Hey ya!

It’s been a wild past few weeks, as Book Week turned into Book Month and then Book Term! Heaps of school visits and tons of fun with kids and teachers alike. But I’m so looking forward to some W&W in the holidays, yes that’s writing and writing! I want to get stuck into Bookish and my other short-story mix tape too.

But while authors are in demand, you can’t knock back the fun. I went to many author-lunch events like Lunch with the Stars in Manly. I was the guest speaker, along with Jacqueline Harvey. Kids were able to buy my new book Thai-no-mite, weeks before its release date, so they were from the future. I had a ball doing an irrelevant talk about my books. One kid even dressed up as Con-nerd!

I also did a silly talk at the SOS (Stories On Screen) showcase, where I handed out chocolate Oscars to the winners of this short film competition. It’s a cool idea from CBCA and helps them promote their short-listed books. William Kostaskis was the MC and I’m proud to say that he’s a fellow Penguin writer now and his new book is coming out next year!

Then there was Book Feast at Burwood RSL, this dishes up some of the best author line ups ever in Australia. John Flanagan, Gabrielle Lord, Andy Griffiths, Deb Abela…I was just as excited as the kids. I wish I can go scab signatures, but I’m signing my own things. Least I got to take some happy snaps. I think I’ll have enough to make a ‘Stalking Andy Griffiths’ album very soon 🙂

I got to sit next to Fairvale PS, whose Year 6 class was reading Con-nerd. They sent me a lovely card with all their comments and fan service, very sweet. Just another reminder of how lucky I am, and how hard I should be working to keep building up the cHEwY gum gum base!

O.W