Maaaate, it’s Drongoes!

It’s here, it’s here, my first little Aussie Mate. (And seriously, with a title like Drongoes, what else could it be?)

When the fabulous Dyan Blacklock at Scholastic first asked me if I’d like to write something for their Mates series for newly independent readers, my immediate reaction was hell, yeah – I’m a sheila from Biloela, I live for great Aussie yarns.

And I have to say that writing Drongoes was about as much fun as I’ve had at a keyboard. It took me back to my own early reading discoveries and the thrill of graduating to big kids’ books with proper stories and chapters and everything (just like younger readers will find in Drongoes ;))

Drongoes is out now, so look out for it in Scholastic Book Club in schools. Or if you’re really keen, you can order it by clicking here. 🙂

Love to hear what you think of it.

Can Jack beat arch-enemy Rocket Robson in this year’s cross-country? If only! A heart-warming story of mateship and drongoes, where the real winner isn’t always the first over the line.

Days like this

I have man flu. My usual nocturnal purr has become an alarming rafter-rattling snore that has destroyed my vocal chords. I cough, I splutter, I spend a day in bed reading Melina Marchetta’s mesmerisingly brilliant Froi of the Exiles.

I graduate from no voice to man voice. Telemarketers ask if my wife’s home.

I need cheering up, and lo, the gods smile upon me. Not one, but two publishing contracts arrive at chez Bongers.

The one from Scholastic comes via the ze french post man (he’s sweet, says ‘allo and calls me by my street-name-and-number when he spots me walking the dog far from home) .

The other, from Ford Street Publishing, pops up in my inbox.

Both of them are firsts for me. I squeal in delight; no sound comes out, but the beagle snaps to attention.

Drongoes will be my first illustrated chapter book, published by Scholastic next year in their Mates series of great Australian yarns.

Killer Stories will be published in Ford Street Publishing‘s 2012 anthology Trust Me Too!.

To celebrate, the beagle and I are snoopy dancing to Van Morrison’s Days Like This.

Click here to join us. 🙂