Hope Card from the Writers & Illustr...

Thankyou to the talented Kris Aro McLeod for the front cover, design and some of the illustrations. Tekla White children’s author co ordinated the beautiful HOPE card from Northern California to the Children of Australia and the Victorian Fires with appreciation for the words and illustrations of the Californians -Linda Boyden,Angela Dominguez, Kathie Strother-Scholl, Danna Smith,Zu Vincent, Kris Aro McLeod.        Books are magic, Carpets that take us to real and, Pretend worlds!  Tekla...

Room to Read with Melina Marchetta, Mark...

Melina Marchetta, Libby Hathorn, Maria Boyd authors supporting Room to Read Jennie Orchard the head of Room to Read Australia impressed the authors at The Hughenden, with the extraordinary work of Room to Read, bringing literacy to developing nations – from Nepal to India to Vietnam and now Africa. Room to Read has:-  built over 750 schools; created over 7000 bilingual libraries; donated over 5 million books; 320 local language titles; provided scholarships to over 7000 girls and brought books to over 3 million children.   Pam Cook organiser of Students Helping...

The SCBWI Hope Card from Canada East...

To the Children of the Victorian Bush fires in Australia from Canada East from the talented authors and illustrators of Canada with love.   SCBWI Canada Cares  with thanks from...

The Hope Card from SCBWI Caribbean to th...

The colour and beauty of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean took my breath away. These beautiful children send their message to the children of the Victorian Fires - Holding hands with thoughts to make your hurts feel better from the children of Trinidad & Tobago. Joanne Johnson head of SCBWI Caribbean wrote this beautiful poem to reach across the seas to Australian children -   they are not alone. The illustration and photography by the gifted Carole Anne Ferris captures the power of nature to heal – www.cafemokagallery.com -see more of Carole’s...

Sharks, Durwin, Sarah Murdoch at Maroubr...

Swimming with sharks has new meaning. Durwin is part of a film Sarah Murdoch is making. They ventured into the sea when hammer head sharks suddenly appeared. Sarah Murdoch and Durwin at Maroubra Beach See if you can find the fins in the ocean Good news is that Durwin didn’t go into the waves to pat the shark. Sarah didn’t think it was a great idea.       My JACK loves the ocean since that’s where we live. Maroubra, Bondi, Bronte beaches are our backyard. That’s why the beaches are part of I Am Jack and Super Jack. They’ll be part of my...

SCBWI, I AM JACK & BUTTERFLIES are g...

I’m flying to LA, for the international  SCBWI Conference – great to catch up with authors, illustrators and publishers from all over the world beginning August. Chris Cheng (the other co-RA for SCBWI Australia) and Frances Plumpton (New Zealand literary agent and NZ  SCBWI representative) are also going to be there. Butterflies endorsed by the Children's Hospital Westmead Susanne Gervay's Butterflies I Am Jack is to released soon in the USA by Tricycle an imprint of Random House USA. I’m also flying to New York to speak at the World Burn...

Delta Goodrem,Durwin Keg, Super Jack Swi...

Delta Goodrem gives Durwin a Pride of Australia Award Durwin’s a hero and a friend. He fought off a ferocious shark attack and lived to tell the tale. Delta Goodrem agrees. Didn’t realise Delta was so tall, but knew she was so beautiful. Sharks  -we need them, but sure don’t want to meet them. When some friendly dolphins were swimming near me, I experienced real fear. Thought they were sharks. Scary. That inspired the ‘Swimming with Dolphins’ chapter in SUPER JACK. Hey I AM JACK will be in the USA soon. I love the USA cover by Cathy Wilcox...

Steph Bowe a New Young Reviewer of Young...

Steph Bowe is a young reviewer of young adult literature. She came up from Melbourne to be part of the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre Sydney.  Steph met everyone from James Roy to Melina Marchetta to Hazel Edwards … as well as publishers including Zoe Walton from Random House, Leonie Tyle Woolshed Imprint and Laura Harris from Penguin. Steph’s report is here and it’s really worth checking it out:-  http://heyteenager.blogspot.com/2009/07/nsw-writers-centre-kids-ya-literature.html   James Roy, Leonie Tyle (Woolshed...

Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival...

Melina Marchetta internationally acclaimed author and script writer of ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ who’s flying to Chicago next week to accept one of the world’s major young adult award – Michael L Prinz Award – it’s fantastic Garth Nix has sold more than 5.5 million books & is one of the world’s best fantasy authors – it’s fantastic Deborah Abela’s much loved Max Remy SuperSpy 10-book series published ‘everywhere’ from UK to Malta to the USA - it’s fantastic Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People’s adaptation...

Launch: Road to Camelot with contributor...

Fantasy author Richard Harland and illustrator Elise Hurst Road to Camelot Launch at The Hughenden Sophie Masson author launches Road to Camelot               Where? At The Hughenden in Sydney – Why? As the pre event to the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Festival.  Who was there? Authors, illustrators, Random House publishers, Blogger Steph Bowe and William Kostakis YA author and brand Manager for Boomerang Books. Was it FUN?  YES. Authors Deborah Abela with Chris Cheng in background     Zoe Walton Random...