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SCBWI conference has started – with

Connie Hsu Senior Commissioning Editor Roaring Brooks USA flying in from New York;

Frances Plumpton literary agent from New Zealand flying in too,

a pile of authors and illustrators from WA and Victoria ….

it’s happening … Margaret Roc and Betty Sargent spent hours stuffing delegate bags yesterday with me ….

The Hughenden was on overload with the marquis rising from the carpark… the banner is up and we’re ready to rock and roll with the children’s book writers & illustrators of Australia and New Zealand!

Our Conference charity is Room to read www.roomtoread.org

Welcome! #SCBWIausNZ14

The post SCBWI’s coming from all over Oz, NZ and US – writers and Illustrators! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Just finished the last talks, events for BOOK MONTH – it’s always exhilarating.

Had a brilliant day at Brewongle -in the bush past Windsor – communing with nature, writing, kids and brilliant authors – in 1876 school house! with:-

Simon French, Richard Tulloch and Lisa Forrest – and fabulous staff -educators who are committed to the environment, education & kids.

LOVED IT!

Last school was Coogee South in Sydney – thankyou to the great librarian Michael, teachers and the hundreds of kids who love JACK’s Little Red man joke!

Room to Read meeting at Berkelouw’s Bookshop today was great catching up with the Room to read team – and a huge thankyou to Berkelouw for supporting kids reading across the world!!!!!!!

Room to Read is having a great party bringing ROOM TO READ and the writer ambassadors to Berkelouw’s across Sydney with -SCBWI authors Deb Abela, Kate Forsyth, Belinda Murrell, Oliver Phommavanh, …… and more …. and I’m one of the writer ambassadors too.

When? Saturday 28th October!

10.30 am at Berkelouw bookshops – join in the fun for balloons, bookmarks, Zac the Yak free books …. and celebrate with writer ambassadors – your authors – to support kids who ALL deserve to read!

See you there.

The post Book Tours, SCBWI, Room to Read – the wonderful life of a writer continues! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

The Reporters are STARS!!!!!

The librarians are STARS!!!!  (Thankyou Ann and Sabine, Joanne from Wyvern)

The Head of Teaching learning is a STAR!!!!  (Thankyou Sean Corcoran)

The Headmaster is a STAR!!!!  (Thankyou Dr David Mulford)

The parents who looked after us are STARS!!!  (Thankyou Wendy)

My fabulous minder. I’d have got lost without him. (Thankyou Ewan.)

Loved speaking to the boys, the passion for making a better world, engaging conversations and of course catching up with  fantastic Australian authors who I call my friends – all of us committed to reaching young people through literature.

Randa Abdel-Fattah, Deborah Abela, Felcie Arena, Michael Gerald Bauer, Charlie the Educator, Andrew Daddo, Kirsty Eager, Nick Earls, Archimede Fusillo. Scot Gardner, Gus Gordon, Neil Grant, Richard Harland, Barry Heard, Simon Higgins, linda Jaivin, Barry jonsberg, Valana Khoza. Will Kostakis, john Larkin, Benjamin Law, Jeni Mawter, Mandy Ord, Michael Parker, Oliver Phommavanh, Mochael Pryor, Richard Tulloch, Arnold Zable and others.

Thrilled as an author ambassador for Room to Read, that this Festival supports Room to read and bringing literacy to the children of the developing world.

Authors HAM it up at Newington Literature Festival with great audiences.

Love it.

The Festival is supporting and raising funds for Room to read, bringing literacy to the children of the developing world.

www.roomtoread.org

Can’t believe it was 12 years ago when the Newington festival started.

I met Sue Richer the then school librarian for Newington College at the beginning of this fantastic new venture for the College in Sydney

This is the first year that it’s been run my the new head of the Lirbary Ann Jagger and Sabine who have done a brilliant job.

There’s been a feast of authors – from Archie Fusillo, Arnold Zable, Oliver Phommocanh, Deborah Abela, Barry Jonsberg, Richard Harland,  Simon Higgins, Felice Arena, Michael Gerald-Bauer, Michael Pryor ….. so many others.

and the Newington boys are fantastic.

I was deeply moved by their assembly where the Principal, chaplain, Sean Corcoran Head of Teacher Education , head of swimming…. supported by a brass band … gave such support to the Literature Festival, environmental protection and Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org – bringing literacy to the children of the developing world.

Arnold Zable acclaimed author launched the festival.

LOVED speaking to the boys. LOVED judging the the writing competition. Loved sharing my books with Newington College.

