Pirates are in the news with the Australian Navy heading off a planned pirate attack off the coast of Africa. So, I thought I’d catch up with children’s author and pirate expert, Sherryl Clark. She’s the author of eight pirate books including four Littlest Pirate ‘Nibbles’ (two turned into picture books), Pirates of Quentaris, and her big, bloodthirsty, upcoming novel, Pirate X.

Why pirates? Why are you so interested?

I started with one pirate – Stede Bonnet – who was the most hopeless pirate in history! I got hooked on his story, and then I got hooked on the research! Pirate X is the story of a boy who ends up on Bonnet’s ship.

It’s not so much the pirate myths that I like, it’s the real history behind pirates. For example, everyone thinks they buried their treasure, but nearly all of them spent it while on land, having big parties and blowing the lot! And then they’d have to go back to sea and steal more. Obviously, the shop owners and tavern keepers in the towns they berthed in weren’t averse to their money either!

What’s your coolest pirate fact?

Too many to choose from! One would be the ship’s articles. The captain and crew on a ship would draw up their own set of rules, and if you broke any of them, you were in big trouble. A common rule was no gambling with money, because it caused too many fights. So although they appeared lawless and dangerous, they still had their own codes of honour.

What kind of pirate memorabilia do you have at home?

Way too many plastic cutlasses and pistols people have given me, for a start! I have a great flag, and a pair of sunglasses with hologram skulls and crossbones on them. Lots of books, a little treasure chest, and a huge pair of gold earrings (pirate bling).

If you were a pirate what would your name be?

Some witty people might say Captain Clarrrrrrrrrk! I kind of like the idea of being Captain Blood. Something suitably dark.

Do you think modern-day pirates use terms like ‘Ahoy me hearties’ and ‘Arrrrrrrr’? Do they keep parrots on their shoulders?

No, modern pirates seem to use rocket launchers, from what I read in the news. I guess that overcomes the problem of damp gunpowder.

What are the top five pirate books around?

Try these:

Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter by Richard Platt and Chris Riddell

Pirateology

Pirates by John Matthews (has a skull and crossbones on the black cover)

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

and if you’re a good reader, the C.S. Forester Hornblower books have lots of historical ship action from the Navy side. And I’d like to add Pirate X to the list, but it’s not published just yet. I’ll let you know!

Catch more pirate and Sherryl Clarrrrrrrk action at:

www.thelittlestpirate.com

www.sherrylclark.com

Cheers!

Tristan.

www.tristanbancks.com

Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to draw? Or maybe you can and you want some tips on what to do with your talent? Come and spend a few minutes inside the mind of picture guy (and writer) Gus Gordon, illustrator of The Undys series and the new picture book, Wendy.

What is the best thing about being an illustrator?

The parties and the waterskiing for sure! Other than that it would probably be the daily challenges of trying to control a wobbly line.

Have you ever drawn your way out of a life-or-death situation?

Oh yes, many times! The most terrifying of these type of situations is when your paper is wet and you keep poking your pencil through (pirate situation) or when your hands are handcuffed behind your back (kidnapped by guerrillas situation.) It always amazes me how fast you can draw when there is a shiny sword near your throat. Other than that, no.

Do you and Michael Wagner speak much when you’re working on the Undys books together?

Yes. Luckily he is a nice guy so we have long chats … It often helps to speak to the author. You can get some good insight into the stories (or back stories) of your characters – things that you may help you with the illustrations. Especially when you’re designing the characters. His characters are strong and very visual so that makes it much easier.

Do you have any advice for others who would like to spend their lives getting paid to draw funny pictures? 

Yes. Don’t do it! You will eventually lose your mind. Having said that, this is not such a bad thing for a creative person. Persistence is the key. Stick to your guns, your style will find a home in the end.

What are some of your fave illustrated books?

The Undys (of course) by Michael Wagner.

Aussie Bites (Penguin) are generally always good.

Anything by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.

Siggy has. With a girl called Amber. Who’s a bit goth. And has two mums. And Siggy and Amber go ghost hunting. And Amber is seriously grounded.

Siggy and Amber is the latest novel by Doug Macleod. You can see Doug talk about the book here.

