Monday 19 March 2012

Interview by Pat Bertram about Matica, the main character of the Talon series

http://patbertram.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/gisela-gigi-sedlmayer-author-of-talon-come-fly-with-me/
Gisela (Gigi) Sedlmayer, Author of “Talon, Come Fly With Me”
January 27, 2012 — Pat Bertram


What is your book about?
My book is about Matica, the main character in the Talon series. She has a rare disorder of her body. She is trapped in a two year old body even though she’s ten years old, in the first book of the Talon series, TALON, COME FLY WITH ME. It’s her story about her adventure, her courage, her inspiration, her love.
Matica’s missionary school teachers moved from Australia to Peru, South America, into a small community. Here the local Indians don’t understand what is wrong with her, so decided that she wasn’t allowed to play with their children, thinking that she is demon possessed or something similar. Lonely and with the blessings of her parents, understanding her misery, she roamed around the plateau of Pucara. Often she was thinking of running away so she didn’t need to face the rejection and the bad talk of the local Indians. But one day she saw the condors flying high up in the air and there and then, she made up her mind, to make friends with them, thinking that they could help her to become somebody, to get self-confidence and so would be accepted by the local Indians. Because she actually wasn’t a negative thinking person, she was a positive thinking person and hated her life as it was. So she had to change it and she did. Her parents always lifted her up as well and told her that there is something special out there, just for her. And she believed them and after two years she found it.
What inspired you to write this particular story?
After I survived a deadly disease, I started to write short stories for competitions. I didn’t get the first prize but very good comments. That inspired me to go on. And so, one of those short stories I wrote about Matica and Talon. And there it came to me, that I could actually write a book about her, and then why not a series? And so the Talon series started.
How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?
Matica is me, in all aspects. Not that I have her affliction, but other things and I was rejected many times as well. So yes, Matica is me.
Tell us a little about your main characters. Who was your favorite? Why?
Her name is Matica and her story is for children as well as for people of all ages to teach self-confidence, to learn and to cope and to deal with all sorts of afflictions, conditions and disorders, even being rejected by other people, to learn to face and to deal with being different as she is different. But in spite of being different, she is a loving person in her nature. She loves to help, to be there when needed. But she couldn’t do it in the village, because of the rejection she has to face.
How long did it take you to write your book?
I started to write when I recovered from the deadly disease and that was now nearly 20 years ego. I have rewritten the first story TALON, COME FLY WITH ME many times. I have sent it to conventional publishers again and again. But I always got the rejection letter back. Then I thought I might need an editor, since English is my second language. And so I found Annette Hansen, thinking that’s what was wrong. After she brilliantly edited my manuscript I have sent it to more conventional publishers, my editor even sent the manuscript to several publishers. But still we would get that rejection letter back.
Then I decided to self-publish it. And so the first book was published by BookPal end of 2009. And now I am in the process of letting the second book TALON, ON THE WING and the third book TALON, FLIGHT FOR LIFE publish with the same self-publisher. I hope with these three books out, that the world will see what they have with them.
Did you do any research for the book? If so, how did you do it? (searching Internet, magazines, other books, etc.)
I spent three full days in a library to get full information about Peru and their people, the land and about the condors and everything else I needed before I started to write the first book. In that time, there was nothing really available on the Internet yet, as it is now.
How (or when) do you decide that you are finished writing a story?
I write the story as it comes to my mind. I am not much of a thinker. I just write it down as it comes to my mind. But then comes the polishing, and that is the main thing for me and I love that part of the writing. And that means rewrite it, and rewrite it and rewrite it until I am happy and satisfied with it and can’t find any other words for it. That can be after 15 to 20 or even more rewrites. But I have to be completely satisfied with it.
What is your goal for the book, ie: what do you want people to take with them after they finish reading the story?
That people see and learn that they are not alone if they have a disability or an affliction or anything they might think is wrong with them. My book is to guide them to get self-confidence, to learn and to cope and to deal with all sorts of afflictions, conditions and disorders, even being rejected by other people, to learn to face and to deal with being different, as Matica is, but again it can be read as an adventure story.
Matica learned, after she made friends with the condors, that she can be the person she was meant to be. Her parents never said anything negative to her, they always lifted her up. Matica even often wanted to run away or would do other bad things. But thinking of her positive parents, she never did. And now she is happy to have that great adventure with her condors.
Mira, Matica’s mother is saying: ‘Look for your condor as my daughter has done.’ She doesn’t mean a real condor like her daughter has found, but something that works for you, relates to you. Be like it, relate to it, love who you are, or do what it takes to be who you want to be.’
Quote from my book:
If you don’t know how to go on in life, whatever it might be, even if you have a disability, find a ‘condor’. That is what Matica did. Matica found the condors, but every person can find something else that they relate to, stick to it and do and be confident with it to get there, where you want to go, where you want to be. And then, as Matica, you can handle every problem and difficulties. All the rejections bounce off you.
What challenges did you face as you wrote this book?
To face myself. When I started to write the book, I never thought of the things they came out then. I wanted to write an adventure story for children and see what came out of that. Because, like Matica, I was rejected in school, not because of the growth handicap she has. I had other things. I had to face what Matica is facing and learned, even from writing the book, more and more to cope with myself, to overcome my own rejection and to realise that I have survived a deadly disease.
Do you think writing this book changed your life? How so?
In a sense it changed my life as well. I have more confidence now as I never had before. I never thought I could write a story like that. But now? I can and I will write more stories about Matica and Talon and her adventure, her life. I plan to write about 8 books in the Talon series. The second book TALON, ON THE WING and the third book TALON, FLIGHT FOR LIFE are getting published right now.
What are you working on right now?
I am writing on the fourth book of the Talon series, TALON, HUNTING THE HUNTER. It is finished but I am on the first rewrite. Many still to come. I would like to get it finished by the end of this year with all the rewrites.
Are you writing to reach a particular kind of reader?
I like to reach every reader, not only the ones who need to get more confidence or have to face rejection in their lives, because it’s still an adventure story behind all that. It’s the voyage of Matica.
What’s been the most surprising part of being a writer?
That it is so very difficult to get published. I don’t understand that the conventional publishers don’t see the potential in my book or even for that matter, for all the other new writers out there who are in the same boat as I am. I have the feeling that these publishers might not even read the manuscripts they are getting from new writers and so, without reading the manuscript reject it because of the writer being a new writer.
What advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Never to give up. That is my motto and I am sticking to it since I got so many rejection letters back from the conventional publishers. But I will get there. So, never give up. One day it will happen, because you don’t know when it will be, it could be just around the corner, just tomorrow even.
What words would you like to leave the world when you are gone?
‘Be you, yourself, be happy. Don’t let life pass by you. Don’t look back, look into the bright future. The future is as bright as the promise of God. Smile – it’s the most beautiful attire.’
‘I can do it.’ These four words are the most power-filled words.
‘Love and acceptance for each other, without boundaries.’
‘Self-pity is a useless emotion.’
‘Self-pity can ruin one’s life.’
‘Don’t say negative words. They don’t help you.’
Where can people learn more about your books?
My website: http://www.writersportal.org/Gigi
YouTube animation clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ontac7S20
http://www.amazon.com/Talon-come-fly-Gigi-Sedlmayer/dp/1921578726/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317276412&sr=1-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/talon-come-fly-with-me-gigi-sedlmayer/1020753509?ean=9781921578724&itm=1&usri=talon2c%2bcome%2bfly%2bwith%2bme
Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Talon/135624816470795
Click here to read an excerpt from: “Talon, Come Fly With Me” by Gisela (Gigi) Sedlmayer

