Alligators!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE the Everglades. It is rich with wildlife -the alligators are not as scary as Australian crocodiles. Saw a mother and 2 baby alligators. There are 2 million alligators in the Everglades. So watch your step.

The racoons are very naughty.

The maneety are beautiful – like dugongs – called mermaids.

It’s verdant with huge areas of mangroves.

The small amphibious boats swerve through the mud and low waters and get you right inside the everglades.

Australian author Susanne Gervay (visit her website and blog) has had a very busy year this year and social justice has been high on her agenda. She is one of the contributors to Fear Factor: Terror Incognito, an anthology of short stories featuring ten Australian and ten Indian writers, edited by Meenakshi Bharat and Sharon Rundle (Macmillan Australia/ Picador India, 2010). She has been writing about her travels to India and Kiribati, a “Pacific atoll nation drowning under climate change”. She has just launched Always Jack, the third book about Jack, following on from her wonderful I Am Jack and Super Jack. Most recently, Susanne was in South Korea for the Nambook-010 Fesival, the 5th Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival. She was there because she was taking part in Peace Story, a very special project. We are very grateful to Susanne for telling us all about it here. For those of us who couldn’t be there in person, Susanne’s description and photographs are definitely the next best thing!

In these troubled times with North Korea’s military attack on South Korea, the international publication of Peace Story is poignant and important. Twenty-two children’s authors and twenty-two illustrators from twenty-two countries engaged in an international cooperative to create a unique anthology, Peace Story, for young people. Respected academic author on Irish children’s literature Valerie Coghlan and Irish Laureate for children’s literature Siobhán Parkinson were the co-editors of Peace Story.

‘Peace Story’ was part of the Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival, South Korea which was first held in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen. It is a six-week bi-annual festival of children’s books, the environment and peace, featuring outstanding exhibitions of children’s books and illustrations from all over the world. Much loved Korean illustrator Kang Woo-hyon, President of the Nambook-010 International Committee headed the ‘Peace Story’ project with the support of the Nami Island Minn family who published and translated some of the stories, and hosted the authors and illustrators on Nami Island. It was supported by National YMCA Korea, UNICEF and UNESCO Korea, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, and Nami Island the official sponsor of the IBBY Hans Christian Anderson Awards.

My Australian story ‘To East Timor with Love Australia’, illustrated by the award-winning Frané Lessac, opens the anthology Peace Story. Frané Lessac’s vibrant colours of bright pink bougainvillea and yel

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I love Monkey Baa Theatre. They are doing a production of Duncan Ball’s Emily Eyefinger in 2011.

BIG NEWS!!!! I Am Jack will be performed by Monkey Baa Theatre at Ipswich Festival September 2011. I’ll be speaking there too – very exciting. Love Queensland.

So it’s Christmas Cheer tonight at the Rose Hotel Cleveland Street Chippendale opposite Syemour Theatre with Monkey Baa.

Thankyou Meredith Costain and Marjory Gardner – great author and illustrator friends for you warm and wonderful emails about the ABC Life Matters programme with Richard Aedy.

I love ABC radio – what would we do without ‘Aunty’. ABC is committed to sharing Australian stories and our voice.

THANKYOU Richard Aedy and the producer for a great interview on ‘Always Jack’.

The interview is on ABC National:-

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2010/3076434.htm

‘Sex and drugs have always been difficult topics to address with young children. But what about cancer?

Susanne Gervay has been in this situation more than once battling bouts of breast cancer and other tumours.

Her new book Always Jack deals with how to help children cope when their parents are diagnosed with cancer.’

Who’s at the ABC Studios in Harris Street Sydney?

Yes, it’s a PLAY SCHOOL bonanza with Little Ted, Jemima, Big Ted and the famous Humpty Dumpty reading ‘Always Jack’. Come on into the ABC studios in Harris St Sydney and say hello to them.

I was visiting the ABC National Radio Studios for an interview for Life Matters with Richard Aedy and ‘Always Jack’. Listen out for the interview in early December.

The Cancer Council’s yellow daffodil is special on the back cover of ‘Always Jack’.

