Posted by on Dec 30, 2010 in News | 0 comments

2010 Round-up & Happy New Year to Room to Read, the Compton Cricket Club for Youth, Monkey Baa Theatre and more

2010 has been an exotic, amazing year for writing with my travels reaching young people and adults about the power of literature:

- to inspire

- promote understanding and peace

- reach kids and adults  from India, Kiribati, Korea

- to kids in remote regions in Australia.

 

It has been an exotic and amazing year supporting social justice through:

- my role as an Ambassador for Room to Read for youth  literacy in developing countries www.roomtoread.org

 - the Cancer Council endorsement of my new book  ’Always Jack’

-   ‘Peace Story’ anthology representing Australia with my story called ‘To East Timor With Love from Australia’ illustrated by Frane Lessac in a UNITED NATIONS initiative on Nami Island Korea.

- being a patron of Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People which has taken ’I Am Jack’ and the anti bullying message throughout Australia

- opening discussion of terrorism as a way towards peace, speaking at the AISA Conference GOA India being part of ‘Fear Factor:Terror Incognito’ a cross Indian Australian anthology published by Picador India & Australia

-  the Pacific Calling Delegation to Kiribati against climate change

- support of the Compton Cricket Club ex-gang leaders from LA who promote a way for disenfranchised youth – it’s cricket - community, feeling of belonging, mateship.

 The Hughenden sponsored the Compton Cricket Club in Sydney visit where they worked with our Kids on the Street, the Australian Cricket team to promote a positive future. 

 THANKYOU FOR A SPECIAL YEAR ACROSS THE GLOBE

 

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Posted by on Dec 20, 2010 in The Hughenden | 0 comments

Christmas Party at The Hughenden, Stories & Magician Bruce Glen

The fantastic Hughenden staff, kids, presents, Steve Andrews back from LA filming a Disney movie, Bruce Glenn storyteller & magician spreading Christmas cheer and red balls from behind your ears…a  lovely farewell to 2010 and welcome to the coming New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

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Posted by on Dec 17, 2010 in News | 0 comments

‘Wizards, vampires and elbow grease’ in Australian Author Magazine, December 2010

Australian Society of Authors (ASA) represents authors, illustrators and literary translators with a real recognition of youth literature.

Executive Director Angelo Loukakis is committed to writers as a renowned author and former publisher. THANKYOU!!!

 On the ASA current elected Committee of Management there are Australia’s much loved children’s writers and illustrators – authors Hazel Edwards, Sophie Masson, Elizabeth Hutchins, Anita Heiss and talented children’s illustrators Ann James, Frane Lessac, Elise Hurst. THANKYOU!!!

The December issue of ‘Australian Author’ Magazine has a youth literature focus. THANKYOU !!! to the editor Michael Visontay

My article ’Wizards, vampires and elbow grease’ has a front cover teaser – ‘Searching for the next JK Rowling Suzanne Gervay attracts young readers’. It was a chance to reflect on youth literature.

I realised that being a creator of children’s & young adult work is a special journey which despite the obstacles, offers great rewards.

I had an opportunity to acknowledge some of the fabulous authors and illustrators – not all of course, so apologies – but a few – Deborah Abela, Duncan Ball, Jackie French, Oliver Phommavanh, Steph Bowe the young blogger and her remarkable auction and entry into the market with ‘Girl Saves Boy’.

THANKYOU!!! to the Australian youth writing community!!!

For more information on ASA – www.asauthors.org

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Posted by on Dec 16, 2010 in News | 0 comments

NSW Writers Centre Christmas Party, Kids & YA Literature Festival, Workshops, Opportunities – Writers welcome!

I’ve been on the board of the NSW Writers Centre ‘forever’ – it’s such a beautiful place in the gardens of the old Callan Park Hospital Rozelle in Sydney.

I’m the Festival Director of  the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival in 25th June 2011 - so LOVE to see you there.

The Centre is there for writers:-

 

Great workshops with some of Australia’s best writers in so many genres – like Jeni Mawter, Kate Forsyth, James Roy, Mark Tredinnick, Timothy Daley, Patti Miller, Alan Mills.

