Bauer, and then once accepted, not follow through? Not me, chickadee. So here we go, my blog hop about #mywritingprocess. It’s kind of like a chain letter, but via blogs. I get to answer 4 questions about my writing, and then pass the baton on to three others. But before you read on, if you’re not familiar with Michael’s amazing work, check him out at his site: http://michaelgerardbauer.com/ but then, make sure you come back. It’s my turn on the dance floor…

Question one: what are you working on at the moment?

Sam with tortoiseWell … let’s see. My latest children’s book, Spud & Charli, has gone off to the printers (yay!), so no point worrying about that for a while, (it’s out late August, in case you were wondering). My next story is with the people who make the important decisions, (fingers crossed) which leaves me … working on another children’s story! This one is about a tortoise and an old man who’s forgotten he has one. So, a swing to the left on this one – my previous three were all about vulnerable Australian animals, and somehow I don’t think a tortoise quite fits into that category. But I do love them! A lot.

Right, so question two: How do you think your work differs from that of other writers in your genre?852967248dd3e6cb3942a1fe6af42945_S

My stories are a bit different because, although they feature animals, the story is always about the protagonist first, adventure second, and then, by the way, did you know this particular animal (eg the koala, fruit bats) is in serious trouble? Rather than the other way around. They are just the type of story I like to read: where I’m caught up in the story, but also learn something while I’m at it.

Question three: Why do you write what you write?

I write children’s books because I seem to have the right writing voice for that 8-12 year old market. Whenever I’ve tried to write YA or adult fiction, I keep coming back to a younger voice instead. So I’m sticking with it. I also work with kids, so it make sense to write about them. And animals? I love them and having so many of my own, I feel comfortable writing about them, and sharing their stories with readers. It also means I get to meet some amazing, dedicated people along the way. Research is a fabulous gift for a writer.

And, finally, question four: What’s your writing process, and how does it work?

baby koala from facebookI usually swill an idea around in my head for ages before putting anything down. By the time I start writing, I usually have a firm beginning, a pretty clear idea of the characters, but often no real plans for the end. I get to know my characters first draft, and then improve them as neccessary in following drafts. I re-write a lot and my final draft often looks nothing like the first. But funnily enough, those first few opening lines hardly change.

Okay, that’s the #mywritingprocess blog hop questions answered. Phew, I’m exhausted after all that hopping and bopping! It must be someone else’s turn to take the floor? May I introduce the lovely Charmaine Clancy, charming Dimity Powell, and ever squishy, Katherine Battersby to take it from here.

 

Iphone June 2014 073Charmaine Clancy is an author of novels for kids and teens, tutors students for English and runs children’s writing workshops in Brisbane.
She has worked in education, marketing, publication and the film industry – plus she’s had some pretty cool part time jobs like baking cookies and grooming dogs. I was lucky enough to attend her recent book launch of Undead Kev: and was blown away by her enthusiasm and passion for writing. http://charmaineclancy.com

10418249_10152534032763690_3484902613418557195_nDimity Powell is a creator of children’s stories and picture books who says her qualifications for this include Professional Children’s Writing Courses, Motherhood, Director of Marketing in the Leisure, Boating and Hospitality Industries and travelling around the world a couple of times or maybe more. She explains that to read, write and inspire ranks as high for her as wining and dining. http://dimswritestuff.blogspot.com.au

katherine BKatherine Battersby is not only gorgeous, but she’s the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of Squish Rabbit, which was named a CBC Children’s Choice book in the US (2012). It was also shortlisted for the Crichton Award and was a Notable Book in the Australian CBCA Book of the Year Awards (2012). Her second book, Brave Squish Rabbit, was released in 2012 and was shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards (2013) and the SCBWI Crystal Kite awards (2013). Check out where she’ll be in her upcoming visit home to Australia, via http://wellreadrabbit.wordpress.com/

 

So, now, its time to fill my glass and kick back and watch the others on the dance floor!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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blog 66: In which I take part in a BLOG HOP.

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler

Michael Gerard Bauer Author

My friend and super-talented Brisbane-based poet, critic and editor Zenobia Frost has invited me to take part in a blog hop. It goes like this: I ask myself the following four questions, answer them and then pass the baton on to three fellow writers to do exactly the same, thus keeping the blog hop rolling for all eternity!

I first met Zen when I presented her with a poetry prize at the 2004 Literary Awards for school students. She was brilliant then and since has become even more dazzlingly brilliant. Check out everything about her here: A Storm of Tea Cups.

