We used to play games, guessing where items may have come from and who may have owned them before. I would get excited to see where the donation may end up, who would take it home next.
I loved the idea that an item could be treasured by one person and then treasured again by another.
Memories of these special moments with my mum were the inspiration behind my new junior fiction series, Ariana Treasure.
I like to write from experience and fortunately I loved keeping diaries growing up. To this day, I still journal. Reading records of my younger days (messy handwriting and all) always brings so much joy. It sparks ideas and ignites my imagination. I adore the curiosity and wonder we all innately have within us in those early years of life – something I hope we never lose but at times we waver from. My diaries help bring me back to those precious treasured moments.
When you are writing stories for beginner readers, your aim is to encourage them to keep reading. The stories in the Ariana Treasure series are bite-sized, so not to overwhelm beginner readers, but I still wanted to pack them with fun and adventure to hopefully entice young readers to keep going. Getting that balance right was challenging but very important. Thankfully, those excerpts in my diaries were just the guidance I needed. They were to the point but still highlighted the delight I was feeling in particular moments.
.jpg)
When creating a series, it’s also vital to plan. Something I’m not very good at when it comes to writing, when I’m drafting a story, I like to see where the characters lead me than be too prescriptive. However, what I’m now fully aware of is when you are working on a series, it’s important to consider each story and how both the characters and overall plot link together. There needs to be an overarching plan to make the series truly shine. Again, looking back through my diaries you can see the evolution of myself on a personal level but my situations overall. Another useful blueprint for writing a series.
Writing the Ariana Treasure stories has taught me a lot. One of the biggest lessons I have gained from this experience is the value of immersing yourself in your childhood when you are writing for budding readers. It was fun to get swept up in my thoughts from my younger days, my daydreams for the future, my favourite songs, my favourite movies, what I was struggling with and what I overcame. Feeling those feelings again can help create an authentic character that hopefully children can genuinely identify with.
Another important aspect of this series is the relationship Ariana has with her grandfather who has sadly passed away. Throughout the series she recalls memories of him. Grief and loss are significant parts of life, and I wanted to honour these moments in these stories. Again, I used my own experiences to acknowledge the complexity of these feelings. My grandfather passed away around the time my mum volunteered at the charity shop/thrift shop. My grandfather and I were very close. It took a lot of time to move past the grief, but I found ways to really honour his memory. Still to this day, my stories are often crafted with him in mind.
Treasured
moments hold so much inspiration. They are treasured for a reason. If you are
able to unlock those precious memories and really lean into those moments
again, you are bound to unleash pure creative magic – it’s also very handy to
keep a diary!
Visit again in April for our double-review of the first two books in the Ariana Treasure series: Ariana Treasure: The Missing Book; The Secret Ingredient!
