From Marching for Marriage Equality to Brilliant Women Writers at WOW Sydney Writers’ Festival

Marching for marriage equality, I navigated the dynamic and colourful march down Oxford Street on the way to The Sydney Writers Festival.

Loved catching up with  fabulous women writers like Kate Forsyth, Jackie French, Jane Caro, Linda Jaivin, Claudia Karvan , Eva Cox. …

Why?

There were 100 of us, speed mentoring amazing women,

WOW – Women of the World Festival at Sydney Writers’ festival – was dynamic and creative..

Sitting between Jackie French and Claudia Karvan, we mentored an array of  women

-  talked for 15 minutes, then the bell, then another mentoree, then another.

Jude Kelly The artistic Director straight from London gave an inspiring welcome speech.

Former Premier Anna Bligh ended the speed mentoring with a powerful speech about the rights of women.

All this on beautiful Sydney Harbour .

Luv Cavalia, Baz’s ‘The Great Gatsby & I Am Jack @ Fox Studios

It must be my Fox Studios’ week starting with:-

Stnnning horses, extraordinary athletes,ethereal music for CAVALIA under the bigtop

The red carpet, glittering lights, masses of flowers – getting ready for BAZ’s ‘The Great Gatsby’

- yes, I walked down the red carpet.

Script development of the feature film ‘I Am Jack’ at Fox Studios.

It’s been a FOXY week before I head off for the fabulous festival in Sigapore -

the Asian Festival of Children’s Literature Content

Wendy Blaxland’s ‘The Crossing’ – funny, musical, real

The Crossing is song, dance and history in a wild and wooly theatrical performance that will have you hooked from the word go.

It is written by the talented writer Wendy Blaxland for the 200th anniversary of the crossing of the Blue Mountains and produced by her daughter Jess Blaxland Ashby.

The trio of stars were superb:-

Carl Batchelor, Lisa Bluthal, James Lee -

who play 40 parts, takes in much of the drama.

i had the pleasure of seeing it with much loved children’s literature critic Maurice Saxby and writer Jill Bruce.
Treat yourself and see it showing in theatres in the Blue Mountains.

Singapore leading Kids’ Literature in Asia

Singapore is leading the way in Asia – giving Asia a voice in youth literature.

Publishers, editors, reviewers, writers, illustrators …. and more … will be speaking at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content Literature Festival.

Excited to see friends from around the globe who bring such passion and innovation to children’s literature.

Marjorie Couglan – editor of Paper Tigers – UK

Daphne Lee – author and journalist, Malaysia

Candy Gourlay – author. Philippines and UK

Kathleen Ahrens – head of SCBWI international & author – Hong Kong

James Foley – Illustrator coordinator SCBWI Australia West – Western Australia

Holly Thompson – head of SCBWI Japan and acclaimed author – Japan

Wendy Orr – author who’s work have been adapted into feature films – Melbourne, Victoria

and there’s so many Asian and Australian  voices.

Thrilled to see Nicholas Mark on the panel, a young film maker who has also published a bi lingual book in Indonesia and Australia.

The panels are exciting including masterclasses, cross platform writing, television, media … and it’s in fabulous Singapore.

I’ll be speaking with Wendy Orr on our books ‘Butterflies’ and ‘Peeling the Onion’ moderated by Shirley Lim.

I’ll also be speaking on ‘Writing to Make A Better World’ on my books including ‘I Am Jack’, ‘Ships in the Field’

chaired by author  Chris Cheng who is a SCBWI International Board member.

Hope to see some of you there.

As head of Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Australia East & New Zealand SCBWI, proud that SCBWI is partnering this festival.

Thankyou to the Festival Director

Thankyou to National Book Development Council of Singapore www.bookcouncil.sg

Thankyou to R. Ramachandran head of the Singapore Book Council

Thankyou to Kenneth Quek – head of SCBWI Singapore

When:  26-30th May.

Where?The National Library 100 Victoria St Singapore.

Check the website: wwww.afcc.com.sg

SCBWI Australia is proud to support Room to read brining education to the children of Asia and the developing world www.roomtoread.org

50 years of the Australian Society of Authors -WOW

I know you won’t believe this but LOVED going to the AGM for the Australian Society of Authors (ASA).

Stop laughing – it was wonderful.

Yes, it was an AGM!

I remember carrying signs with loads of authors on the buses heading from Sydney to Canberra to march for Public Lending Rights and Educational lending Right.

The ASA won those rights – so that the vibrant literature from Australia could remain vibrant!!!!

Loved catching up with the board of the ASA – the coolest board ever filled with writers and people actively involved in creating works in Australia!!!!

They’re also my friends – yes, I have cool friends!

Some of the stars of the Board but not limited to:-

The award winning, dynamic Sophie Masson – Chair

Hazel Edwards whose Hippo Eating Cake on the Roof is just everywhere at the moment – on bus shelters, pinboards, The Herald.

Sheryl Gwyther who is the ARA for SCBWI Australia & New Zealand & a great supporter of writers

Ann James – illustrator extraordinare & love her.

Lynne Spender a great advocate and brilliant mind!

