Author: Maretha at Fauna Park Tales
Maretha is a South African Italian, born in a small town called Montagu. She grew up in nearby Worcester in the Western Cape – a town reminiscent of living in Switzerland among the snow-capped mountains.
Worcester had a small library. Young Maretha’s visits were limited to three times a week, because the librarian told her, “You spend too much time with your nose in a book and neglect your school work.”
Nothing much has changed, because she's still a confirmed bookworm who constantly strives to raise more bookworms who enjoy reading, not just as a pleasant past-time, but as an excellent tool to be used when grown-up.
Before immigrating to the UK to settle in Lancashire, Maretha worked as a librarian in a private school in Botswana, where one of her tasks was to encourage children to enjoy reading. That was a labour of love for this bookworm, providing valuable help in carving her own career as a children's author/illustrator. It brought her face to face with the literary industry’s toughest critics – children and preteens.
She saw that many students also enjoyed reading about birds and animals, their care, habitats and general well-being, especially when a few added catchy rhymes here and there made reading sessions interesting and alive.
In 2012 her job was localised and as things often happen, this unforeseen occurrence led to a new chapter in her life. To remain motivated, she wrote down everything she could remember about her family's pets – their little habits and characteristics.
For example, the character of the working-dog hero in Fauna Park Tales is based on the different traits of every single dog her family ever owned. Researching habits, habitats and interesting titbits about martial eagles and eagle owls, as well as many smaller birds such as crimson-breasted shrikes and hoopoes,made it easier to illustrate them and tell a believable story. Her illustrations appear throughout Fauna Park Tales.
Maretha Botha admits to being a chocoholic and unreformed coffee addict, a keen gardener and bird watcher, who likes to walk on the moors where the stiff breeze coming in from the sea, quickly clears her head, making way for more inspiration.
Happy Clubaversary to me! – FIVE Years’ Membership #RRBC
Wonderful Wednesday – #Garden Glimpses – #Snow, #Pebbles #Decking
#RRBC SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR BLOG TOUR Harriet Hodgson @healthmn1
Flame and Hope: An African Adventure – an #NewRelease #Audiobook #Childrensbooks #Classics #Interview
A Wonderful Wednesday Post – A November Book of the Month – “Saving the Evergreens” #RRBC #Fantasy #Gardening #Environment
A Wonderful Wednesday Post – Autumn in my Garden
26 August – Summer Garden Glimpses – Wonderful Wednesday – #FaunaParkTales
19 August – Summer Garden Glimpses – Wonderful Wednesday – #FaunaParkTales
Fauna Park Tales Mid-Month Inspiration – A Beloved #BorderCollie and a #BullTerrier #FaunaParkTales Series Notes #13
A Sliver of Life
A harmony of hues, melodies, aromas, flavours and textures that underlies our existence!
Gardening and Landscaping
free PLR articles
Lifestyle Home & Garden
Lifestyle, Home & Garden Blogs and inspiration.
garden ruminations
ruminate vb. to chew (the cud)
The Write Stuff
"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends
PhoebeMD: Medicine + Poetry
Health • Inspiration • Life
Stories by Patricia Furstenberg
Travel, History, Fiction and Dogs, Romania & South Africa ~ For what is wind, but the amassed power of words long ago uttered? (Patricia Furstenberg)