Sunday 18 March 2012

Review by Fran Lewis, Talon

Talon: Come Fly With Me

Author: Gigi Sedlmayer

Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Appearances should not matter but tell that to a young child who was born with a handicap. Children can be cruel and adults even more because they are the ones who teach their children acceptance, tolerance and how to understand the differences we should embrace in people. But, one little girl named Matica would teach a whole tribe of Indians in Peru many lessons before all is said and done. Imagine being over 10 years old and never growing over the height of a two year old. Imagine how a child would feel if her brother’s height was much taller and the rest of the children in her village or tribe did not accept her or play with her. Imagine the life of loneliness that this young child would have.

Parents make a difference in the life children and Mira and Crayn are exceptional. Matica was bright, inquisitive and definitely different than most children almost ten years old. Although her growth hormones were not working correctly and her growth spurts were definitely stagnated, she manages to endear herself into the hearts of readers because of her kind heart, intelligent attitude and caring manner.

Two condors, Tamo and Tima are her best friends. The place where she lives is plagued with poaches hoping to steal the eggs of the condors and sell them to the zoo. Just how she befriends them and how they met is quite heartwarming as she learns to accept them for who and what they are, bring them food along with her younger brother Aiken and begin a journey that she hopes will bring her a place in the community where she lives. Her brother has been accepted because he has been deemed or labeled “Normal.” She is very short in stature and has been labeled odd or different and the Indians will not allow her to play or interact with their children. When the threat of total extinction for these two condors she named Tima and Tama, she goes on a quest to find a way to protect their egg and keep it safe. Throughout each chapter author Gisela Sedlmayer gives the reader information about the condors, their lifestyle, habits and much more. Matica is very curious about why the condors are endangered and her father patiently explains the many reasons why they need protection from the poachers when she comes up with a clever idea that just might save them.

