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Unconditional love, tolerance and understanding; all qualities most mothers possess in spades. They warrant gratitude every single day, not just on Mother’s Day. So this year, before you load up mum with a bed full of toast crumbs and good intentions snuggle up to her with one of your favourite ‘I love you’ reads. Here […]

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Across the world on the 1st weekend in November, SCBWI kids’ authors & illustrators and specialist bookshops are giving the INSIDE STORY of our books.

When?  2nd November

Time: 2 p.m. at  Black Cat Bookshop Paddington(Sydney);

3 p.m. The Little Book Room Melbourne;

10 am Black Cat Bookshop Paddington (Brisbane).

The celebrity authors & illustrators are performing, signing, enjoying fun, food and company.

There’s champagne at the Children’s Bookshop Beecroft too.

Come along and see Sarah Davis, Serena Geddes, Pamel Rushby, Krista Bell, Hazel Edwards ….. heaps of authors & illustrators.

I’ll be the MC in Sydney

Angela Sunde is the MC  in Brisbane

Corinne Fenton is the MC in Melbourne.

Love to see you there.

The post INSIDE STORY: Authors & Illustrators, bookshops across the World appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

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On Saturday I went to Richmond Library for the launch of a rather amazing new picture book, Gracie and Josh. It was a launch that had everything — lots of people, a fabulous book, a chocolate cake and even Hazel Edwards. What more could you want?

Gracie and Josh is written by Susanne Gervay and illustrated by Serena Geddes. The book was ably launched by Hazel Edwards, no stranger to picture books herself, having written the classic There’s a Hippopotamus On Our Roof Eating Cake. She paid tribute not only to the author and illustrator, but also to the publisher, Ford Street Publishing, for taking a risk on such book. Also speaking at the launch was a representative of Variety: The Children’s Charity, which has endorsed this book.

Gracie and Josh is about a little girl and her older brother. Josh has cancer and sometimes has to go to hospital and sometimes has bad weeks when he can’t get out of bed. Despite this, the book is not at all a downer. It is joyful and hopeful and fun and utterly delightful. It focusses on the relationship between Josh and Gracie rather than on Josh’s illness — in fact, the word ‘cancer’ is never actually used in the text.

The illustrations are beautiful. They complement the text and ‘say’ things that are not said with the words. Josh’s lack of hair makes his illness obvious without the need for using the word ‘cancer’. Gracie’s expression when Josh’s beanie falls off, says so much about her feelings for her brother without the need to specify them with words. This book is a perfect combination of words and pictures, each working with the other rather than just mirroring.

This book works on a couple of different levels, very aptly demonstrated by my daughters. While at the launch, my elder daughter read the book to her younger sister. Lexi is four years old, and although she understood that Josh was sick, she didn’t really understand the gravity of that situation. She just enjoyed the fun aspects of the story and the relationship between the siblings. Nykita is almost ten, and she did understand the implications of Josh’s illness. But still, the joy in the story is what she took away from it.

Gracie and Josh is a really lovely book. I heard much talk at the launch about how it would make a good gift for kids who have ill family members. And yes, that is true. But I think it has much wider appeal. As I wrote earlier, it is the love shared by siblings that is the focus of the story. And love is universal.

Catch ya later,  George

Catch ya later,  George

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Patron: Professor Marie Bashir, CV AVO Governor of NSW

The President and Committee of The Children’s Book Council (CBCA) NSW Branch cordially invite

EVERYONE who loves Reading to

The unveiling of the exciting new look CBCA NSW, with

A SCBWI Author-Illustrator Showcase

with Serena Geddes, Nathan Luff, Susanne Gervay, Sue Whiting and Sarah Davis

followed by the AGM  & Gourmet Afternoon Tea Celebration.

Date: Saturday 22^nd September 2012

Time: 2pm for 2:15pm sharp start

Where: NSW Writers’ Centre

Callan Park, Balmain Road, Rozelle NSW 2040

2  for 2.15 p.m. Saturday 12^th September

(ACCEPTANCES ONLY PLEASE)

Email: [email protected]

please place ‘AGM’ in the subject line

 

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The SCBWI Conference has the best committee with lots of brilliant authors and illustrators contributing – some of the team at the committee meeting at The Hughenden in Sydney include:-

Wendy Blaxland – doing media;

Mark Thomason and Nathan Luff – stars organising the critiques which are really hard to do.

Margaret Roc – organising the masterclasses thank goodness.

Toni Brisland – delegate bags – a lot coming in with thanks.