But he’s a shy fellow, Doug. He doesn’t mention that he has worked on shows like Kath and Kim, The Comedy Company and Seachange. Doug is also very funny, as you will see, if you read Siggy and Amber.

Marc Jarvis is fifteen. He lives in Camberwell, a leafy Melbourne suburb. And like many boys, he spends a lot of time dreaming about girls and the future. When work experience brings him into contact with Electra, a brilliantly gifted runner, his quiet suburban life will never be the same. Jarvis 24 is a novel that hits the funny bone and the heart. Author David Metzenthen talks about the origins of Marc Jarvis.

What was the spark for Jarvis 24 ?

The spark that really got Jarvis going was a conversation that I had with a friend of mine about his two boys. One of the boys is super-confident about himself and the impact he has on the world, the other son worries about just about everything. I immediately wanted to write about the kid who worries, as I was always worried when I was at school – although I was a functional, left-wing type of a kid, who hid it pretty well. I’d already started Jarvis, but scrapped the first attempt, as it had no life in it until I heard about this under-age worrier….When I discovered Marc’s voice, and his way of thinking, I felt I could write his story with a real sense of truth. I also heard of a girl who won an inter-school 200 metre race by such a huge distance, a chant went up around Olympic Park…’How much she did she cost? da-da da-da da-dah!’ I’ve always been interested in sprinting, although I couldn’t run out of sight on a foggy morning, so it was great to write about someone who can really fly.

So, in my experience, it takes two sparks to make a story: and Marc and Electra provided them for me.

Jarvis 24 is a very funny story, but there’s also a lot of emotion beneath the surface, isn’t there?

There’s emotion below and beneath everyone and everyone’s story; everyone’s thinking, thinking, thinking – but generally they’re not telling, in my limited experience. I really wanted to tap into Marc’s ways of thinking, and his views on the world. Hopefully I could present an authentic young guy. I really turned the bullshit detector onto him (and onto myself) to give his world view… and although some of the things might not appear to make sense to some readers, they seemed to make sense to me and Marc…so they’re in, meaning if Marc’s thoughts don’t seem straightforward or rational, the reader (and my editor!) will just have to navigate them as best they can.

Did you do any research for Jarvis 24?

I did do research for Jarvis 24, although it wasn’t all that scientific. I walked up Glenferrie Road at dusk every Wednesday while my daughter was at basketball practice, and drank a coffee. I read Cathy Freeman’s life story and was truly inspired by photographs of her running; she was like a swallow and a hawk, totally focused, so graceful and powerful and fast. I also re-visited myself as a sixteen year-old maniac sitting under a tree in the dark thinking about stowing away on a ship or jumping onto a moving freight train… and meeting the girl of my dreams. I also spoke to quite a few car sales people about their work, which was really interesting…but generally I just tried to lock into my characters, and let them proceed.

Marc is a pretty easy-going guy. He doesn’t really have a particular goal or aim in life. Was that you as a teenager?

Marc isn’t that easy-going and neither was I. When I was young I was stubborn, pig-headed, had strange expectations of the world, and refused to listen to good advice. My goal in life then was to live some kind of adventurous life. I wanted to hit the road, but at the same time, I loved farms and animals and the country and ships and rivers. I misunderstood the world; I thought there were no consequences for people who wanted to buck the system, that you had forever to do whatever… you don’t! And then, because I wasn’t great at working for other people, I decided I wanted to write about this kind of imagined world of mine – and so live out these adventures one by one. Yes, I’m a mess!

Marc and his friend Trav are pretty obsessed with girls, aren’t they?

Marc and Trav are obsessed by girls. They love them, like them, and they are mystified by them. Marc sees each girl as a separate solar system, complex and intriguing, to be wondered at, and to hopefully be understood. He is fascinated by every thing about girls, and the very best of luck to him!

What’s the difference between reading about sport in a novel and in the newspaper?

Writing about sport in a novel allows me to control the outcome! Reading about sport in a paper is someone’s attempt to recreate the facts or analyse someone or some situation. I find writing sport scenes difficult, but when I watch sprinters, or great football teams, or someone playing something well, or with great passion, it offers a challenge to try and capture some essence of it. Sport can be utter rubbish or it can reach great heights; you just have to work out what you’re seeing!

