Celebrations at The NSW Writers Centre for the BIG birthdays of award winning and best selling illustrator Sarah Davis and her husband mathematician Dave were filled with music lead by Sarah’s muso brother and a band of wild and woolly musicians.

Dave sang a wonderful love song to Sarah …… delicious. Every woman’s dream.  

‘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.

The Children’s and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre is different to other festivals in that the writing community, sharing, friendship, support of the creativity of authors and creators is at the heart of the festival.

The NSW Writers Centre located in the heritage Gary Owen House in the Parklands of Callan Park grounds give a feel of a fair as writers gather, share conversation and food, applaud the launch of a book, craft and the life of publishing children’s and young adult literature.

As the Chair of the Board of the NSW Writers Centre I opened the festival and was embraced by the warmth of the audience, personal interaction, welcome of novice to well published authors, publishers who generously donated their time, screen writers, playwrights, digital writers ….

There was a wealth of talent and commitment to youth creativity in a home of writers.

Loved it – thankyou to all the participants and especially to:-

Authors:-

Lisa Forrest, Sue Whiting, Dianne Bates, Kate Forsyth, Belinda Murrell, Moya Simons, Jacqueline Harvey, Sophie Masson, Aleesah Darlinson, Jeni Mawter, Michael Parker, Karen Robertson, Duncan Ball William Kostakis

Publishers/Agents/Reviewers:-

Lisa Berryman HarperCollins, Zoe Walton Random House, Brian Cook Literary Agent; Angie Schiavonne Symdey Morning herald Literary reviewer; Palmer-Higgs Publishing; Joel Blacklock Boomerang Books.

Screen writers:-

Gina Roncoli, Simon Hopkinson, Kym Goldsworthy, Samantha Strauss

Theatre:-

Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People and Director Eva Di Cesare.

Yesterday I was part of the Cancer Council’s photo shoot for their Pink Ribbon Day – with kids, babies, young women, old women, guys – it was great fun and something close to my heart as a multiple breast cancer survivor and author of  ’Always Jack’ that carries the Cancer Council’s logo – the yellow daffodil.

SUPPORT the Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon Day in October.

http://www.pinkribbonday.com.au

Beautiful congratulations are coming from all over Australia & the world.

Thankyou to HarperCollins Australia for the stunning bouquet of flowers.

Thankyou to the organisations I advocate for – the NSW Writers Centre, Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, Room to Read, CBCA, the Children’s & Illustrators Network (at the Hughenden), SCBWI, Books in Homes, Cancer Council …

Thankyou to my very funny friends – who think an OAM is hilarious and keep courtseying and sending me cards with OAM.

Thankyou Australia for the OAM!!!!

Thankyou for SCBWI – the messages are coming from everywhere.

As the child of post war refugees, my parents with my baby brother, left everything to escape Hungary across minefields in the dead of night, for freedom. In the Austrian refugee  camp, they hoped a country would take them.

They wanted to be chosen by the USA, but it was Australia who offered them home. They  didn’t know what or where Australia was, except it was far away from war, communism and imprisonment.

They came on a refugee ship, without language, possessions, community, but with hope. Like many,  they rebuilt their lives in a new country. It is the story of America, Canada, UK …. many countries.

It’s hard to believe that as the child of refugees, I have been awarded an Order of Australia. It is overwhelming and deeply meaningful.

The Queen’s Honours list – I am overwhelmed and teary by this honour from my country.

Order of Australia

I’ve set up a special file for the beautiful congratulations, emails, phone calls, letters …

Thankyou to my friends across Australia and the world.

Special thankyou to Society of Children’s Book Illustrators and Writers SCBWI - states across USA, Hong Kong, Scotland, Singapore … to India – for your messages.

Thankyou to Room to Read, the NSW Writers Centre, the Children’s Writers * Illustrators Network at The Hughenden, the school librarian’s network … and family and friends.

Feel embraced by your all.  THANKYOU.

LOVE YOU ALL!.

The great Brisitsh novelist and social commentator Charles Dickens requested that there be no monument or memorial to him.

However there are two statues in the world of Charles Dickens. One is in Philedelphia USA and  one in Centennial Parklands.

The Charles Dickens statue was commissioned by Sir Henry Parkes in 1889 and installed in the Parklands in 1891.

The statue  mysteriously disappeared. The past few years has seen a huge search by the NSW Dickens Society. It was uncovered in the Blue Mountain- missing its head!

The statue was reconstructed by the stonemasons of NSW Heritage Services.

You HAVE to visit this imposing marble statue, so right for a Victorian Parklands with its heritage of writers. Noble Prize winner for Literature Patrick White’s ashes are scattered in the Parklands.

Susannah Fullerton,President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia and author, gave  a funny, sad, moving recitation of the heads cut off in Dickens’ works.