Anyway here I go answering my own questions:

  1. Michael, what are you working on at the moment?

Well Michael I don’t usually talk much about my current projects but I like the cut of your jib so I’ll answer you. At present I’m working on completing three stories for younger readers concerning the adventures of Secret Agent Derek…

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Slow and steady wins the day

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler
100 year old plus some

100 years old plus some

My first ever pet disappeared into someone’s soup. No, he didn’t fall. We were fresh out from England and didn’t know that in Africa tortoise was a local delicacy. I had him about a year until he was fat enough… I mean, until he ‘disappeared.’

In that year, I fell in love.

Most 6 year olds girls I knew played with dolls and prams and nice clean girly stuff. But not me. My tortoise and I were best mates out in our red soil yard. We played doctors and nurses (that’s another story – sorry Blackie the rabbit) and made pretend houses from mud, sticks and grass. We nibbled home grown peanuts and took turns on the swing. Until the shock discovery of the empty pen.

He’s run away, said my mum.

A tortoise. Run away? But I believed her, and grieved like only a 7 year old can, with a private memorial service of course. I never stopped hoping he’d come on home, and it was only many years later I found out about the soup.

Sam with tortoiseSince then, I’ve always had a thing for tortoises. Perhaps it’s their smiley faces. Or their ungainly gait. Either way, it led me to Ecuador last month to see the giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. And they didn’t disappoint. I was surprised how active they were for such heavy animals (they weigh on average 250kg), and how tolerant they were of us snapping cameras in their faces. The ones we saw were over 100 years old, living completely in the wild. The Darwin Research Institute collects most of the eggs (each female only lays one egg per year) and raises the tortoises in captivity until they are three years old. After that, the introduced predators, like rats and dogs, won’t eat them, they’re released in the area they came from, and they thrive.

The Galapagos is certainly worth a visit, if you happen to be passing! Some of the other treats were beautiful Boobie birds, dinosaur like iguanas and bright red chested frigate birds. I can feel a story coming on …

Boobie Bird of the Galapagos

Boobie Bird of the Galapagos

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Land based iguana

Frigate bird

Male Frigate bird

 

 

 

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A matter of write or wrong

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler

It seems kids don’t hate maths anymore. Now they hate … English!

Abby with puppy jazzy

Abby with puppy Jazzy

A recent chat with a friend’s daughter, Abby, helped me understand. Abby told me that she hates English because she hates writing. I’ve heard this before. But why? Trying to get to the bottom of it, I ask Abby, ‘But you like reading right?’ Oh yes! What’s your favourite book? Well … a small shy tilt of the head …well that would be Smooch & Rose. My heart melts. Abby likes my book. She’s read it three times. She wants to be a wildlife carer when she grows up (like Rose). There’s no second option. Wildlife carer or nothing. She makes me smile. Other favourite reading titles include the National Geographic for Kids magazine which comes out every month, and of course, other animal books. Her favourite animal is the cheetah, because it is the fastest runner in the world. She’d like to go to Africa to see one in the wild one day.

So why do you hate writing Abby?

A pause. I prefer to draw, she says. Here’s the picture I’m drawing at the moment. Abby shows me a picture of a girl with stars in her hair. She’s gorgeous, wouldn’t you like to write about her? A tiny shake of the head. But say you did decide to write about this girl, and she had the job of telling all the kids in the Australia how to help koalas, what would you write? Oh, that’s easy. I would write that people should car pool to save carbon emissions, and people should drive more carefully at night so they don’t knock koalas over. They should definitely lock their dogs up at night … a pause while Jazzie, the 6 month old family puppy breaks inside and nibbles our plate of bikkies … and they should tell everyone how precious our koalas are.

Great! I say. There you go, you could easily write all that! Abby smiles and doesn’t look convinced. I think I’ve cracked the problem. Our kids are getting stage fright. They worry what they have to say might not be polished enough or exciting enough, so they get scared and resist putting words down on paper. After all, their world is full of amazing entertainment. What on earth could they possibly say of interest to anyone?

Easier to write nothing.

CheetahSo how can we help retrieve the love of writing? I think the answer is to take away the pressure. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to the imagination. Enid Blyton didn’t have to worry about Naplan narratives. Try writing a story out loud. No pens to paper, just starting big, letting our imaginations run wild. Wild like an African cheetah. It seems that free of all the restraints of actually writing, anyone can make a narrative sing. It’s about being brave enough to think big, without the fear of falling. And remembering the big five: the who, what, where, when and how of storytelling,

By the way, Abby’s favourite colour is yellow and she loves ice-cream.

