2 Sisters: 2 Fantasy Books: 1 Fabulous Launch at Berkelouw Books Balgowlah – ‘The Wildkin’s Curse’ and ‘The Ruby Talisman’

Jampacked, with champagne flowing, the launch of Kate Forsyth’s ‘The Wildkin’s Curse’ and Belinda Murrell’s ‘The Ruby Talison’ was a celebration of sisters, their joint love of fantasy, family, friends, fans.

 Their brother – another talented author, who writes business books – launched his sisters’ books with humour and love. Kate’s dedication to her sister Belinda is beautiful:-

‘For my sister Belinda Murrell

For listening when I need to talk

For talking when I need to listen

                                             And for travelling the writer’s road hand in hand with me.

Belinda and Kate will be speaking at the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre on 3rd July.

May Gibbs Fellowship and Writers’ News

The May Gibbs Fellowship Trust -  www.maygibbs.org.au      

The May Gibbs Fellowship is open again for applications for residencies in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Writers gathered for morning tea at The Hughenden to share their news and celebrate Felicity Pulman’s May Gibbs Trust Fellowship. She’s going soon to do the fellowship in Adelaide.

She’s got a book to write for the Fellowship,  as well as do lots of writing talks in Adelaide.

Other News: Vashti Farrer has really cute new book out with Scholastic; Laurine is writing another Aussie Bites; Jeni Mawter has a rhyming picture book coming out, Moya Simons is getting ready for the launch of her new book ‘Let Me Whisper Me My Song’, David Mulligan’s successful novel ’Angels Kokoda’ published by Scholastic is being reprinted yet again.

 I’m in a team for Relay for Life – supporting Cancer Council – join in the relay.  Sponsor Relay for Life on:-

http://www.relay.cancercouncil.com.au/team.create.html?relay_id=376 

I’ll be speaking at the NSW Cancer morning tea on 15th May at Centennial Parklands.

ANZAC DAY 25th April 2010

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn;

At the going down of the sun and in the morning.

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Thankyou to our friends Lt Colonel Greg and Pam McCauley who invited my husband and I to celebrate Anzac Day on the outskirts of Sydney at Campbelltown.

The Dawn service was moving as the bugler played ‘The Last Post’ and we did remember those who had fallen in war for Australia and New Zealand.

There were so many schools from the district who placed wreaths at the cenotaph. it is moving to know that these services are held all over Australia & New Zealand from small Outback towns to major cities. 

e-Lit: takes authors from the City to the Outback

E-Lit is at the cutting edge of education taking teachers, literature and literacy across NSW and Australia.

In a pilot programme authors Laurine Croasdale, Jeni Mawter, Jacqueline Harvey, Susanne Gervay, Sue Walker, Aleesah Darlinson and illustrators Nina Rycroft and Serena Geddes (coming to the next session) were thrown into tele conferencing interacting with kids in schools online through Smart Boards and tele conferencing.

It was like being on TV with kids jumping into the set and being part of it. It was fun.

E-lit is working with the Education department aiming to take authors and illustrators everywhere from inner city to remote communities. We’re planning to have a literature festival through video conferencing. There are lots of plans ahead.

Dinner with Talented New Author Lucy Christopher

Sydney is warm, lovely as autumn arrives and we’re enjoying an outdoor pizza with authors and book lovers.

Melina Marchetta rushed in after launching Peter Skrzynecki’s new book. It’s always wonderful to see the talented Melina. Her YA novel ‘The Piper’s Son’ is getting rave reviews and is taking Australia by storm. Yeah to Melina.

Lucy Christopher is in town to celebrate her short listing for the Children’s Book Council Awards. Lucy’s YA novel STOLEN  is spear-heading a pacey new young adult genre.

STOLEN by Lucy Christopher

Gemma, 16, is on layover at Bangkok Airport, en route with her parents to a vacation in Vietnam. She steps away for just a second, to get a cup of coffee. Ty–rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar–pays for Gemma’s drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what’s happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. The unknowing object of a long obsession, Gemma has been kidnapped by her stalker and brought to the desolate Australian Outback. STOLEN is her gripping story of survival, of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare–or die trying to fight it.