The Ten Penners ‘Backyard Beasts and Curious Capers’ Review Highlights Blog Tour & More

The Ten Penners have created an anthology of magical creatures and mysterious moments. Young humans took me on their humorous and enlightening adventures involving broomstick riding, crystal balls, a backyard concert, a magic mirror, intrepid Pixie P.I. Dandelia Oakleaf, frogs, friendships and more—read on!

The Ten Penners latest anthology Backyard Beasts and Curious Capers contains imaginative reading for that age group of children who love a good giggle at preposterous things. Or are they preposterous?

✨ BOOK LAUNCH ✨

Book launch at BOOKS ETC, Paradise Centre, Surfers Paradise
Saturday 21st October 2023 – 11.00am to 2.00pm
“Come and have your book signed by a Witch called Floriece, a Pixie, and Jeremy the Spaceman.”
https://thetenpenners.wixsite.com/the-ten-penners

BLOG TOUR & BOGGLE COLOUR-IN COMPETITION
DETAILS BELOW

Perhaps making a rocket is not such a strange idea?

‘Jeremy Albatross’ by Marion Martineer highlights the delight and disaster of making a backyard 🚀 rocket. This story is both funny and a health and safety warning during an action-packed BBQ for Dad’s birthday.

‘The Trees are Alive!’ by Jill Smith (of Poo Boom Cat fame) is a tale about Maggie and Caleb who get ‘a cubby house and a living garden’ during the school holidays when they rejuvenate an old tree 🌳 and receive benefits in return. Part awareness, part ecological, a story of nurturing and working with nature.

‘Wizardo’s Spell’ by Jennifer Scicluna involves Simon digging in the backyard with his father. Or not digging in the backyard with his father “Who wants to plant boring 🌸 begonias?” Simon relents and with a whack of his spade he falls through the earth into Muderoon where he meets irascible Agrim Kateus.

Only a quick glimpse at three Ten Penner author tales but you can discover a brave cat, a sensitive tree, a blue Quoggle and a fright night sleepover. In fact, twenty inventive short stories for young readers. Here’s the list:

Ten Penners, twenty stories! Always imaginative and highly readable, their newest anthology Backyard Beasts and Curious Capers contains fantasy and fun with cool character illustrations, kooky critters and silly stuff which appealed to me. Apologies if I’ve left out your favourite. There’s much more including a wakeboarding octopus and an old fairytale reimagined. Ideal for 8-12 year old readers and group reading. Story length would also suit reading before bedtime, or reading in your favourite tree. Just don’t laugh too hard!

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

The Ten Penners – Saturday 14th October 2023
https://thetenpenners.wixsite.com/the-ten-penners/blog
Tour dates and launch details announced.
Sunday 15th October – Jill Smith
https://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com
Jill on her role as coordinator, what it involves, and a bit
about our happy writing group.
Monday 16th October – Romi Sharp
https://www.justkidslit.com/blog/
Romi interviews Jill Smith, Ten Penners’ coordinator.
Tuesday 17th October – Marion Martineer
https://marionmartineer.wordpress.com/
Marion on being the former coordinator of The Ten
Penners, and a long-term member of the group.
Wednesday 18th October – Gretchen Bernet-Ward
https://thoughtsbecomewords.com/
Gretchen is a blogger and reviewer.
Thursday 19th October – Katharine R. Pepper
https://katharinerpepperauthor.wordpress.com
Katharine on putting the book together, her other published novels and works in progress.
Friday 20th October – Jennifer Scicluna
https://jenniferscicluna.wixsite.com/artscape/jennifers-blog
Jennifer on her experience illustrating the book and cover.
Book Launch!
Saturday 21st October 2023
https://thetenpenners.wixsite.com/the-ten-penners/blog
Books Etc, Paradise Centre, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
11.00am to 2.00pm and Colour-In competition.