Minister for Major Events Hon Kevin Greene, her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir Governor of NSW as well as senior stonemason Paul Thurloe gave wonderful speeches. Lots of Writing Associations were represented there including the Bronte Association and the Dickens Society. I was there wearing the NSW Writers Centre hat, as well as being a Dickens fan and an author myself.

Charles Dickens is officially unveiled.

Keep this date open:

200th birthday of Charles Dickens 7the February 2012.

The NSW History Festival was a huge success with major authors speaking such as award winninbg author James Bradley and biographer Jacqueline Kent – whose biographies on Hephzibah Menuhin and Julia Guillard are highly acclaimed.

Hundreds of people came and enjoyed the beautiful gardens of the NSW Writers Centre in Rozelle, Sydney.

A highlight was the international flavour brought by Professor at the Univerity of Delhi, Meenaskhi Bharat an author, academic and leading voice in Indian literature. Meenakshi together with Sharon Rundle a writer and academic from UTS, co edited the anthology ‘Fear Factor: Terror Incognito’ published by Picador India and Picador Australia. An anthology opening discourse on terrorism with stories by 10 Inidan authors and 10 Australian authors including Sir Salman Rushdie, Thomas Keneally … and even me.

Huge Congratulations to the NSW Writers Centre for another fantastic festival.

If you want to write historical novels, non fiction or just hear some inspiring authors, the History Festival is warm, intimate and you wander in the gardens and to speak to the authors.

I’ll be there, so say hello to me. I’ve written historical novels too like ‘Shadows of Olive Tress’ about the second rise of feminism in th 1970’s – it’s really about love, family, hope and dreams. History is a great vehicle for the powerful emotions and movements of life. I’m not speaking but speak to me as I’m on the Management Committee of the New South Wales Writers Centre.

Some of the great authors are:

Meenakshi Bharat whose written about the history of Bollywood, as well as Sir Salman Rushie – that’s a contradiction.

Gabrielle Carey who started her career writing ‘Puberty Blues’ and has gone on to writing acclaimed books

Jascquie Kent one of Australia’s best biographers

Camilla Nelson award winning Crime Writer

and many others.

 at NSW Writers Centre Ph: 02 9555 9757

e- [email protected]

Cost is $50 for members; $75 non members

How’s speaking?

 SCBWI India

Invites you to

 Writing for Children

Jan 27, 2010, 6-7.30 pm

British Council Library, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 01

For more information and membership enquiries, contact

Jyoti Singh Visvanath, Regional Advisor, SCBWI India

(011-29212017), [email protected]

www.scbwi.org

Charges Rs 100 for members of SCBWI and Rs 200 for non-members

 Susanne Gervay, visiting Australian author and Co-Regional Advisor of the Australian chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), talks about her journey as a writer of children’s books. She is joined by Sayoni Basu of Scholastic India, who shares her views on the state of children’s publishing in India and the importance of a professional organisation for writers and illustrators. India now has its own chapter of SCBWI and this is its first event.

Susanne Gervay is an award winning Australian author whose children’s and young adult novels have been recognised for their relevance to social justice. They include the recently released US edition of I am Jack, a rite-of-passage book on school bullying; Butterflies, a book that deals with disability and That’s Why I Wrote This Song, a collaborative work with her song writer-singer daughter Tory.

 Susanne has spoken at numerous conferences and festivals including the Beijing Literature Festival, Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Bali, World Burn Congress New York, SCBWI Conference at the Bologna Book Fair. She is on the board of the NSW Writers Centre and is Director of the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival Sydney. She is also Chair of The Sydney Children’s Writers & Illustrators Network at The Hughenden and Co-Regional Advisor of Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Australia & New Zealand.

www.sgervay.com www.sgervay.com/blog www.thehughenden.com.au

Celebrity is a curse, and absolute celebrity is something very few people
are evil enough to deserve.

Philip Pullman on Michael Jackson’s recent death 25th June 2009

I like being an author because I get the pleasure of readers engaging in my books, without the awful burden of FAME.

As the Director of the 4th Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival I talk to creators, share story and have a great time with some of the world’s and Australia’s most admired writers.

There are HUGELY famous authors speaking including Melina Marchetta, Garth Nix, Kate Forsyth. Garth has sold 4 million books worldwide. The gorgeous Deb Abela with her Max Remy Super Spy sold all over the world. So many special authors and illustrators are speaking but NO ONE has celebrity. How lucky are they?

They don’t have to change their faces or hide behind a mask or create a safe private world away from the crowds. Michael Jackson was astonishingly talented. He leaves behind a legacy of ground breaking music, dance, video images and the knowledge that celebrity can kill you.

The Kids and YA Literature Festival is on the 4th July and the craft day on the 5th July at the NSW Writers Centre Rozelle in the beautiful grounds of Callan Park, in Sydney. Come along and say hello if you’re around.                            For bookings and programme log onto  www.nswwriterscentre.org.au

Celebrating books with Jon English, Susanne Gervay, publicist Louise Dear and the Book Worm

Susanne Gervay,Jeni Mawter, Kate Forsyth