Sharing ‘Always Jack’ is about being a family. So when there’s a challenge like a Mum getting sick, it’s OK to talk, support each other, laugh & make Christmas a celebration.

The Tardis is the famous nick-name for ‘Aunty’ – our ABC radio studios. I always feels warm and fuzzy when I am interviewed in the Tardis in Sydney’s ABC radio studios. I’ve done a lot of interviews there as a writer.

Aunty reaches the community.  It was hectic getting into the studios for a morning interview and then an afternoon one with NSW Mid Coast Radio and Hobart radio. However ABC gives you time to explore.

Joel Rheinberger ‘Afternoons’ program in Hobart loved ‘Always Jack’ and we spoke about the importance of talking for kids, family, community through story.

It’s hard when a parent has cancer, but story makes it warm, safe and OK.

It was a night of celebration at the Hughenden, with warm feelings, friends, media, authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, CBCA, Monkey Baa Theatre team, fans ….. mingling in the Victorian lounge, then heading through the Reading Room with wonderful kids’ illustrations to officially launch ‘Always Jack’:-

HarperCollins Publisher Lisa Berryman, publisher of ‘Always Jack’ was a fantastic MC and made me feel very special. Thankyou Lisa.

Thankyou to the fabulous speakers:- 

Julie Callaghan Manager Cancer Council NSW – said ’Always Jack’ gave kids a voice and the Cancer Council loved their involvement with ‘Always Jack’

Dr Vivienne Milch National Breast & Ovarian Cancer Centre was proud to be involved in ensuring medical authenticy of ‘Always Jack’

Walkley award winning cartoonist Cathy Wilcox  delighted everyone with her humour and love of JACK.

Lisa Forrest, Olympian, first female sports TV commentator, actor, media commentator and young adult author gave a powerful talk about the power of books to travel with young readers and ‘Always Jack’ does that.

Great night. Great celebration!

The ACT Libraries are great supporters of authors. They put on a warm and wonderful launch of ‘Always Jack’ at their Woden Library in Canberra. THANKYOU!!!!!

Really appreciated a crowd from the launch joining me at The Forrest Hotel for dinner. It was a lovely dinner and also special to look out towards our magnificent Parliament House. 

Barbara Branxton made a great effort to drive from Cooma to come. Barbara is one of those librarians who has helped move libraries into special places with book nooks, computer links, celebratory designs. 

Loved her being there.

Loved seeing old friends who have been part of my writing life.

There were some moving moments as I spoke about ‘Always Jack’ and its power to ‘make it safe for children, parents and the wider community to talk about cancer.’ (Cancer Council)

One radio interviewer said that she wished she’d had ‘Always Jack’ when her mother was going through it.

A young mother with 3 children thanked me, because she’s been looking for story to read to and with her kids. ‘There’s nothing out there for them’ she said.

It was a celebration. Thankyou Canberra.

It was really welcoming to see ‘Always Jack’ as the window display at The Children’s Bookshop’, Beecroft in Sydney.

Paul MacDonald who coordinates all the events welcomed me. The upstairs event area was set up with drinks and muffins & more displays of ‘Always Jack’, with walls lined with illustrations from our most loved illustrators – Kim Gamble, Shaun Tan, David Legge, Jan Ormond & others.

 People should drop by and have a look at the exhibition.

It was one of those lovely afternoons with a whole range of people from grandmas to toddlers engaged in story. It was warm, welcoming and I even got a few hugs from the audience. I like that.

Profits for the sales of the books are being donated to The Cancer Council that endorses ‘Always Jack.’ That’s generous of Paul MacDonald and ‘The Children’s Bookshop.

FRIDAY BOOK FEATURE – ALWAYS JACK

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43. Always Jack gets daffodil of approval for Breast Cancer

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By: Susanne Gervay, on 10/5/2010
Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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ALWAYS JACK gets daffodil of approval

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 07:31 PM PDT Boomerang Books

Best-selling Australian author, Susanne Gervay’s latest novel, Always Jack, has been given the stamp of approval from one of Australia’s most influential bodies – the Cancer Council.

