HarperCollins Launches Glamour in Sydney

HarperCollins’ new stunning offices looking over Hyde Park down the multi lighted William Street are fabulous.

CEO Michael Moynahan welcomed us – enjoyed his literary jokes. Well, it was a publishing event!

The launch party was fabulous – with everything from Chandon champagne, a cello welcoming us, fabulous food, jellybean bags, old friends – editors, authors, illustrators, the marketing and publishing team.

Shared great news with friends:-

Duncan Ball’s thrilled at the adaptation by Monkey Baa Theatre of  his Emily Eyefinger series to open at the Seymour in Sydney 9th July. I’ll be there.

Emma Quay’s new picture book is a total joy – Nudie and Rudie – two nudie toddlers celebrating family and life. Love it.

Lisa Forrest who’s nearly finished her new early teen novel with ABC Books an imprint of HarperCollins – about fantasy and circuses and sounds wonderful.

My news is of course that I AM JACK the play will have a season at the Seymour end of October and it’s just come out in Slovenian. So exciting.

Oh what a night…..!!!!!!!!!!!!

Writers at Festival Dinner -Recognising John Dale & NSW Writers Centre

Warm, welcoming, celebratory – a community sharing story and friendship.

Following the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre, writers, publishers, those involved in Australian creativity poured around The Hughenden bar – so much noise that they drowned out the pianist on the baby grand. But who cared? It was fabulous.

Good food, great wines, good company – it was a Chaucerian  feast of storytellers.

It was a great time to thank John Dale Professor of Writing at UTS for his dedicated services to the NSW Writers Centre as the Deputy Chair of the Board.

So many people were there – special welcome to Leah  Greengarten NSW Director of Australian Poetry

www.australianpoetry.org

Publishers, Authors – Lisa Forrest,Duncan Ball, Aleesah Darlison, Sophie Masson, Kate Forsyth, Belinda Murrel … celebrate Children’s Writing

The Children’s and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre is different to other festivals in that the writing community, sharing, friendship, support of the creativity of authors and creators is at the heart of the festival.

The NSW Writers Centre located in the heritage Gary Owen House in the Parklands of Callan Park grounds give a feel of a fair as writers gather, share conversation and food, applaud the launch of a book, craft and the life of publishing children’s and young adult literature.

As the Chair of the Board of the NSW Writers Centre I opened the festival and was embraced by the warmth of the audience, personal interaction, welcome of novice to well published authors, publishers who generously donated their time, screen writers, playwrights, digital writers ….

There was a wealth of talent and commitment to youth creativity in a home of writers.

Loved it – thankyou to all the participants and especially to:-

Authors:-

Lisa Forrest, Sue Whiting, Dianne Bates, Kate Forsyth, Belinda Murrell, Moya Simons, Jacqueline Harvey, Sophie Masson, Aleesah Darlinson, Jeni Mawter, Michael Parker, Karen Robertson, Duncan Ball William Kostakis

Publishers/Agents/Reviewers:-

Lisa Berryman HarperCollins, Zoe Walton Random House, Brian Cook Literary Agent; Angie Schiavonne Symdey Morning herald Literary reviewer; Palmer-Higgs Publishing; Joel Blacklock Boomerang Books.

Screen writers:-

Gina Roncoli, Simon Hopkinson, Kym Goldsworthy, Samantha Strauss

Theatre:-

Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People and Director Eva Di Cesare.

The NSW Writers Centre Staff:-

Everyone there especially Stephan Asher.

THANKYOU to Diane MacDonald for the insightful photography of the festival.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Festival next year !!!

Celebration of Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at NSW Writers Centre

This Festival supports PEN and PEN’s Empty Chair. This chair was empty, recognising a writer who is persecuted for their work.

At the Festival, the empty chair was for LIU XIA and SUPPORTERS oF Nobel Prize winner LIU XIAOBO 2010.  Since the Nobel Committee announced its decision in October 2010, Liu’s wife, Liu Xia, a photographer and poet, has been held under de facto house arrest by Chinese authorities.

Lisa Forrest the multi talented inspirational children’s author, media personality, actor, Olympian and Commonwealth gold medallist and a Mum, was a fantastic keynote to a full house.

Some highlights:-

Monkey Baa Theatre’s Eva diCesare, author Duncan Ball and HarperCollins publisher Lisa Berryman were in conversation about the new play Emily Eyefinger to be performed at Seymour Centre Sydney

Jeni Mawter’s launch of The Snugglebump Jump with heaps of cup cakes and a hilarious demonstration of Michael Parker author giving birth to a baby boy – well, baby doll.

Bestselling authors – Aleesah Darlinson, Belinda Murrell, Kate Forsyth, Moya Simons, Jacqueline Harvey, Sophie Masson, William Kostakis, Karen Robertson and more.

Kids’ TV with fabulous script writers; social media and insights into independent publishing as well as mainstream.

UTS Celebrations of Writing – with John Dale, Angelo Loukakis, Professor Ross Milbourne & writers

Love UTS celebrations – it’s a chance to meet up with colleagues and friends in the world of writing.

It was the 25th anniversary of the UTS Writers’ Anthology.Lots of writers and industry people were there. The talented Rachel Ward who contributed to the anthology joined the celebrations.

Got a chance to chat to Zoe Rodriguez from CAL and John Dale Professor of Writing and author.

Always love seeing Sharon Rundle the editor of ‘Fear Factor: Terror Incognito’ – a unique cross Indian-Australian anthology dissecting terrorism.  I was privileged to have a story in that anthology, alongside David Malouf and Sir Salman Rushdie. I travelled with Sharon last year to India to speak at the IASA Conference in GOA about the anthology and my writing. Fabulous experience.

Vice Chancellor Ross Milbourne welcomed everyone. I am looking forward to the  building of the UTS Arts precinct which will be ground breaking.

Always love catching up with Angelo Loukakis the Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors, an award winning author himself and my former publisher at HarperCollins was there.

The young writers were terrific and enjoyed the performance of one of the pieces in the anthology.

SUMMARY:  GREAT NIGHT

Sydney Writers Festival Sparkles on Sydney Harbour

It’s a glorious Sydney day with boats on the glittering harbour abuzz with publishers, authors, speakers, readers,writers and enthusiasts.

Doesn’t matter how busy I am, I always get down to the Wharf to mix and mingle. It’s the Sydney Writers Festival after all.

I love meeting my colleagues and friends who stay at The Hughenden. Had dinner with my HarperCollins publisher Lisa Berryman; catching up with the talented author Elizabeth Stead who’s staying there as always. Love Elizabeth Stead. Love her books too ….

I get to catch up with heaps of writers in the literary  meeting place of Sydney.

Libby Gleeson has just been recognised for her contribution to the literary world with a lifetime achievement award in the NSW Premier’s Literary Award.

Libby was totally surprised by  the announcement at the plush dinner. Maybe she should have guessed when she was put at the head table between NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and the Minister for Arts George Souris.

James Roy is excited about his trip to Germany later this year as his book ‘The Town’ is short listed for the German Youth Prize – very exciting.

Sooooo…………………….. good Libby and James.

I had lunch with Candice Bruce, a school friend who is going to rock the literary scene with her 20 year journey in writing an ART MYSTERY that reaches into our heritage, indigenous spirit, art and … it’s coming out March 2012 by Random House.

Go to the Sydney Writers Festival, suck in the creative life and enjoy!