Behind the Scenes: Meet the Faculty Sheryl Gwyther

Sheryl Gywther is the SCBWI Assistant Regional Adviser for Queensland, an impassioned advocate for all things kids’ lit and a writer for 7-13 year olds. Her short stories, chapter books and school plays are widely used in schools, and her novel, Secrets of Eromanga, an adventure set on an Australia’s dinosaur fossil dig is still popular in many schools.

She’s a recipient of two Australian Society of Authors Mentorships; two May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Residential Fellowship; and an Arts Qld Individual Professional Development Grant. In 2013, Sheryl was recently awarded a SCBWI Work-of-Outstanding-Progress Grant for her historical adventure w-i-p, Sweet Adversity.

When Sheryl occasionally has a spare day, she spends it on painting, printmaking and photography. She’s also a completely besotted grandmother who now has a small person of her own again to share wonderful children’s stories with. It’s hard not to admire her zeal and talent so slam your plant pots together for Sheryl Gywther!

Welcome!

Briefly state your conference role and conference responsibilities

I’m a SCBWI Assistant Regional Advisor, in charge of a wonderful tribe of KidLit creators from Queensland. We also have three sub-branches in Queensland (we’re a pretty big state) - one in the Far North Qld, at the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

At the conference, I’m MCing a session, and various other duties (can one call ‘having fun’ a duty?)

Describe your most notable achievement or proudest moment in Kids’ Lit to date

The publication in July 2018 of my historical adventure set in the Great Depression, Sweet Adversity, (HarperCollins Australia).

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

A manuscript assessment with the wonderful HarperCollins publisher, Lisa Berryman … most memorable because Lisa told me she absolutely loved my manuscript submission, Sweet Adversity, and my protagonist, Addie McAllister, and also the way I write, and could I please send her the whole manuscript. I didn’t stop grinning for the rest of the conference.

My most memorable foreign SCBWI Conference was the 2018 Summer Conference in Los Angeles. OMG! It was totally amazing, brilliant, informative, massive … I’m still getting my head about the experience. I’m so glad I made the effort to go! Thank you, Susanne Gervay for encouraging me … may not have forced myself to fly so far just for a week otherwise.

Name one thing you can’t live without

My imagination. And my family … especially the little addition to our lives, Ava Harriet Gwyther … now 16 months old. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ’s the next scientist in our family.

Provide at least one Fun Fact from a SCBWI Conference you’ve attended or organised (anywhere in the world)

A FUN FACT from the SCBWI Summer Conference in LA. There were over 1200 delegates to this conference held in a huge hotel in the city. Can you imagine 1200 people in a huge ballroom ALL talking at the same time about books, publishing, writing, illustrating KidLit? Yeah, the buzz almost lifted the roof! Check out the fabulous, informative conference blog, here.

Awesome, Sheryl! Just like the Sydney 2019 SCBWI Conference is shaping up to be. Can’t wait.

Uncover more of Sheryl’s writing and artwork at www.sherylgwyther.net Or meet her in Sydney IRL along with all of our other fabulous SBCWI faculty. The fun begins on Sunday 24 February. Stick around for more info on that in our next post, soon! Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

www.dimitypowell.com

#SCBWISyd

Meet the Roving Reporters: Dimity Powell

Nothing fills me with more pleasure than digging around in the garden, the sun warm on my back, dirt under my nails, nourishing tomorrow’s miracles. It’s as satisfying as digging around for the perfect idea, fertilising it with words then watching that idea grow into something beyond spectacular. That is why I’m so very happy to be heading this team of gardeners, the Roving Reporters, for the 2019 SCBWI Sydney Conference.

You’ve no doubt met one or two, if not, get to know them now, here.

No great team of word landscapers would be complete without their Head Gardener so today I share a little be more about, me. Come smell the roses…

Dimity Powell

To Read, Write and Inspire sum up Dimity’s main passions in life, along with sailing on the beam, eating ice cream and writing in her diary – although doing all three at once makes her nauseous. She’s a Kids’ Lit nut, living, breathing and reading it for huge chunks of her day. She weaves words into short story webs for anthologies, digital narratives, junior novels and most gratifyingly, into picture books. When she’s not wrangling words, she’s reviewing, managing an esteemed team of reviewers for Kids' Book Review or sharing her love of story in front of crowds of very small people. It says so on her website, so it must be true. Dimity lives just around the corner from Bat Man on the Gold Coast and she adores applying the adage, ‘from little things, big things grow’ anywhere and everywhere, especially in her garden.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This will be my third, all in Sydney.

