5 hour flight across the Australian desert. Love our desert.
Landed in Perth to be welcomed by Festival Director of All Saints Literature Festival – thankyou Kris Williams!
I settled into the creative residence on the ALL SAINTS campus, then headed for the Open Day at the Fremantle Youth Literature Centre – an old prison which is now a leading Kids Literature Centre.
Who should be there but the driving force of the Literature Centre Director Lesley Reece, and of course, my brilliant friends:-
Frane Lessac talented award winning illustrator and picture book writer
Dianne Wolfer talented award winning author
Mark Greenwood talented award winning author
Mark Wilson talented and award winning illustrator and picture book writer
Louise Schofield talented and award winning fantasy author.
Yes, I know – how come ALL my friends are talented and award winning? Well, because they ARE!!!!!!
Mark Wilson’s exhibition of ‘My Mother’s Eyes’ is moving, as the words and illustrations reveal the story of an Australian boy soldier who was only 16 when he enlisted for the First World War.
Post script to the Open Day:- Hanging out at Frane Lessac and Mark Greenwood’s cool house where we watched Shan Tan’s brilliant film ‘The Lost Thing’. We indulged in good food, wine and a hot spa in the balmy Fremantle weather where we toasted Shan Tan’s ’The Lost Thing’ – academy award winner!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah to Shan Tan.
PS Shan just won the Astrid Lingren Award too – most prestigious in the world.
