Authors’ note

Mona

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A ‘verbaholic’ he is and rightfully, we catch him solving yet another puzzle! David Astle takes his job as a crossword-maker very seriously and it’s lately that he has realised that kids love word play as much as he does. So, soon he was out with his first children’s book — Wordburger!

In Chandigarh, this Australian author had penned 12 books before he wrote his first book for children, a challenging yet thoroughly enjoyable process. The approach he took was to think sensory and filter down stories full on humour. “I love stories and humour, so Wordburger came naturally,” he admits.

In a world where hue and cry is made over reading going out of fashion, he puts things in perspective, “Reading books might be going down, but not reading or writing. Instead, it is on increase. Aren’t people, especially young adults, increasingly writing and captioning and commenting on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram?”

While it is not his maiden India visit — he came here as a teenager for a mountaineering course in Darjeeling during the late seventies — it’s only now that he is seeing the country up, close and personal. This two-week-trip that started with Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival, workshops in different schools in India, will conclude with Kahaani Festival in Jaipur.

“I find children here very respectful, supportive towards peers and intelligent. As a visiting educator, my job is to ask them questions that don’t have right answers and help them come up with creative takes.”

Deep mystery

Accompanying David for workshops in Chandigarh schools is Judith Rossell. Melbourne-based illustrator, and writer, she was a scientist who worked in the field before turning her passion to profession. “Things worked out well for me,” she says.

While humour interests kids the world over, she writes mysteries for them. “I guess there is a phase; from being angels and fairies, girls want to graduate to a risky world and books provide an escape,” she says.

Out with two in the series —Withering-By-Sea and Wormwood Mire: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue — she is penning her third and hoping that it’s a hit with the kids too.

When writing is no easy business just like everything in the world today, authors too need to make trailers for the books; marketing gimmicks to survive the fierce competition. Unfazed, Judith would rather focus on her book. “I strongly believe if the book is good, it will find its readers.”

mona@tribunemail.com