The Illustrator committee – stars led by Frane Lessac, Sarah Davis, Lesley Vamos, Serena Geddes, Andrea Edmunds with a hand from Marjorie Crosby-Fairall

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If you’re not away or flying back from Bologna or at festivals and conference, the SCBWI Network is:-

5-7 p.m.

Monday 2nd April

at The Hughenden

14 Queen Street Woollahra (near Paddington, Sydney).

I have been on a conference and festival trail where I have met kids, librarians, teachers, adults, even politicians from Queensland to Picton to the beautiful Dixon Room in Sydney’s heritage Mitchell Library overlooking our Botanical Gardens towards the Opera House.

I’ll be keynote at the Glouceter Festival , touring the USA with my ‘Butterflies’, visiting Taree, Melbourne ….and more ….. and I am looking forward to speaking at the IBBY Congress in London.  It’s crazy but the wonderful life of a writer.

Deborah Abela, Serena Geddes, Lesley Vamos, Christopher Cheng … are just back from Bologna Book Fair; and

shared a fabulous time with heaps of brilliant authors and illustrators in Somerset on the Gold Coast like Jacqueline Harvey, Michael Wagner, Oliver Phommovanh, Ursula Dubosarsky, Tristan Bancks, Karen Brooks, Leigh Hobbs, Scott Westerfield, James Roy, Georgia Blain and the brilliant list goes on.

Frane Lessac, Mark Greenwood, Sally Murphy, Norm Jorgenson, A J Betts, Dianne Lawrenson, Samantha Hughes …

….and all those WA writers and illustrators are on the move throughout WA and NT at festivals and reaching remote indogenous communities.

Sarah Davis and Deborah Abela have flown to Alice Springs to join them. Love it.

Aleesah Darlison is back from Hong Hong; Jan Latta just back from China speaking at festivals; Jacqueline Harvey is doing her Alice-Miranda tour in the USA and UK.

Sue Whiting’s at All Saints in Perth which I loved when I spoke there last year

This is the coolest community ever!

If anyone is in Sydney on Monday 2nd April, there’s a great talk by Wendy Blaxland on non fiction writing; catch up with SCBWI Conference information on 29th June-2nd July and networking at The Hughenden.

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We didn’t manage to be there for the full two hours but the SCBWI stand at the Bologna Book Fair was even more the place to be from 12.00-2.00 today, when authors from across the regions read their own unpublished manuscript and two (later, I think, three) illustrators battled it out to draw the illustrations.

We caught most of Paul O. Zelinsky (on the left) and Bob Barner (right) working up a frenzy with a fun counting book from Kathleen Ahrens (and John Shelley on guitar!). Whern it came to 10, they pulled the flip charts together and joined forces…

Then Lesley Vamos (left) and Serena Geddes (right) illustrate a story written and read by Chris Cheng:

Sadly, we had to leave before the end but you can see pictures of the whole session on Chris Cheng’s blog.

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Loved, loved, loved speaking at the fabulous Woollahra Municipal Council.

Only Noah would have come out – but brave supporters of books weathered the storm.

The kids asked fabulous questions.

Serena Geddes talented illustrator came along.

Moya Simons arrived with her hair frazzled from the wet.

Megan Light, school librarian from Cranbrook Junior School arrived to support Ships in the Field, literature and the National Year of Reading.

Friends, readers arrived – thankyou!

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The Northern branch of the Children’s Book Council is so joyous with lots of authors, librarians, readers at the Christmas.

The brilliant illustrator Kim Gamble created a Tashi artwork while Anna Feinberg read out their newest Tashi to be published next year.

Sarah Davis’  ’Sounds Spooky’ is zooming ahead with major sales. Karen Robertson has won the top position for her apps – Treasure Kai. Oliver Phommavanh has two new books coming out with Penguin in 2012. Wendy Blaxland’s Cooking series with MacMillan is cooking up a storm – sorry for my pathetic joke.

Jan Latta is back from yet another adventure crossing the globe taking wildlife photos for her Real life series of books – she’s off to China in February of course.

Jill Bruce was interviewed by Laurine Croasdale about her role as NSW judge of the CBC awards.

Jenny hale, Kate Forsyth, Lindy Batchelor, Jill Bruce, Serena Geddes, Aleesah Darlinson  … and lots of other authors and illustrators there.

So many success stories.

Wendy Fitzgerald is the new President of the CBCA Northern Branch Sydney

 

 

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Welcome to the Creating Space of a lovely friend Serena Geddes. Serena lives in Sydney and is a regular at our SCBWI gatherings. She has been powering away creating illustrations for many books of late which is amazing considering it seems that the last picture she has included has water views - very distracting I say!

