Three Reasons Why I Wrote a Fourth Adamson Adventure
Article by Sandra Bennett.
1. Truth be told there was never meant to be a book four in the Adamson Adventures. When Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures 1 was picked up by a small publisher here in Canberra, I was excited not only because someone thought it was good enough to publish, but because they also asked for two more books in the series. That meant The Adamson Adventures was always planned to be a trilogy.
Fast forward a couple of years and that publisher no longer existed. I was left to go ahead and publish Fossil Frenzy, book 3, myself. This proved to be better than I could have imagined as it was welcomed so well by readers that it surpassed all my expectations. So much so, that I continued to receive requests for the next book. Many young readers wanted to know what was going to happen next. Particularly with the twist at the end of the book. I had believed it was a great way to end the series leaving my readers to consider the outcome for themselves, but not so. It seems the fourth book was required to answer all their questions.
2. That lead me to consider my options for the setting. There was an idea for a different adventure with different characters that was set in a gorge somewhere, but I hadn’t quite figured out where that should have been. I had always wanted to write a story set in Tasmania. We had lived there for six months many years ago and I had fond memories that I knew would make the Southern Tasmanian Wilderness an ideal setting. It was also a great excuse for a long-awaited return trip to do some research. I never attempt to start writing a book in this series until I have experienced the area firsthand. It helps with being able to utilise all my senses when writing.
One of my favourite past-times is to go for long walks in the bush and getting back to nature as much as possible. It is my hope that this story will encourage children to put down their devices and spend more time out in nature, searching for birds and animals, or elusive tracks in the mist and mud. Maybe even learn about the different types of animal scats (or poo), to help them track and look after our beautiful wildlife.
3. That brings me to my third and final reason. Endangered species of Tasmania. There are so many endangered birds and animals that need our help to survive. I decided to highlight the unique and unusual species of Tasmania. Tasmanian Devils are cute even if noisy and a bit vicious. Their plight with the nasty facial tumours is placing them high on the endangered list. There are a few conservation places that are doing their best to help improve the numbers of tumour free populations of the animal, but it is always good to help spread the word. There are plenty of other animals that are also reaching the endangered list and I highlight some of those creatures as well.
That brings me to the most famous Tasmanian animal of them all, the Tasmanian Tiger. We all know that it is extinct, the last one died in captivity in a Tasmanian zoo back in 1936, or did it? Perhaps there is still a group of elusive Thylacines hidden somewhere in the wilderness. There are people who believe they have seen them over the years and continue to search in the hope that one day proof of their existence may still be found. Scientists are also trying to bring the animal back from extinction with the help of DNA from a close cousin, the spotted quoll, who itself is reaching endangered numbers.
Tracks in the Mist will not only answer all the questions about Zac, Clare, Luke and the Demon Duck of Doom, but it will enhance children’s awareness of the environment around them and the need to take care of our beautiful animals that are so unique to Australia. Let’s all become wildlife warriors.
Living in country NSW, Sandra Bennett 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.
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.
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