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What I've Been Reading # 1 All the Colours of Paradise by Glenda Millard

1/25/2011

4 Comments

 
It didn't feel right just deleting the information in my "What I'm Reading" section of my writing page so I decided to keep a record of them here - my expectations of the book and how it stacks up after reading it.
Picture
This is the 4th instalment from the Kingdom of Silk.
Perry Angel is the newest Silk.
'He arrived on the ten-thirty express with a small and shabby suitcase embossed with five golden letters. It had taken him almost seven years to find the Kingdom of Silk.'
Perry loves drawing but something happens and he may never draw again. Perry may need all the colours of paradise to draw again.

Glenda Millard's books are sensitive and seriously beautiful. Stephen Michael Kings pen and ink washes are delightful but Glenda's writing paints the best pictures. Her words are vibrant and full of colour.

After reading 'All the Colours of Paradise' I still have to say that the first book in the series, ' The Naming of Tishkin Silk' is still my favourite just for the raw emotions it evoked. But this instalment has all the hallmarks of Glenda's writing; simple, evocative and full of colour. It makes me want to move to Cameron' Creek. I'm glad that some of the Rainbow Girls have stepped out of the background in this book.

I have a confession; part of the reason I like this book as much as I do is that I can relate to this one personally through the character of Mr. Jenkins. Not because I tidy the local cemetery - although I do quite like cemeteries. Like Mr. Jenkins, I work at the school with children who need help to adjust and to understand. Being a School Learning Support Officer (Teacher's Aide) is my all-time favourite job that I have held. I have been blessed to work with some wonderful and challenging children.

Another brilliant part of 'All the Colours of Paradise' is that we get to see things through Perry Angels eyes. Even ordinary things become fresh and full of innocence. Did you know, laughter is the colour of watermelons and love is like chocolate melting in the quiet dark? Well you do now.

'All the Colours of Paradise' is a book that young girls will devour. I know a few boys who would enjoy the book, although they probably wouldn't admit it to their footy mates.

Highly recommended.

4 Comments

Workshops at the NSW Writers' Centre

1/19/2011

1 Comment

 
Someone once told me that many people don’t realise that people actually live west of the Blue Mountains. He was mainly talking about the publishing industry at the time. Granted, he was a little jaded and being flippant but he isn’t entirely wrong. It is harder for writers living outside the capitol cities. Not because of publishers but mainly that we don’t have regular access to all the facilities of our city cousins.


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Take the NSW Writers’ Centre.

If I didn’t live three hours away, I’d be at the Centre every week. I’d join one of their numerous writers’ groups and I would go to a lot more of their wonderful workshops. As it is, I try to attend two workshops each year, plus the annual Festival of Children’s Literature.


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Early this month, I attended the “Advanced Picture Book Workshop” with Libby Gleeson. I had high expectations and happily, I wasn’t disappointed. Libby is such a lovely person. She made everyone feel at ease and filled our hungry little minds with insightful and practical information. She also left us with some useful questions to ask ourselves when writing.
Some of these include;


    • What is it that sets your character apart from other picture book characters?

    • Why did you explain what the story is about?

    • Is the orientation too long and complicated?

    • Is there enough dramatic tension in the middle? (Rule of three)

These questions are just as valid for chapter books and novels.

Libby also left us with some interesting quotes.

    • “Try and find that perfect – beautiful image.”

    • “If you are going to do a rhyming text, it MUST be VERY, VERY good.”

    • “If it doesn’t ADD, it SUBTRACTS.” (My personal favourite).

The best thing I took away from the day was the realisation that I’m actually on the right track with my picture book texts. And I’m confident that with persistence and a little luck, I am going to crack this publishing thing.


Picture









What a lovely setting for a workshop.

1 Comment

3-E Poetry

1/19/2011

0 Comments

 
I have been working, for the second half of the year, helping out in on of the year 3 classes. There are some wonderful kids in "3-E", some real characters. The kids have been learning poetry in term four, much to the distress of the boys.
     "But poetry is gay, Mr. Doherty" 
I've heard that statement more than once this term.

Week one was Limericks. One of the boys insisted that if he was writing a poem it would be about something cool! Theropods. Finding rhyming words for that is not an easy task. I thought I would set a good example and write a limerick  of my own. It is about young Nicholas and his theropods.

     Young Nicholas loves dinosaurs
      Even though they have very sharp claws
     He can name them all for us
      Like the Tyrannosaurus
     With short arms but terrible jaws.

This week's style of poetry was Diamond Poems. Seven lined poems shaped like a diamond about a linked subject. The poem switches between the subjects in the middle of the 4th line. The 2nd and 6th line have 2 descriptive words. The 3rd and 5th line have three verbs, ending in -ing  

                               Egg
                         Oval, white
             Moving, cracking, hatching, 
            Helpless, hungry, high nest 
              Growing, learning, flying   
                      Black, feathers
                               Bird
                                             by Oden.

All the words were his with only a little prompting.

I love working with the Year 3 students. I'm definitely going to miss them over the Christmas holiday break. 


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    Jeffery E Doherty is an children's writer and artist who writes chapter books, picture book texts, junior and young adult novels.

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