Jeni Mawter's birthday lunch with w...

Jeni has been inundated with flowers, gifts, messages – yes it’s a major birthday. You have to guess which one. She now knows she’s loved, that’s for sure. Some of her writing pals had a small celebration at a lovely Chinese restaurant with gifts, good food, and writing news like Sue Murrary’s new BIG DRAMAS – another book of wonderful plays published by Pan MacMillan; Jeni’s new comedy series; my debut into the USA market with  ’I AM JACK’ by Tricycle imprint RandomHouse. Sue Murray , Jeni Mawter at the front and...

GOSFORD LIBRARY ROCKS 4 KIDS BOOKS...

GOSFORD LIBRARY -Kids and Young Adult Libraries on the Central Coast- is innovative, reaching kids, parents and community. Claire Stuckey the librarian is the driving dynamo supported by the head of the library services Sharon Drayton and the Council. I love the teen club. Home schoolers, kids from all over the Central Coast who love books and pizza and games- get together for Teen Club. I was the guest author for one Friday night event and judged the fancy dress competition where the teens were their favourite book character. Great night and I ate too much...

HOPE CARD from SCBWI KOREA with Love to ...

Korean illustration is colourful, comic and jumping off the page. Pat Volz’s painting for the Kids of the Bushfires is all of that with the kangaroo in flight from the crazy doctor. Some laughs from Korea with thanks. Hope Card by Pat Volz Korea Jenny Walters head of SCBWI Korea is so dynamic and enthusiastic about kids books and sends her wishes for ‘health & healing’ as do the other wonderful SCBWI KOREA members. HUGE thankyou from Australia. PS I AM JACK which has been translated into Korean is such a classy version – Korean publishers do a...

Always Jack, Pink Ribbon – for my ...

I Am Jack, Super Jack and now – Always Jack Kids ALWAYS know when a parent goes out at night for their ‘adult’ functions that they’ll be run-over, have an accident, not come home …. so they ring heaps of times, fall asleep waiting at the window, wait and wait … they are afraid. When I got breast cancer and my kids were 6 and 9 years old, they were afraid. AlWAYS JACK is the book I’ve ALWAYS wanted to write for my kids and all those other kids waiting for their parents to come home. It’s about giving kids a voice when your...

Micheline Van Hautem Performing in Sydne...

What a gorgeous experience to have the gifted Belgian cabaret singer Micheline Van Hauten, her talented manager and theatre director husband Willhelm and their 2 babies stay at The Hughenden during their Sydney performances at the Century Venue Theatres – the Vanguard and The Factory Enmore. Susanne and Belgian guitarist Erwin van Ligten The Dutch guitarist was exceptional playing one guitar and making it sound like three – Erwin van Ligten – cool and fantastic. He also is half Indonesian with cute kids. Of course I gave him some books for his boys....

SCBWI Australia & New Zealand Christ...

Logo created by Frane Lessac  It’s the end of the year and the chance for SCBWI Australia & New Zealand authors and illustrators to catch up, share news, network and find out what everyone is doing and party to celebrate the end of the year. SCBWI Australia & New Zealand NSW Chapter CHRISTMAS DINNER 2009  Feature: SCBWI in conversation with author Deborah Abela Publishing out there across Australia and the World Venue:The Hughenden, 14 Queen Street Woollahra Time & Date: 7:00pm – 10:00pm, Wednesday 9 December, 2009 Tickets: $40 for buffet...

First USA Review of 'I AM JACK'...

Susanne Gervay’s I am Jack takes the reader into the mind of a likeable 11-year-old kid named Jack who becomes a bullying victim. Based on true events that happened to her own son, Gervay relates via this story the difference between good-natured joshing and mean-spirited teasing, and how easily the teasing morphs into bullying. Often, children try to talk to us adults about it, but we don’t make time for them. Or, we wonder about unusual behavior or comments, but never follow up. A bullied child may feign sickness, skip classes, or hide out in safe areas of...

Bill Clinton's Global Initiative, J...

President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to help our world move beyond globalization to a world community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values. More than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize winners, hundreds of global CEOs, major philanthropists … prominent media have now made commitments valued at $57 billion, which have  improved more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. John Wood head of Room to Read was invited to be part of Clinton’s Global Initiative where Room to Read was embraced,...

Edmund Rice Centre – Authors, Paci...

Susanne Gervay and Jennie Orchard with Room to Read The Edmund Rice Centre brought forward the brilliant initiative of an event about the power of story to engage young people in social justice. The auditorium was full, the stands representing Fair Trading, the Pacific Islands and Room to Read bringing literacy to the children of the developing world were there. The speakers were passionate, committed and had the audience moved and ready to act for eco justice and human rights. Melina Marchetta, Nadia Wheatley, Maria Boyd, Libby Hathorn, Libby Gleeson advocated for...

Sarah Davis, Jenny Hale, Aleesah Darliso...

So much good news:-Alessah Darlison has an exciting new series about twins with New Frontier Publishing for the 9-12 year age group. Sarah Davis’  picture book written by Colin Thompson about an endearing dog ‘Fearless’ published by ABC Books is capturing everyone’s hearts. Deborah Abela’s delightful ‘The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen’ has been sold to the USA. Felicity Pulman has finished her murder mystery JANNA series and Jenny Hale is working on book two of her fantasy JATTA series.  Sue Walker’s new 9-12 year...