Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Children's author needs expert advice

["Barbara O'Connor" <oconnor.barbara@gmail.com>]

Love the photo, James! 

On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 4:07 AM, James Frankland <james@guernseysubmarine.com> wrote:

Hi Barbara

When i was a kid, I was fascinated by books and stories like your idea.  One particular one was called "Me and my flying machine" about a kid who starts to build a plane in his barn.  After the first days building, he goes to bed and dreams of how great its going to be and all the things he will do with it.  Then the next day, he finishes it and it falls to bits as he pulls it out of the barn!  Then the story ends with something like "oh well, tomorrow i'll build a row boat".  Just dreams....

http://www.amazon.com/Me-Flying-Machine-Marianna-Mayer/dp/0819305154

Anyway, i used to build all sorts of things like that, including a submarine.  You can have a look at it here.  It almost worked.

http://www.guernseysubmarine.com/index_files/Page736.htm

(please dont tell me off everyone - i was a kid!)

Good luck with your book, sounds like a great story.

Regards
James

----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Perkel [mailto:joeperkel@hotmail.com]
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org

Sent: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:19:44 +0000
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Children's author needs expert advice

".....If the book is too technical, I'm
guessing your target audience is likely to become bored......"

Absolutely, ...more adventure/magic,... less detail how to get there,...ala Hardy Boys! :)

Joe
From: jonw@psubs.org
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Children's author needs expert advice
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:34:51 -0400








Hi
Barbara, and welcome to PSUBS.

I
think the boys interest should be peaked when he finds PSUBS.ORG on the
Internet, or sees an advertisement for a PSUBS.ORG
convention coming to his home town.  Maybe he sees a PSUBS.ORG
bumper sticker on a parked car.  Whoops, is my attempt at promotion
obvious?  :)

I
think the answer to most of your questions are "no" given the targeted age of
10-12 (elementary grade students).  However, you're writing a fictional
story that will hopefully be inspiring, not a documentary.  I think
your kit idea is the best starting point, and I think it's irrelevant that you
can't purchase such a kit in real life.  If the book is too technical, I'm
guessing your target audience is likely to become bored.

Jon

 -----Original Message-----
From:
 owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org
 [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org]On Behalf Of Barbara
 O'Connor
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:19 AM
To:
 personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Children's
 author needs expert advice


 I write books for children aged 8 to 12.


 I am currently beginning a book that centers around a 10 or 11 year old
 boy who finds a submarine kit (it was in a crate that fell off a train).


 I need some advice from the experts:


 Would it be believable that a young boy could build a small submarine
 from a kit?


 Could the kit be very simple - something like the Silent Runner?


 Would he have access to all the tools and parts needed?


 Where would he have to build it - a barn? a garage?


 Once built, could he maneuver it (on a wagon or cart?) to a nearby pond
 or lake?


 Any ideas or suggestions welcome and appreciated.


 Barbara O'Connor
 www.barboconnor.com