Publish your book! Learn how
Australian Authors Store - Australian Books by Australian Authors for a Global Audience

WITNEY, Graeme

Aug 23, 2022 | *Featured books, *listed, Animals \ Pets Fiction, Australian, Children's Books, Fantasy Fiction, Victoria

Dragon Dream book cover graeme witney author
Get the book

ISBN 978-0-977577-92-7
PAPERBACK

DragonDream

Michael and most of the other children living in their small community are somewhat neglected.

A victim of his parents’ physical and emotional abuse, like all children, he has an instinctive need to please, and he tries to do his best to limit the punishment. Because it is the only world he and the other children know, they don’t realise the extent to which they are being mistreated.

Then one particularly dreadful day, his parents’ lack of care leaves Michael and his cousin Julie in mortal danger, only seconds away from death, or perhaps a fate even worse.

Graeme witney byte
Get the book

ISBN 978-1-922890-21-4
PAPERBACK

Byte

Brought up in isolation by a robot, the twelve-year-old Byte, with no knowledge of lying, cheating or sarcasm, found himself on a giant military space cruiser with over 11,000 crew members.

Most of the crew were fourteen or fifteen-year-olds, used to cheating, stealing, and lying, just to survive on the large vessel.

With only his robot to protect him, Byte sets out on an adventure that would take him throughout the Galaxy.

graeme witney martin cresmick year 8
Get the book

ISBN 978-1-922890-84-9
PAPERBACK

Martin Creswick Year 8

Martin and Anton continue to improve Risper’s capabilities as the find ways to make their robotic friend more independent and intelligent.

It also seems that Risper has found ways to do things for himself and is getting into trouble of his own.

Martin and Anton meet new friends who help them come up with ideas for Risper and their other projects. They find more people who help them come up with new ideas for Risper and their other projects. They find more people who need their help and expertise of building clever devices and solving problems.

But someone is trying to kidnap Risper. Martin and Anton need to use all their skills and intelligence to work out who it is.

graeme witney martin creswick year 7 self-published author book cover
Get the book

ISBN 978-0-977577-91-0
PAPERBACK

Martin Creswick Year 7

Martin and his friend Anton love solving problems and making things, mainly mechanical things they call their projects.

Their main project is ‘Risper’, a robot that lives in Martin’s backpack and goes everywhere with him.

Anton is in Year Eight and is almost thirteen, while Martin is in Year Seven and isn’t even ten. He is probably the smartest boy at school. Martin’s young age causes a few problems with other students, while Anton helps him out where he can.

Throughout the school year, Risper’s capability and personality continue to grow. That is despite the fact that Martin and Anton spend a lot of their time working on their other robotic and power saving devices.

The story is a year in the life of two boys as they build a robot and deal with some of life’s challenges.

Graeme Witney Author

About the Author

Growing up in small country towns, adventure became a part of almost every day. We often disappeared on weekends at dawn on our push-bikes and returned at sunset. While on these journeys we let our imagination soar and within it encountered many monsters and battled countless foes.

We also understood how lucky we were that after our battles against seemingly impossible odds, we could return safely to our homes. There, our battle wounds of grazed knees and splinters would be tended by our loving parents and siblings. We would find lovely meals waiting for our starving bodies. Then a hot shower, a hug, and off to a warm bed. Resting our bodies for the next day’s adventure and inevitable battle with terrible beasts.

Our adventures with monsters were all happening in our imaginations. However, what we couldn’t imagine was what some other kids were going through. They were confronted with unimaginable trauma every day where just survival would take all their skill and energy. They received deep physical and psychological scars that became impossible to heal. Emotional scars that are reopened daily.

I only realised how these kids had been affected when I became a Foster Carer in 2014. Many children later, I learned to sense the burdens they are carrying that they wouldn’t talk about. Their trauma often surfaced every day. Hopefully, I have shown some of them ways to cope. Ways to override their distress. Provide them with new wonderful memories that they might use to temper some of their distressing pain.

I can tell you, though, that being a Carer is not for everyone. The children’s trauma can seep in and invade your own thoughts. The transfer is worth it if their burden can be lightened.

McGLAUGHLIN, Steve

Jul 22, 2022 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Animals \ Pets Fiction, Australian, Fiction \ Novel, The Arts, Victoria

Steven McGlaughlin author Robert the Frog book
Get the book DIRECT from the author

ISBN 978-1-922722-67-6
PAPERBACK   I  176 pages

AVAILABLE THROUGH
TITLE PAGE  (for booksellers) or DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR (for readers)

Robert the Frog

What I have in my heart and soul must find a way out.
That’s the reason for music.

Robert the Frog is a timeless tale about an adventurous young frog who is accidentally swept from his home by a raging river. After a long, dangerous journey he finds himself in a strange new home.

Here he overcomes his fear and sense of loss with the help of a welcoming, friendly farmer, who communicates with him through music.

It is this unexpected connection that gives Robert hope that he will survive in these new surrounds, and that one day he will be able to find his way home.

Steve McGlaughlin Author Photo

About the Author

After graduating University with a business degree, Steve B. McGlaughlin, having not the slightest clue as to what he should or might be, did the only thing he could think to do, which was to grow his hair long and travel the world. In retrospect, as though instinctively following Kierkegaard’s maxim that life must be lived forwards but can only be understood backwards, there was clearly some hidden method at work in this meandering adventure through Europe and Asia.

