A Fair Fight is a bully story with a twist, proving you don’t always have to use your fists, you just need to fight fair.

“Outsmart the enemy,” advises Gramps. Easy for him to say. Every day Andrew has to face the bully Pryke and his gang, and they always call the shots. But Gramps is right, there is no way Andrew can out-muscle them. So how can he change the rules to make  a fair fight?

(Gilt Edge Publishing – New Zealand)

A thrilling week for me!

On Friday I flew to Brisbane for the 2011 CYA Conference. I’d heard so much about this conference over the past few years and have been keen to go, then this year I had a huge added incentive.

Back in June, I entered into the published authors section of the CYA writing competition. I was delighted a few weeks to go to learn my YA novel manuscript had been shortlisted.

Now, I’m thrilled to say that Jumping Through Hoops has won the published author section, and I loved being there at the conference to collect my award.

I had a fantastic time catching up with some real and online writing buddies and meeting some lovely new ones. As well as attending all the wonderful author sessions and a brilliant Brian Falkner workshop.

I promised to check out some writing resources for the group, and thought once I put the listing together that maybe some other keen young writers might chance upon it if I put the information and links up on my blog.

As I Google my way around, I marvel at how many opportunities are out there for all writers. Just a search away. Entering competitions and writing for anthologies, magazines (online and print) can offer great income generating and publication potential. All contribute to our writing credibility and publication credits.

Catriona Hoy is about to launch her brand new picture book George and Ghost. To celebrate and publicise her latest book baby, she’ll be touring the blogosphere from Monday 7th March ’til Monday 14th March. I’m excited she’ll be visiting me at my blog From Hook to Book on Saturday 12th March to talk all about George and Ghost, picture books, and publication - both here and overseas. Stop by on the 12th and meet the delightful Catriona, and be sure to drop in on her other stops too, where she’ll be sharing lots of insights into the writing and publishing of George and Ghost and talking all things picture books.

George and Ghost are friends, but George isn’t sure he believes in Ghost anymore. How will Ghost prove to George that he is real.

“This heartwarming book explores the up and down emotions of childhood friendship – whether real or make-believe.”

You can also catch up with Catriona on her other tour stops:-

Monday March 7
Claire Saxby:  Let’s Have Words
Topic: Art vs Science

Tuesday March 8
Rebecca Newman: Alphabet Soup Magazine’s Soup Blog
Topic: Does a picture book need editing?

Wednesday March 9
Trevor Cairney: Literacy, Families and Learning
Topic: The Writing Journey

Thursday March 10 (Official Release Day!)
Robyn Opie: Writing Children’s Books With Robyn Opie
Topic: Writing George and Ghost

Friday March 11
Dee White: Kid’s Book Capers : Boomerang Books
Topic: Ghosts…Do You Believe? And…a review!

Saturday March 12
Chris Bell: From Hook To Book
Topic: Picture books: Here and Overseas.

Monday March 14
Lorraine Marwood: Words into Writing
Topic: What’s real anyway? ]]> http://www.chrisbell.com.au/news/exciting-visitor-catriona-hoy-on-tour/feed/ 0 http://www.chrisbell.com.au/news/news-the-doublecross-at-brighton-grammar-school/ http://www.chrisbell.com.au/news/news-the-doublecross-at-brighton-grammar-school/#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:32:56 +0000 Chris http://www.chrisbell.com.au/?p=620 I was honoured this week to be invited to Brighton Grammar School to check out a research study by The Crowther Centre to compare the differences and possible benefits of working with digital text/e-books – using Apple iPads – compared to working with a physical book. The thrilling part for me is that they’re using my title, The Doublecross, published by Pearson Education (Rigby), as the featured text.

It was fantastic to see the kids so engaged with the technology and the book. Visit my blog From Hook to Book to read more about the visit and the e-book vs the printed book in the classroom.

The blog is designed to follow my writing journey. And all writing journeys begin with an idea – the hook that tempts the reader in. The premise that begins the journey and takes the writer all the way from the hook through to a finished book.

My current work-in-progress is a Y/A historical novel set in the early nineteenth century. I can’t give too much away yet, but I can tell you that the journey of Maire, my main character, is fraught, and at times she might wish herself back to Scotland. Being an historical novel, spanning several years, it demands a great deal of careful research, but I’m loving every minute of it. From scouring old newspapers of the day, investigating how people peeled their potatoes and blacked their fire grates, bathed and baked and bedded down in a tiny Scottish mining row, it’s a fascinating journey.

I also share some interesting insights into the writing life, from pitching to publishers, keeping your head in  your story, and what to do about the writing wobblies.

Drop by From Hook to Book if you’d like to learn more.

Hope to see you there soon.

Best wishes, Chris

My WIP begins in a tiny Scottish coal mining village gone from existence some fifty years plus. A common enough story in Scotland. Mighty bings that once dominated the backdrop of such villages have all been removed and little remains as evidence of the hundreds of coal mining villages once dotted across the country.

Research – according to one dictionary – means the diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject. Sounds pretty dull. Not so.  I’ve found the research for my WIP, a young adult crossover novel, to be anything but… Spellbound more aptly describes it – from day one.

The passion I feel for the settings and era of my novel keeps drawing me back to learn more. Sometimes I have to give myself a serious slap and close the window on research to get some actual story writing done. I can see and hear my characters and place them in the moment I’m researching. Never more so than during my recent research trip to Scotland.

I was able to confirm much of what I’d investigated previously, though I did discover a couple of my “Scottishisms” were incorrect. The matter of a few miles can change the way of referring to the simplest of things. For instance, I was calling my protagonist’s mother Mam, but in Lanark, I’m told, it should be Mum or ma or maw. Also I learned that babies are called weans in that part of the land, not bairns as they are known further east. Small details, yes, but, regardless of  fiction, they must be correct.

I spent time in the local heritage centre and library going through old files and newspapers and found references bearing out my previous library, internet and personal interview research. Old ordinance maps showed the layout of the village and surrounding landscape, not to mention some very un-PC references to the nearby town Poorhouse and lunatic asylum. I was fortunate to meet with a local ranger and spent several hours with him poring over old photographs of the mining village and its inhabitants while he regaled me with stories and invaluable connections to place and time.

Travel takes us not only over the seas to new lands but into new places in the mind. Sights, smells, sounds, the mystery written in the face of a passing stranger all combine with the promise of story. As an avid writer, I was ready and open to catch them passing on the breeze. And, boy, did they come.

On the banks of the Strathclyde Loch I found the village come to life. Echoes of the past vivid in my mind and unbeknownst to me my husband snapped the photo seen here of me intent on writing a scene on the spot. I was so engrossed I didn’t even notice when it started to rain.

Most importantly, I also felt a strong emotional connection to my grandmother and her family that for me was not altogether unexpected but overwhelming in its intensity. I visited the cemetery where my grandmother’s  baby sister was buried in common ground and words cannot explain the deep peace and sense of satisfaction I found in being there.

Now, on with the writing…

The Barnyard Dance is a rhyming, rollicking yarn full of fun and brought vividly to life by Richard Hoit’s bright full colour images.

Cora and the Firestorm is the dramatic story of a lioness racing a firestorm to get back to her cubs. Superb illustrations by Brandi November-Lyons evoke the colours, texture and drama of the African savanna.