{"id":1147,"date":"2023-04-26T09:36:34","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T23:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pnx.vuy.mybluehost.me\/.website_82c44340\/?p=1147"},"modified":"2023-05-12T18:10:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T08:10:38","slug":"anchored-by-debra-tidball-and-arielle-li","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andrewdittmer.com\/anchored-by-debra-tidball-and-arielle-li\/","title":{"rendered":"Debra Tidball chats about her new picture book, Anchored"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today we have Debra Tidball on the blog. Debra is an award-winning author of picture books, flash fiction, short stories, poems and plays. With a background in social work, she also has an MA in children’s literature, and has a particular passion for picture books. She lives in Sydney where she writes, reviews books and blogs, with her Best Buddy, Archie the French Bulldog, always close by. Anchored<\/em> by Debra Tidball and Arielle Li, has just launched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anchored<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Andrew: <\/strong> Hi Debra, It\u2019s a pleasure to have you on the blog! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and feel free to include a surprising fact about yourself or something you\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debra: <\/strong>Hi Andrew! It\u2019s great to be here! As you\u2019ve mentioned, I live in Sydney where I write with my best buddy, Archie snuggled up beside me. I love going on walks with Archie around the harbour and that\u2019s where the idea for Anchored<\/em> came from. I was fascinated by the boats, especially the tugs and how they constantly farewell and welcome back huge ships. It made me think about what it\u2019s like to miss someone when they go away, and how I felt when my dad went to Vietnam with the RAAF when I was little, and how reassured I felt getting a post card and knowing he was thinking of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A surprising fact? I have a thing for animals with big ears! I once owned a donkey and trained him to become the champion performance donkey at the Castle Hill Show!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Anchored by Debra Tidball and Arielle Li is out now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Andrew:<\/strong> Wow! That’s so cool. So, Debra, after writing a book with a tugboat, you must have learned some interesting facts about them. How strong is a tugboat? What else have you learned about tugboats?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Debra<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Debra:<\/strong> Tugboats are small but powerful! It\u2019s amazing to watch them push, pull and prod huge ships many times their size, as they guide them safely into and out of the harbour!! Tugs can also come in different shapes depending on purpose. I see a strange one in the harbour sometimes that\u2019s used for pushing barges. It\u2019s called Lady Norman and if you search it on the internet, you\u2019ll see some photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was also amazed at the heroic intercepting of a huge chunk of walkway in the 2011 Brisbane floods by a tugboat and crew, that saved potential damage to the Gateway Bridge! It\u2019s amazing to watch (search it on the internet too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n


Andrew:<\/strong> What do you hope kids will take away from reading Anchored?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debra:<\/strong> I hope Anchored <\/em>brings kids comfort to know that their love has a sustaining power on their parent or special friend even when they are apart, and that it empowers them to realise that they are small but powerful too \u2013 in an emotional sense. And consequently, I hope they understand that being anchored in someone\u2019s heart can make their days brighter too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n