You are well known for historical novels like Boys of Blood and Bone, Black Water and Wildlight. Is Jarvis 24 a conscious change of direction?

Jarvis 24 isn’t really a change of writing direction for me, as I simply do whatever project that seems to offer a trajectory. I’ve never intentionally concentrated on historical or contemporary settings; I simply write the story that I feel strongly about, and that might be interesting to other people. Let me just say, though, that I won’t be writing anything mythological or fantastical soon! I’m a realist writer. I love the real world. It’s the best place I’ve found, so far…if you combine it with your own imaginings.

What did you enjoy most about writing this novel?

I liked writing very much from Marc’s perspective; I liked it that he had a misinformed idea of his own self, that he didn’t really know what he was going to do next, or actually how he felt about things until he’d done them – but he was honest!

(David Metzenthen was an early supporter of the Boys, Blokes, Books and Bytes project. Thanks, Dave!)

That’s the advice from illustrator Heath McKenzie. Heath did the illustration at the top of this blog.

More wisdom of Heath at his spiffy new website and blog.

Have a great weekend!

Penguin, the publishers not the small fishing gobbling birds that live in the Southern Ocean, recently hosted the march of the penguins. Mexican waves, live drawing, slow motion monster speckies! Popular authors like Morris Gleitzman, Pat Flynn, Michael Wagner and Felice (Specky Magee) Arena lined up for one spectacular event. To see what they got up to, visit The Squawk website.

Oh, and you can win free movie passes, too.

News has just filtered through from his publishers that Robert Muchamore, author of the massively popular Cherub books, is coming to Australia.

Cherub fanatics will have the chance to win one of 15 exclusive opportunities to interrogate Robert Muchamore with their best mate in top secret location, in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane in August and September.

For details keep an eye on this special website.

And did I mention the stretch Hummer?

James Moloney is the author of great books including The Book of Lies, Dougy, Gracey, Angela, Black Taxi and heaps more.

Right now, James is also over at insideadog as the writer in residence. You might say Jim in the dog house. (Most people call him Jim.) He looks rather serious here, doesn’t he? In fact, he’s one of the funniest and smartest people I know.

Here’s your chance to look in on one of Australia’s most popular and successful writers. He’s also one of our most versatile, writing books for all ages. You can see what a busy writer really does: visit Jim here.

And if that’s not enough, James Moloney is also the author of Boys and Books. You might say he’s the spiritual guide for this blog.

Jim Moloney will be in the dog house for the next few weeks.

I’ll be taking a little break, but back revved up around Anzac Day. Oh, I’ve already mentioned the book about East Timor, haven’t I?

This Thursday Kevin the Troll takes the stage in the CYL’s final Bookgig for 2007.

Kevin the Troll is the brainchild of Doug MacLeod, who was written for many of the most popular comedy shows on Australian television.

Doug explains himself and his work, here.

Kevin the Troll is about a 700-year-old troll and his dysfunctional army. Various humans, Norse gods and a chocolate giant are also involved. It’s set in Sweden in the nineteenth century.

I began writing for publication when I was twelve. I had a monthly column in the kids’ lift-out section of The Age. It taught me about deadlines. (I should point out that this little piece is a day overdue. I’m not saying I always meet deadlines, I just know what they are.)

My teenage years started bad but ended up fine. I went to a school in Morwell in The Latrobe Valley and didn’t enjoy it. The school is okay now but back then there were serious problems. They had to drain a fountain because kids kept holding one other’s heads under the water. Many of the windows were made from perspex, because the old-fashioned glass ones kept getting smashed by flying rocks, chairs and teachers. Then my family moved to Melbourne and I went to a very posh school, which was a major culture shock. I had a good time there, editing the school magazine, skulking in the art room and not getting my head held under the fountain.

The best thing about being a writer is you can work anywhere. At the moment I am writing from a hotel in The Kimberleys. (This is no longer accurate. I’m doing a second pass in St Kilda.)

As a teenager my favourite book was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. (I wrote this answer in the Kimberleys. Perhaps being surrounded by so much natural beauty made me desperate to seem deep. While I did enjoy To Kill a Mockingbird very much, I only read it once, whereas I read The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut so often that I can still tell you what a chronosynclastic infundibulum is.)

