Ask the Author: Debra Clewer
Answered Questions (10)
Debra Clewer
The mystery in my own life dates back to when I was about 7 years old. My mother and I lived with my grandparents in an old terrace house that had an outside toilet. Late one night I needed to urgently use the toilet. I opened the back door, and in the blackness, at eye level, was a round red spot, which seemed to hover. At the same time, there was a mysterious scraping sound on the ground in front of me. I screamed and slammed the door. After a couple of minutes, I re-opened the door and whatever it was had disappeared. To this day I have no idea what that thing was. Visitor from another planet, maybe?
Debra Clewer
The ashen, ghostly stone-like image in the mirror appeared from nowhere and roiled her stomach in knots. She was terrified by the red, spidery veins and bulbous eyes- then realised it was her own reflection.
Debra Clewer
I would travel to Edith Nesbit's worlds, especially the world of her Book of Dragons. And I would observe everything that those creatures get up, good or otherwise. A dragon's behaviour can tell us a lot about human behaviour. We are all dragons one way or another at times. At least my dragon character Gruffyd from my MG novels is helpful-but he can be a mean adversary when necessary.
Debra Clewer
The Body in the Castle Well by Martin Walker-A Bruno Chief of Police novel
Debra Clewer
I put the project aside for a while and then come back to look at it with fresh eyes. This was another sage piece of advice I read, and it works for me. I have done many re-writes by using that method. In fact, I'm doing it at the moment with another short story which has a 1,000-word limit. I wrote the first few paragraphs and realised it was over 500 words. Then I had a writer's block about how to proceed. It's currently being re-worked.
Debra Clewer
Love using my imagination which has no limits. You can sit at your computer in your PJ's if you like, and no-one gets to see you while you create! But what I really love is when a child (or adult, for that matter), reads my books and gives me feedback on how much they loved them. That's when I know I have hit the targetted audience.
Debra Clewer
In 2015, I signed up for some writing workshops at our local library. I had no idea where to begin. The workshops were presented by ABC: Open Projects Riverina producer. From there I took out subscriptions to Writer's Digest and the American group Children's Book Insider. I found plenty of helpful advice on story structure, opening lines, plot twists etc. One of the first pieces of advice I read was to read 100 books in the genre for which you intend to write. I'm still reading as much Junior Fiction (or Middle-Grade) fiction as I can for contemporary children. It was a great piece of advice so I suggest that for aspiring writers. I have also joined several Facebook writing groups, both open and closed. One group recently set up a closed critique group and I have found this really helpful for feedback on each other's work.
Debra Clewer
Some short stories for an Australian publication in February next year, which will feature stories for 6-12-year-old children. I am submitting three stories, and two have already been written. I am also up to chapter ten in the next Harriet series, Harriet and the Secret Coins, in which Harriet and Will time travel once again. This time they will visit 3 historical goldrush locations whilst on a school excursion.
Debra Clewer
Inspiration comes in varied and funny ways at times. Harriet and the Secret Rings is based on the finding of an old patterned tile and broken knife in my vegetable patch in early 2016 while I was digging. The items started me thinking about ancient Rome and the tiled floors and cutlery. From there my imagination wandered to a story about 2 10-year-old friends who would time travel through the means of secret rings which come alive off the pages of a book. Sometimes an idea will come in a dream or the middle of the night when I can't sleep. I am very much influenced by the stories of Edith Nesbit (1858-1924), who was way ahead of her time with fantasy stories for children. Some of these stories were set as part of the curriculum when I was in high school. I was interested to read an interview with J.K. Rowling who also loves Nesbit's stories.
Debra Clewer
Harriet and the Secret Librarian was actually an idea I had about 5 years ago about an 8-year-old boy being told stories in a library by an older woman. My original working title was The Lady in the Library. The characters developed in a totally different way after doing some writing workshops. A large part of what is included in the chapters is based on real life, such as the incident at Harriet's birthday party with the boy with the glass eye. This actually happened at my 10th birthday party. I just happened to enlarge on the incident by having a dragon appear.
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