BOOK LAUNCH & QUOGGLE COLOUR-IN

Saturday 21st October—BOOKS ETC.
Paradise Centre Surfers Paradise 11 am to 2 pm.
Saturday 28th October—Big B Books 10 am to 12 noon outside the shop.
Saturday 4th November—The Ten Penners monthly meeting (near Melbourne Cup)
Saturday 18th November—Gold Coast Writers book launch/promotion 15 mins confirmed.
Saturday 2nd December—Upper Coomera Library 1 hour 10 am to 11 am (then their Christmas Party lunch at the café)
Saturday 9th December-—Bookness, Mudgeeraba (to be confirmed) Draw the Quoggle colour-in competition winner!
NOTE:
The Prize Activity Pack will include more of their characters to colour-in. A badge. A Word Search. A copy of Backyard Beasts & Curious Capers, signed by the authors, and more.
Please send your entry via email to thetenpenners@gmail.com
Or hand them to The Ten Penners at their presentation.
CONTACT:
The Ten Penners look forward to your feedback on their new book so please visit their WIX site, become a member and make a comment: https://thetenpenners.wixsite.com/the-ten-penners/blog

📚 HAPPY READING 📘

Mystery, Mayhem & Magic adventures for young readers!

The Ten Penners, a children’s author collective, launched their blog tour to coincide with the release of their exciting new anthology Mystery, Mayhem & Magic. Follow the tour, read about Julie Baythorpe, book giveaway and more—

Mystery, Mayhem & Magic is an anthology of amazing adventures for young readers!

Take a path through the forest of imagination into mysterious journeys filled with mayhem and a kaleidoscope of magical creatures.

From the authors of Shock! Horror! Gasp! and Fan-Tas-Tic-Al Tales emerges Mystery, Mayhem & Magic, a new anthology written by The Ten Penners, a paperback novel-size book which is jam-packed with thirty-six stories, poems and novellas suitable for children aged 8 to 12 and early readers. Stories can be read to younger children too …

… So come and explore!

the_ten_penners_Nov16[1] — The Ten Penners children’s author group

Follow the fascinating Mystery, Mayhem & Magic
Blog Tour any time—

DATES

15/10/17
Sunday – Marion Martineer – https://marionmartineer.wordpress.com/
Dimity Powell – author “The Fix-It Man” – http://dimswritestuff.blogspot.com.au/
Content : Marion Martineer

16/10/17
Monday – Yvonne Mes – www.yvonnemes.com
Content : The Ten Penners
Elaine Ouston – author “Mystery of Nida Valley” – https://elaineoustonauthor.com/
Content : Lindy Standage

17/10/17
Tuesday – Jill Smith – https://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com/
Candice Lemon-Scott, author – https://candicelemonscott.com.au/
Content : Jill Smith

18/10/17
Wednesday – Kate Russell – https://katharinerussell.wordpress.com/
Teena-Rafa Mulligan – In Their Own Write – https://intheirownwrite.wordpress.com
Content : Kate Russell

19/10/17
Thursday – Julie Baythorpe – https://juliebaythorpeauthor.wordpress.com/
Gretchen Bernet-Ward – Thoughts Become Words https://thoughtsbecomewords.com
Content : Julie Baythorpe (see interview below)

20/10/17
Friday – Robin Adolphs – http://www.robinadolphs.com/
Content : Louisa Wright
Artelle Lenthall – www.journeygirlontheroadtopublication.com
Content : Sharron Alexiou

21/10/17
Saturday – Gold Coast Writers’ Association meeting to announce book launch
The Ten Penners – https://thetenpenners.wordpress.com/
(Library book launch Gold Coast Libraries Calendar of Events poster below)

23/10/17
Monday – Aleesah Darlison – author of “Fox and Moonbeam”
Greenleaf Press – http://www.greenleafpress.net/
Content : Elli Housden

the_ten_penners_sept17_2_cropped[1] — The Ten Penners launch their children’s anthology

PLINKO
Check out Plinko, official The Ten Penners mascot, on their website under Media Kit. The Plinko-Colouring-In-Competition-2017_Booklaunch has closed.

