A Big Blue Boat Prequel underway.
My Diary
In May students at my Author Pen Pal school provided me with an idea, rhyming words, and a setting. The rest is history …
This year, I am fortunate to be an Author Pen Pal for an amazing group of children and their incredible teacher-librarian.
Back in May, the students provided me with an idea, rhyming words, and setting for a new A Big Blue Boat story. For this to happen, their teacher had put in a huge amount of time and effort.
‘Oh no!’ was my first thought as I am not an author who can write to prompts. I put it aside in dismay, yet not wanting to disappoint the students.
A surprise for me!
Within days I was amazed at myself when ideas, a rhythm and words fit to rhyme began to form – and all to the theme the students requested.
Surprisingly, the text didn’t want to play as A Big Blue Boat sequel. The imaging kept showing a very young Captain and her Dad. It even had a magical twist at the end. The long and short of it is, I now have A Big Blue Boat prequel.
Unlike some of my manuscripts, this story rapidly came together. Within a fortnight the first copy was written, then my editing and re-working process commenced. Today, the manuscript is written, has been critiqued and is ready for the next stage of assessment.
I am looking forward to sharing the rest of this amazing journey with you over the next 12 months as the book continues on its way to launch.
July 2024
This month I gave the students an insight into my writing process for the story and invited them to provide their feedback.
This is such a wonderful opportunity for the students to experience the process a writer goes through. It shows them why they are expected to go through the same protocols when writing for school assignments. Discussion, critical thinking, analysis, working with language and working together are just some of the learning these students are being involved in.
For myself, I have also learned something about myself as a writer –
when the words and ideas suit, I can write a story to prompts.
August 20th, 2024
I had a Zoom call today with the teacher-librarian at my Author Pen Pal school. It’s so exciting to be able to share with you that this story is going to be very special because the students are doing the illustrations.
We discussed book size, paper type, mediums that can be used and more. The students are going to have lots of fun as they experiment with various mediums before the final decision is made.
The aim? To launch the book in July 2025
August 23rd, 2024
Kellie Nissen of ‘Just Write Words’ (https://justrightwords.com.au/) assesses my manuscripts. Except for a small tweak, the manuscript is ready for editing. Being a rhyming story, I have it edited by someone who works specifically with rhyme and meter.
August 25th. 2024
As an independent author I always work to ensure my work is the best it can be.
For me, writing my books is a team effort that involves working with a critique group, plus having my manuscripts assessed and edited.
That special project I am working on has now been through the editing process with Jackie Hosking ( https://jackiehoskingblog.wordpress.com/).
Jackie is fantastic at working with rhythm and rhyme. She manages to find the little glitches that require fixing. A word here, and a word there, takes a rhyming text to the next level.
What an opportunity this process will be for the students when they see Jackie’s cross outs and recommendations done in red.
Now the illustrating can begin …
August 29th. 2024
The day has arrived and the competition is underway.
There are about 300 students in the school and the question was how to include each child in the illustrating process.
The decision has been made to have a ‘Master Illustrators’ group. These students will create the illustrations. When the drawings are completed, each student in the school will work with a Master Illustrator to add the colour.
October 20th, 2024
The entries
are in and
the competion has
closed.
It was with great excitement that I have received photographs of some of the entries. During this term, I am looking forward to watching their creative juices at work during this next stage of our joint venture.
December 23rd, 2024
It was with excitement that I opened my emails and discovered one from Belinda yesterday. She had sent through some photos showing what the students have created. They illustrations are stunning.
April 15th, 2025
After 6 months of hard work, I received news that the illustrations for this amazing project were completed.
Unbeknown to the students, I had arranged a surprise visit for the end of March.
Standing at the front of the hall on the day, I watched expressions as discussions took place whilst children tried to place who I was. That moment when a group matched the pieces of the puzzle and waved in excitement, is a memory I will forever hold close to my heart, as is the roaring reception 250+ children sent out across the hall once the news was out. Receiving the illustrations in person and meeting the main group of illustrators was a perfect ending to this stage of the journey.
It’s difficult to find words that describe the gratitude I feel for the work Ms Wickham has done. She has gone above and beyond what I was expecting. The hours she spent with the students as they researched, then discussed and created are mind-boggling. The paintings I initially imagined became so much more, as the mediums of collage, texture and paint were used to create the illustrations.
I can now share with you the first full image as a teaser. From finger print stones through to mysterious green lights, every student in the school – including those who started this year – participated making the illustrations that have brought our book to life.
I am looking forward to sharing the next stgae of the journey with you.
In another life, I trained as a professional photographer, so my first job was to digitise each illustration..