It’s a rare endorsement from the organisation, commending the novel for its exploration of cancer and its impact on families. It’s all done with the insight and sensitivity of not only one of Australia’s most renowned writers, but a breast cancer survivor.

The Cancer Council said, “Susanne Gervay’s Always Jack makes it safe for children, parents and the wider community to talk about Cancer.”

For those who’ve read Gervay’s work in the past, they know she has a knack for combining provocative, hot-button issues with enjoyable stories quite unlike any of her peers. It’s great to see her masterful touch has been rewarded with the daffodil. A percentage of Always Jack‘s royalties will be donated to the Cancer Council NSW and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.

Books really can make a difference.

Always Jack by Susanne Gervay
Jack?s life is pretty good – he has brilliant friends, everyone loves his funny jokes and he?s a great inventor. But things are getting complicated. Nanna?s older and wobblier, and why does his face now go red when he sees his best friend Anna? And to top it off Mum and Rob?s wedding seems to be taking over the world.

Something really scary has also happened to his mum and it?s going to take all of Jack?s courage to deal with it.

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44. Love to See You at ‘Always Jack’ on 14 October,Canberra

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By: Susanne Gervay, on 9/24/2010
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JacketFlap tags:  I AM JACK, Room to Read, Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Always Jack by Susanne Gervay, and The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Life Education, Relay for Life Cancer Council, The Children’s Hospital Westmead, Add a tag

 Special Event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Author Susanne Gervay  

Shares her story about the effect of cancer on families

 

For bookings and more information:

www.library.act.gov.au  or phone 6205 9000

 

