About Me

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I am a full-time mama with a passion for writing and talking to fascinating people. I live in a one horse town with a Cowboy and my son. Thank Lord for cyberspace! I lived a colourful life in Sydney for a number of years. Working in advertising and journalism for FPC and the Sydney Morning Herald. During my time in Sydney I competed in a Dragon Boat race, choreographed a dragshow, used the Share Accomodation advertisements as a way to meet men and was told by Noiseworks frontrunner Jon Stevens that I was a bitch! Then came the decision to move back to country for 3 months to help out my Father with newspaper business while he was having treatment. Convinced I was a city girl I was caught by surprise when I fell in love with a farmer (and no, he didn't want a wife... still doesn't it seems!) convinced him that we needed to see the world, popped off to Vietnam to teach english in Saigon - before realising that the "food" in Nam didn't agree with me... turned out to be Monte - my son who is now with the Cowboy and I back in country NSW! I am in a wonderful stage of my life where I am focusing on the things that really make me tick. Including writing these chronicles.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Animals of All Shapes and Sizes - Book one and two


I wrote a book when I was ten.

It is called: Animals of all shapes and sizes.

It is dedicated to Pop, Briohny (my year 6 bestie) and Mrs Tighe (who was my year 6 teacher)

My Dad took it to his work and asked one of the secretaries if they would type it up for me.

Once it was typed up I had many copies made.

I painted each book cover individually (with Derwent water colour pencils) , some came up better than others.

I distributed them to the who's who of my family and friends - many still have a copy on the shelf!!!!

The prologue reads:

"Animals of all shapes and sizes is a book about all sorts of animals. From a cat that eats beards to a Loud Mouse - it is the first book by Sharni Montgomery"

the back cover has testimonies (which I remember making up, having asked no-one)

Student one: Cool!
Student two: Unpredictable!

Well, yep it was the first book and twenty years later, the follow-up is yet to hit the stands.

I thought I had better get on it.

I had a flick through Animals of all Shapes and sizes.

you know what?

I think it could be the second book.

It could be the first and the second book.

Sure it was self-published when I was ten - but there are a couple of poems in there that maybe could translate into something now.

Maybe I'm having myself on.

I have been daydreaming how it would make a wonderful marketing angle to publish a kids book that was actually written when I was a kid.

I can visualise being interviewed about this by Mel and Kochie

hahaha

- but seriously, I can

Visualisation is the key is it not?

One of the poems I wrote I will share, because I don't think it would make the cut due to animal cruelty issues:

But just to give you an idea of the style:

The Dog

The dog is at my window
howling for a bone
I wish the dog would go away
and leave poor me alone

The dog is at the window
howling for his dinner
because I just ignore him
the dog is getting thinner

so many of the poems are to this effect, but usually much kinder to animals.

I have zero idea about getting a book published - am purely running on an optimistic instinct here - I am sure there is a lot to consider.

But this is my goal.

My lifelong friend Lucia is an incredible artist and has some time up her sleeve and is working on some illustrations for me for one of the poems.

What do you think? A book I wrote when I was 10 getting made into a real book now I'm 30?

Worth a shot?

No idea what the next step to take is after we illustrate... anybody know?

6 comments:

  1. Totally worth a shot!! Go for it!!
    I love that little preview and I would definitely buy it to stick on my shelf (although I am a self confessed book addict so perhaps that isn't a good indication of actual book sales!).. Good luck!

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  2. I like the dog poem

    Go for it, why not? Google children's book publishers and zap them an email. Can't hurt.

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  3. That is a cool idea! And the dog poem made me laugh - what talent at 10 years old!

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  4. Awesome! Totally Awesomesauce!
    I think the dog poem should stay in. Just add an addendum stating that no dogs were harmed during the inspiration of the poem.
    I agree with firing off an email to some publishers. Can't hurt to ask them for some advice for an aspiring writer.

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  5. thanks ladies!! You have given me the courage to at least find out what I need to do...!

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  6. Hi Sharnia- I saw the nice mention of my blog, The Happiness Project, in your blogroll. Thanks so much for shining a spotlight on my blog! Best wishes, Gretchen Rubin

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