Last night I finished reading School of Wizardry (Circle of Magic, Book 1)by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald. This were slightly like Harry Potter…hang on, I checked the publication date and must change that to Harry Potter is slightly like School of Wizardry (first published in 1990).
The boy has no training [...]

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I own a writing group called A Fantasy Writers Dream. It’s a group that can be quite active at times, but at others it simmers right down (that’s how it is right now). We talk about all things about writing, we offer support and encouragement and generally it’s a great place to learn [...]

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Boost - This community has been recommended to me by several people in a new group I joined yesterday. They do critiques, there’s a forum and plenty of information and support to be had within these pages.
Australian Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators - I’m not sure how useful this site will be [...]

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The Children of Green Knowe by L. M. Boston is a classic from the 1950’s. Before reading the book, I had read a few reviews that compared it to The Secret Garden.
This book didn’t do much for me. In fact, it annoyed me greatly.
It was a spooky type fantasy story, with [...]

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In the past, from the beginning to the end of the project, I’ve pretty much been alone when I write. I’ve had little, or no, input from other writers and have had to find my own way with things. Being a bit of a loner that’s been fine but now I want to [...]

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When writing for children it is important to remember that children love characters. With this in mind, it is equally important to create realistic characters that will reach out and grab the reader and take them on an adventure of a life time.
The good children in your stories must be likeable. They must [...]

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Writer’s block is an inability to write. It’s when the words refuse to flow but it doesn’t mean the writer doesn’t have ideas. I believe it’s a mental thing, a loss of confidence or direction.
This is what Philip Pullman has to say about it:
I don’t believe in it. All writing is difficult. The [...]

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Yesterday, I started and finished reading Clockwork : Or All Wound Up by Philip Pullman. Sounds like a great feat, doesn’t it? There was only 81 pages so I can’t imagine anyone taking too long to read a book that thin.
This was the typical “Once upon a time…” type story. In fact, [...]

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Well, what can I say, I’ve outdone myself and managed to read Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3) in under two weeks. Not often does that happen.
As I said before, Garth Nix has let his mind run wild with this series but in my opinion it works well. [...]

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You may not believe me but this is research. It’s probably going to be a pleasant experience but then I won’t know until I’m finished.
Today, I visited the library and had to endure suspicious looks from not only little kids, but their parents too. Some kids are ruthless and pushy, [...]

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