Read: Myriad Possibilities 2016

Thank you everyone for a thoroughly enjoyable conference last weekend (Menzies Hotel, Sydney). Gail Erskine, Felicity Jagavkar-Baker, Margaret Hamilton, and all the volunteers, did a spectacular job. As a veteran of many science fiction media conventions (as an attendee or committee member), and a number of TL-focused PD seminar/conferences (sometimes as presenter, or attendee/volunteer/committee member) over the decades, “Read: Myriad Possibilities 2016” compared very well.

This was my first CBCA Conference. The two full days had wonderful variety and no dead spots at all (that I noticed), and it appeared to be very seamless. I loved that the early release of the "Notables" enabled publishers to have every shortlisted title available for sale on the day of the Shortlist announcement on the Friday. (I know there was some trepidation about this when first announced.) I ordered my school’s books from Paul Macdonald (Children's Bookshop, Beecroft) on the Friday, and they arrived at school today, a day earlier than promised.

The authors and illustrators at the conference made themselves very available to all, and autograph sessions were well timed and well promoted.The Committee appeared unflustered most of the time, and glitches were quickly addressed. (And in the timeslots where I volunteered, everything seemed to be set up for success. Much appreciated!)

I also attended the Leigh Hobbs’ Masterclass (see pic above) arranged by the Australian Society of Authors in Ultimo, on the Sunday after the conference! It, too, was excellent. Worth every cent.

And then, on the Monday, it was back to Week 2 of my school's Book Fair. Stop the world, I wanna get off! #CBCA2016

A Sassy Saturday!

Emma Quay, Ian McLean and Lisa Shanahan at the 2010 Sassy Awards last night!


Selwa Anthony greets everyone; Ian Parry-Okden announces the Sassy Awards.


Tara Moss accepts the Lynne Wilding Commemorative Sassy Award.


Wayne Scott Kermond entertains; Selwa says her thank yous!


Athlete Matt Shervington is auctioned off for charity!

Thank you once again, Selwa, for another wonderful literary seminar. See you next year, hopefully with a manuscript in train.

depouiller - to strip off

My friend, Sydney political cartoonist and children's book illustrator, Eric Lobbecke, sent me an invitation to the opening of his new exhibition at NG Art Gallery, Chippendale. I simply had to brave the steady rain - and my new head cold - to get there, and what a fun night! Thanks Eric!


I counted fifty people not long after I arrived and this number
quickly seemed to double!
Eric is towards the back of this pic, the smaller figure in the white shirt.


The topic of the exhibition is politicians,
stripped of their accoutrements, until they are all the same underneath. I think.


The former church windows revealed sculptures and a herb garden perched on the roof,
although this wasn't part of the exhibition.
The mural on the next building, seen through the right window, makes it look like stained glass in this pic!


Eric is again to the right of the middle of this pic, in the white shirt.

With all the fat naked men on display I was quite flattered that Eric hadn't asked me to model. And the rest of the world breathes a collective sigh of relief.