Pages related to reading and writing

• Revisiting My Childhood Reading. It was not an edifying experience. J
• My first fan letter.From two girls in America who (I suspect) were using a computer they shouldn’t have been touching.
• My medal for English. I won this at school in the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Commercial Examinations.
• Letter from the Tom Fitzgibbon Award organisers telling me my short-listed book had not won.
• I’d like to be a writer. This page will help answer the question, “How do I go about it?”
• Reviews of books I recommend. While the emphasis will be on fantasy titles, I will also include books from other genres if I have particularly enjoyed them. Books reviewed so far are:
  • The Hunting of the Last Dragon by Sherryl Jordan
    
  • Exodus by Julie Bertagna
    
  • Stranger with My Face by Lois Duncan
    
  • The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
    
  • Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones
    
  • Abhorsen by Garth Nix
    
  • Alchemy by Margaret Mahy
    
  • Stravaganza: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman
  • Dragon’s Blood by Jane Yolen
  • Eye to Eye Catherine Jinks
  • Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O’Shea
  • Owl by Joanna Orwin
  • Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park
  • Secret Sacrament by Sherryl Jordan
  • Sign of the Lion by Sherryl Jordan
  • The Ice Boy by Patricia Elliott
  • The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable
  • The Stones are Hatching by Geraldine McCaughrean
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry
  • Pagan’s Crusade by Catherine Jinks
  • Pagan in Exile by Catherine Jinks
  • Pagan’s Vows by Catherine Jinks
  • Pagan’s Scribe by Catherine Jinks
  • The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody
  • Cold Tom by Sally Prue
  • Mister Monday by Garth Nix
  • Milo’s Wolves by Jenny Nimmo
  • Afterdark: The Dream Snatcher by Annie Dalton
  • Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
  • The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones
  • Roivan by Glynne MacLean
• Words That Are Often Confused. If you have trouble working out whether it should be draft or draught, it’s or its, this is the page for you.
• How to Deal with Rejection. There’s no magic answer, but I hope my experience can help you.
• An Outdated Grammar Rule: The Subjunctive. Let's trash it!.
• Rewriting: Get Rid of Redundancies. Especially important if you want to write for children.
• Tips for More Vivid Writing. It isn’t just a matter of vivid adjectives!
• Dangling or hanging participles. Some tips to help you avoid using them.
• In Quest of An Elegant Writing Style. What makes the work of some writers “elegant” and some merely functional or dull?
• Don’t make characters do impossible things with their eyes or other parts of their anatomy. Also includes other strange sentences.
• Writer’s Block and Goal Setting What is writer’s block? How can a writer avoid it? Here are some tips on using goal setting to overcome writer’s block.
• Viewpoint or POV (Point of View). Different viewpoints and tips for using them.
• Attributions, or Speech Tags. Avoid speech tag lines that don’t make sense.
• Pluperfect Tense. When a story told in past tense needs to go further into the past (into flashback).
• My FAQ Page: Questions asked by readers and some advice for would-be writers.
• Frustrations Faced by Writers, including some of the weird rejection letters I’ve received.
• The Mystery of Enid Blyton. The “Secret Seven” reasons for this popular author’s continuing success.
• The major literary award for which Silvranja of the Silver Forest was shortlisted.
• What’s Wrong with Harry Potter?. My views on Harry and your chance to state yours.
• Is There Life After Harry Potter? A list of books to read while waiting for the next HP. Chances are you’ll find most of them better.
• How (and Why) Harry Potter Nearly Didn't Get Published Bloomsbury was a tiny, new publisher. What if it hadn’t existed?
• Letter to Bloomsbury complaining about the quality of one of their fantasy titles.
• Electronic Publishers. Tips to help you choose the best e-publisher for your book.
• Preventing Pain Caused by Long Periods of Computer Use. Tips to help you avoid such pain.

Pages related to web design

• Web Colour Codes
• Is Your Web Site Unfriendly? Web Design Tips for help in designing your own home page, including a link to an easy, fun tutorial to teach yourself HTML
• Awards won by my site, including an unexpected prize.
• Search Engines: Some free search engines at which to submit your web site.

Personal pages

• About the Author, which includes a map of New Zealand.
• My Medal for English
• My dogs, including a photograph, plus links to three optional ones.
• Help for a Paralysed Dog: our fight to get Krystal walking again.
• Our White Fan-tailed Pigeons. My journal on what’s happening in the little world of our dovecote.

Miscellaneous

• Native Birds of the New Zealand Forest. This is a very heavy file, covering about 32 birds. You will need lots of patience to download it
• Alternatively, view the birds, with text, one by one in my Slide Show.
• Budgeting on a Low Income. You don’t have to be on a low income to need budgeting advice.
• Recipes. Some budget treats for your family.
• Tips for Selling Your Home. Some ideas to help you sell your home quickly for a good price.
• Preventing Pain Caused by Long Periods of Computer Use

The URL of this page is:
http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz/sitemap.html