Welcome to Author Services Australia, Sandra Bennett, and welcome to our author interviews! If you could start by introducing yourself to everyone, let them know where you’re from and some of your interests and hobbies.
Hi, I am Sandra Bennett, a mother of 3 boys, grandmother to 2 boys and one girl. A former primary school teacher and literacy advocate to increase a love of reading in our next generation. I was born and grew up in Sydney on the beaches at Cronulla but now live in a tree change in the country just south of Canberra. I love going for long walks in nature, searching for evidence of hidden wildlife, looking at the stars and travelling to places I’ve never been to before.
What inspired you to start writing?
Being a primary teacher I was inspired by my Kindie kids. I realised quite early that to encourage and excite them to want to learn to read, they needed books about themselves. Kids are still egocentric at that age and are delighted when they see themselves in a story. I realised then that I wanted to write stories to help all children develop a love of reading.
What is your preferred genre to write in?
I love writing fun and thrilling adventures that kids can’t put down. The type of story where they ask for one more chapter each time the one before ends.
What is your writing process?
Slow and steady. An idea will often come to me when I’m visiting a location, and I can see it is the perfect place to set a story. I will procrastinate for some time while I mull over all the possible scenarios in my mind. Once I have a general feel for where I want the story to head, I will start writing. I try to let the ideas flow, but I find it hard not to go back and edit before I move on. I also like to let my characters tell me where they think the story should go. I found Clare Adamson took over in my head even though she was never meant to be telling the story. Once I have a first draft, I will edit it numerous times before asking my writing group to cast their eyes over it. Then the rewriting starts all over again.
What is one thing you wish you knew now that you didn’t know when you started writing?
I wish I knew then that no matter how many rejections you get, whether in writing or silence, to never give up. I gave up for many years before I tried again. I often wonder what might have happened if I had kept going twenty years ago. Rejection does not mean the end of your dream. If you have a good story and believe in it, self publishing will help you bring that story to the world.
What was the hardest part of self-publishing?
Finding an illustrator, formatter, and graphic designer. It all costs so much to have it done professionally, but it must be as good as other publishers. Deciding the best way to publish your book is always a huge question too.
Which book is your favorite and why?
Do you mean a book that I have written? I love Fossil Frenzy. Seeing and hearing kids’ reactions to this book and the dinosaurs in it, has been incredible. Having said that, I adore my two new releases too. Dragons Drumming and Tracks in the Mist are both completely different yet were both so much fun to write and read.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Beatrix Potter, and Julia Donaldson, to name just a few. Then there are some fantastic Australian authors such as Karen Foxlee, Aleesah Darlison, Sue Whiting, and Cate Whittle.
What are you working on right now?
Mainly marketing for Dragons Drumming and Tracks in the Mist. With two new releases this year, there’s not much time for writing. I do have a draft of a picture book I hope to get back to soon, and there’s a vague idea of a new chapter book series on the horizon. But it needs time to marinate for a while yet.
How do you handle a bad review?
I try to ignore it. I will grizzle a bit to myself and drown my sorrows in a cup of green tea, then go for a walk and take out the frustration on the pavement. Then I’ll come back and keep writing.
What’s next for you as an author?
To begin editing that picture book and start writing a new series while hopefully enjoying school visits to share my new books and the love of reading with as many children as I can.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Right here, still doing the same thing. Taking long walks to think about my ideas and writing more new stories to share.
If you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why?
Maybe flying. I am technically visually impaired and am no longer allowed to drive, so being able to fly would give me the freedom to go places without needing to rely on others.
Where is your ultimate holiday destination?
Anywhere where I can go for long walks in nature. The Tasmanian wilderness is ideal as is any rainforest, lakeside track etc. I think you get the idea.
What are some of the items on your bucket list?
Visiting ancient monolithic sites and standing stones in England and Scotland. Seeing either the Northern lights in Norway, Finland or Scotland and the Southern Aurora in Tasmania.
I’ve already ticked off a few, like champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower and swimming under a waterfall in an outback waterhole.
As an author, knowing that kids love my stories and I have helped a child somewhere learn to love reading when they thought there wasn’t a book out there for them. On reflection, I have already ticked that off, so maybe I should say spreading the love of reading further to more kids around Australia and possibly overseas too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview, Sandra Bennet! It was a pleasure learning more about you as an author, your writing journey, and some interesting writing advice and tips for new authors.
Check out where you can buy Sandra Bennett’s books below and how to follow Sandra Bennett on social media. If you would like to do an author interview or have questions about our author features, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Author Name: Sandra Bennett
Genre/s: Chapter Books, Middle-Grade Adventure
Author Website: Sandra Bennett Author Website
Social Media Links: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
The Best Link to Where People Can Buy Your Book https://sandrabennettauthor.com/books
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At Author Services Australia, we support Australian, New Zealand, and International self-published authors and writers with a full range of affordable self-publishing services, including ghostwriting, copyediting, developmental editing, proofreading, ebook and paperback formatting, book cover design, children’s book illustrations, graphic design services, manuscript uploading assistance, and social media and marketing.
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