Lawrey turns struggle to triumph with children’s book
A traumatic life event was the catalyst for Lawrey Goodrick to use his Bachelor of Psychological Science degree to write a book to help children understand grief.
The CQUniversity alumnus’ book, Half-life: The AA Battery Adventure, was recently released by Hawkeye Publishing, solidifying his passion for writing and psychology.
Half-Life is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)-infused coming-of-age adventure that follows two AA batteries seeking freedom from powering electronic devices and escape from the oppression of the Electrician overlords (humans).
Apart from being a personal achievement as an author, Lawrey said writing the book was also about self-discovery.
“Beneath its playful premise, Half-life tackles identity, grief, choice, power, and the universal instinct to survive. It is already being championed by educators as a breakout text for switching kids on to STEM in an emotionally resonant way,” Lawrey said.
“Half-life evolved from a personal event where the trauma of grief and loss was so painfully intense that I experienced psychogenic death. I lost all agency and energy, my ability to communicate between mind and body lapsing, and when searching for a way to define such a phenomenon, I related it to how a battery must feel when they deplete completely of electric charge.
“I have always been motivated to write stories that reveal mental wellbeing issues having struggled through them myself like so many others, often unable to articulate the pain, due to limited information or experience to do so, all to not just heal myself but provide information for others in their journey.”
In addition to being a new author, Lawrey has had an inspirational journey since completing his degree in 2024, pursuing further pathways in psychology, while being a foster carer with his wife.
He’s developing articles on the Psych Science of Writing that offer limitless topics, including how one writes a story from an ADHD or Autism perspective, two conditions he unknowingly struggled with while completing his degree and writing Half-Life.
Lawrey said he hopes to write and illustrate other books like Half-Life and promote the arts and sciences to young minds. He also aspires to complete a Bachelor of Psychological Science Honors at CQU, with interest in researching facets of mental wellbeing for rehabilitation and PTSD, having a deep personal experience with the condition.
He encouraged anyone with an interest in Psychological Science to consider CQU.
“CQU has the flexibility in study options and locations and grants accessibility and recognition internationally and Australia wide. The study choices naturally hinge on individual interests, but for me I was grateful to be able to utilise psychological science to evolve my writing skills by incorporating creative writing into my education plan,” he said.
“Completing the degree with CQU secured credibility in my writing, as well as the determination and resilience to succeed at plans that were once only visualised as dreams.”
Half-life: The AA Battery Adventure, described as a “marvellous read for students and teachers alike”, won the Get Your Arts In Gear: Best Literature Award in 2025 and has been a finalist in several children’s book awards, including the Chanticleer International Book Awards: Gertrude Warner Awards Longlist.