Thursday 14 October 2010 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm Woden Library FREE Bookings Essential Join author Susanne Gervay at Woden Library and discover her insightful and inspiring story Always Jack, a story that highlights the challenges that face children when their mothers are diagnosed with cancer. Always Jack uses humour and warmth to break down the taboos surrounding cancer and encourage parents, teachers and children to discuss the subject openly. About Susanne Gervay: A multiple breast cancer survivor herself, she faced cancer when her children were six and nine; when they were teenagers; and again just recently, so she has firsthand experience of how difficult a cancer diagnosis can be on children. An award winning author, specialist in child growth and development, nationally and internationally recognised for writing stories on social justice from school bullying to burns. Her books are endorsed by Room to Read, Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Life Education, The Children’s Hospital Westmead, and  The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Susanne is passionate about reaching kids, parents, schools, and the community and as a result, is donating a percentage of book sales of Always Jack to the  Cancer Council and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre. Books will be available for sale at this event, and Susanne will be happy to sign them for you. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 45. Canberra Tour 12-13th May: Speaking about I Am Jack and No to School Bullying Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 5/9/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  ACT Libraries, Awlays Jack by Susanne Gervay, talks at Kippax Library, I AM JACK, Writers Festivals, Super Jack, Add a tag I’ll be in Canberra on Wednesday and speaking about my talks at the Kippax Library in Canberra on ABC radio with Louise Maher.   There are workshops on Thursday for kids and an general talk at 5.30 p.m. at Kippax Library. For bookings and more information Contact the ACT Public Library: www.library.act.gov.au or phone 6205 9000 Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 46. Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 4/7/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  Writing, I AM JACK, The Hughenden, Debora Abela. Aleesah Darlinson. Dawn Hort, Jan Latta True to Life Books, May Gibbs Trust, William Kostakis Lothing Lola, Add a tag All good news - with everyone working on new books, marketing and zooming ahead. William Kostakis, the Boomerang Books brand manager is promoting kids’ books. He’s working on a new CBC website and his second young adult novel, following the successful LOTHING LOLA published by Pan MacMillan. Deborah Abela’s beautiful book THE REMARKABLE SECRET OF AURELIE BONHOFFEN  received a Notable Award from the CBCA and has found a home in the USA.  Alessah Darlison has 5 new books coming and was in Short & Scary, the Black Dog Books anthology. Dawn Hort is getting ready for her May Gibbs Trust fellowship in Canberra and working on a younger series. I’ve just finished my edit on ALWAYS JACK – my new book coming out in October 2010 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month – it’s one of the JACK books with the same humour and warmth, which I hope gives a voice to kids.     Jan Latta just came back from Africa where she made a mini documentary on Acrican wildlife. Look at her website to see the video. it’s really good. www.truetolifebooks.com.au ……. lots of great news. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 47. British High Commission Library, SCBWI India, Scholastic India, Publishers & Indian Authors Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 2/2/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  News, SCBWI, Young Adult Books, Writing, Kids Books, I AM JACK, The Hughenden, Scholastic India, 'the grasshopper's run', british High Commission Delhi, Sayoni Basu Managing Direcotr, Siddhartha Sarma, Add a tag India is on the cusp of launching into a new era of children’s writing.  I had the privilege of being invited by the head of SCBWI India, writer Jyota Singth Visvanath to launch SCBWI India at the British High Commission Library, Delhi.  Jyoti has been published in the prestigious magazines Highlights and Cricket in the USA, and has had a hugely successful series of non fiction children’s books with sales of 1.5 million books. I spoke about publishing, writing for kids and young adult with the Sayoni Basu Managing Director of Scholastic India and the synamic Anita from a significant Indian publisher. There were wonderful Indian authors and illustrators there. Swati Roy Bookseller from EUREKA, The Bookstore for the Young  is so enthusiastic about youth literature. Siddhartha Sarma was in the audience. His YA novel, ‘the grasshopper’s run’ published by Scholastic is a powerful book set in 1944 exposing the imperial Japanese Army’s invasion of British India. It’s a wonderful book, a sign of the talent in Indian youth writing. The event was enthusiastic, enquiring and filled with the energy of new ideas and passion for writing. There was interested discussion on young adult literature and censorship.  While Indian teens were reading Twilight and all sorts of literature, there is difficulty in schools and parents accepting ’search for identity’ YA literature.  I discussed my YA books and opened discussion on ’The Cave’ and censorship. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 48. Lecturing at the University of New Delhi Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 1/31/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  The Hughenden, Charities, Writers Festivals, News, Young Adult Books, Writing, Kids Books, I AM JACK, Add a tag Meenakshi Bharat, Professor of Literature at the Sri Venkateswara College in the University of New Delhi, organised that I’d speak to a hall of Literature students. It was wonderful. The students were very interested in what and why I write. They are studying Australian Literature. Their questions and interest was very thoughtful and they were keen to read my books. I left a set in their library. Unfortunately, HarperCollins Australia doesn’t distribute to India. The University of Delhi is filled with students in both Western and traditional Indian dress. It’s a modern university. It was really nice when the principal invited  us to have morning tea with her in her sitting room that’s part of her office. Sujata Rao, a Commonwealth short story prize winner and writer; and Sharon Rundle an academic, writer were there too. They are both involved in the anthology, ‘Fear Factor: Terror Incognito, published by Picador India. Of course, Meenakshi and I are also innolved with ‘Fear Factor: Terror Incognito.’ Meenakshi is btoerh a contributor and the co-editor. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 49. I Love Goa Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 1/26/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  The Hughenden, Charities, Writers Festivals, IASA Conference GOA, Professor Meenakshi Bharat, Universoty Of Delhi, News, Music, Writing, I AM JACK, Add a tag Snapshots of exotic Goa, Indian scholars and writers, an experience that I will always remember with special people. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 50. The Book Chook – Great Blogger for Literature & Literacy Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | By: Susanne Gervay, on 1/10/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  School Visits, Kids Books, I AM JACK, Room to Read, The Hughenden, Charities, The Book Chook, Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, Susan Stepenson, News, Music, Bullying, Writing, Add a tag Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook Blogging about kids’ literature and literacy http://thebookchook.blogspot.com Editor of Literacy Lava   The Book Chook    Book Reviews, I am Jack, and Super Jack Posted: 09 Jan 2010 04:18 PM PST Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag View Next 25 Posts © 2017 Jacketflap.com                         About Us   FAQ   Advertise on JacketFlap   About our Widgets program for Publishers   Privacy   Terms