Entries Tagged 'Writing' ↓

DemiChat and the Kent Street Mystery   by Toni Brisland (Sid Harta Publishers).

Launch ’speech’ by Jeni Mawter 25 July 2010

First, there was Nancy Drew (1930), a young female amateur detective, then came George, or Georgina as we came to know her, from the Famous Five (1942), closely followed by Trixie Belden (1948) and now we have DemiChat, with her trusty sidekick, Lord Flannery.

When Toni first asked me to launch her novel DemiChat and the Kent Street Mystery I was extremely surprised but very flattered. To take a great idea, then hold a published book in your hands is a quantum leap. Only another author can fully appreciate that journey. Today we have several authors in the room who have come to celebrate the success of DemiChat and the Kent Street Mystery. When I first met Toni, I did for her what some of these authors had done for me – offered the hand of friendship,  welcomed her into a group of like-minded souls, and encouraged her to follow her dreams. Two such authors were Wendy Blaxland and  Susanne Gervay. Susanne and I were talking one day and lamenting the fact that our writing journey had been hard – not just hard, gruelling in fact. We decided that a handful of writers started their writing careers with an elevator ride to the penthouse of publishing success. For the rest of us, we had to take the back stairs – blindfolded – and shackled. I’m sure there’s been many times along the way when Toni questioned the sanity of her back stairs journey. Well today Toni, finally, the blindfold and shackles have come off.

As one author to another I salute tenacity, ingenuity and courage that has gone into the publication of this first book in what will hopefully be as successful a series as that of that Sir Arthur bloke’s.

Toni tells us that this book and its characters were inspired from her own life, with her blue-point Himalayan cat assuming the role of DemiChat, and her niece’s beagles going by the name of Lord Flannery, the name borrowed from Toni’s other cat. But after reading this Sherlock Holmes spoof I realised that Toni has actually based this character on herself. Like DemiChat, Toni used her feminine intuition and wit in order to solve the publication problems placed before her. Like DemiChat she has the devotion of a Lord Flannery in her husband, Richard, and the devotion of a Jake in her daughter Deen, and like DemiChat she has a great penchant for mystery, although to all the members of the Diorio family I’m not sure why Toni put the Italians as the baddies!

Toni will say that the message behind DemiChat and the Kent Street Mystery is about teamwork but to me, there is a much more powerful message in this story. Unlike most heroes of today who use magical powers to solve their problems, Toni’s characters do not. Her characters use skills that all of today’s children can relate and aspire to, those of acute observation and logical reasoning. In much of children’s literature today the message is that you can easily ‘magic’ your way to a solution and this has been of growing concern to me. I’m delighted that Toni has gone against this trend - there’s not a vampire or werewolf in sight! This courage to go with her own conviction is yet another DemiChat characteristic.

At this point I must applaud the exquisite black and white film noir-ish illustrations of Peter “Zane” Haywood. I can see why Toni fell instantly in love with the illustration that was to become the cover, and why Peter was chosen by the publisher, Kerry Collison of Sid Harta Publications. They certainly add a depth and quirkiness to the book.

And finally, to Sid Harta Publications. “Publishing is a competitive and difficult business. More people are writing and there is less room among the big publishers for consideration of newcomers. Opportunities for good writers and many good books are lost because of this. So what can replace the big publisher’s power and influence in selection of writers and success on the book shop shelf? The small team - dedicated to encouraging and supporting the development of fine writing.’ Recognition must be given to this publishing house of vision, and congratulations for helping to produce a truly beautiful book.

Before I finish up I would like to give Toni a small gift to help her with her school book launch and for what I hope will be the start of many public speaking engagements. Firstly, a Lord Flannery hat. I would have loved to be giving you a DemiChat hat but as I’ve discovered, Deerstalkers are a bit thin on the ground. There is also the obligatory, detective disguise kit as well as some modern-day weaponry which is great for ‘boy appeal’.

