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I was catching up on reading NESCBWI newsletters yesterday and learned that from February 7 through June 10 Kadir Nelson's artwork for We Are The Ship will be on exhibit at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. Scroll down on the Carle's Programs & Events page, and you'll see that there will be an Opening Reception for museum members and, on February 19th, a gallery tour with Nelson, himself. (Free with museum admission!)

We Are The Ship is a beautiful book, and I am very happy Nelson's artwork will be on exhibit on March 10th, when I'll be at the Carle for a NESCBWI's event.

One of my favourite photos of 2011

Order of Australia OAM Susanne Gervay

is when the Governor Professor Bashir, the first woman to be appointed Governor of New South Wales, presented me with an Order 0f  Australia (OAM) for children’s literature and other associations at Government House

Dr Bashir is a leading light in children’s services, psychiatry and mental health services, and indigenous health programs. and when appointed was  Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney ; Area Director of Mental Health Services Central Sydney ; and Senior Consultant to the Aboriginal Medical Service, Redfern and to the Aboriginal Medical Service, Kempsey.

She is patron of the Children’s Book Council. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 for her services to child and adolescent health; and was invested by Her Majesty, the Queen, with the insignia of a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 2006.

M.T. Anderson will be speaking this Tuesday at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, Connecticut. The presentation and book signing will be held at the Student Union Theater from 5:30 to 7:00.

Evidently Anderson is doing a three-day residency at Eastern this week.

Authors and illustrators piled into Bendigo Catholic College for a festival of literature.

Special bravery award to exhausted but brilliant Meredith Costain who  came to the festival after a week touring the Outback doing workshops, then driving to Bendigo and back for the Festival.

Second special bravery award for Di Bates who just did 2 weeks of workshops in an outback school, then happily headed for the festival. But she didn’t drive.

Third special bravery award to me for having spoken at so many schools that I’d forgotten where I was. I managed to miss my flight from Sydney to Melbourne but still made the festival. Stressful!!!!

Fourth special bravery award – putting on this fabulous festival by Paul Collins, Publisher Ford Street.

Schools bused into the campus for a day of talks, workshops, readings and books, books, books.

 Schools who participated included:-

Bendigo South East

Pyramid College

Notre Dame

Weeroonga College

Crusoe College

Margaret Wild is a leading Australian children’s author. She has more than 70 picture books  with so many awards that I’ve lost count.

The adaptation of her brilliant multi award winning  picture book FOX illustrated by Ron Brooks and adapated into an opera by Monkey Baa Theatre www.monkeybaa.com.au was one of the great experiences of theatre.

The Lady Cutler Award gift of an illustration by the beautiful illustrator Julie Vivas will be deeply loved.

Edward Coffey who established the Lady Cutler Award which was sponsored by Hodder Publishers spoke about the importance of recognising those who contribute to children’s literature.

In 2011 Edward Coffey Chairman of  Peribo www.peribo.com.au has become the new sponsor.

Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell award winning fantasy authors spoke about their great-great-great-great mother who wrote the first Australian book ‘A Mother’s Offering’

Guild Literary Complex news
We look at literary culture and ask - "What's missing?"

Last Chicago Events of 2011
Next week is the last Palabra Pura of the year, featuring Luis Humberto Valadez and Tim Z. Herna'ndez in a poetry face-off. (Fortunately they're old friends, so any blood-letting will be in good fun.) If you haven't heard Luis or Tim live, it's one of the most unique experiences you'll have with poetry. For example, check out Luis in action.

Palabra Pura: Luis Humberto Valadez & Tim Z. Herna'ndez
Wed., Nov. 16, 2011, 7:30pm
at La Bruquena restaurant (upstairs), 2726 W. Division, Chicago

Then the next night in Hyde Park, we're presenting the contemplative fiction and non-fiction of Sergio Troncoso. He'll be reading from his new books From This Wicked Patch of Dust (University of Arizona Press) -- a novel about the Martinez family, who struggles to stay together despite cultural clashes, different religions, and contemporary politics across the U.S.-Mexico border -- and Crossing Borders: Personal Essays. Learn more about Troncoso here.

