End of year festive sharing and friendship for SCBWI:-
Where: The Hughenden Boutique Hotel
Address: 14 Queen St, Woollahra
(Crossroad Oxford St – near Paddington Markets)
Parking on Queen Street or Oxford St
Time: 5-7 p.m. sharing news and views
7- 10 p.m. Party with gourmet pizza and nibbles
Cost: $25 plus buy your own drinks
Booking: [email protected]
PH; 02 9363 4863
What has Literature Live! and dinosaurs in common?
It’s the Australian Museum where Nina Rycroft talented Literature Live! illustrator was investigating dinosaurs for her new project – a picture book written by Jackie French which she is illustrating for HarperCollins.
It’s Laurine Croasdale, Jeni Mawter and me – getting high tech. We’re connecting to schools across NSW about our books, writing and reaching kids everywhere.
Aleesah Darlinson out 5th Literature Live! member is launching her book Totally Twins – the 3rd in the series, so couldn’t be there this time. It’s a terrific series published by New Frontier!
Thankyou to the terrific Karen Player from the Australian Museum who has welcomed Literature Live! and connecting schools through digital excursions.
We’ll be broadcasting from the Australian Museum in October, through Connections NSW Education Department studios in Dubbo which is great fun.
Meanwhile the fabulous Frane Lessac and Mark Greenwood are in Sydney for a writer/illustrator tour – they’re brilliant illustrator-writer team and my great friends. We’re on a similar writing tour and cross paths from Fairfiled Public School to Wahroonga Public School, the Bush School to Penrith School.
We had a delicious lunch at t
Sooooo….. much excitement with our own Lesley Vamos winning the illustrators’ pitch with her fabulous; Sarah Davis & Chris Cheng making a splash with ‘Sounds Spooky’; gifted Priscilla Burris illustrator and Illustrator coordinator SCBWI, talks by the greatest children’s authors & illustrators; friends from all over the world.
Love the Internationals from france, Hong Kong, Germany, Canada, Mexico — everywhere.
Time out has been cool to – my secret escape to Orogold – pure decadence of a moment of LA stardom – and I looked good aftrewards -www.orogoldcosmetics.com – nearly as good as Frane taking a pit stop on the poolside banana lounge.
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.
The Friday night SCBWI International Conference Australia & New Zealand at The Hughenden dinner, introduced the SCBWI leaders- me and Chris Cheng co-RA’s, Frances Plumpton Literary agent New Zealand, Dianne Wolfer ASA Western Australia, Frane Lessac Illustrator Coordinator, Corinne King ASA Victoria, Peter Taylor co-ordinator Queensland and Executive Director of SCBWI worldwide film maker and author, Lin Oliver.
Sarah Foster Publishing Director for Walker Books Australia, gave a war, funny, celebratory speech about ‘Hank Zipster’ written by Henry Winkler (The Fonz) and Lin Oliver.
It has sold more than 3.5 million books.
Everyone loves the FONZ.
Hank Zipster is a funny, meaningful story inspired by The Fonz’ who had undiagnosed dislexia and faced difficult schools years. It’s a beautifully written series that gives kids a belief in themselves.