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It’s the start of 2014 & it’s drop in time before the crazy life of writing tours, events, festivals , school visits, media …. start seriously.

Where’s the drop in centre? You guessed it -The Hughenden.

I loved catching up with:-

-the award winning Albany (WA) Dianne Wolfer whose Lighthouse Girl & Lighthouse Boy (Fremantle Press) are best sellers!

- Monica Lizama the Chilean-Australian writer who dresses up as her character PAWS!

- Jennie Orchard with Margaret Wilcox from Room to Read who are developing the Writer Ambassador programme to raise awareness of the need to educate the kids of Asaa and Africa. SCBWI is on board with lots of our authors taking on the role of ambassadors.

- Libby Hathorn dropping in with her poetry books and she’s got a new book coming out with HarperCollins on ANZACS.

- Chris Cheng with Bini getting ready to head off to New York for the SCBWI Conference and then Bologna Book Fair  …. and other favourite creators!

And I’m getting my spangles ready to hit Las Vegas for the I AM JACK season at the Smith Center of performing Arts!\

I’m staying at the EXCALIBUR HOTEL, so getting into princess gear … their could be some princes there. or toads!

The post Love, love, love the community of kids’ books!!! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Beautiful Anna Pignataro dropped into The Hughenden on her visit to Sydney and we got to hang out.

I am in love with her evocative illustrations.

Anna has so many commissions by Scholastic, Little Hare and other publishers but we love working together and she’s committed to the companion book of ‘Ships in the Field’.

Do you want to guess the title?

‘Elephants Have Wings’  watch out for it in 2014.

Anna and I are proud to be SCBWI creators.

When Tricia Evy, the beautiful French, West Indies jazz singer sang me her song from her new album – soon to be released – it was moving.

She sang without accompaniment in the city of romance, about hearts broken and romance renewed. 

Tricia will be in Sydney to tour from 25th September as part of the Manly Jazz Festival and Jazz la Vienne.

It was a lovely ending to a mad cap day with Frane Lessac and Mark Greenwood in Les Puces – the Paris Flea Market.

We walked out feet off and came away with treasures, Frane wasn’t allowed to buy the crocodile head, but she came away with an old silver urn, Mark bargained for some ancient stone axe heads and I found a beautiful old painting for The Hughenden.

We were all inspired by the weird and wonderful things there – so expect some interesting artwork and stories.

What a day – driving across Sydney to speak to teenage boys at Patrician Brothers Blacktown, ending with an evening with South African writer and poet Antjie Krog at the Australian Human Rights Centre, Law Faculty, University of NSW.

Highlights:

The boys were from so many countries from Tonga, India to Sudan sharing – insights about the immigrant journey. The boys were thoughtful, intelligent and insightful.

Antjie shares insights about racism and apartheid and its devastating effects on the psyche of South Africa today. Very moving.

Antjie is staying at The Hughenden and loving Paddington-Woollahra, enjoyed walking around Centennial Parklands and walked right into the city.

I LOVE being an author.

It gives me the pleasure of Making a Difference for our kids, families, community.

I’ve just updated my website and these are organisations I love and work with:-

National Year of Reading – www.love2read.org.au

    Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People – www.monkeybaa.com.au

    Cancer Council – www.cancercouncil.com.au

    Life Education –  www.lifeeducation.org.au/

    The Alannah & Madeline Foundation – www.amf.org.au

    Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

    NSW Writers Centre – www.nswwc.org.au

    Books in Homes – www.biha.com.au

    May Gibbs Trust Fellowship – www.maygibbs.org.au

    Australia Day Ambassador – www.australiaday.com.au/ambassadors

    The Hughenden Arts & Literary Hotel – www.thehughenden.com.au

Life is abuzz with the literary life.

Hazel Edwards was staying at The Hughenden and we caught up about the launch at the St Kilda Film Festival of ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake – it got a standing ovation!!!!!!

Hippo is also being shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival with Director Jaimie Snyder speaking there – go Hippo, go!!!!!!

Hazel was in Sydney to speak at Paul MacDonal’d Beecroft Bookshop – the place to go when you’re looking for kids’ books.  I  bought  Margaret Wild & Ron Brooks ‘The Dream of the Thylacine’ autographed by both of them.

I see Margaret Wild in Sydney, but Ron lives in Hobart. So I now have my own autographed copy of this stunning picture book with its lament for the loss of the Tasmanian Tiger.

