SarahBrennanSeriously is a blog written and published by me, Sarah Brennan, since April 2017, about all the issues, big and small, that concern me most. My family calls me the Greatest Worrier since Genghis Khan – but I DO worry – as a children’s book author and publisher with an ardent belief in the importance of print books, and in the dire necessity for creating literate and literary children in this increasingly digital age; as the mother of two girls who believes deeply in supporting women everywhere; as a long-time greenie who watches in despair as we humans destroy the natural world to which we are so deeply connected; and as a small business woman who, whilst fully appreciative of the power and the joys of technology (including blogging of course!), has huge concerns about its pervasiveness in our lives and especially in the lives of our children, and about where it is taking us in the future.
And as someone identified on the ubiquitous MyersBriggs test as expressive off the scale it’s high time I put pen to paper, or shall we say keys to the screen, about all these issues…if only to stop my nearest and dearest going completely crazy!!A quick history: I have two teenage daughters, one still at school and the other now at university. I was a born in Tasmania, Australia, qualified as a lawyer in Queensland, and for almost two decades worked as a lawyer in Australia then in London, UK, specialising mainly in medical claims. In 1998, I came to Hong Kong with my first husband and a one year old baby; after living the life of an expat wife for five years, including the birth of my second child, I became simultaneously a published author (of my first children’s book) and a separated spouse then divorcee. This led to the setting up of my small publishing company, Auspicious Times Limited, with 13 titles now under my belt, and to my meeting and marrying my lovely French husband, Philippe. I still live in Hong Kong, but travel regularly to the Chinese mainland, Singapore, South East Asia, Australia and Europe for business and pleasure. I’m the author of the Dirty Stories and the Chinese Calendar Tales for primary school aged children (published by my own company Auspicious Times Limited) – all sophisticated illustrated children’s books; a humorous parenting book Dummies for Mummies, What to Expect When You’re Least Expecting published by Haven Books; and in June 2017 my first children’s book with Australian publishers Allen & Unwin, Storm Whale, is being launched in Melbourne. You can find out more about me on my author website at http://www.sarah-brennan.com and on my online sales site at http://www.chinesecalendartales.com.Since 2008 I have published a blog at http://www.sarahbrennanblog.com aimed at primary school-aged children. It’s been my gift to kids, where I’ve done everything I can to encourage them to read great books, to write original stories and poems, and to turn off the technology on a regular basis! But in this blog, it’s to you – mums and dads, teachers, librarians, and anyone else who shares my concerns – that I especially want to reach out. Please don’t hesitate to add comments to my posts, or to share them on your own social media, whether you agree with what I say or fiercely disagree – it’s the conversation I want, with you, about the subjects that exercise me most!
Sarah Brennan Seriously 