Sharyn Bajerai
Sharyn Bajerai has been concocting delightful stories for two decades, winning awards along the way. Still, the modest grandmother of four wasn’t quick to mention her achievements; she only cited them after I asked. It’s only natural that she came up with her first e-book recently. Here, Sharyn shares her thoughts on how to capture the imagination of young children. Scroll down for Sharyn’s full list of awards.
Jamilah: Tell us about yourself, your family.
Sharyn: I grew up in Perth, Australia. After finishing a commercial course I went on to work in a bank for 12 years before resigning to have my first child.
I continued to stay at home and raise my four children, leaving the job of working to my husband. Writing filled my time while my children were at school. And now many, many years later I am still writing and have been blessed with four beautiful grandsons.
Jamilah: How long have you been writing? What got you started?
Sharyn: I have been writing for about twenty years. Even before my kids could talk, I was reading to them. Then one day, I decided it can’t be that hard to write a story for young children. Looking back at the first story, I now realise I have come a long way. It isn’t as easy as it looks to capture the imagination of young children and write something they can get excited about reading.
Jamilah: Tell us about your book – theme, characters, storyline etc. Is there any reason why you chose them as such?
Sharyn: I initially wrote the three stories at different times. When it was suggested to me that I turn my stories into an eBook, it was an obvious choice to make a themed ‘pets’ collection. The stories were short, so therefore it would be better value for readers.
Every child dreams about having a pet. So why not write stories about owning unusual ones and their not-so-typical habitat. Whether it’s trying to keep a dog for a best friend, secretly keeping an elephant in their room, or, for the brave, keeping an exotic tarantula.
Jamilah: Who is the intended audience? What would your advice be for parents/educators who use storytelling as a means to impart good values in children?
Sharyn: I typically imagine an eight to nine-year-old sitting down and reading the stories. But children as young as six and as old at 10 would be suitable too.
I feel that every story has a message. What a wonderful way to get a child to learn good values by creating a character that children can relate to and learn from in an imaginary world.
Parents and educators can help a child develop a good moral compass simply by choosing stories that impart valuable lessons, a good example of this being Aesop’s Fables. Of course, these stories are still a great form of entertainment for curious minds!
Jamilah: Is/Was there anyone in your life who is/was instrumental in inspiring you to become a writer? Please tell us more about this person.
Sharyn: Although I started writing for something to share with my children, I feel it was my love for books, that begun when I was a young girl, that made me want to create my own work. There was no one writer or person that pushed me to start. After receiving a few awards for some of my short stories, I felt encouraged to continue creating my works of fiction for children.
Jamilah: How to order your book?
Sharyn: By clicking onto the links below:
AN ELEPHANT LIVING IN THE HOUSE AND OTHER PET STORIES
Free preview:
Buy the ebook from:
– Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ZLenpK
– Apple iTunes Store: http://apple.co/1ZLestw
– Barnes & Noble:
– Google Play Store:
– Kobo:
Jamilah: Any other thoughts?
Sharyn: Reading is one of the greatest joys in life. I always believe children will develop a love for books if you read with them very early in their life. I hope to help them develop their imagination and language through reading.
Note: Below are the list of awards Sharyn Bajerai have won, including the stories published.
| Year | Competition/Magazine | Award | Name of Story
|
| 1996 | The Calembeen Literary Award Competition
|
Highly Commended | “Mrs Pickersgill’s Glasses” |
| 1998 | Holiday Fantasia Competition
|
Commended | “The Kookaburra That Lost Its Laugh”
|
| 2003
|
Billabong Valley Competition
|
1st Place | “Tyren Goes to Egypt” |
| 2007
|
Featherbrains Writers Group Competition | 3rd Place | “Dead Body Hunt”
|
| 2008 | Kingaroy Eisteddford Inc Competition
|
Highly Commended
|
“My Pet Tarantula” |
| 2008 | Kingaroy Eisteddford Inc Competition
|
Commended | “Max Goes On Safari”
|
| 2008 | Kingaroy Eisteddford Inc Competition
|
Commended | “Grizzly Bear’s Day Out”
|
| 2008
|
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre, School
Magazine |
Published | “The Contest” |
[ends]