Judith Ridge – she’s everywhere and did a fabulous job in the forward for TRUST ME TOO (Ford Street Publishing) an award winning YA anthology

Mark Carthew – one of our best picture book writers

…. and more.

Lead by author and Executive Director Angelo Loukakis who is representing Australian authors so well..

The ASA after 50 years is financially strong, with its own home in Ultimo Sydney, and is the peak organisation for authors.

WATCH OUT FOR THE CELEBRATIONS FOR THIS 50TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

PS Great lunch afterwards!

Channel 10′s ‘The Project’, SCBWI, signing for I Am Jack, the movie – a day in the life of a writer.

No one can ever say being a writer is boring!

It’s crazy, unexpected, embarrassing, hilarious … and all of that.

A day in the life of a writer:-

Signing contracts for ‘I Am jack’ – film in development – with lots of meetings with the fabulous Executive Producer David Whealy and Producer Stephan Wellink.

A SCBWI meeting with the creative authors Deborah Abela and and Sheryl Gwyther who had flown down from Brisbane early to meet at The Hughenden in Sydney.

The brilliant illustrator Sarah Davis joined us to work on the programme for the SCBWI and CBCA Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at The Hughenden – keep Sunday 29th September free.

An acting gig – unpaid but hilarious – with a horse and SAM MAC from THE PROJECT – I was his Mum for Mother’s Day- I starred with a horse!

The horse won – they were promoting the Jeep Kurri Burri Polo Classic in the Blue Mountains which is a wonderful family day for Mother’s Day.

Bookmark the Sutherland Shire Writers Festival

It’s worth coming just to see TIM FERGUSON – he’s hilarious and accessible and …. you’ll love him.

There are so many brilliant authors speaking and you can chat to them,  as writers and also readers.

James Roy – award winning author and drily funny

Matthew Reilly – best selling author – for fast paced big hits.

Kate Forsyth – the queen of fantasy and historical fiction

Mark Dapin – one of the top journalist in the country – and yes, he’s funny too!

Richard Harland – science fiction, fantasy and yes, funny

and many more -

I’m speaking too – not sure how funny I am.

There are also great publishers including Zoe Walton (Random House), Heather Curdie (Penguin), Paul Collins (Ford Street publishing) and literary agent Brian Cook.

BEST part is that Jodie Wells Slowgrove is the festival director.

Jodie is inspiring – a writer, teacher, young Mum – she is passionate about writing, her first series will be published by Penguin in 2014.

I’m so thrilled for her – as she got her first break as an author at a festival when I was the Director.

She’s the ‘brains’ behind this growing and significant festival – it’ll be its 5th year.

CONGRATULATIONS Jodie.

I’ll be there.

Come along!!!!

16-18th November 2013!!!!

For more details -  www.shirewritersfestival.weekly.com

Sydney Opera House, Saving Humanity: LOVE TED X

It started at 7 am with freshly brewed coffee overlooking Sydney Harbour from the Sydney Opera House.

Inspirational can’t begin to tap into the depth of 12 hours of the TED X ideas – intellectual, creative, philosophical, musical, scientific, humanitarian.

However it’s more than IDEAS – it’s humanity at its best.

Highlights – but EVERYTHING was a highlight:-

Ron McCallum – Chairperson of the UN Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Blind, funny, a pioneer  – sydney.edu.au/law/about/staff/RonMcCallum

Jennifer Robinson – human rights lawyer fighting for West Papua independence – Beautiful, brilliant, brave – berthafoundation.org

Marita Cheng – 2012 Young Australian of the Year dedicated to girls roles in engineering founded Robogals Global – Young, passionate, out there saxton.com.au/marita-cheng

David Sinclair – scientist who has discovered anti aging molecules and a pioneer on anti ageing – genetics.med.harvard.edu/faculty/sinclair-david

Paul Pholeros – architect working to improve health of indigenous through health and housing design – healthhabitat.com

……. and there was more and more and more of these extraordinary people!

Then there was the music -from John Butler musician, song writer, record label owner;

to Kate Miller-Heidke singer song writer  -  singing from OPERA to  soul – her voice, songs, music reach into your heart.  katemillerheidke.com

…. and then there was the food from chefs across Sydney with local produce brought in by everyone

- Matt Moran and the ARIA Catering team; Jess Miller co founder of GROW IT LOCAL, beer made Young Henry’s brewery in Newtown Sydney.

The hosts were funny, warm, entertaining – the Chaser’s  Julian Morrow, ABC’s Adam Spencer, Gretel Killeen …. and there was more

Lunch was lovely looking out on the harbour, with MC Gretel Killeen and a panel of amazing women.

Had lunch with Layne Beachley one of the world’s greatest surfers;

Annie Crawford, Founder of CAN TOO running to raise funds for cancer research. My neice Roslyn is running for CANTOO. I’m proud of that.

Caught up with fabulous women – Ronnie Kahn founder of OZ HARVEST feeding the homeless; and Gabrielle Upton MP advocating for the universities NSW State Parliament.

Congratulations to Remo Giuffre and his organising team and corporate sponsors, volunteers and satellite events …. WOW!!!!