We’re so excited to welcome back passionate author and researcher, Sandra Bennett, to share the story behind her intriguing and mysterious Adamson Adventures series. Following the titles, Secrets Hidden Below, A Lighthouse in Time and Fossil Frenzy, it is with jurassic pleasure to introduce the highly-anticipated finale – Tracks in the Mist! This book for middle grade readers, and dinosaur-enthusiasts, is the perfectly suspenseful deep-dive into the Tasmanian wilderness, and the perfect companion to complete your Adamson Adventures collection.
Thanks so much for delighting and satisfying your fans with this ROARSOME finale, Sandra! 🙂
About the Author
Sandra Bennett has been writing but not always publishing her stories since last century. Some of her stories were for her eyes only, others were written for the kids in her kindergarten – year 6 classes, while still more were written for her three boys and now her three grandchildren.
Helping to increase literacy levels in our children is something that Sandra is very passionate about and has been ever since she started teaching back in prehistoric times. She believes that learning to read and love books from an early age is the essential ingredient to promote growth in our next generations. After all, if a child can read, they can learn anything and a whole world of possibilities are open to them.
Living in country NSW, Sandra spends her days taking long walks up steep hills and through beautiful valleys while plotting stories that include loads of her experiences in nature, and the ever-changing and often harsh, Australian environment we live in. These include her award-winning chapter book series the Adamson Adventures. Secrets Hidden Below, book 1, shortlisted Speech Pathology Book of the year 2019, A Lighthouse in Time, book 2 and Fossil Frenzy, book 3, winner Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable Competition 2020 as well as various international awards. Along with these three thrilling and intriguing previous adventures, book 4, Tracks in the Mist, will keep kids reading well after lights out with its mystery and will be released in June 2024.
Other than her Adamson Adventures series, Sandra has previously written two short chapter books, two picture books, a small graphic novel for Library For All and many short stories for various anthologies.
She is pleased and excited to also announce the release of Dragons Drumming in February 2024. It is a delightfully fun picture book that is perfect for bedtime reading over and over again. It will encourage children to alleviate their fear of thunderstorms by using their imaginations as they discover a family of dragons playing percussion in the clouds.
Sandra Bennett can be found at her website: Sandra Bennett (sandrabennettauthor.com) and on Facebook and Instagram.
Tracks in the Mist and the other books in the Adamson Adventures can be purchased via Rosella Ridge Books at Sandra’s website.
Congratulations, Sandra, on the release of your fourth and final title in the Adamson Adventures series, Tracks in the Mist! Please tell us a bit about the book.
Tracks in the Mist is set in the wilderness of Southern Tasmania where the three Adamson children go in search of a lost beloved pet they were keeping on their uncle’s farm. When it mysteriously disappears from Queensland, there are suddenly strange sightings in Tasmania. Now the family is on a quest to retrieve this special creature before it lands in the hands of poachers, or even worse, scientific researchers. It’s a story of discovery, endangered species and becoming wildlife warriors for those creatures and the environment around us.
What was the process like in creating this last title in the series?
I originally did not plan to write this book, but after so many readers asked to know what happens next after reading Fossil Frenzy, I decided I shouldn’t disappoint them. I started writing it during covid lockdowns but soon came to a feeling where I was unable to write until I could drive down to Tasmania to explore the setting myself. I needed to immerse myself in the nature of the area to be able to write with all my senses.
Tracks in the Mist, the Adamson Adventures 4, was just released on 1st June 2024.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
The demand from my readers to want to know more, plus my love for nature and wildlife. I thought about all the places around Australia that I had visited and decided that my memories of living in Tasmania for six months many years ago, was drawing me back. It was the perfect setting to complete my Adamson Adventures.
Why is this book meaningful to you, and why would its message resonate with readers?
I love nature and taking walks being able to explore new environments and discovering animals in the wild. The Tasmanian wilderness is one such place where there is so much beauty around every corner. In a world where children spend so much of their day on devices, this book will bring the sense of the outdoors to them. I think today’s younger generation is becoming more environmentally conscious and the message of helping to save our unique and endangered species by them becoming wildlife warriors will excite and encourage many readers.
Please tell us about the cover design and the illustrations within the book. What do you love most about them?
The cover design is absolutely gorgeous. My graphic designer, Nikki Matthews has perfectly illustrated the theme of this book to give it a sense of intrigue and mystery. Once again, she took my rough idea and designed the perfect image, you can even feel the coolness of the cold southern wilderness. I also love that Nikki added the silhouette of the Demon Duck of Doom standing beside the three Adamson siblings as it gives that extra hint of what is to come. The cover also aligns perfectly with the rest of the series when sitting side by side on a shelf. As for the internal illustrations, each animal and bird were painstakingly hand drawn {by myself} and for a non-illustrator, I am pleased with the result.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
Tracks in the Mist, the Adamson Adventures 4, can be ordered on my website, https://sandrabennettauthor.com/
To learn more about this exciting adventure, you can visit my Facebook and Instagram pages.
Amazon, Booktopia and Barnes & Noble have the book available now.
Thanks so much, Sandra, for sharing the intrigue and inspiration behind this exciting final chapter in the series! 🙂
Join in this thrilling adventure with Sandra Bennett and her highly anticipated finale, Tracks in the Mist, captivating readers through the wilderness and across the blogosphere!
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