“But wait,” says Plinko, “there’s more!”

⇓ Scroll down for further INFORMATION—

The Ten Penners August 2017 — The Ten Penners ready for Mystery Mayhem & Magic

BE THE LUCKY WINNER …

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – BOOK GIVEAWAY COMPETITION CLOSED!

There will be a giveaway of a copy of Mystery, Mayhem & Magic!
At the end of the blog tour, those who have left a comment on this page, or on any of the other hosts’ pages during the blog tour, will be in the running to receive a free copy!
The announcement of the winner will be at our book launch at Broadbeach Library on Saturday 4 November 2017.
So, please make a comment below to be in the running.

Q & A

Today I am delighted to welcome one of the authors, Julie Baythorpe, who has kindly put her literary thoughts into words:

julie_at_her_book_launch_Sept17[1] — Julie at her book launch

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Baythorpe was born in Sydney and moved to Brisbane where she attended Brisbane Central State School. She loved every minute of school life so much so she never left the education system. In 1985 she moved to the Gold Coast. Julie has written all her life. For many years, she taught creative writing, both as a Teacher and Principal in classrooms across Queensland. When she retired from teaching she started writing full-time. She has written and published numerous short stories, poems, journal articles and has developed many Curriculum documents for Education Queensland. She is currently organising and presenting writing workshops for the Gold Coast Writers’ Association. Her books include the Reid Devron murder mystery series and several short story anthologies. Julie also enjoys creating watercolour paintings … when she’s not writing!

Q1. When did you start writing?

A. I started when I was very young … five or six years old. I loved it. I had a vivid imagination (still have) which transported me to mystical and magical places. As I grew older I began writing poems and stories for the children I taught in primary school. I also wrote strategic documents … curriculum documents, behaviour management programs and planning outlines for Education Queensland. I started writing fiction full-time when I retired from teaching.

Q2. Which genres do you enjoy writing?

A. I enjoy writing in most genres, however, I feel most comfortable writing novels in the murder mystery category. As a member of The Ten Penners writing group, I’ve dabbled in short story writing for children again. It’s been a while since I did this, however, I enjoyed creating the character ‘Plinko’ and I loved the adventures of Jock, Davo and Birch in ‘Birch the Dinosaur and the Bogan Penguins’. A lot of fun!

Q3. Have you published any books?

A. Yes, I’ve published three books in the Reid Devron murder mystery series. ‘The Lavender Principal’, ‘Silo Deadfall’, and ‘Under the Fig Tree’, all set in schools where I’ve worked. In collaboration with the Southern Short Story Group (another sub-group of Gold Coast Writers’ Association) I wrote a number of fictional short stories. The title of that book is ‘Love, Lies, Laughter and a Few Little Tears’.

Q4. Have you won any writing competitions?

A. Only one … when I was about nine years old. They asked me to read it to the whole school. I’ve been traumatised ever since! But it didn’t stop my love of writing!

Q5. Do you have a plan/schedule for your writing?

A. Early in the morning is a great time for my writing sessions. I fade by the afternoon. I usually collect ideas in my head and jot down notes … Firstly, in a scribbled, illegible mess. To tidy my ramblings, I develop a timeline for two or three pages then add chapters and scenes. For example, Chapter One … a body is found, police arrive, description of setting and some characters. In a rough outline, I write down scenes in each chapter. I use a scrapbook for pictures and details of my characters. Lastly, I organise a folder for research, the book cover ideas, similes/metaphors, poems, and editing notes and pages. Then it gets cracking!

Many thanks, Julie, for your time and inspiration.

The Ten Penners July17 — Smiles all round for The Ten Penners

ten_penners_part_group[1] — The Ten Penners sub group of Gold Coast Writers’ Association

Don’t forget! Post a comment below (or on any one of the blog tour sites) to be in the running for a giveaway copy of The Ten Penners new anthology Mystery, Mayhem & Magic! IMPORTANT: THE BOOK GIVEAWAY COMPETITION HAS CLOSED.