Geraldton Big Sky Writers Festival

PresentersA week or so late but I wanted to write a post about this wonderful writers festival in Geraldton. Big Sky is an intimate festival with an eclectic mix of presenters across genres. For anyone who remembers the early days of Albany’s SPRUNG Festival it’s like that – just warmer!

Here’s a link to the 2013 programme. A challenge at festivals is choosing which sessions to attend, but it’s a nice problem when there are good choices.

rosemaryI couldn’t get to Deb Burrows; both her sessions clashed with my own presentations but it was lovely chatting to her between events and wonderful to get to know Ailsa Piper, Toni Jordan and writingWA Board Director Rosemary Sayer. How can you not like someone who hugs this well?

My panel session with Toni Jordan and Ian Reid covered a mix of topics with Geraldine Mellet doing a great job as Chair. Nice when festival organisers include children’s authors on panels… Brenton McKenna’s graphic novel workshop was another highlight and I loved playing in the sand pit with young readers on Saturday. What a fun way to celebrate Granny Grommet and Me. There were so many other thought-provoking sessions and did I mention the food, often accompanied by the amazing Mitch Becker on guitar. I came home with a suitcase bulging with books. Thank you Susan and team. You totally spoiled us.

SCBWI Louise Schofield Award

awardThis week I was honoured to be awarded the biennial Louise Schofield Award for services to the WA writers and illustrators community. It’s a great honour for me as Louise was a dear friend and wonderful supporter of the arts in Western Australia. The award was presented by her beautiful daughter Zahra which made the event even more special. Here’s a picture of me with the award.

Pre-Bookweek fun at Parklands Primary

Pre-Bookweek fun at Parklands Primary

Parklands Primary love books and reading! Here are Year 4 students; Azya and Phoenix showing fabulous artwork from their Year 2 Lighthouse Girl project with their teacher, Margaret Sefton. They researched lighthouses around the world, wrote imaginative stories and much more…

July 23rd – Light Horse Boy classroom ideas

Fremantle Press has just launched a fun new teacher feature on their website, looking at how a teacher has used a particular book in the classroom.

The first book featured is Light Horse Boy, with links to interesting classroom activities done by Sarah McNamara and her students at Flinders Park Primary School in Albany. Click the link below to read more.

Teacher Feature on Light Horse Boy (external site)