This book brings to light how one young child learns to deal with being different, shunned by her own community, not accepted because of her lack of height but has the love and support of her parents and brother to keep her strong and guide her.

Everything and everyone has an advantage says her mother. Everyone does have a purpose in life and she would learn that really soon. Her father really shows his love for her when he agrees to meet Tamo. But, when her father goes with her to meet the condor they come in contact with the poachers too. So, would the condor understand that she wants to help him and give Matica the egg to protect from harm and the poachers? Would one young child be able to save it? As they see the poachers and hear the screams of the condors what will the end result be and will Matica be able to put her plan into action? Leaving the egg in a tight spot between some boulders on the plateau will she be able to get it and keep it until it hatches? What will happen when it does? The chase is on as the poachers grab the egg and how it winds up between the boulders and what these two condors do you wont’ believe. Watching them all the way was Matica and her father never giving up on Tamo and Tima’s success of persistence to keep their egg and soon to be born child they hope. Telling her mother and brother of their adventure and hoping that Tamo would give her the egg the following day. Retrieving the egg and bringing it home was exciting for Matica. The Indians were still afraid of these huge birds whenever they flew over their community. But perceptions change the air of hostility warms up and the Indians decide to try and help Matica care for the eggs. Relating the story of how she befriended them in school and having everyone listen to her would be the first step to possible acceptance. What happens will forever endear you to Matica and prove that sometimes could things come unexpectedly as she makes a new friend named Amos. A trip to Australia was what awaited Matica and her family and hoping the young chick would hatch even more important. Talon would be his name and smart he was. Understanding her words as his father does and growing at a rapid speed he soon became her best friend and Matica cared for him with the help of her family and the excitement of her community.

One persistent and smart condor that decided he too wanted to go to school. But, then the Poachers returned. Talon had to learn to fly and it would take many tries and much patience on not only Matica and her family’s part but his parents too. Read how he struggles, whether the Indians rally round to encourage him and whether Crayn will renew his love for the condors and for Talon. Appearances often change how someone feels about a person and in this case one special and precious Talon who did not stay handsome and cute for very long. But, what difference does that make if he has other attributes that make him unique and different. Besides, he’s a typical kid/condor with a definite mind of his own. Just what this means I won’t reveal as you have to find out for yourself. What happens that places on condor in danger and will he be saved will definitely surprise the reader. But, what happens at the end you will not expect as Matica learns the true meaning of the word Advantage and what hers is in relation to her life and how things turned out.

What will happen to the condors and what special thing can she do and no one else? How does this happen and why? Read Talon Come Fly With Me and find out for yourself. Acceptance, kindness, loyalty, friendship, understanding and kindness are just some of the life lessons children and adults can learn from reading this book. Great for character education, younger readers and definitely a great resource to teach children about caring for a pet, understanding condors and how they survive and realizing that one little girl named Matica is quite special even though she is not very tall in height she is definitely tall as a person in many other ways. Let’s hope the author brings back Talon, Tima, Tamo, Matica and everyone else for another adventure. This is the author’s debut novel and it is definitely worth the read.

This book gets: FIVE TALONS

Fran Lewis: reviewer
http://minds-eye.ning.com/profiles/blogs/five-talons
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Wednesday 7 March 2012

Talon

As my character in my books, Matica, the handicapped girl, rejected and left alone, she finds herself through a pair of condors. Now she is happy as she is. Didn't want it any athor way or differently. Because without her handicap, she couldn't do what she is doing now.

Thursday 1 March 2012

TALON, HUNTING THE HUNTER


‘Yes we did,’ Mira said and put her hand on her husband’s arm, but said to Mito, ‘All right, guard the prisoners with it, well, if you must, Mito, until the police is picking them up. Then bury it again, all right?’

‘Yes Ma-am, Mira, right away.’ He saluted and went into the hall.

‘Where did that come from?’ Crayn asked, looking surprised.

‘What you mean?’ Mira said innocently.

‘That “Ma-am” and that salute to you. He never did that to me.’

‘But Dad,’ Aikon said, ‘don’t you know? Tsk.’ He put his hand on his mother’s forearm. ‘That is Mum and Mum’s should be recognized and obeyed for what they are.’

‘Oh, are they, hey?’ Crayn laughed and messed up Aikon’s hair with his knuckles. ‘Right you are, yes.’ He then looked at his wife, embraced her and said grinning, ‘We do recognize you. You know that, Mum? Right?’

‘Of course I do. Don’t be silly now,’ Mira laughed and kissed him.