John Eddy holds a large copy of The Lost Blanket for Village School students while Christine and 36-year-old Morris Teddy read to them.
By Christine Grayden
IN MARCH this year, as I approached my May 16 big 70 birthday, I decided to do something useful with that milestone. Maybe raise some money for a worthy cause; a charity that welcomed celebratory donations on behalf of friends and family. But I didn’t want to just ask for money. I wanted to DO something. Finding sponsors and running a marathon being out of the question, I fell back on two of the things I most love to do – write and draw.
I’d just finished a draft of a story about an old, frail retired teacher stuck in a nursing home during the Covid lockdown, unable to see a child for over a year. I realised that character was reflecting how I felt about my own isolating situation. I missed children terribly too.
IN MARCH this year, as I approached my May 16 big 70 birthday, I decided to do something useful with that milestone. Maybe raise some money for a worthy cause; a charity that welcomed celebratory donations on behalf of friends and family. But I didn’t want to just ask for money. I wanted to DO something. Finding sponsors and running a marathon being out of the question, I fell back on two of the things I most love to do – write and draw.
I’d just finished a draft of a story about an old, frail retired teacher stuck in a nursing home during the Covid lockdown, unable to see a child for over a year. I realised that character was reflecting how I felt about my own isolating situation. I missed children terribly too.
Pondering that led me to four decisions. I would write a children’s story book, which I would aim to present at schools and Turn the Page Bookshop in Cowes. I would sell it for my birthday with proceeds going to UNICEF to help children in crisis situations. Lastly, I wanted to set up a website to promote my books and writing.
I’m delighted and proud to say that all four came true. Firstly, with help from Eevi Jones on YouTube and from printer Paul nearby in Ventnor, I did manage to produce my little book, The Lost Blanket.
Secondly, together with my family, friends and strangers who bought my book or donated to UNICEF on my behalf, we raised a bit over $1,000 by the end of June.
Thirdly that the Village and Powlett River schools hosted me to present my book to their youngest children, and Turn the Page has welcomed me for two story reading /art/music sessions in their independent bookshop.
And finally our son Simon Eddy found time to pull together my website (christinegrayden.com.au) after I’d waded my way through an online ‘Your Author’s Website’ course with the Australian Writers Centre and come up with a bucket list of things I wanted my website to do for me.
Along with promoting my own books and writing (including my blog here, which editor Catherine Watson kindly set up for me), is the wish to promote other Bass Coast-based writers, books and writing events. So the tagline reads “Writing in Bass Coast”.
It’s quite a task to keep a website of any sort updated, but one that features news snippets for upcoming events, or reports on writing progress of my or other local writers’ work, actually on the Home page, has been more of a challenge than I anticipated.
I’m delighted and proud to say that all four came true. Firstly, with help from Eevi Jones on YouTube and from printer Paul nearby in Ventnor, I did manage to produce my little book, The Lost Blanket.
Secondly, together with my family, friends and strangers who bought my book or donated to UNICEF on my behalf, we raised a bit over $1,000 by the end of June.
Thirdly that the Village and Powlett River schools hosted me to present my book to their youngest children, and Turn the Page has welcomed me for two story reading /art/music sessions in their independent bookshop.
And finally our son Simon Eddy found time to pull together my website (christinegrayden.com.au) after I’d waded my way through an online ‘Your Author’s Website’ course with the Australian Writers Centre and come up with a bucket list of things I wanted my website to do for me.
Along with promoting my own books and writing (including my blog here, which editor Catherine Watson kindly set up for me), is the wish to promote other Bass Coast-based writers, books and writing events. So the tagline reads “Writing in Bass Coast”.
It’s quite a task to keep a website of any sort updated, but one that features news snippets for upcoming events, or reports on writing progress of my or other local writers’ work, actually on the Home page, has been more of a challenge than I anticipated.
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Given that I’ve really only promoted the website to the Bass Coast Writers and Ibis Writers groups and a few times on my own Facebook page, the visitation has been very pleasing, with up to 50 people a week hopping on and having a good look around the site. Considering it’s really a niche market, being directly aimed at a local audience specifically interested in Bass Coast writers and writing events, I’m happy with that number for the first three months of the website’s existence.
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Advice for writers
aspiring to their own website
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Although I didn’t exactly tell Simon I was going to use the Home Page as a news page, it’s clear that my website visitors really love that section. That puts a big responsibility on me to keep it updated, meaning I have to actively go seeking news to put up there. So far it’s included:
So this is an invitation to any Bass Coast writers, or anyone hosting a local writing event. I welcome up to a paragraph as a Word doc about your event with an appropriate jpg image or poster to include with the information. If you want to save the news post from my website you may, but be aware it will only be up until the night or day after the event.
I’m happy to link to your own website or blog site, and your event booking and/or sales site. If you would like to link back to my website, as Meryl Brown Tobin has done, that is not only welcome for me but puts your website higher in the Google analytics rankings. Win (you), win (me), win (Google), win (website users). That’s how the website search game goes!
Catch you on the web, folks!
- book launches by local writers,
- the Festival of Stories,
- the various author and story-related events held in our local Myli branches,
- links to writers’ articles here on the Bass Coast Post and the Waterline News,
- Bass Coast and Ibis Writers meeting dates,
- plays written and performed by locals,
- John Mutsaers’ recently finished ‘Looking back’ painting/writing collaboration exhibition,
- historical society history author talks,
- the mega book sale by Wonthaggi & District Historical Society, and
- updates on the progress of my forthcoming Minibeasts of Phillip Island Millowl children’s non-fiction picture book.
So this is an invitation to any Bass Coast writers, or anyone hosting a local writing event. I welcome up to a paragraph as a Word doc about your event with an appropriate jpg image or poster to include with the information. If you want to save the news post from my website you may, but be aware it will only be up until the night or day after the event.
I’m happy to link to your own website or blog site, and your event booking and/or sales site. If you would like to link back to my website, as Meryl Brown Tobin has done, that is not only welcome for me but puts your website higher in the Google analytics rankings. Win (you), win (me), win (Google), win (website users). That’s how the website search game goes!
Catch you on the web, folks!