Today we welcome children’s author, Sandy Fussell, who has come to answer my seven questions (and an extra one of her own). Welcome Sandy!
1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.
In 2007 I had my first book published, Ratbags, an educational title in the Aussie, Aussie series. Peter Viska did the illustrations and it looks great. In 2008 I was fortunate to have three trade books published by Walker Books Australia. The first book Samurai Kids 1: White Crane was released in March 2008. While I initially wrote it as a stand alone my publisher felt it had series potential and also chose to illustrate it. Rhian Nest-James’ black and white drawings give the text an authentic Japanese look and feel and I know readers love them. They write and tell me! White Crane was subsequently picked up by Walker Books UK and Candlewick Press so will see overseas release in 2009. The second book Owl Ninja was released in October this year and an unrelated title, Polar Boy, in August.
I have recently completed Samurai Kids Book 3 and am currently writing Book 4. Another unrelated title will be released in 2010.
I like history and fantasy best. Early history gives me the opportunity to combine these two interests as historically accurate culture and religion of times past often bears a close resemblance to contemporary fantasy elements. And I would love to write a picture book – I think they are magical. Just one would see me satisfied. I have only ever had one picture book idea so that goal might be a long way away.
2. How long have you been writing for children?
I started writing quite by accident in 2003. My avid reader son decided overnight that ‘all books are boring.’ Like any good parent I panicked and bought him even more books. Nothing I provided would change his mind. So I challenged him to write a non-boring book. He told the story and I recorded it. I had some control over language but none over plot. The story was based on his friends and reflected the playground arguments of each day- every night people were being murdered and then springing to life the next afternoon. Very random. And very frustrating. I was inspired to begin writing my own story.
I penned nine 30,000 word manuscripts in three years – I was practising. The last of these was White Crane. I was lucky that I didn’t have to wait a long time to be published – I am definitely a Cinderella writer. But I did also work very hard. In those three years I did a number of courses, attended weekly workshops and anything else I could get to.
3 How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?
It varies but I try to write at least 500 words a night. Even if they are rubbish and I throw them away the next morning. I think discipline is important. Writing is a habit for me. I am probably the most boring and rigid creative person around. I blame my tertiary background in pure mathematics and computing. My family are all in bed by 10.30 pm and then until 12.30 am I will write, read, google, research, play with my websites, email writing colleagues, maybe exchange manuscript notes with a friend – that sort of thing. I also attend a weekly face-to-face workshop. I have a young family and a full-time job so I try to do as much on-line as possible. I do lots of revision editing waiting at the school bus stop.
4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?
I am a very fast reader which is a good thing as once I start a good book I can’t put it down. I can read an average size young adult novel in an hour. And then if I really like it, I will often re-read it. Once for enjoyment and once to learn from it. The book I most recently did this with is an Australian verse novel Against the Tide by Irini Savvides. Wonderful! I try to read three books a week – usually junior fiction but I will always be tempted by a good fantasy especially if there is a dragon in it. Last week I read Skulduggery Pleasant Playing With Fire (Derek Landry), Loathing Lola (William Kostakis) and an adult novel for a change – Dark Mountain (Catherine Jinks). Loved them all. On my desk for this week are Brisingr (Christopher Paolini), Dragon Dawn (Carole Wilkinson) and Into White Silence (Anthony Eaton).
5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?
If you want to be discovered you have to get out there where people will trip over you. Learn everything you can. Meet everyone you can. Give as much as you can to others. I received all this advice from Di Bates, who mentored me through every aspect of the writing profession. Her advice is brilliant and I’m glad of the opportunity to share it. Someone else once told me writing is 95% sweat and 5% talent. Personally I’m not too sure of the percentage but there is definitely a lot of persistence, hard work and perspiration required. I am the queen of overkill!
In relation to writing historical fiction, I received two wonderful pieces of early advice that I would also like to repeat. They weren’t given to me personally, I heard them at seminars (another reason to attend!), but they immediately struck home. Vashi Farrer said if you write at the edge of history then you have more room to move – your story will not be so closely dictated by major events. And Felicity Pulman said to never overlook the value of an illustrated junior reference book as a picture can be worth a thousand words.
My own advice is – write, write, write. Then write some more. Be involved. You can be part of the industry even before your first book is published. In addition to my own writing I mentor two new writers, wrote a local newspaper books column (up until the paper folded a few months ago), am on the executive of the local branch of the CBCA and am the web master for an on-line book review magazine The Reading Stack. Other projects are in the pipeline.
6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?
My favourite resource is answers.com. I love the thesaurus. Not to look up words but to wander around in. I once read that Stephen King said any word found via a thesaurus is not worth using and while I would never be so foolish as to argue with Stephen, I think the thesaurus is a great place to throw a fishing net. I just trawl through looking for words that make me feel things. When I was writing Polar Boy, it was a real challenge to describe a minimalist landscape of snow and ice with a very limited repertoire of imagery. So I went ice fishing in the thesaurus and I discovered snizzle – a light fall of snow. I can still remember how it felt – it felt soft on my shoulders. Another night I discovered screak when I was looking up onomatopoeias. I love them. They’re my favourite sorts of words. Was there ever a better work to describe a bat cry than screak?
When I write, answers.com is always open. I look up words I use not to replace them, but to get a wider sensory experience from them.
7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?
As a computer programmer with a background in web site build and design, using the web for promotion is second-nature to me. I have two websites. The first is my author website www.sandyfussell.com which is all about me, my books, my journey and the books that inspire me. My second website is dedicated to the Samurai Kids series and specifically provides teaching resources such as a webquest, fun activities for kids such as an on-line quiz Which Samurai Kid Are You? and information about the series. Kids can even print Samurai Kids cards.
I attend everything and anything. In the last two months I spoke at Bookfeast in western Sydney (a gathering of 400 students), presented sessions at three schools for Book Week, gave a public reading in the local mall as part of the Viva La Gong Festival and attended two primary school ‘literary luncheons’. It’s all fun.
And if I could add a question of my own…
8 What is the best thing about being a children’s writer?
The kids. It’s a real privilege to write for kids, to receive their feedback and be involved in their reading experience. I love doing school visits. This initially surprised me because while I felt it was important and was determined it give it my best shot, I thought I would not be very good. But I soon discovered it doesn’t matter whether I am a polished performer or not. Kids love meeting an author and they definitely love all things samurai. I went to sword fighting classes as part of my research so I have a bokken, a wooden practice sword. And I also like to play with sound words so I have a gong (in Samurai Kids Sensei is always banging a gong). I take these with me to schools. Loud noises and pointy sticks – what kids wouldn’t like that? I have heaps of fun and hopefully the children learn a little too.
I was lucky enough to be invited as Official Guest at the Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts. It’s a long story where the first choice, a well known TV actor couldn’t make it last minute, and I have family in the area so was a logical fill-in fallback. Not only was it a wonderful experience where I made lots of speeches, presented medals and judged competitions, but in the street parade one of the local schools dressed as Samurai Kids and when they came to the official dais, they shouted ‘Sensei’ and all turned and bowed to me. I’ll admit it – I bawled!
Thanks so much for dropping in, Sandy. If YOU would like to answer these seven questions and be featured her on this blog, drop me a line at sally @ sallymurphy.net.