Meet Author, Maretha Botha – Q&A

Hello, bloggers!

I am pleased to welcome RRBC Member & Author, Maretha Botha to my blog today. I’m excited to hear more about her newest book! And, I do believe, we have an extra special guest that Maretha will introduce us to. So, as always, enjoy…

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Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog, Marlena! I feel most privileged to be here. Today, I would like to tell you a bit more about Fauna Park Tales, specifically my latest project, Book Four, Trails and Trials: An African Adventure. I’m doing it in the form of an interview. Flame, or Jack Old Boy – Protector and V.I.A. of Molodi – is barking a few questions for my consideration.

Flame – Protector and V.I.A. of Molodi

Flame: Biao-biao, Maretha! Why did you think my readers needed to see what we, furry and feathered friends look like? Have they no imagination?

Maretha: You’re so forthright, Flame, but many young readers, even the better readers, like to see their friends by means of a clear picture – I beg your pardon, pic’tree, as you call it in Faunalang. So, even though I had to use a lot of imagination and do some research, I painted each of your friends, including you, just as I imagined. I’ll let you into a little secret. I might be . . . e-r-r older, but even I like to see a few e-r-r pic’trees of my favourite character now and then, whichever children’s book I read.

Flame: Oh, interesting. I didn’t know that, but do you have a pic’tree of the porch animals?

Maretha: I do indeed and I hope you like it!

Katse Kitten, Rocksy and RatX

Flame: I don’t see Dolly the cat – only Katse Kitten, Rocksy and RatX. Have you forgotten about her?

Maretha: No Flame. Don’t you remember that she’s in Chestnut’s saddlebag, facing the great Kalughari wilderness with you, Spike-BullT and your scouts, Mars, the martial eagle, and Vera, the eagle owl? I’ll show you their pic’trees.

Chestnut with Dolly in her saddle bag, and Spike-BullT

Mars, a French-speaking martial eagle

Vera, an eagle owl

You might remember that I’ve been trying to get your readers to also tell us what they think about our Fauna Park Tales. So, I’m introducing your exciting and dare I mention, sometimes dangerous venture, to the supportive members of Rave Reviews Book Club. Some of them have reviewed you, and your furry and feathered friends’ earlier adventures.

Flame: Woof! I’m glad! Do they know about the orphans? And do they know that is why my friends and I are facing the unknown, great Kalughari?

Maretha: Yes, some of them have read The Orphans’ Plight: An African Adventure, but I’ll add their book cover by way of reminder. Do you agree?

Flame: Biao-biao! Of course, I agree.

THE ORPHAN’S PLIGHT

 

TRAILS AND TRIALS: AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE
“Four trails – one destination – the waterhole closest to the best place to cross the Tukani River into a neighbouring country. This adventure takes Flame and his furry friends on a thrilling, dangerous quest, but they always have hope. Were it not for the help of a meerkat clan, a gripe of sandgrouse and other feathered friends such as Mars, a martial eagle and Vera, an eagle owl, their trail might have had a different outcome. This fast-paced adventure takes place during one week and is told from four different viewpoints, because friends as well as foes race to get to the waterhole, and in striving to do so, experience their own personal adversities and trials.

Trail One: Cattle thieves and their hostages are confident that their venture will succeed and make them very rich;
Trail Two: Flame, and his furry and feathered friends are determined that Tall Leader and his gang of cattle thieves will not succeed to cross the border. So, they intend to find their small hostages and drive the stolen cattle back to Molodi. They are in hot pursuit of their enemies, despite experiencing hunger and thirst;
Trail Three: An elderly tracker and his companion take a risky short-cut, starting on the other side of the Llokodi Hills, traversing a salt lake, grasslands, treacherous dunes and rocky spaces. They keep going non-stop, using knowledge of the harsh environment to survive, because failure is no option. The elderly tracker also has a familial interest in the small hostages’ welfare;
Trail Four: Chief Monametsi, John James and their party, are at least twenty-four hours behind their quarry and have no idea that Flame and his friends are ahead of them. Their sole hope lies in the fact that those on Trail Three reach Tall Leader in time to thwart his plans;

These illustrated adventure stories will provide endless hours of reading pleasure to better readers who also enjoy seeing some illustrations of the characters, increasing overall reading pleasure. Book Three and Four should ideally be read in sequence and are most suited to readers 9-13 (Middle Grade).”

(The black and white illustrated paperback is already uploaded to CreateSpace, awaiting a proof copy).

Maretha: Thank you, Flame. I’m sure your readers will be happy that you took some time off from your important working-dog duties to interview me. I’m asking all the readers whether they would like to receive a copy to read and leave us a review on amazon as soon as I release book four.

Flame: Biao-biao, everyone! Don’t forget to let us know if you want to read and review book four. I’m sure your children and even grandchildren will enjoy our adventures, even though they’re happening far from our beloved Molodi valley.

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Follow the Author:

Amazon Author Page
Twitter
Facebook Book Page
Facebook Author Page
Blog (1)
Blog (2)

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Thank you so much for visiting with us today. I encourage you to continue supporting this fabulous author with shares, comments and likes.

Until next time…………Happy Reading & Reviewing!!