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

Being together in the same room with Nicky Johnston and my publisher, Anouska Jones for the first time at the 2016 Conference was an absolute heart-swell. We had just signed a contract for At The End of Holyrood Lane and Nicky was sharing her first roughs with us. It was a supremely emotional watershed moment for me. Connections like this at SCBWI events are simply the best.

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

The feeling that we are trusted conjurers of magic, forever fine-tuning our craft and always eager to enlighten never ever ceases to thrill me. My roles in this Industry are many: reviewer, writer, presenter, mentor, editor, student. I love them all and the absolute feeling of camaraderie from all sectors of the industry. It really is a crazy job but one I find I’m much less without.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

Sleep. Although I challenge myself to do so each and every day.

Please feel free to breeze on into www.dimitypowell.com anytime for a chat or at tea or two.

Remember, this garden is ever evolving. Visit again when we showcase some interesting behind the scenes fun facts of conferences past and present. Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

#SCBWISyd

Images courtesy of Tania McCartney

Meet the Roving Reporters: Karen Collum and Rachel Noble

It’s warming up both inside and outside of our garden shed. Have you got your tickets yet to next year’s SCBWI Sydney Conference? Can’t make it? Don’t get your nettles in a knot - our team of Roving Reporters will do everything they can to ensure you don’t miss a moment. This week we meet two more of our industrious crew. Please make room among the plant pots for:

Karen Collum

Karen Collum is a teacher, storyteller and writer who lives on the Gold Coast with her husband and four kids. She is the author of CBCA long-listed picture book, Small and Big and has been published in a variety of writing and parenting magazines. Karen has been writing for over a decade and recently wrote 32 scripts for the US children’s television show, “Kids Time Praise”. In between juggling work, kids and the never-ending pile of washing, Karen is working on a Middle Grade novel.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This is my second SCBWI Conference – my first one was in Sydney in 2016.

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

Most memorable moment: At the last Sydney Conference the keyboard player was suddenly unable to attend and I found myself volunteering to play for the dinner/dance at the last minute! It was fun, slightly overwhelming but a bundle of laughs to join the extremely talented group of musicians for the evening. I even got to sing lead vocals in Nutbush City Limits! It was such a hoot.

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

The Kids’ Literary Industry is such a vibrant, friendly, authentic bunch of people to hang out with. Right from the very beginning of my career everyone has been so supportive and encouraging. I feel like I’m with my tribe when I’m with the SCBWI crew.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

I can’t live without my family. They drive me crazy, ask three million questions a day and wear me out, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Visit Karen at www.karencollum.com.au

Don’t leave yet, here’s Rachel:

Rachel Noble

Rachel Noble is the author of Finn’s Feather (Enchanted Lion, US/May 2018), inspired by her late son Hamish.

Rachel attracted attention after she won a National writing competition, the My Child Short Story Competition in 2012 for a piece called Honoring Hamish. She was long-listed for the Hunter Writers Centre Grief writing competition and her piece is published in the 2013 Anthology. Rachel was short-listed for the 2016 CYA Picture Book Competition for her manuscript, My Granny Loves to Dance. Rachel is represented by Essie White at Storm Literary Agency.

Rachel recently returned from the US, promoting her picture book Finn’s Feather at Ci6, ALA Annual Conference and at bookstores in New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama.

Rachel is an ex-ABC/BBC Radio Producer/Presenter. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her family.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This is my second SCBWI Conference. I had such a wonderful time at the last conference, I knew it would be the first of many!

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

There was so many fantastic moments at the last conference but my most vivid memory is being completely inspired and captivated by Susanne Gervay’s warmth, humour and generosity.

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

I’m convinced it would be tough to find an industry as supportive as this one. Everyone I’ve met is so genuine, kind and humble.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

I can’t live without words. I cannot live without the ability to weave them in a way, that helps me (and hopefully others) process life’s big emotions.

Absorb more of Rachel’s radiance, here: www.rachelnobleauthor.com

Stick around, we have one more gardener to reveal. Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

www.dimitypowell.com

#SCBWISyd

Images courtesy of Tania McCartney