This week, Debra Williams, an independent author from Smithton in Tasmania, shares her passion for children’s literature and expressing this through her writing and creative puppetry. Debra’s works are published under the name Debra Clewer.
I moved here with my second husband five years ago. I am on a team of reviewers for new children’s publications through Buzz Words magazine, a member of several online writing groups and one online critique group. In 2023 and 2024, I was shortlisted in the Just Write For Kids Pitch It! competition. I also have several short children’s stories included in anthologies.
My writing journey began in country NSW in 2015. Assisting in classrooms, I noticed how many children struggled with their reading and comprehension. My goal became to create stories to engage children’s imaginations with stories that they would like to read. When I was employed at a local school in the country NSW town where we lived, I tried out my stories on the target age group, and had a great response. One teacher allowed me to read a chapter to a Grade 5/6 class, and they all wanted the second chapter as well! In the other primary school where I was doing some volunteer work, I had the same reaction. 
Original book jackets for the Harriet series
I self-published my first Middle-Grade novel, Harriet and the Secret Rings, in 2017. Two more books followed as a series in 2018 & 2019: Harriet and the Secret Librarian (Book 2) and Harriet and the Secret Coins (Book 3). Recently, I have re-released the first book, now titled Harriet and Will: The Secret Rings, where two 11-year-old friends time-slip to three historical locations whilst working on a school project. The stories are historically based, with added fantasy elements. The third book in the original series, based on the Australian gold rush, is now being rewritten as the second book in the series, hopefully to be rereleased later this year.
Harriet and Will - book design and puppet character
Three years ago, via the means of Assisted Independent Publishing, I released a chapter book for 8-11-year-old readers. Ah-Fur, Super Sleuth: The Case of the Missing Moggies, features an Australian Persian cat detective who is on the trail of a criminal rat called Ratho. His chase takes him and his driver cousin, Show-Fur, to London, where Ratho has kidnapped the prime minister’s two best ratters and mousers. His evil plan is to rid the city of all cats. The story has the feel of a James Bond/Inspector Gadget type of adventure and is a lot of fun, with themes of teamwork and good triumphing over evil.
Way back in 1991, I wanted a way to make stories come alive in the classroom and at church. Having been involved in puppetry since I was 10, I decided to create my own characters to present various stories. They have been a wonderful boost, both to me and others. In 1999, my late husband, John Clewer, and I started our first website, making puppets to order. I bring other authors’ book characters to life, and am currently working on a 2-character order for a picture book recently released in the U.S, where one of the characters is a talking delivery carton! I have made all sorts of orders, from character collections as hand puppets for schools, to large individual orders…and some have been quite a challenge! I also run puppet-making workshops for children (and adults, if they are interested). It allows great creativity for the kids and encourages them to participate in their own storytelling.
My goal is to engage children’s and adults’ imaginations and encourage them with their writing, reading ability and creativity. I can be found at:
W: https://www.clewerbooknook.com
W: https://www.clewerpuppets.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/DClewerauthor
FB: https://www.facebook.com/clewer.puppets
Editor's note: Aren't the puppets gorgeous!!!
I always love to read about writers' inspirations and learning why they write what they write.
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