The Ghost at the Point - sneak preview!

My new junior novel, coming out in June is

The Ghost at the Point

Set in 1931 on a wild, storm-swept island (actually Kangaroo Island), The Ghost at the Point is a ripping yarn of shipwrecks, villainy, treasure and survival.

Dorrie is hiding out, all on her own, and then a ghost starts appearing ...

For upper primary-aged readers, to be published by Walker Books.

ps  Advance sales have been strong, and here is part of a lovely advance review that has just appeared in Junior Bookseller and Publisher:

While the plot is fast-paced and interesting, it is the realistic and affectionate descriptions of Dorrie's life, family and friends that are the true highlight of The Ghost at the Point. The 1930s setting offers Dorrie the freedom that most children won't dream of today, and as such provides the perfect backdrop for this feel-good adventure, which will suit children aged eight years and up. With villains, some unlikely heroes and buried treasure, this chapter book is built around an old mystery and a new one where good triumphs most emphatically over evil.

Stuck! is being re-released in paperback ...

The new-look cover of the
paperback edition of Stuck,
coming has come out!out in January 2012!

To a great reception! Stuck! is the only kids' book mentioned in January's
3 AW Book Talk Selection, in the respected website Get Reading!

Stuck!

My new picture book is

STUCK!

illustrated by Mark Jackson,

published by Walker Books.

Stuck! is a Notable Book in the CBCA 2010 Awards, and is a listed book for both the NSW and the SA Premiers' Reading Challenges. It's also been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2010, Young Children Category.

Charlie's kite gets stuck up in the tree - how will he and his friends get it down, when everything else he and the gang throw up gets stuck, too?! Hint: watch that cat, and the bird!

ps: and spot the nosy caterpillar, on just about every page!

the idea for Stuck! came from Alexander getting his newly assembled remote control plane stuck in the big tree in front of our house, on its maiden flight! Just like in the book, everything we threw up got stuck too! It happened several years ago, but even now, things are still falling out ...

Some reviews for Stuck! so far:

"Charlotte Calder's wonderful and feisty child characters are not easily discouraged by the problem at hand and are beautifully brought to life by Mark Jackson's clever and funny illustrations. A simple story, splendidly told. Highly recommended for ages 2 to 5 years." Sydney's Child

" .. delightful ... a story that just about everyone who has flown a kite will understand." Chris Chen http://newkidsbooksinoz.blogspot.com

"Stuck! is a lovely story that children will relate to ... beautiful realistic illustrations that younger readers will enjoy." Gillian http://www.busymothers.com.au/

"A beautifully circular narrative ... beautifully composed ... just about a perfect picture book." Kate De Goldi, Saturday Morning, Radio New Zealand

" ... a most delightful book with a clear developing story and a few surprises ... highly recommended." Reading Time

Hello!

this is moi...

This is my new novel,

Paper Alice,

published by Pan Macmillan Australia, coming out in June.
It's a mystery:

'It was in the Metro section of the Saturday paper - one of those "what people are wearing in the street"-type segments, featuring a photo of the person and a paragraph underneath describing what she (it was always a girl) had chosen to put on that day. There I was, Alice McBean, looking like the typical uni student. Fair hair springing around my face, sunnies stretched across wide cheekbones, smiling my having-a-good-time smile for the camera. Except it wasn't me.'

The original inspiration for Paper Alice came from just this - seeing a photo of 'myself' in the paper, that on close inspection wasn't actually me. My 'twin' was actually a Polish woman who was holidaying in Sydney ...
And guess what? Paper Alice is now being translated into Polish!!

And my other books.....

Cupid Painted Blind
Another mystery – midsummer madness and first love, combined with A Midsummer Night's Dream and an anonymous Gremlin

Surviving Amber

Heath's island world is turned upside down when
sophisticated cousin Amber and her dysfunctional
family come to stay.

Settling Storms
Mel's hellish move from Melbourne to a tropical backwater. New school, new kids. Plus a tragedy no one should have to go through ...

A Bit About Me ...

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, grew up in the Adelaide Hills, with a few teenage years in Darwin. Also a year in upstate New York aged 16-17 as an exchange student. Went to university in Adelaide, majoring in English and Drama, then worked as an attendant in the Australian Pavillion at Expo 74, in Spokane, Washington (see link to insideadog interview). Since then have worked, among other things, in PR, as a photographer, and as an actor. Acting is a very similar process to writing - it's all about getting into other peoples' headspaces.

Had a wild and woolly childhood riding ponies, mucking about in boats and going off on Expeditions into the bush, often all day. My sweet and vague mother didn't have much of a clue where we were or what we got up to - she never seemed to worry, and we were (mostly!) fine. A country girl herself, she was a woman pilot of renown, and an expert on seashells. My brother and I spent many, many hours criss-crossing Australia in the back of a (very slow!) 4 seater Cessna with our parents - my mother said we used to fight so much she couldn't fly the plane!
I think many kids' lives today have become way too sanitised, busy and over-organised. Too much emphasis on 'achievement' - there's no space just to dream ... What do you think?
I met my husband at university - dropped a water bomb on him from three floors up, drenching him completely! We got out of the rat race of Sydney (though we love going back there to visit) when our kids were little. We live in a lovely spot - you can only see one other house, way down the valley - near Orange in the Central West of New South Wales with the youngest of our three children, who are now aged 23, 21 and 16. Also a Tibetan Terrier called Jazz, Poppy the Bad Bad Cat, and two old horses nobody rides any more - Magpie the shaggy Shetland and his ancient girlfriend Rosie, who is about three times his height and stone deaf. My favourite things to do - where do I start! - include reading (naturally), stomping about the paddocks plugged into my ipod, pottering about the garden, going to the theatre, chatting on the phone/email ... Anything but sit down and get on with my next book!