Lady Cutler Award, 2016 Lady Cutler is a significant award, run by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. What a lovely atmosphere at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel, with so many of my friends and acquaintances in children’s literature present. Among them at my table, Deborah Abela, Christopher Cheng and Bini, Libby Gleeson and Margaret Wild. ...
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Celebrate Reading! National Conference, WA
Australia’s own celebration of reading (and writing!) I’ve just returned from this fantastic conference at the Literature Centre in Fremantle, having delivered a key note and been on several panels. My keynote called Writing under the influence focused on the inspiration for many of my texts; what the gift of reading means to me; and the importance ...
Shortlisting for INCREDIBILIA and the coming EXTRAVAGANZA
Awards Incredibilia with the captivating illustrations by Gaye Chapman, has been short listed for the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards. And also for the Society of Women Writers of NSW Biennial Awards. Incredibilia Music and Dance Event for Children – Centennial Park Both Bondi Beach Public School and the Centennial Park Foundation have been plotting and planning ...
Old Friend Gary Crew and I Hatching Ideas
I visited Maleny for a weekend and spent time happily in that beautiful tropical environment with my old friend Gary Crew, admiring his extravagant garden and talking things literary for 2017! Watch this space. We collaborated many years ago on an epistolary novel Dear Venny Dear Saffron, which sold into Ireland and Germany, as well of ...
Special Exhibition, Brisbane – ANZAC Stories behind the pages
Maria Gill on behalf of the Brisbane City Library has been in contact about two of my works that are based on World War 1. Eventual Poppy Day, historical fiction for young adults, and A Soldier a Dog and a Boy with Phil Lesnie’s startlingly good illustrations, are soon to be part of a special exhibition ...
Libby Hathorn visits Pinerolo Children’s Book Cottage
I took the train to one of my favourite destinations, the Blue Mountains, to visit Margaret Hamilton at Pinerolo at Blackheath, perched at the top of Megalong Valley. I pleased to see so many old friends, both illustrators’ and authors’ works on the walls of the Pinerolo Museum. It certainly serves as a history of ...
Libby Hathorn and Elena Katz Chernin Create!
I’ve been lucky enough to be working with the marvellous composer Elena Katz Chernin on my picturebook OUTSIDE, with its divine illustrations by Ritva Voutila. The good news is, that it is to be a very special CHILDREN’S OPERA with Elena’s magical music inspiring all, especially children!
National Bookshop Day
Saturday 13th August was National Bookshop Day and I was glad to visit Harry Hartog’s amazing bookshop at Bondi Junction, there to spend a happy half hour. But I also want to acknowledge and send greetings to all those wonderful bookshops, especially those who specialize in children’s books who help to keep Australian children’s literature ...
Beautiful Beecroft Children’s Bookshop and a Host of Beautiful Librarians
I made it to Paul MacDonald’s amazing bookshop at Beecroft for a talk to about 30 enthusiastic librarians about my latest picturebooks, A Soldier and Incredibilia and other things besides (there were extenuating circumstances). Like so many other writers and illustrators I am so grateful for Paul’s support and that of teachers and librarians who go ...
Vale Gillian Mears
Gillian leaves a rich legacy of Australian literature for generations to come and it makes me sad to think such a modest and talented person has gone at 51 years of age.