The last great YA book I read is Of A Boy by Sonya Hartnett. (Yet another Kimberleys answer and I stand by it. Though I notice you have Good Omens listed as a YA novel on your Inside a Dog website – and since I read this book more recently than Of A Boy, I guess I should include it here.)

What excites me about writing for teenagers is the same thing that excites me about writing for any audience. I like coming up with characters and stories that people might find diverting. Every now and then I write something that gives me a chuckle and it’s a good feeling.

What bugs me is it takes me so long to come up with something halfway decent and I’m not a patient person.

My all-time favourite film is Doctor Strangelove, pictured. (Both in The Kimberleys and St Kilda.)

My favourite piece of new technology is my latest laptop, which is a tough little Mac.

I have never been able to touch my elbow with my other elbow. I don’t think any human can, but I had this happen to the central character in my novel, Tumble Turn.

People might be surprised to know that I just made a lot of readers try to touch their elbow with their other elbow.

Want to know more about Doug or comment on the Bookgig? Send a question, below.

He has given us Maxx Rumble, Dog Wars and The Undys (the book, not the garment) and can’t stick brussel sprouts. Here’s more about Michael Wagner.

I hate to admit it, but I’m a Collingwood supporter! I finally settled on Collingwood when I was about ten years of age. Sometimes I wish I’d chosen Hawthorn or Essendon (they’ve won more flags than the Pies in my lifetime), but once you’ve started barracking for a team it’s really hard to change. And, even though they’ve caused me some heartache over the years, I just can’t help but love the mighty Pies.

My favourite piece of new technology is…The iPod. I love my iPod so much that my poor wife gets a bit jealous sometimes.

I like books that…make me laugh and/or make the hair on my neck stand on end and/or bring a tear to my eye and/or open my mind to new possibilities.

My dream car is…any car that doesn’t make me stand by the side of the road waiting for the RACV to arrive. I could get excited about having some sort of electric car that’s full of gadgets and has a place for my iPod.

Favourite TV program…in 2007 has been Summer Heights High. But I also like Thank God You’re Here, Spicks and Specks, and anything to do with footy.

The best thing about reading is…feeling like you’re not alone in the world, because the characters in a book think so much like you. And, I like the way you learn all sorts of new things without even realising you are because the book is so fantastically entertaining.

I have never been able to…get a plateful of brussel sprouts down. In fact, I was so confident that no human being could eat a plate of brussel sprouts I offered my kids $20 each if they could eat 5 of them in one sitting. (NB it was an all-or-nothing deal. They had to eat all five to get any money at all – and they weren’t allowed any tasty sauces or drinks to help get them down). My daughter couldn’t do it, but my son did! He deserved every cent I reckon.

I began writing…when I was about 14 and wrote a poem for the school magazine. When I was a bit older, I wrote songs. Then I wrote comedy and radio scripts and TV scripts and all sorts of other things. Then, finally, I wrote a children’s book and knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

My latest book is the fourth book in the Undys series. It’s about…Josh and Phil Undy going camping for the very first time. They go with Amy, Phil’s new girlfriend (Phil is the dad), and Aunty Faber, and Summer and Daniel (two new friends from their flats). They spend the long-weekend inventing and playing all sorts of new games, including their own very exciting style of paddleboat races, a tasty treasure hunt, a series of battles that take place on a greasy pole, and a big game of beach volleyball against some bullies they know.

The best thing about being a writer is…spending whole days trying to come up with funny or exciting story ideas. It’s very enjoyable giggling away to yourself for hours on end. And it’s very exciting when you think you’ve captured an interesting or thrilling moment.

The biggest myth about being a writer is…that great writers must use interesting, colourful language – and very big words. Some of the best books I have ever read have also been the easiest to read. I reckon if the story is good enough, and the language is clear and simple, the book can still be incredibly powerful. Think of books like Holes and To Kill a Mocking Bird, they are easy reads, but unforgettable stories.

My all-time favourite film is…Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, which is funny, sad and uplifting all at the same time.

My Life as a Dog, which felt like my childhood captured on film.

And One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which I found amazingly moving.

My teenage years were …exciting, because I was on the way to becoming an adult. I found the idea of being able to do my own thing, without having to ask for my parents’ permission, really thrilling.

For more about Michael, visit his website, or you can send him a message below.