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When I grow up …

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Samantha Wheeler

my family and other animalsOne of my favourite books when I was young was ‘My Family and Other Animals” by Gerald Durrell. I so much wanted to be Gerry – living on an island in Greece, collecting animals and exploring nature all day. In high school, I toyed with becoming a marine biologist so I could swim with dolphins, or becoming a vet so I could work with elephants in the wilds of Africa. But my ever practical Dad talked me out of both options, and instead I chose a degree in Agriculture. A sensible and wise choice.

Actually, I loved working with farmers, but don’t you always wonder, what if …?

This year, I had the pleasure in meeting a real life park ranger, the talented and compassionate Kristen from the Daisy Hill Koala Centre. Kristen has many roles, including caring for koalas that come to the centre after recovering from injury or disease. This is what she said about being a ranger:

Kristen with Elsa

“I always wanted to work with animals, right from about the age of six. I thought maybe I would grow up to be a cat minder, or a pet sitter or maybe a ranger. To become a park ranger, I studied Applied Science at Gatton, followed by a six month course at TAFE studying native animal care. (I started with Environmental Science, but there was way too much chemistry.) Once I was finished, I volunteered in a wildlife park at the Gap in Brisbane, before getting the job at Daisy Hill. The best part of my job is having a close relationship with koalas, and the worst is seeing some of the koalas we pick up in the koala ambulance.”

In the picture above, Kristen is feeding a beautiful female koala called Elsa. Elsa was injured by a car at eight months old and arrived at the centre after she was unable to return to the wild. She’d had an upset stomach a few days before, and Kristen collected some droppings from the healthy koalas to feed to Elsa to return some healthy bacteria to her system. A bit like how we would take Inner Health Plus if our system was out of whack. Elsa patiently sucked up all the syringes Kristen had made, and then went off to eat some fresh eucalypt leaves collected by other rangers in the park. It was clear how close Kristen was to her koalas and her knowledge and commitment to them was inspiring.

Daisy Hill koalaDaisy Hill is having an Open Day on January 19th  if you want to meet Kristen, or Elsa, or even me, as I will be attending. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about koalas or about becoming a ranger, or just to see koalas up close, for free. For details, see here. For information about what you can do to help koalas, see my website.

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Time for reflection

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Samantha Wheeler
Time for reflection

Last night, hubby and I went to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Have you seen it? It was pretty good, although we had mixed opinions on the narrative. But it was a fitting movie for this time of year, a time when we reflect on the year gone by and make some dodgy promises about the year ahead. In the movie, Walter goes off on all sorts of adventures after leading a pretty boring life. As hubby and I left the theatre, we were tempted to say … yeah… hang it… next year, we’re deserting our boring hum drum life and we’re off to Iceland to climb volcanoes. Next year – we’re going to start really living.

But, overnight I did some reflecting. Is our life really boring? Hum drum? I don’t think so. Some of the not so boring things from 2013 included

  • getting stuck half way down the Toowoomba range towing my brand new Quarter horse, Oscar, home. The brakes failed coming down in rush hour traffic and hubby had to drive up from Brisbane with another ute to rescue us. The whole trip took about 8 completely un-boring hours, and included a bizarre conversation with “000”, where they suggested we tow the float and my ute down with the other ute hooked on at the front. Yeah right! That’s safe.
  • snorkelling at the wrecks on Moreton Island and spending time with my girls and hubby, just chilling.
  • visiting the Margaret River with some dear friends and finding out that Chardonnay is not Chardonnay anymore. It’s gone from ho hum to yum yum. In the Margaret River anyway. Fantastic part of the world, I recommend it.
  • mmm… let me  see … having a BOOK published! Yay! Didn’t see that in Walter Mitty. A very exciting part of 2013 indeed.
  • meeting some amazing people involved with koala conservation, plus getting to cuddle a few beautiful koalas.

So, 2013 was definitely not boring.  Even though my new diary says “2014: My Best Year Yet”, I think the year gone by will be hard to top.  I am lucky to have loved and to have been loved. Isn’t that what life’s all about?

As Helen Keller said:

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt from the heart.

Happy 2014 everyone!

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Thanks to our teachers

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Samantha Wheeler

Can anyone make a difference?

I’ve been privileged these last few weeks to speak in some local schools about koala conservation while talking about my book Smooch & Rose. What a delight it has been! I have attended koala consevation meetings and read articles about the rapidly falling numbers of koalas in SE Queensland, and I often find myself in a state of despair about the fate of our furry little friend. But after my recent school visits, a tiny ray of hope has broken through the gloom.

