St Scholastica's College Writers Festival was Fantastic

Melina Marchetta, writers, historians and … me too.

We explored this historic college in inner city Glebe as part of the St Scholastica’s Writers Festival.

The girls had made postcards of books they loved and created posters and bookmarks about ‘my place’ – who they are and where they belong. There were postcards on my ‘Butterflies’. It always moves me when my books reach readers in that way.

I spoke to hundreds of girls and wonderful teachers. I loved it and them.

Orwell's 1984 with Larry Buttrose, Stephen Measday, Sue Woolfe, Susanne Gervay

It was a cast of Aussie stars a the Sydney Writers Festival Reading of George Orwell’s 1984 in the Ariel Bookshop in Sydney’s inner city.

I read the frightening section when Winston Smith went to a prostitute to try and get human comfort. What a world – without love, friends, language – it’s isolated and frightening.

The other readers were Sue Woolfe, Stephen Measday, Larry Buttrose, Bob Sessions the Publishing Director of Penguin Australia and many more … actors, writers, editors.

Larry Buttrose was the host and there was VICTORY GIN at intermission. It’s the alcohol consumed in the book 1984 – to stop people thinking about this world. Even after 60 years 1985 stands firm as a biting attack on Communism and Nazism.

Great night – it started at 2 p.m. and ended at 2 am!!!

Hugh Jackman, UTS & Susie Gervay – alias ME

Embarrassing was having my face flashed across those mightly huge screens at the 20th Anniversary of UTS with UTS graduates who were really important. It was rotating – so repeated embarrassment went on for a while.

Despite my face problem, it was a fantastic night! I was invited as the guest of University of Technology Sydney (UTS) for their 20 year anniversary celebrations at the Hilton. A black tie affair. No, I didn’t wear a black tie. I sat between film makers and TV personalities like the odd ‘man’ out.

The good part was that Hugh Jackman spoke – he was the STAR UTS graduate. I fell in love – well, he was so natural, honest, had no sense of himself being a ‘star’. He was pretty funny when he said he’s lucky no one brings up his academic records. The main thing was that he got his degree. He started acting because of UTS. It was his last 2 units and he landed up in the ‘soft’ option – Drama. Except it wasn’t soft and he was the main part learning thousands of lines – decided he was meant to be an actor from there. We’re lucky.

UTS is doing amazing things with think tanks, ennvironmental projects, with a human rights and green agenda. I was pretty proud to be part of it.

Writers at Sydney Uni and Me

Spoke to fabulous talented new young authors at Sydney Uni. Part of their degree is to hear an author, so that they can uncover the life of an author.

I told them that it’s tough but also brilliant.

They are reading That’s Why I Wrote This Song and I played them Tory’s I Wanna Be Found – hope they loved it.

At the heart of Literature is librarians

Still reeling from the Bulgaian horror of those children trapped in the cruel institution without love, as I spoke to librarians (ASLA) today about ‘That’s Why I Wrote This Song’.

I felt all over the place as I spoke. However they were warm and wonderful and some spoke to me about how I AM JACK is so loved.

My new YA novel is about empowering young people to make choices that help them navigate life. it gets so hard sometimes. I wrote it out of a real place for my beautiful daughter Tory and my son Jamie and for young people in particular. At least I can do something for them through my writing, even if I can’t help those Bulgarian children.