For it was on it that Steve, quite unexpectedly, found himself busking and living in Prague in the magical, joyful summer the year after the Czech Velvet Revolution. An experience which undoubtedly provided the initial creative spark for his first novel, Robert the Frog, a story which has music and hope at its heart.

Upon returning home, alongside working in market research and as a copywriter, Steve became part of the Australian music and comedy scenes. A career that in summary fittingly sounds like the beginning of a joke: did you hear the one about the guy who wrote years of TV sketch comedy, played guitar in 90s alternative bands, and composed hit songs for Polish, Vietnamese and Korean pop stars?

In 2013, Steve undertook a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy degree. It proved a transformative experience, both on a personal and creative level, providing, as it did, further impetus, experiences and content for his stories and novels.

Similar to the works of his literary guides C. S. Lewis, Richard Adams and Michael Morpurgo, Steve’s stories can be read on two distinct levels. Their surface tells thoughtful, wistful, at times funny, all-ages tales of the adventures of anthropomorphised animals who embark on journeys of great risk.

But their undercurrent is a meditation on, or even an ode to, the belief that the most seemingly intractable grief and loss can be reached and transformed through the subtle and beautiful arts: creativity, music, connection and hope. Or as the Beethoven quote on Robert the Frog’s cover proclaims, and which the book holds as an inspirational truth: “What I have in my heart and soul must find a way out. That’s the reason for music.”

Testimonials

This is a beautifully written, sweet soulful story. Some parts are laugh out loud, too. There is something harmonious about it,the characters and the story. The way music is used as both an expression of joy and a force for healing is really touching and true.

B.H

 

I just want to tell you how much I loved Robert the Frog. I laughed and cried and was on the edge of my seat! I was imagining reading it to a classroom of children and seeing the emotion in their faces. Wonderfully written and a fabulous story of never giving up.

J.S

 

What a wonderful book you have written. There is so much in it that is inspiring and encouraging. It reminded me of books I read as a little girl that also had little animals as the heroes with big hearts and courage.

H.M

 

I liked the story so very much, it is well-written and I enjoyed the exciting cliff hangers. I was also picturing how a great animated film could be made out of the story; any plans? I wish you all the success with it.

C.K

 

It is a beautifully crafted novel that’s not merely about music, but is itself musical; the writing flows and pulses with rhythms that effortlessly carry us on Robert’s strange, deeply moving journey. I was stilled, marvelling, for some time after finishing it. Like the greatest fables, we totally identify with the animals and their journey. Moving and profound.

J.B

 

The book is delightful, well done a thousand times; Robert is such an endearing character. I only wish I could have it in picture book form and then I could have it at school in the therapy room.

D.A

 

Title Page logo

HYDE, Deborah

Jul 21, 2022 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Animals \ Pets Fiction, Children's Books, Memoir, South Australia, Victoria

Tiny No More by Bonnie Lawson
Retail Enquiries

ISBN 978-1-922337-96-2
PAPERBACK

Tiny No More

The family were so excited about having a pet lamb to look after. But life on the farm got pretty interesting for the whole family, as Tiny grew… and grew… and grew!
 
Anyone who ever owned a pet lamb, or has a rural background, can relate to this book.

The Author

Deborah Hyde is an author from South
Australia. Her first book,The End of the Road, is an intimate and humorous slice of living in the Mallee District from 1973 – 1989. Deborah now lives beach side with her husband, but her farming background has influenced her work as an author.

The Illustrator

Bonnie Lawson is Deb’s niece and a gifted artist who has cleverly portrayed the character’s expressions with a comical, Aussie flavour.

MATTA, Zara

Jun 17, 2022 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Animals \ Pets Fiction, Australian, Children's Books, Earth \ Nature, Painting & Illustration

todd perry author one chance sports book
Get the book

ISBN 978-1-922803-24-5
PAPERBACK

The Day the Queen Bee Quit

The Queen Bee has had enough!

She’s NOT happy with the humans and has decided to shut down all the hives and close up the colony of hard-working bees. But, what will happen to all of the humans if bees don’t come back to work? Is there anybody who can change the Queen Bee’s Mind?

Go on a journey inside the hive to see what has happened to the bees and why the Queen Bee has quit in this entertaining story with a meaningful message by 10 year old, Zara Matta.

About the Author

Hi there! I’m so excited that you’ve chosen to read my book – thank you! I’m Zara Matta, a 10 year old primary student from Sydney, Australia. I started writing this story a year ago after learning that the number of bees were declining because of our actions.

Bees are so important! Did you know that they pollinate many of the crops that feed the world’s population? Without bees we would struggle to feed the 8 billion people on Earth. That’s not all! The disappearance of bees would mean a major change in our ecosystem. Some plants would be lost and then the animals that feed on the plants may eventually become extinct.

When I read about all of this, I wanted to see if there was a way I could raise awareness through the power of words and pictures. We can all do our bit to save our bees habitats, reduce pollution and stop poisoning the environment where they thrive.

So many kids are fighting for a world where we can look after our environment, plants and animals. They don’t have a voice, but our generation IS their voice. By fighting for our earth and all the living things that make it so beautiful, we are also fighting for our future.

So come on everybody – let’s work together and SAVE the BEES!