Welcome sign from Redlands State SchoolNot only have the students I’ve visited been well informed and enthusiastic about wildlife conservation, they are encouraged to embrace this passion by their wonderful teachers. When I ask students about what is killing our koalas, they know the answer. Habitat destruction, disease, dog attacks and car fatalities. Over 16,000 koalas have been killed in the last few years, which is way too many. Students as young as seven have great ideas about how to prevent these unnecessary deaths and they are confident and optimistic with their views.

This confidence comes from great teaching.

So thanks to the teachers and parents of our next generation. Thanks to you, I am starting to feel hopeful that our koala may have a future. If the students I’ve met these last few weeks are any indication, standing up for Australia’s favourite icon will be second nature to them. They haven’t lost their way about what is important and as one boy put it, ‘we need koalas because they make us happy’. Yes they do. Like many things in nature, koalas can’t be quantified in dollar terms or by a list of their useful products. Koalas make us happy and our children’s children need to have them in their lives.

When I wrote Smooch & Rose, I hoped that the message ‘anyone can make a difference’ would stick. I’m starting to see it will. I just hope it won’t be too late.

What can you do to help?

Koalas should be protected.

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Who will speak out for our koalas?

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Samantha Wheeler

Since writing Smooch & Rose, I have discovered all sorts of mind blowing schemes that threaten our precious wildlife. Development, logging, lack of long term planning. But what can we do to stop it? Hopefully not chaining ourselves to trees (although, in some cases, people have still been pushed to do this). According to a recent Griffith University study, when it comes to creating real, sustainable change, the power of the community is second to none. The power of community? What can we, the ordinary people, do?

Standing up for what you believe in can be difficult and unrewarding, and many of us hope that someone else will do it

koala in local bushlandIn the last few months, I’ve met some of the inspiring people who are those someone else’s. For example, Debbie Pointing and the members of the well established Koala Action Group (KAG) in Redland Bay. KAG works extremely hard to advise and direct development in our area to protect koalas, including talking and negotiating with developers, running a Koala Count-a-thon to map where the koalas live, and planting thousands of trees. The task is however frustrating and difficult and development in Redland Bay continues at a rapid rate.

Kangaroos

Another group with the same mind set is the newly developed “MHANLEG” (Mango Hill & North Lakes Environment Group), led by Dave Norman. One of their main focuses is to oppose the Petrie Bypass, a massive highway that will cut right through precious koala habitat in the Moreton Bay region. Dave and his team have met with councillors, talked to politicians, filled petitions with hundreds of signatures and met with the public and researchers, all in the hope that people power can still make a difference. They are also keen to trial a tagging system. Local kangaroos are killed by cars at a rate of one per month. Dave hopes to fit the kangaroos with small radio tags linked to a special road side sign. When a tagged kangaroo approaches the traffic, drivers will be alerted that a kangaroo may be trying to cross, and have time to slow down. This system is a great initiative to help our wildlife.

Imagine if our kangaroos and koalas could be tagged and protected from being annihilated on our roads?

cassowary crosses the roadI had a great trip up to Mission Beach recently and met Peter, another inspiring person, from the C4 community group. He and his team are fighting to protect the Southern Cassowary, which like the koala, is being stranded from its rainforest habitat by continual clearing along the coast. Peter and his group have raised $260,000 towards buying a small piece of land that will make a corridor for the cassowaries to get safely from the coast to the rainforest. If they are successful, they may just save the cassowary from extinction.

C4, MHNLEG and KAG are ordinary people making a difference in our community. They are not waiting for politicians to fix things. They are out there, having their say, trying to make sustainable changes for the future of our environment.

Have you, like them, got what it takes? Yes, of course you have!

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I declare this book … launched!

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Samantha Wheeler

Sam and Michael Gerard BauerNerves jangling. Cup cakes iced (thanks Rachael). Bookmarks bundled up and interstate visitors collected. Several outfits later, (it was an unseasonably hot night and the previously chosen dress was too hot) and then … it was time!

The launch of Smooch & Rose!

Koala cupcakesBeautiful Krysi, from Riverbend Books, made us feel welcome from the start, and the talented Michael Gerard Bauer was very kind with his words of encouragement and praise.  Heart thumping, I looked over the sea of happy faces and felt immensely grateful for such a wonderful opportunity. All those smiles, thanks to books and writing. It was quite an emotional moment!

Smooch?A quick self conscious read of Smooch & Rose accompanied by an explanation of its roots, and lots of thank you’s and it was time to sign some books and chat. Smooch & Rose was officially launched! Thank you everyone for coming and for those who couldn’t make it, thank you for your support.

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