Reading with Sergio Troncoso
Thurs. Nov. 17, 2011, 7:00pm
University of Chicago's International House
1414 East 59th Street

{From La Bloga: Also check out Daniel Olivas's interview with Sergio Troncoso this past Monday here.}

Finally, in Donation Watch: thanks to generous gifts from people like you--or maybe the person next to you--we are half-way to our $400 matching gift goal for December 1st, and one step closer to our overall fundraising goal for the year-- huzzah! Please help us keep up the momentum!

If you know someone else who might be interested in these articles, events and audio clips, please forward this information. Better yet, bring them along to the next Guild show!

The Guild Literary Complex

I nearly missed a couple of events.

The Connecticut Children's Book Fair is this weekend. I had hoped to go see Jack D. Ferraiolo on Sunday, but that's not going to happen. Others should go to the Fair, though. Either day. Any time.

The nomination period for The Cybils is over for this year. When I have more time, I'll go over the nominated titles. If you have time, do it now.

I love Melissa Egan’s work which captures the spirit of the childhood in amazing magical lyrical sophisticated ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and Spanish influenced works.

There’s this feeling of the uniqueness of childhood and narrative with the sophistication of adult foibles in stunning works by this acclaimed award winning artist.

I’ve known Melissa for many years as she stays at The Hughenden Woollahra and we’ve been known to party late into the night. She’s vivacious and fabulous and I may take up her offer of staying with her in Queensland when I’m there to launch my first picture book Ships in the Field at the Somerset Celebration of Literature next year.

Melissa’s exhibition was opened by artist Christabel Blackman.

Melissa exhibiton was inspired from her Spanish sojorn with the Blackmans.  Her artwork is encouraged by Charles Blackman who was there.

Charles Balckman was born 1928, and is one of the best known Australian artists still living today, especially for the famous Schoolgirl and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s. He was a member of the Antipodeans, a group of Melbourne painters that also included Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack. Robert Dickerson, John Perceval and Clifton Pugh.

Sarah Davis’ spooky model of the haunted house was centre stage at the launch of ‘Sounds Spooky’, a brilliant picture book illustrated by Sarah Davis and written by Christopher Cheng.

Maurice Saxby gave a wonderful reading of Sounds Spooky celebrating the originality of the book’s design, unique three dimensional models created by Sarah and the spooky words of Chris.

Publisher and former President of the CBCA Margaret Hamilton, illustrator Serena Geddes, author Wendy Fitzgerald, librarians, children and friends came to celebrate. People crowed into Better Read than Dead Bookshop in Newtown and we all partied. 

Varuna is nestled in the Blue Mountains not far from Sydney – a mountain retreat for writers throughout Australia and the world.

My fellowship there early in my career was special – a beautiful old home with fellow authors, good food, a crackling fire.

There’s a wealth of fellowships, events, manuscript assessment opportunities, private writing retreats and friendship at Varuna -

The Alumni Evening at The Hughenden, hosted by the Director of Varuna, Liz Bastian, was warm and welcoming where writers shared writing and personal news and extended the Varuna spirit into community.

It was a beautiful night with jazz singer Courtney Severini on the baby grand.

There was a special treat with an impromptu performance of jazzaVienne – with the delicious voices of Charito, Suzanna Wellink and Tricia Evy  - what a night.

LOVE VARUNA – www.varuna.com.au

LOVE jazzaVienne – www.jazzaviennesydney.com.au

‘I want to write about survivors not victims’. Arnold Zable has the audience at the NSW Wrietrs’ Centre totally engaged tonight.

Arnold is touring as part of the Writing Australia touring programme.  

His new book ‘Violin Lessons’ a collection of true stories about life, death and the human condition, is inspiring, painful and emotional.

‘A boy walking along a Baghdad street is transfixed by the sound of a violin coming from a balcony and it changes his life. A street boy in war-torn Saigon takes a rare break from his pimping and running errands for the occupying forces and opens up to the writer, recounting how his village was bombed and his family killed. In Poland, Zable meets a woman and her son who yearn to escape from their village, from their crude alcoholic husband/father. They beg Zable to help them … ‘they knew, as well I did, that I would not help them’. On the island of Ithaca a young man, a university student, is lost in a diving accident and his father blames himself for the accident: ‘there are times when I have dived down and not wanted to return … I infected my boy with the same madness’.

