Rosie Schonell
Clareville local Rosie Schonell is a former English teacher with a passion for telling spooky tales. Her debut novel, Breaking School Rules is Easy was published on March 6 by Hembury Books.
Breaking School Rules is Easy is a middle-grade mystery that follows main characters Billie and Minty as they investigate the eerie happenings tied to a tragic local family and the abandoned house behind the girls’ college they attend. As they solve riddles and puzzles linked to the mystery, they learn being smart isn’t necessarily about academic success - it can also be about curiosity, creativity and having the courage to think differently.
Rosie has a Bachelor of Arts with a Diploma of Education from Macquarie University and a Master of Special Education from the University of Sydney. These qualifications have led her to work as a specialised teacher for students with learning difficulties.
Rosie also volunteers teaching literacy skills to disadvantaged children and adult migrants. She firmly believes that learning to read ignites one’s imagination, fills you with knowledge and opens doors in the real world. Rosie’s debut novel is a middle-grade mystery called Breaking School Rules is Easy. Her upcoming children’s book Maggie Moo The Cow Who Forgot What To Do is a fun story about a friendly and forgetful cow.
BSRIE follows this philosophy, tapping into an honest pre-adolescent experience, whilst exploring the emotional ups and downs of friendship and identity as a tween.
Rosie has adult children and lives with her husband, spending her time between Balmain and Clareville, Pittwater. She enjoys pickleball, cold water swimming, outrigging and volunteers as a Crisis Supporter at Lifeline.
This week a chat with Rosie about her debut book.
As someone who has taught students of all levels, how has your experience shaped your writing for middle-grade readers?
There are some universal themes that all middle grade readers enjoy. These include adventures that involve outwitting adults in authority, sneaking out of bounds or at night, spying on people, sleep overs, imagining going into a haunted house and solving clues and mysteries based around their school. As there is a vast range of reading abilities in this age group and varying levels of sophistication of what they want to read, teachers and parents need to be careful not to expose them to content that is too advanced.
Therefore, writing for this age group involves a delicate balance between just enough and not too much. I have tried to make my book meaty, thought provoking and at the same time exciting while keeping the content age appropriate.
You’ve previously mentioned that reading ‘ignites one’s imagination’ - how do you try to capture that in a book?
I use suspense in my story, trying to end each chapter on a ‘knife edge’. Where I can I write with urgency to draw the reader in. I have also chosen settings that can be described evocatively which builds atmosphere. At times I also weave a sense of foreboding into the story.
I change these settings throughout the story while keeping the pace moving with the aim of keeping the reader’s imagination and attention. The idea is to encourage the reader to keep reading another page or another chapter.
Why did you decide to set the book at an all-girls college?
When you write a novel you must get into the mind of your point of view character. I had to get into the mind of a twelve-year-old girl. While I have taught at both single sex and co-ed schools I was educated at an all-girls school so it was easier for me to draw on my own experiences.
As a former teacher, what would you say to a young reader who believes being ‘book smart' is the only way to show intelligence?
There is so much more to intelligence than just the grade on your exam. That is not the sum of how smart you are or how far you will go in life. Just as important if not more important is empathy, compassion, resourcefulness, determination and resilience.
What kinds of strengths do Billie and Minty bring to solving the mystery?
Billie and Minty have strong character growth throughout the story. They are loyal friends with a determined and courageous “can do” attitude which they use to solve the clues and eventually the mystery. Minty overcomes her anxiety and Billie is rewarded for her courage.
After the disappointment of your original publisher closing its doors, what motivated you to bring this story back to the hands of young readers?
Writing a novel involves a lot of hard work and countless hours of effort that has created a world that you want to share with your reader. So, when your publisher suddenly closes their doors, you just don’t want to give up. There is just no way you are saying goodbye to your characters and the world you have created especially when it has had such great feedback from readers. So, it felt right to put out a second edition with a new publisher and a new cover.
What do you hope that readers will take away from Breaking School Rules is Easy?
It is my hope that my readers will come to realise that facing your fears empowers you to try something new and more challenging. It also seeks to send a message to the reader that success in school exams is not the be all and end of what makes a good or successful person. Each of us has a unique set of skills and traits that are not always measured by a mark on an exam paper.
You have taught literacy skills to disadvantaged children and adult migrants. Why is this important for them – and to you?
Literacy is a functional skill that enables you to navigate life. It is a basic human right that provides people with opportunities to participate in society. Teaching someone to read is giving someone a chance at a better life. It is life changing for them and immensely rewarding for me.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of developing a career as a writer?
Make sure you write about a topic you love or that has great meaning to you as it’s a long hard road. You need to be resilient and never give up.
You have a love of getting in and on the water, in swimming and outrigging – where do you swim and who are you rowing with?
I swim most mornings at Avalon Pool. My favourite time is to swim around 6.30am. Best of all are the winter months when the water is at its clearest and the pool is less crowded.
I am a member of Pittwater Outriggers. The boats leave from Rowland Reserve at Bayview and sometimes we paddle around Scotland Island, to Church Point or to Clareville Beach and back.
What are your favourite places in Pittwater and why?
We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of Sydney. Some of my favourite places include having an early morning coffee from the van on the hill above Avalon Beach after a swim. It does a perfect almond magic, and the view is amazing no matter the weather.
I also love the many bays on Pittwater such as Towler’s, Lovett and Elvina and a trip to The Basin is always special.
What is your ‘motto for life’ or a favourite phrase you try to live by?
I used to be a bit of a procrastinator but now I’m trying to live by the motto; “Have the courage to do everything you want to do as time waits for no one”.