Writing groups.

Consultations

Events

Congratulations to the Directior David Ryding, Julia Tsalis, Jacqui Dent, Stephen Usher and the staff of the NSW Writers Centre; the terrific Board of the Centre for a creative and positive 2010.

With special thanks to Professor John Dale UTS who is also a best selling crime author for contributing so much on the Board. John isn’t standing again and his humour, wisdom, insights and contribution to the Centre will be greatly missed.

PO Box 1056
Rozelle NSW 2039
Phone:  02 9555 9757
Fax:  02 9818 1327
Email:  info@nswwc.org.au
www.nswwriterscentre.org.au

 

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Posted by on Dec 14, 2010 in I AM JACK | 2 comments

BOOMERANG BOOKS blogger William Kostakis Blogs on ‘Susanne Gervay talks series and ALWAYS JACK’

Susanne Gervay talks series and ALWAYS JACK

I’ve already attested to the brilliance of Susanne Gervay’s Always Jack, so I thought, to spare you another post of flowing praise, I’d invite Susanne around to talk about her ten-year journey to complete the trilogy of Jack books. The first book in the series, I Am Jack, spawned a successful stage adaptation by MonkeyBaa, which toured NSW regional, rural and Sydney centres in 2008, and expanded to conquer Australia in 2009. In September, 2011, the play will feature as part of the Ipswich Children’s Literature Festival and then complete a season at the Seymour Centre, Sydney. Now, Always Jack has launched out of the gates, garnering a wealth of critical praise.

SUSANNE GERVAY
On Series

Why do young people wait in long queues for each new book in series such as Lemony Snicket books… Harry Potter books… Twilight?

Trademark fantasy book series by writers like Isabelle Carmody, Garth Nix, Kate Forsyth, Tolkien; crime series with authors such as James Patterson, Harlen Coben, Ian Rankin, Phillip Pulman, Alexander McCall Smith; science, romance, historical series and especially children’s series can have huge readerships.

Series are sometimes commercially manufactured of course. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series has led to an array of copycat Vampire and paranormal series.

I remember the madness and millions of dollars for the R.L.Stine Goosebumps series for kids, spawning many other horror kids’ series. It always felt like I was reading the same story. 

So have I written a series? A trilogy? I actually nearly fell off my chair (apologies for the cliché) when my Jack books were called a series/trilogy – I Am Jack, Super Jack and Always Jack.  Maybe I have.

It’s been a 10 year journey writing my Jack books for young people. I’ve written a series when not writing a series. I wrote I Am Jack for my son after he was bullied at school, published in 2000 by HarperCollins when bullying wasn’t seriously acknowledged. I wrote it for my son and  kids, the bully, bullied, onlookers, parents, teachers community because bullying ruins your life. I Am Jack is funny, got plenty of jokes, has a wobbly Nanna and even a girl interest.

It was written as a stand alone title. Four years later, due to the success of I Am Jack, I wrote a companion book, Super Jack. Like the first book, it is funny, warm, real, giving a voice to kids and families. This time it’s about blending families as well as lots of other things from bush fires to mateship.

Always Jack carries the Cancer Council’s precious yellow daffodil and like all my Jacks it’s funny, real and jumps into everything from cancer to the Vietnam War to Jack’s first love.

All the Jack books link, but are also stand alone. They have been defined as a series because Jack and his family, their loves and lives are central to each book. However this has to be the longest ‘series’ ever – ten years in the making.

Now that I’ve finished this ‘series’, I think I get it. Readers care about the characters in the first book. They want to know what happens to them. They become fans, even when there is ten years between the first and third book.

What do you think about series? Do you find some of them compulsory reading? Is it the characters? The plots? What is the X-factor of a series you love?

What series do you want to read? Have you a single title that you are desperate to have another book or two follow?

http://content.boomerangbooks.com.au/perpetually-adolescent-blog/susanne-gervay-talks-series-and-always-jack/2010/12/comment-page-1#comment-73

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