Children's Writer
Melu has made the finals of the New Zealand Book awards! Very exciting as usual to be included in a very strong line up. If you liked my story and want to vote for me, go to – Children’s Choice Awards
The winners are announced in June, so stay tuned.
Oh, and Melu was also included in the Storylines Notable Books List. Cool!
Winton – May 2012
I had a great few days in Southland visiting schools and telling stories for the Dan Davin Literary Foundation as part of the Southland Festival of the Arts. Check out the Dan Davin Foundation here.
I also got out to Winton Library and had a great session with some very enthusiastic kids, thanks to Willie, Winton’s super-keen librarian.
You can check out some photos here.
More exciting news! I’m off to the Leipzig Book Fair in March to kick-off NZ’s role as Country of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair later this year. There’s nine writers going altogether, but I’m the only children’s writer. I feel very honouored and priveleged to be chosen. I can’t wait!!
So have you heard about the BLOOM festival yet? Me and a whole bunch of talented people from writers to circus performers to musicians and rugby stars will be in Matakana for the weekend of January 20-22. Should be a fabulous weekend! I’ll be telling a few stories,reading some books and running a workshop or two. What a great way (and a fantastic place) to spend a long, hot (hopefully) summer’s day? If you want to know more, look at the festival’s Facebook page – Bloom Festival. See you there!
WOW! My new-look website is finally up and running. What do you think? It was designed by Year 13 student Charlotte Boyce as part of a web design project at Columba College in Dunedin. I think it looks pretty cool. So a round of rapturous applause for Charlotte!! If you have any feedback or thoughts, let me know and you could win your choice of my titles. Any title … as long as I’ve still got a copy lying around. So that’s my excuse for the total absence of new between May and now.
A lot has happened in the meantime, I must say. It’s been a busy year.
For example – I’ve had three new picture books, a junior novel and the first four episodes of my exciting new Dinosaur Rescue series released. I also had two launches – one at the Dunedin College of Education for Hester and Lester and DO NOT PUSH, and another local launch at the Alexandra library for Moon Cow.
I’ve also just finished an on-line picture book project for Telecom, with the amazingly talented Donovan Bixley doing fabulous illustrations. The book, titled – The story of Bo and the circus that wasn’t – will be released in February, with all proceeds going to the Telecom Foundation.
No Room for a Mouse – Japanese
The Japanese version of No Room for a Mouse just arrived and it looks … well, Japanese! It’s now my most international title, published in four languages and five countries. Not bad.
Duck’s Stuck – French
Duck’s Stuck is now in French … Canadian! I guess that’s ANOTHER language I’m going to have to learn. It’s hard enough reading english most of the time, so it might have to wait a while.
Old Hu-hu – Chinese (complex)
Hu-Hu is now in Taiwan! The publishers have done a wonderful job. It’s in Chinese in the front and English in the back.
It’s got a CD too – with the story in both languages.
If I ever decide to learn Chinese, I’ll have a good book to read.
Hill & Hole
Hill & Hole has made the Finals of the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards!! Yahoo!
I’m thrilled and a little bit relieved, plus it’s always a bit sad, too. Lots of great books written by good friends have missed out, which is a shame. But there are lots of books by first-timer writers, too. Which is great news for them, because we all have to start somewhere, and I remember the first time I made the finals – I was jumping up and down for weeks!!
So good luck to all the finalists.
I’m moving to Dunedin! (For six months, anyway.) From tomorrow I’m officially the Children’s Writer in Residence at the University of Otago. I’m very excited, and honoured to have been chosen. During the Residency I’ll be working on my first ever Young Adult novel. The idea’s been bubbling away for years, now, so it’s wonderful to finally have the time to work on it. I was a bit worried if I didn’t write it soon, my head would explode.
Three Cheers for No-Ears!
Hill & Hole has been included in The Listener’s list of Top 50 Kids Books AND the New Zealand Herald’s Canvas magazine’s Best Books List … just in time for Christmas! Lucky me!
My advance copies of Three Cheers for No-Ears just arrived the other day. They’re looking splendid! It’s also being released in Te Reo, which is exciting. The story is about an elephant who discovers having tiny ears can be very handy. It’s a funny story with lovely illustrations by Deb Hinde, who also illustrated The Hoppleplop and The Bear in the Room Next Door many years ago.
It’s being released in January, so start saving your pennies!
Old Hu-Hu
Even MORE AMAZING news … Old Hu-hu WON the Book of the Year Award!!
I’m still too excited to write about the awards night. But hopefully when I get back from holidays, I’ll write a full report. It was very exciting winning the Best Picture Book Award. But Kiss!Kiss! Yuck!Yuck! won that a couple of years ago, so I knew what it felt like. But when they called my name for the Book of the Year award as well, I nearly fell over!!
The best part was meeting some of my favourite New Zealand writers – like Margaret Mahy, Joy Cowley, Gavin Bishop and Des Hunt. I even got to have breakfast with Piggity-wiggity-jiggity-jig!