With its mysterious kidnapping, a missing secret formula, and the most delightful animal Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson partnering, it is elementary, my dear Toni, that this book can’t go wrong. Now Toni, there’s a few people you’d like to address so I’ll ask you to pretend this is a Champs Elysees catwalk, that you are a former jewellery model, and please come over here and speak to your adoring audience.

Congratulations.

This year the State Library of NSW ran a series of evenings on “Writing for Laughs” which I was fortunate to be involved in. As a children’s author I have written a comedy series for reluctant readers called the ‘So’ series with titles such as So Gross!, So Feral!, So Sick!, So Festy!, So Grotty! and So Stinky! (HarperCollins Publishers).  Writing this genre is unusual for a female author. So unusual , the publisher recommended that I did not put the name ‘Jeni’ on the cover. Thus, J.A. Mawter was born. Unfortunately, I didn’t remain genderless for long and the repercussions of this surprised me. For any female intending to write ‘out of gender’ when writing for laughs I can recommend these two steps. One:  elongate neck. Two: place neck on chopping block.

Faced with buyer and seller censorship, school bans, vitriolic reviews and shunned by the literary fraternity I decided it was time to reply. But not as a woman. As an academic writer, I went on to publish three books on Critical Thinking, Humour and Text for Ages 5 – 8 years; 8 – 10 years; and 10+ years (Macmillan Education). These books were designed to explain the complexities of a humorous text and to pave the way for critical thought. The tragedy is universal, it is often predictable and thus clichéd. Humour is not predictable and herein lays its value. Funny texts require complex thought processes using imagination, creativity, flexibility to deal with paradox, the ability to compare, make inferences, speculate or suspend disbelief. Writing and reading for laughs is not a passive process. Unlike tragedy which is enduring, the comedy relies on surprise. Whilst the tragic crosses cultures, ages, gender or social group, the funny text does not. It is culture specific and social grouping specific.

So how does one write for laughs? If you write for adults the process is straightforward. You are an adult writer, published by an adult, then read by an adult. If you write for children, you are an adult writer, published by an adult, bought by adults, but read by a child. This notion of ‘child’ needs to be broken down further. There are distinctive groupings in children’s writing. What makes a 3 – 5 year old laugh, is different to an 8 year old. A 12 year old differs again to a 16+ year old. It is imperative that the writer has knowledge of these differences and targets their language, situation or character accordingly. Slapstick and scatological humour are appreciated by younger audiences, whilst self-deprecatory humour appeals to teenagers.

It has been said that where we find vulnerability, we find humour. Characters are vulnerable when they have fears or flaws; a policeman scared of loud noises or an absent-minded professor. Characters in conflict are funny, as are those who are unusual or extreme. Often, a character is funny without trying to be funny. A character’s dialogue is an invaluable tool for those who write for laughs. Young readers love puns, taboo language, knock-knock jokes or inversions (naughty daddy). As children get older they appreciate ambiguities, exaggeration and word plays. Older still, and readers will laugh at understatement, sarcasm or plain talk (Mum, I believe you need a divorce). 

Situations can also be funny - when something doesn’t go the way we expect, or there is a twist in the ending. When the impossible becomes possible, when we switch roles, or oppose authority figures we find humour. Topical humour can be funny, as can absurd situations or parodies. Saying and doing the opposite, taboos, and human predicaments are funny - it is always funnier when the other person has the pimple on the end of their nose. Timing is of the essence. Each funny moment requires a set-up.  Which brings us to the ‘rule of three’. It goes something like this: set-up, set-up, punch-line. We see this mainly in joke telling, but we can also see this in the pacing of a funny story: conflict, conflict, resolution.

One final point to consider. For those interested in writing for laughs, the area you gravitate to depends on your need for gratification. Stand-ups need instant gratification. Television writers can cope with a delay. And for writers of books? Gratification can be a long time coming, possibly not experienced in your lifetime.