Young Opera Singers, Room to Read in Sydney

I love Sydney from being overwhelmed by the talent of young opera singers singing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House for the Matthia Awards – Sitiveni Talei was so brilliant singing Papageno’s aria by Mozart and he won the awards

To spectacular views of the harbour from the American Club for the pre-launch of ROOM TO READ where I saw the heart warming film of the impact of Room to Read on a little girl in Nepal and the whole community. Bringing books, schools and scholarships for girls is the only way to eradicate poverty and empower young people to fulfill who they can be.

Check out Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

By the way lots of Oz kids’ authors, SCBWI Australia and The Hughenden Sydney’s Arts Hotel all support Room to Read. Some authors were at the pre-launch including Markus Zusak. I was there of course. I AM JACK supports ROOM TO READ

www.scbwiaustralia.org

www.hughendenhotel.com.au

I Am Jack

I Loved Writing Butterflies

Emails I get like this from Mel is what makes me keep writing because it gets hard and it’s really emotional at times.

Butterflies

THANKYOU MEL!

It was submitted by Mel on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 13:48:25.

Feedback: Susanne, before reading butterflies i thought the only way to be pretty was to be perfect, the hair the face the looks, but it’s not true, i read butterflies in 3 days, i couldn’t put it down, it made me really feel good about myself, and think about what it would be like if i was katherine, she went through alot and knew in the end that if she didn’t turn out perfect, it didn’t matter, she learnt to be grateful to be alive and live with her burns. It’s was one of the best books i have ever read, thank you for giving me a masterpiece to read

Source: Susanne’s books

Friends, NSW Writers Centre and All Saints Liverpool

Reunion with kids I hung around with when I was 14-15 – they aren’t kids anymore – so strange because I know I didn’t get older. How did they? Just kidding – great people – friends – and we ended with Gary playing rock and roll songs and everyone remembering the COOL New Year Eve parties at my house. My parents were COOL too.

NSW Writers Centre – great committee and staff – so committed – it’s going to have the best programmes next year and lots of festivals.

ALL SAINTS LIVERPOOL – love the kids there – talked about THE CAVE to the guys and THAT’S WHY I WROTE THIS SONG to the girls.

Had lunch with some of the girls from ALL SAINTS – loved them.

Priscilla the Musical, Todd McKenny and WOW

Love, love, love Priscilla Queen of the Desert with the brilliant, funny Todd McKenny, wonderful Tony Sheldon and the gorgeous Felicia aka Daniel Scott.

It was star studded, over the top, with the six metre cupcakes dancing across the stage and the glitz and glamour of the huge lipstick, the mega high heels, the Outback and Priscilla the mega bus crossing the desert.

I went with Rotary heralded by my brother Thomas who is President of the Sydney Cove chapter and my family – Bill and bthe kids Jamie and Tory.

Fun, fun, fun and dancing in the aisles.

PS Met Ian a young guy who was in my NSW Writers Centre workshop. He was sitting in front of me in the Lyric Theatre. How funny is that?

Story Tellers Guild at The Hughenden Sydney

Australian Storytellers Guild are weaving stories at The Hughenden.

• every two months at The Hughenden
• next one 18 October 2-4 p.m. over Devonshire Tea with Jo Henwood
• Open Microphone for those who want to tell their own stories
• $12

I’m speaking at the Saturday 15th November Story Tellers seminar about:

Being Cool and stories that reach young people

9.30 am – 4.30 p.m.

www.storytellersnsw.org.au