English writer visits Marion.
"Angry Tractor" writer stops to visit friends and talk about her books.
By Leslie Morton News Correspondent.
"There is a lot of research involved but I tried not to look back at my notes unless it was a technical detail."
Claire Rosemary Jane. Author.
MARION, - "Purely by accident, " said Claire Rosemary Jane, a new author from the United Kingdom commenting on how she started writing her first children's book.
A prior incident with a tractor inspired Claire to begin
writing "Carol Corsa and Mickey Morgan."
"All of the stories incorporated in this book are set in actual places around the UK," Claire said during a recent visit to Marion to visit friends. "To complete the realism I also chose to use real cars."
One of the stories in the book is entitled "The Angry Tractor." Along with The Angry Tractor, there are two other stories about the adventures of two cars.
Claire has already started a sequel: in fact she has started eight. There will be 32 stories in all. Four of them are set in the United States: in San Francisco, Houston, Santa Barbara, Calif, and New Orleans. The second book will be published after the first has gone out of print.
Each of the stories took Claire "about an hour" to write. "There is a lot of research involved but I tried not to look back at my notes unless it was technical detail." Claire said.
The hardest thing to overcome during the process of Claire's
first book was getting it published and selling it to bookstores.
"It was hard for me to predict my book's potential to publishers." Claire said.
Now Claire is finding it a challenge to get it on the shelves of more stores in America. However, the Cadillac-Wexford Public Library now owns a copy.
Claire has recently finished writing a children's novel that is a "fictional, science fantasy." "Chloe's Extraordinary Telescope" is currently in the process of being illustrated by an artist living in the United States.
Claire is uncertain of whether this novel will be published in the United Kingdom or in America.
"It is a long process trying to get published. I had sent my first book to 27 different publishers before I signed with The Lutterworth Press." she said.
"Rejection is never easy but most people are very kind in their response."
Writing is not the only thing Claire enjoys. She raised two boys, now ages 18 and 21, and she teaches guitar and how to build a website at Somerset College of Arts and Technology. To learn more about Claire and her books you can visit her website at http://geocities.com/clairerosemaryjane/childrensauthor.html or email her at [email protected]