…. In Violin Lessons, Zable displays the wisdom and kindness that has permeated all his works – the reason they are so loved.’

Mark Rubbo is the Managing Director of Readings

As the Chair of the Board, I enjoyed welcoming members to this special talk. 

Launch of Room to Read at NSW Writers Centre Festival

The sun was shining, Government House was a gracious reminder of the past, the gardens flowering for the investiture of Australians for their contributions to Australia.

We sat in the sumptuous sitting room, as guests gathered for the ceremony. It was inspiring to hear the contribution of so many awarded decorations for courage, extraordinary services in fields as varied as medical, business, government, social justice …. and of course my very special Order of Australia (OAM) for children’s literature and professional organisations.

My wonderful children were there which made it doubly special.

Thankyou to my friends who sent me letters, emails, gifts.

Thankyou to the organisations who are part of my life that supported this award – Room to Read, The NSW Writers Centre, SCBWI, CBCA, MonkeyBaa Theatre and many others.

It was a time where I reflected on my parents’ journey as refugees to Australia. I know they were there with me. We had lunch at 21 Double Bay where my father took me as a girl to share Hungarian dishes, laugh and share stories.

I carried a private momento of my parents with me today.

Young men in navy shirts strode into the Queensland State Library auditorium singing – it made your heart soar – the power and the beauty – the words of one country, one people Australia.

It was inspiring.

Rachel Nolan Minister for The Arts gave a heart warming welcome.

Anne Prachett winner of the Orange Prize on ‘What Now? held the audience with the power of resilience.

However Shane Koyczan an award winning USA performance poet made the audfience laugh and cry and demand social justice.

Heaps of people were at the opening from Susan Hayes Director of the Australia Council, authors Wendy Orr, Sue Gough, Sally Rippin, Sue Whiting, publishers, journalists, so many from the Arts Community, writers, illustrators from overseas and Australia – what a night.

Loved it – loved it all!!!!!!

Congratulations to Jane O’Hara Festival Director!!!!!!

The ghost adventure is dark, eerie in the Woodland 1880s mansion at Ipswich Festival.

Leigh Hobbs creator of the famous and fractious ‘OLD TOM’ was being ‘scary’ with fabulous author Meredith Costain hamming it up as his doppler behind him.

General Macarthur stayed at Woodlands and his red leather chair and desk dominates an upstairs room. So of course the guys all sat in the General’s chair. Then the girls go into the act.

Highlights:-

Hanging out at the pool table with all the writers & illustrators – author Sue Whiting and illustrator Anne Spudvilas were hilarious at our game of chance and dice – I rolled a full 5 dice!!!!!!

400 hundred kids packed into the performance of  ‘I Am Jack’ held spellbound -Lowood, Silkstone, Bethany, Bundamba, Toogoolawah, Brassall, Kentville, Lockrose schools were FABULOUS!

Morning walk with illustrator and author mark Wilson, illustrators Anne Spudvilas and Leigh Hobbs through the mist and field.

LOVE the authors and illustrators there – Deborah Abela, Brian Faulkiner, Sally Rippin, Gabrielle Wang, Gus Gordon, Lucia Mascuillo, Mark Wilson, Tristan Bancks, Sheryl Gwyther, Angela Sunde and ……

Thankyou to Festival Director Jenny Stubbs.

Tim McGarry has come straight out of performing Duncan Ball’s ‘Emily Eyefinger’ to the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature.

Hundreds of kids poured into the quasi-theatre at Woodlands. They were spellbound at times, laughing at other times and ethusiastically applauding.

 I loved the kids and teacher librarians and teachers from Bethany School, Hattonvale State School, Jundalee State School Fervale, WMAC and IESS – all fabulous!

Crowds of kids and teachers wandered around the Ipswich Festival at Woodlands. Loved the art stalls with the workk of talented illustrator Lachlan Creogh and upcoming ilustrator Christian Bocquee.

Post talks, authors & illustrators are loving the community of children’s writers and hang out at Woodlands -Christopher Cheng, mark Wilson, Kerry Borwn and Gus Gordon