- Elohim – a small school offering hope to the children of the dust in Arequipa Peru – Susi Prescott - you are a light

- Room to Read bringing education to the children of the developing world – Jennie Orchard -you are a light

- 40K building schools and reducing poverty in India – my cousin Les Szekely - you are a light

- Rotary Sydney Cove -bringing services to the Solomon Islands- Thomas and Megan Gervay – you are  a light

- Cambodian Children’s Trust – breaking the cycle of poverty of children in Cambodia -Tara Winkler – you are a light

- Monkey Baa Theatre – bringing theatre to indigenous, disadvantaged &  young people across Australia & the world – Tim McGarry, Eva Di Cesare, Sandie Eldrige - you are a light

www.elohimschool.org, www.roomtoread.org, www.40k.com.au, www.sydneycoverotary.com, www.cambodianchildrenstrust.org, www.monkeybaa.com.au

-

Love Monkey Baa Theatre

Love Monkey Baa Theatre.

Did you hear that?

Love the talented trio – Directors Eva DiCesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge.

Love the whole team of Monkey Baa lead by the GM Penny Watts and the International Theatre Manager Vicki Middleton.

Vicki is presenting I AM JACK at the IPAC showcase in Philidelphia in January 2013.

Monkey Baa’s ‘Hitler’s Daughter’ by Jackie French will be touring the USA February -April 2013 – a moving production.

THANKYOU to the Monkey Baa Directors who adapted my I AM JACK into an outstanding play which will be having another season March 2013 at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre.

THANKYOU to the Monkey Baa Directors for their reading of the film script “I AM JACK’ which amalgamates my three JACK books – they were amazing and brought me to tears.

LOVE YOU ALL.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Room to Read endorses I AM JACK www.roomtoread.org

Can you believe that ‘I Am Jack’ came into the world 12 years ago?

He’s grown into ‘Super Jack’ and ‘Always jack’ and has had many reprints.

Written after my son was bullied at school, it seeks to make life safer for kids, families and communities:-

-Embraced by kids, families and schools across Australia.

-Endorsed by beautiful organisations that partner kids on that rocky journey of life:-

-Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

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

-Life Education Australia – www.lifeeducation.org.au

-The Cancer Council – www.cancercouncil.com.au

JACK’s just been released in the USA by Kane Miller Books

Has been translated into Korean, Slovenian and Bahasa (Indonesia).

The brilliant adaptation of I Am Jack by Monkey Baa Theatre will be having another season at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre Darling Harbour Sydney 11-16th March 2013

It should be touring the USA in 2014 – www.monkeybaa.com.au

It is now in  development as a feature film – the 3 JACKS – with plans to film later next year.

Watch out for I AM JACK the movie.

Jack and his family and friends wish you all a joyous Christmas and New Year.

Innovative, extraordinary, fabulous, exciting – what am I talking about?

READING, READING, READING!!!!!!

The National Year of Reading 2012 has taken author ambassadors all over this beautiful country

- from the outback to the capital cities.

It has brought my much loved writing organisations together as they celebrate the power of reading to open the way to personal fulfillment, community, literacy and fun and love.

Partners include:-

SCBWI – www.scbwi.org

Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

Monkey Baa Theatre – www.monkeybaa.com.au

Books in Homes – www.biha.org

and more

As one of the ambassadors, I have had the privilege of

-speaking to 1000s of kids, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents

- bringing the message of NO to School bullying through ‘I Am Jack’ from the ocean to the desert

- sharing my refugee background through the joy of  finding home in ‘Ships in the Field’

Having so many adventures and I’m going to shed a tear on 12th November when I go to Canberra to farewell this extrordinary year of reading.

THANKYOU to the wonderful librarians of Australia for a remarkable year.

ww.love2read.org

A whirlwind of literary events – life in the READING lane!

Loved speaking to the kids and parents and grandparents at Sutherland Library Sydney for the National Year of Reading.

Touched by this email from Jennifer Dyer who was convenor of the Library Technician’s Conference at Bankstown this year:-

‘That was a fabulous presentation you gave at Sutherland Library this week. ‘

Thankyou to the fabulous librarian at Sutherland Library – Melinda – visit that terrific library as there’s lots on there as well as BOOKS!!!!!

The launch of Oliver Phommavanh’s sequel to Thai Terrific – called Thai No Mite was fun, fabulous and delicious – at Kinokuniya Book Shop in Sydney.  Kinokuniya support Kids Authors!!!