Caught

Caught up with innovative publisher Sophia Whitfield who’s publishing the Aussie heroes series that includes Hazel Edwards’ ‘Sir Weary Dunlop’. It’s getting great reviews.

Kane Miller, my US publisher for ‘Butterflies’ is just back from the Book Expo in New York with warm & wonderful news about Butterflies. She said it’s going to ‘fly’ – Butterflies- fly. I like that. For anyone who hasn’t seen the trailer of Butterflies, love you to view it. I think it’s lovely:-

Butterflies, a novel Susanne Gervay

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JP7BKgmQic

Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 7. Alvina Ling Executive Editor Little Brown Books at Sydney Writers Festival Chats with SCBWI Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 5/22/2011 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  Literary events, Sydney Writers Festival, The Hughenden Hotel, illustrator Serena Geddes, Alvina Ling Executive Editor Little Brown Publishers USA, author Jenny Blackford, Chris Cheng co RA SCBWI Australia & New Zealand, News, Add a tag Alvina Ling, Executive Editor, Little Brown Books for Young Readers is part of the Sydney Writers Festival – speaking on panels and meeting Australian publishers, agents and editors. She joined a SCBWI meet and greet at the Hughenden Hotel  Woollahra on a balmy Saturday afternoon as an off-broadway event of the Sydney Writers Festival.. Alvina was generous is sharing publishers news and views.   Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 8. William Kostakis’ ‘Loathing Lola’ Goes e- with illustrators Sarah Davis & Lesley Vamos Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 5/5/2011 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  Kane Miller, Literary events, Butterflies by Susanne Gervay, The Hughenden Hotel, illustrator Lesley Vamos, Sounds Spooky by Chris Cheng and Sarah Davis, William Kostakis's Loathing Lola, Add a tag The Kids and Young Adult Kids Writers’ Network at The Hughenden Hotel in Sydney was abuzz with e-news. William Kostakis has put his popular young adult novel ‘Loathing Lola’ online in parts. Yeah to William! Sarah Davis has been working with author Chris Cheng on their fabulous new picture book SOUNDS SPOOKY creating a fun and spooky trailer with heaps of interactivity and a dedicated SPOOKY website. Talented illustrator Lesley Vamos brought out her laptop and the apps were terrific. Even I showed my new trailer for ‘Butterflies’ coming out in the USA at the end of MAY by Kane Miller Publisher at the New York Book Expo. Love you to check out my youtube channel www.youtube.com/user/sgervay Sarah’s going to run some sessions with us so we get online. THANKS SARAH! Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 9. Thankyou to Friends, Family, Writers for the Great Spirit, Love & Success for 24 hour Relay for Life CANCER COUNCIL!!!! Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | By: Susanne Gervay, on 5/31/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  Relay for Life, Moya Simons, Sandy Fussell, Sue Walker, Sue Whiting, The Hughenden Hotel, Wendy Fitzgerald author, Add a tag                            What’s it about?   Celebrating the Survivors, Carers Commemorating those who have passed away Joining together in the community of those touched by cancer. Raising awareness, comraderie and funds to care for those - with cancer, families and win against the disease.   THANKYOU TO FRIENDS WHO GAVE OF THEIR HEARTS & FUNDS.      The second Eastern Suburbs 2010 Relay For Life  raised an amazing $150,406.72    There were 51 Teams and 655 Participants hit the track at the event and heaps of friends and families came by in support. There were over 44 Survivors and I was one of them.  I walked for my friends battling with cancer today with LOVE. You know who you are. Our team the Road Runner Stunners was sponsored by The Hughenden Hotel. Thankyou to writing friends from all over Australia – Authors Dianne Wolfer from Western Australia, Hazel Edwards, Corinne King and Meredith Costain from Victoria, Sue Walker, Moya Simons, Sue Whiting, Sandy Fussell, Wendy Fitzgerald and other authors from NSW and dear friends.   Thankyou to family far away in Singapore – Paul and Amanda – for caring. Thankyou to family close to home – Bill, Jamie & Nadia, Tory, Len and Gracie, Ros. If you want to be part of it – Register Now for next Season: www.relayforlife.org.au I am working with the wonderful, care team from the Cancer Council with my new kid’s book ‘Always Jack’ to be published in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. www.cancercouncil.com.au; and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre Australia. www.nbocc.org.au Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag © 2017 Jacketflap.com                         About Us   FAQ   Advertise on JacketFlap   About our Widgets program for Publishers   Privacy   Terms