Anyway ... read on for more of Serena:

So this is my creative space, I realized it looks pretty neat which is not usually how I work, but the last 2 projects I have created on the computer (Toilet Time for Boys and Toilet Time for Girls) I’m a traditional illustrator so in the midst of a book there will be paint, brushes, paper towel and random pages sprawled all over the floor… I seem to think better that way. On my desk, my ancient Wacom tablet (yikes) hot off the press copies of Totally Twins – Tropical Trouble, my morning coffee (an absolute must) my I luv NY cup/pen holder from my visit to SCBWI conference this year and a mash of paper with things I should be doing.

Above my shelves I have a snippets of artist’s designs pegged on my mini line for those days when I am in need of inspiration and books by my favorites (also brilliant reference material) Mick Inkpen, Gus Gordon, SMK, Tina Burke, Anna Walker and Sarah Davis.

In an attempt to get organized I created this new wall, which is yet to be completed with things I am working on, where I am going and what I want to achieve.




I am not sure the relevance of me ridding a bicycle, but one day I hope to work with these guys.



My desk is a simple fold up l table I picked up from an Op Shop so I am unaware of its previous adventures, I’d like to think its been on a cruise through the Caribbean at least once in its life.




I wonder how many fokks "clean up" their creating space for these inside looks? Still think her window view would ba a major distraction!

Serenas latest titles

'Totally Twins - Tropical Trouble' New Frontier Publishing
'Lily's Wish List' New Frontier Publishing
'Toilet Book for Boys' The Five Mile Press
'Toilet Book for Girls' The Five Mile Press

And now you can jump right in to see more of Serena at her w

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Aleesah is a friend, writer, proactive member of the kids writing community, reviewer, Mum of 2 cute boys, with Totally Twins series coming out with New Frontier illustrated by Serena Geddes but for now ….. drum role …. she has her first picture book out – PUGGLE’S PROBLEM.

That puggle echidna keeps looking for his spine … it’s an endearing story with gorgeous illustrations by Sandra Temple.

The kids LOVE it. So do I.

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Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Loathing Lola is terrific

And so -oh are you!

Note the signed 21st bear – Illustrator Penny Azar signed with her own illustrated bear. 

Special news – Sue Walker has already received a 5 star review  of her ‘Arnie Avery’ published by Walker Books. I’m launching it at the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival, NSW Writers Centre on 3rd July.  I read the manuscript at its early stage, so it’s especially wonderful.

Network  doubled up with the LITERATURE ALIVE team of Nina Rycroft, Aleesah Darlinson, Laurine Croasdale, Jeni Mawter,Sue Walker and me.

We’re going LIVE on July 22nd with our Literature Festival speaking to schools around the country via the TV screen.

Talented illustrator Nina Rycroft created the Literature Live Logo.

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SCBWI Meeting at The Hughenden, this Wednesday was packed with authors and illustrators sharing great publishing news from:-

Nina Rycroft’s picture books being sold in the UK and USA,  Mark Thomason’s short listing for the WAYBRA Awards, Wendy Blaxland’s second series of 6 beautiful hardback books How are they Made? Macmillan Young Library with another series coming selling in Australia and the USA to Serena Geddes’ illustrations for  new picture books for New Frontier Publishers, with new books coming from Sue Whiting, Deborah Abela, Jeni Mawter, Chris Cheng  … and much more.

Last year there were nearly 150 published books by SCBWI Australia and New Zealand members.

There’s so much SCBWI Australia & New Zealand news

-the new Silver Kite Awards for regions outside the USA

- the Bologna Book Fair where Australia & New Zealand is represented at the SCBWI Conference by Sarah Foster Publisher Walker Books Australia, Frane Lessac Illustrator coordinator and Frances Plumpton NZ literary agent. 

- Dianne Wolfer (WA) and Corinne King (Victoria), authors  are doing a brilliant job organising the programme of countries presenting at the SCBWI stand at the Bologna Book Fair.

- the Speakers Directory for illustrators and authors on SCBWI Australia & NZ

- and the MAJOR NEWS that the SCBWI Biennial International Conference is at The Hughenden 17-19th September with Kira Lynn USA Publisher for Kane Books being flown in from the USA , Lin Oliver President of SCBWI International, film maker and children’s author and Australian publishers at an event that will promote the community of children’s writers & illustrators.

Look at the SCBWI website for more information: www.scbwiaustralia.org

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