Cunningham Dax Collection Melbourne: �...

The people I should have known or should have known more Figures lost in the Holocaust Michelle Fox storyteller and artist sharing her installation               Michelle Fox is a storyteller searching for her past and the people she has never known due to war, the Holocaust, migration.  Her presentation at The Hughenden in Sydney captured us all with moving tales of loss and discovery. Her art installation of ‘dolls’ takes fragments of story and images to give a visual reality to those people she seeks to find. See the exhibition in Melbourne from...

Brewongle Writers in the Environment Cam...

Bush, rocky outcrops, an old school house in Australian wilderness, the Hawkesbury River crossing on a ferry to drive through hilly roads to Brewongle. If you love the environment, learning, enthused young people, authors and passionate environmentalist teachers, then you’ll love it here. Stephen Measday, little Quinn French, Simon French.Sue Whiting, Susanne Gervay Adrian and Brewongle Principal Mark Edwards with authors and baby Quinn             One of the bright students at the Brewongle Writers Camp wrote this wonderful poem for her Dad: Written...

Sydney's Bookfeast with wonderful a...

Jenny Hale,William Kostakis,Kate Forsyth,Susanne Gervay Bookfeast was abuzz with balloons, kids, teachers and the cream of Australian children’s authors and illustrators. Haberfield school librarian, Michael Fraser’s annual event is unique in uniting the community of Australian children’s authors and illustrators with their audiences in a celebration of literature and reading.  Keynote speakers were:- Richard Harland award winning and best selling fantasy author Sue Murray Australia’s leading youth playwright Sarah Davis – awarded best new...

MONKEY BAA's I AM JACK at the Seymo...

Alannah and Madeline Foundation endorses I AM JACK www.amf.org Monkey Baa Theatre’s adaptation of ‘I AM JACK’ is getting amazing reviews. I love the Monkey Baa creative team of Tim McGarry (he’s JACK in I AM JACK), Sandie Eldridge (the Director of I AM JACK) and Eva Di Cesare (in partnership with the creative directors who adapted I AM Jack). Performances at the Seymour are 21st Septmber to 2nd October 2009 Bookings:-Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People Ltd Tim McGarry in I AM JACK PO Box 553, Broadway, NSW 2007 PH.61 2 93517938 FAX 61 2 9036...

Good Will Slovenian Author Tour to Sydne...

Mayor Anderw Petrie launching the Slovenian author launch at The Hughenden Slovenian authors Tatjana Kokalj, Slavko Pregl Cvetka Bevc, Evald Flisar, Jana Bauer,    open their goodwill tour at The Hughenden launched by Mayor of Woollahra, Andrew Petrie The Puppets from the Seventh Floor by Slavko Pregl These were all wonderful authors who brought bilingual books beautifully illustrated. Evald Flisar’s  book ‘SPOTS’ is endearing dedicated to Evald and author Jana Bauer’s cute son BABY MARTIN. Hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of...

Inspiring World Burn Congress New York, ...

I continue to receive beautiful emails from delegates at the World Burn Congress New York, on the power of my novel ‘Butterflies’ to give voice to those who are involved with burns. One of the wonderful delegates Alexis Chapman sent me some photos of my talk . I’d like to share some of the photos and memories. I had the privilege of speaking to Kim Phuc whose photo of her as the girl running from the napalm in the Vietnam War has defined her life’s goal to bring peace to the world. She is the UNESCO Ambassador for Peace. Kim Phuc speaking at...

Brian Falkner meets SCBWI at Hughenden a...

Brian Falkner New Zealand SCBWI young adult author is in Australia to tour his new book, BRAIN JACK. Brian is an award winning action thriller writer whose work is ‘Fast paced and exciting’ Kirkus Reviews.  www.brianfalkner.com At an afternoon tea at the Hughenden, Woollahra Sydney, met with authors and illustrators and people in children’s and young adult writing.     Jan Latta, Chris Cheng at back; Ernie Tucker and Brian Falkner at...

Chris Cheng and Bini's birthday Cel...

Chris Cheng, the much loved Australian author and co-RA (leader) of Society of Children’s Book Illustrators and Writers (SCBWI) Australia & New Zealand with me – the other coRA of SCBWI. Chris and his wonderful wife Bini partied at their arty inner city house. I was excited to catch up with Simon French & Donna Rawlings and their smart, focussed baby Quinn – cute as a button. Apologies for the cliche. Sarah Foster, Chris Cheng, Julie Vivas Quinn and Margaret Wild Chris and...

Playfulness & fantasy in paintings b...

Melissa Egan and Susanne Gervay at The Hughenden Melissa Egan is a favourite at The Hughenden. She brings her joy de vive to The Hughenden’s Victorian sitting rooms, a chardonay to the al fesco dining in the couryards looking at Queen Street, fanciful and youthful art to the hub of the arts community in Sydney’s Paddington-Wollahra. Love Melissa and love her work. Her new exhibition at Richard Martin’s Gallery (www.richardmartinart.com.au) nearly sold out before the opening launched by ABC radio Presenter Tony Eastley.  Her whimsical characters...

Ipswich Online Literature Festival Reach...

This is the 5th year I’ve been part of the Ipswich Online Literature Festival ’speaking’ to kids and teachers 1000 kilometres into the Outback in mining towns. Love technology although I’m not that good at it. This festival reaches around 8000 kids and 80 schools. Authors like Deborah Abela, Jackie French, Hazel Edwards, Andy Griffiths, Steven Herrick  and many more spoke to kids from northern NSW and Queensland about their books and writing.  I spoke about I AM JACK. I Am Jack is currently being performed by Monkey Baa Theatre in Sydney –...