Thank you Libby Hathorn for an amazing night of poetry writing and admiring at the SCBWI meeting in the Hughenden Hotel, Sydney. It is always a pleasure to be taught by someone passionate about what they do…but Libby lives and breathes the beauty of poetry. Such a wonderful night! Thank you, Susanne Gervay for letting us use your wonderful hotel.
MARK YOUR DIARIES! Remember interstate and international SCBWI members are welcome to attend. These events are for SCBWI members only, but contact ARA Sheryl Gwyther if you'd like to come to a meeting to 'try us out' before you join SCBWI.
Wednesday March 19 – 7.30pm – 9.30pm
SOCIAL EVENT … Coffee & Cake & Local info from the US
NOTE: Laura Elliot is unable to get to Brisbane this week, but we've arranged another activity. Thank you, Peter Allert for stepping in with a mini-session on making a video/or book trailer.
GUEST SPEAKER: LAURA ELLIOT, American YA author. Laura is visiting Brisbane that week; staying at Sheryl Gwyther's home. She'll talk about her self-publishing experience in the United States. And also about how she makes her own book trailers and covers. Laura will also walk us through the process if you interested.
WHERE: Sheryl's home. Ring 07 33665318 for directions.
It's after dinner – so bring a plate of something to share with tea or coffee. Definitely RSVP to 33665318
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Sunday April 13 – 10am to 12 noon
MEMBERS' MEETING – Brisbane Square Library, George Street
PANEL … Hints on doing Author Visits in schools. Experienced authors and illustrators talk about what they do and questions will follow.
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Tuesday May 6 9.30am to 11.30
SOCIAL EVENT – Sandgate foreshore – a morning by the sea with Sherryl Clark
Award-winning author, Sherryl Clark will be in Brisbane for her May Gibbs Literacy Trust Fellowship. Join us for a relaxing morning-tea picnic up by the waters of Moreton Bay. Place yet to be decided.
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June ? Date to be organised …
REGIONAL MEMBERS' MEETING – NORTH COAST/SUNSHINE COAST
Hoping there's enough interest for a meeting up the north coast. To be confirmed.
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Sunday August 3 – 10am to 12 noon
MEMBERS' MEETING – Brisbane Square Library, George Street
Topic: still to be decided (ARA Sheryl Gwyther will be overseas so SCBWI Qld's team, Pam Rushby and Angela Sunde will probably take this one). More details to follow.
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September – Sat 13th or Sun 14th
REGIONAL MEMBERS' MEETING – CAIRNS in conjunction with the Tropical Writers Festival where Sheryl Gwyther will give a presentation on SCBWI.
Topic: still to be decided
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November 1 – SCBWI's Inside Story Event – Brisbane … details still to be organised.
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December 7 – Christmas Party / Break-up for the year.
The 2013 regional gathering was held in the Cardinia Cultural Centre in Pakenham, Victoria, near Melbourne, on Saturday 4 May, from 2.00 to 5.00 pm.
Corinne King, Assistant Regional Advisor (Vic, SA, Tas), spoke briefly about current SCBWI issues.
The first speaker was David Linke, Council Secretary and Marketing Coordinator of YABBA (Young Australians Best Book Awards), who explained YABBA's role and how children's authors and illustrators can be involved.
YABBA are children's choice awards made by popular vote of children, giving voice to their preferences. This distinguishes them from the CBCA Awards (Children's Book Council of Australia) which are literary choices made by adults.
David's power-point presentation illustrated the function of YABBA: to motivate children to 'Recommend, Read, Rate and Reward Australian Books'. The Committee's work is voluntary. Until his recent death, YABBA was led for 23 years, with great vigour and humour, by the inspirational Graham Davey.
The procedure each year is as follows:
Term 1: children recommend books for the shortlist;
Terms 2 and 3: children read the books on the shortlist;
Term 4: children rate the books (in their own minds) and reward their favourite book by voting.
Children attend the awards ceremony. This year it will be held on 6 November at Haileybury, South Road, Brighton. Authors and illustrators are also welcome to attend. For further details:
www.YABBA.org.au answers@yabba.org.au
Awards in other states: KOALA (NSW) – Kids Own Australian Literature Awards; COOL (ACT) – Canberra's Own Outstanding List; BILBY (QLD) – Books I Love Best Yearly; CYBER (TAS) – Children's Yearly Best-ever Reads; WAYRBA (WA) - West Australian Young Readers' Book Award; KROC (NT) – Kids Reading Oz Choice.
At 4.00 p.m. the Guest Speaker was well known and much-loved children's author/illustrator Alison Lester, who spoke about the events in which she has been involved during her role as current Australian Children's Laureate with Boori Monty Pryor. She has travelled in every state and territory in Australia, many locations being remote, and has enjoyed the opportunity to meet and work with Indigenous Australians.
Alison's power-point presentation revealed the extent of her travels in Australia and overseas - to Ireland, China and many other places - for speaking engagements and workshops galore. She greatly appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Bologna Book Fair.
A devotee of workshopping in classrooms, Alison is delighted when she inspires the children to paint and then, by means of questioning and discussion, is able to encourage their language and imagination further, giving them and their class both satisfaction and a sense of achievement.
She also shared some background on her award-winning work and spoke in detail about some of the books which have enthused children, for example, Are We There Yet? and One Small Island. The highlight was her fascination with the Antarctic (five visits), children's participation with ideas, and her book, Sophie Scott Goes South.
Alison's Special Project is titled This is My Place. She says, 'Every child has a story to tell. I'm looking forward to continuing my work with kids and helping them to turn their stories into books.' She is working on a book which features children from all over Australia describing their lives, hopes and dreams in writing, painting, drawings and photographs. HTTP://THISISMYPLACEPROJECT.WIKISPACES.COM/
The Australian Children's Laureates are funded by the Australian Children's Literature Alliance: www.childrenslaureate.org.au/about Contact: office.acla@gmail.com
All who attended enjoyed an inspiring afternoon.
Edel Wignell
