ISBN 978-0-977577-92-7
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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.

ISBN 978-1-922890-21-4
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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.

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.

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.

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.