SCBWI Australia Around the World –...

The friendships of authors and illustrators through SCBWI is one of the great privileges of being a children’s author. We meet over breakfast at The Hughenden in Sydney or at a banquet in Hong Kong or perched in Angela Sundae’s Gold Coast home overlooking beautiful native bushland. SCBWI Australia and Hong Kong support Room to read – www.roomtoread.org SCBWI WA – Dianne Wolfer,Frane lessac,Louise Schofield, Meg McKinley SCBWI Hong Kong with Kathleen Ahrens and Mio...

FAW Manly – Talented Seniors on th...

It was a privilege to speak to these seniors as part of Senior Citizens Week celebrations. Their writing touched me as they reached into areas as diverse as stem cell research to choir boy days where the girls were teased as the priest gave his sermon to emotional family stories and saving Long Reef. It was wonderful. Beatrice Yell from Fellowship of Australian Writers Manly chapter and Susanne Gervay...

The Hughenden Supports Make-A-Wish Austr...

Make A Wish State Manager, Tim Gibbons and Isabelle Hollander, the Relations Manager welcome guests at The Hughenden to the launch of Bruce Sullivan’s book ‘Rippa’ where all proceeds go to Make A Wish Australia. Susanne launches Bruce Sullivan’s book Rippa for Make A Wish – ‘It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no person can sincerely try to help another without helping themselves’ Ralph Waldo Emerson (taken from a quote in Bruce’s book.) Make A Wish at The Hughenden making wishes come true for kids...

Nette Hilton, Tohby Riddle, Di Bates ...

The Mint in Sydney, Premier Nathan Rees, judges and the short listed authors, great food and company. Nathan Rees cracked a few jokes and declared his love of books. Can’t agree more. Thankyou to Elaine Lindsay for all her work for these awards for Arts NSW. Awards with Minister Virginia Judge and shortlisted authors Ernie Tucker former President of CBC, shortlisted Nette Hilton, Di Bates, Tohby Riddle - stars of the NSW Premiers Literature awards Sydney Premier of NSW and Dianne Bates short listed...

Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People Wowe...

Tim McGarry is brilliant in I AM JACK at Somerset Feedback for I AM JACK.  Friday, March 20, 2009 at 18:05:13 ————————————————————————— show: I am Jack It was absolutely fantastic and thoroughly entertaining! I’m in grade 12 and the audience, from pre-schoolers to grandparents, enjoyed it as much as I did. Monkey Baa has done a wonderful adaptation and Tim did a spectacular job (playing his 11 or so characters)! I...

Authors Loving the Somerset Celebration ...

There were brilliant authors and illustrators there including Kate Forsyth, Tohby Riddle, Kirsty Murray, john Heffernan, Andy Griffiths, Christine Harris, lee Fox,Sherryl Clark,Elizabeth Fensham,Garth Nix, Michael Wagner … a wealth of Australia’s much loved writers. Maureen McCarthy and Susanne Gervay. We loved this festival with the sun, blue sky, tropical palms and thousands of kids and adults.The festival put us up at the Radisson Resort Gold Coast where we ate too much, bubbled in the spa and swam in the pool before heading off to great sessions at...

Last Highlights of China Literature Tour...

Images of China and literature for a speaking tour that enriched me leaving memories I will savour for many years. Rabih international award winning author, Pierre and Solvej Festival Director Suzhou Wandering the canals of Suzhou Alexandra Pearson Managing Director of the Festival, Jan Latta author, Jenny Niven Festival Director, Jack a fan and Annie from the United Nations at the festival Beijing Celebration of Literature with the statue of a girl reading...

Bookworm Literature Festial Suzhou China...

The festival venue is warm and welcoming. Spoke to groups from Eton International School about my Jack books and also my young adult books. The evening session with the public was lively with an audience from around the world from Canada to Hong Kong to Lebanon to of course,...

Suzhou International Literary Festival...

Suzhou is a city of canels – like an exotic Asian Venice. There are beautiful exotic ancient gardens. I wandered through the Humble Honorable Administor’s Gardens with the wonderful Solvej – the festival director. Her mother is a stain glass artist and Solvej has a literature major was also my Chair for my evening talk at the Literature Festival at Bookworm. Solvej Festival Director in Gardens Suzhou Humble Administrator's Gardens SuzhouSolvej Festival Director in...

Looking for Mr Chips at the British Inte...

Flora's art I was welcomed by the teachers and Mr Chips, oops, the Headmaster at the British School in Beijing. Nearly didn’t make it as my driver, an artist called Flora who was doublnig as my host got lost. Beijing has more than 17 million people and it is a huge city. No wonder she got lost and the drivers are pretty wild too. We made it for the second half of the Assembly. The kids were so responsive and so were the teachers. I had fun. One of the girls Mai who was right at the front had been to my talk at the festival and it broke the ice – joking...