Central Coast author, Karen Witt, sold over 70 copies of her first children books, The Claw, at her launch on November 8.
The event held in Davistown along the waterfront coincided with the official launch of the first Davistown Waterfront Markets.
“The day was so great, and the markets were a great fitting for the launch,” Witt said.
The rhyming book aims to educate children between three and eight on the themes of difference, acceptance, and self-worth.
It follows the adventures of the Australian mud crab, Clive, on his mission to stop the fisherman from catching all the crabs in the bay.
Witt said both Clive the Crab and the fisherman, Mr Norman Beerbellio, made appearances on the day.
“My husband and his fisherman friends were the inspiration behind the character Mr Beerbellio,” she said.
“I was trying to think of what all fishermen have in common, and I settled on the fact that all of their names end in O and they all have beer bellies.
“So I just morphed the two together, and Mr Beerbellio was formed.
“The characters’ appearances were entertaining for both children and adults.
“I lost count of the number of women who joked to their husbands that they looked like the character Mr Beerbellio.
“Everyone had a great sense of humour, and I met some truly wonderful people on the day.”
“I signed lots of books for people and wrote personalised messages which were really CLAWSOME.”
Witt said she will also be launching The CLAW at the Central Coast Christmas Fair on Sunday, December 6 at Mt Penang Parklands.
She has two more books planned for 2021 to complete The CLAW trilogy.
“It has taken three years because I wrote it for my kids and then put it away and then got it back out again – it has been a journey,” she said.
“With this book, I wanted to create a story that was fun and engaging for both adults and children.
“It gives families a chance to read and laugh together.”
Jacinta Counihan