Lots of kids and parents.

Lots of food – pad thai and spring rolls and more

Lots of jokes – it’s Oliver afterall – he’s a funny guy

Lots of celebration of another winning book for kids – Thai-No-Mite  published by Penguin Books.

Special treat was meeting Jennie Orchard of Room to Read there – www.roomtoread.org

Room to Read is one of my favourite charities bringing literacy and books to the kids of the developing world. So far 6.6 million kids have books and Room to Read builds a library every 4 hours in countries like Vietnam, Nepal, India – love Room to Read and Jennie who founded it in Australia.

Proud to be an author ambassador for Room to Read.

The beautiful kids and teachers of Holy Spirit School North Ryde have embraced Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org 

- Educating the Children of the developing world.

So far Room to Read has reached 6.6 million children in countries including Vietnam, Nepal. India … Uganda and aims to reach 20 million children by 2020!

I’m proud to be a ROOM TO READ Author Ambassador.

I was there with 4 hats as a:-

Room to Read Author Ambassador

Ambassador for the National Year of Reading 2012

Patron of Monkey Baa Theatre www.monkeybaa.com.au

The author of:-

NO to School Bullying & I AM JACK

Universal Human Rights – everyone has the right to a nationality & ‘Ships in the Field’

It was a warm, wonderful and joyous day there.

Thankyou Kosalay Pather for inviting me to your school.

Room to Read endorses ‘I Am Jack’.

 Monkey Baa Theatre’s adaptation of ‘I AM JACK’ will be performed at the Lend lease Darling Quarter Theatre Darling Harbour 11-15 March Bookings:-

[email protected]

Had two fantastic days hosted by the Taree Library.

They combined my visit as an ambassador for the National Year of Reading with The Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea.

Check out the website: www.love2read.org

I shared ‘Always Jack’ which carries the Cancer Council’s yellow daffodil with enthusiastic readers at Harrington and Halliday’s Point Libraries.

Spoke about Room to read bringing literacy to the children of the developing world. www.roomtoread.org

Thankyou to my fabulous Taree Library host Tanya McLean.

Great to catch up with Di Emms the librarian at Halliday’s Point Library.  She hosted me a decade ago at the library at Foster-Tuncurry

The North Coast is so beautiful.

Libraries, libraries, libraries – you’ve got to LOVE them.

They’re spreading the reading message and as an ambassador for The National Year of Reading, I’m speaking at writers’ festivals, book launches, libraries, schools, bookshops.

Is it fantastic? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Here’s a snapshot of my May tours for The National Year of Reading  - www.love2read.org

4-6th May ~ Keynote at the Gloucester Writers festival –  www.gloucesterwritersfestival.com

6th May – Launch at Gloucester Festival  of   ‘Alien Shores’ an anthology of refugees narratives that reach into struggles, humour, life of finding home with authors including speaking Sharon Rundle and Andrew Kwong. I’ll be speaking about my story.

17th -18th May -Coff’s Harbour region speaking at schools and the Catholic Diocese of Lismore in Northern NSW Teacher-Librarian Conference

20th May – Melbourne for the launch of Alien Shores by the Human Rights QC Julian Burnside with authors, Arnold Zable, Sharon Rundle, Professor Meenakshi Bharat, Susanne Gervay at 6 p.m. Readings Bookstore Carlton. http://www.readings.com.au/review/alien-shores-by-sharon-rundle-meenakshi-bharat-eds

22nd May – Launching Alien Shores in Sydney at The Hughenden Hotel with authors Linda Jailin, Sophie Masson, Sharon Rundle, Rosie Scott with the Consul General of India www.thehughenden.com.au

23rd May- Randwick Library in Sydney for Simultaneous Reading Time where ambassadors will read to parents and littlies across Australia – can’t wait, it’s going to be gorgeous!  http://www.alia.org.au/nss/

24-May – Taree Library speaking about ‘Always Jack’ for the Biggest Morning Tea in support of the Cancer Council at Taree Library brought up by the Australian Library and Information Association

25th May -Halliday’s Point Library on North Coast NSW

28th May – speaking at 10 am in Warringah Library in Sydney’s Northern Beaches about my first picture book ‘Ships in the Field’.

29th May – Teacher Librarian Conference at Maroubra Junction Public School Sydney

That’s my MAY spreading the National Year of Reading Celebration of Books!

Love you to come along and chat to me, or log onto the www.lovetoread.org website and joi