SBCWI ACT event: Excellence in Children's Books

Canberra and region peeps, you simply cannot miss this amazing event, featuring National Library creators and visiting talent Susanne Gervay and Deborah Abela. This is your chance to meet National Library publisher Susan Hall and come away with some phenomenal insights and resources.

Here are the deets; hope to see you there!

Program
5.00pm
Register, greet and meet. Tea, coffee and light refreshments.

5.30pm
Opening welcome with Susanne Gervay, Regional Advisor, Australia East/NZ and Deborah Abela ARA.

5.40pm � 6.30pm
Susan Hall, Publisher, National Library Publishing, talks about NLP�s publishing criteria and process, submissions, and what they are publishing. Followed by Q & A.
MC: Tania McCartney

6.30pm � 7.00pm
Gina Newton presents on how to create successful non-fiction children�s books.
MC: Tracey Hawkins

7.00pm � 7.30pm
Tania McCartney talks illustration � working with text, creating your own style, mediums and more.
MC: Nicole Godwin

7.30pm � 8.00pm
Inside publication and creating a successful writing community with Susanne Gervay and Deborah Abela.

$20 SCBWI members; $30 non-members.
Bookings essential and places are limited:

www.trybooking.com/OMHV

Thank you for the generous support of our official bookseller, Harry Hartog

Uncontracted Works in Progress

There are two things about being a children's author that sit at polar opposite ends of the Happiness Spectrum.

At the unhappy end is the waiting to have work accepted for publication. The uncertainty. The not-knowing. The agony. The at-times-sheer-desperation. The working your guts out only to have someone else (or several someone elses) hold your creative future in their hands.

It can be intense and it can be utterly happy-sapping. When you're passionate about something and dedicate such gargantuan blocks of time and energy to your work, deflation and even derailment become sad companions.

At the other end of the spectrum, however, is the When You Finally Get Published roll. Things DO shift once your work hits the shelves. Your publisher will always be happy to view more of your work, and the chances of being taken on by a different publisher are also higher, because they can see what you've already produced, and your name in the market is starting to catch hold.

Well over 90% of my book contracts have been through established publisher relationships and connections, and have been works that are pre-contracted. I'm published by 6 or 7 companies now, and I'm also able to submit directly to other Australian publishers, but it's taken a LOT of dedication and work to get to this stage.

And it's a happy-making stage. Hugely happy-making. Creating pre-contracted books is wonderful. There's no angst. There's no worrying if all your hard work will be for nought. It's a good place to be.

It's been interesting, then, to have spent much of these past 12 - 18 months on uncontracted works. Normally, that would unnerve and worry me, but, curiously, it hasn't. I have contracted books in production this year, so I guess that gives me something of a safety net, but my lack of worry goes deeper than that. I think I'm not worried because I'm pushing myself beyond boundaries and trying something new. New things, stretching personal limits... these things are inherently happy-making.

The first new thing I've been doing is writing junior fiction. That was a leap-over-a-canyon thing for me, and gosh, it was a good decision. I've loved every carriage return, and am keen to write (and re-write) more. I'm submitting these now.

The second thing I'm stretching myself with is this little girl:

She's someone dear to my heart, and I've longed to write about her for--well--a very long time. There have been several barriers around her journey (long story!) but I last year made a commitment to myself to write about (and illustrate) her. And what did Goethe say? That at the moment of commitment, the universe conspires to assist you?

I met someone wonderful via someone else wonderful and I now have the support and contacts to write about this girl. It all happened in a supremely serendipitous way that still has my head reeling. Then I was introduced to someone else who can help me even further. Things have just fallen into place... and this girl has just fallen from my paintbrush and from the magical tapping of my keyboard.

It's been quite miraculous, and I have to say, it's been the most joyful, fulfilling, blissful experience of my career to date. I have not submitted her, I have no contract, I have no deadline, I have no restrictions or expectations. And it doesn't matter. I'm just creating totally from the heart, and with no boundaries. I have pushed so far beyond those boundaries, I feel like I'm floating in mid air.

I guess, especially for those just starting on this author journey, this is a good way to think about the endless hours and heartbreak you endure while waiting to be published. Being an author is not really about the book--the end result--even though we tend to place so much importance on that. The REAL guts of being an author is in the creating. That's where the joy lies. The journey. A shelf full of books with your name on it means nothing if the journey hasn't been one of creative happiness.

It's true that our best work always comes in an altered state of bliss, when we are HAPPY, in the flow, and  pouring our heart and soul into our work. Not worrying where it will end up. Just having faith that you'll produce something amazing. And even if it isn't contracted in the end, the skills building and learning you've achieved... the happiness you've experienced along the way... absolutely priceless.

So, dear reader, whether you are established or emerging, contracted or uncontracted, are worried or unworried, are clear with your direction or fumbling about aimlessly in the dark, trying to make sense of this crazy career, remember this: the journey is everything and heart is everything. Passion and drive and commitment and that sense of bliss should be in EVERY work you do--no matter its publication status. That's how you create works that attract magic. You'd better believe that.

If you are serious about creating great books, then this will be a long and convoluted journey of major ups and downs. Might as well point the bow of your ship towards the Happy end of the creative spectrum whenever you can.

Create that masterpiece without worrying where it will end up or who will love it. Immerse in the journey, commit love and focus to your projects and watch miracles unfold.

February update . . . creative things a-happening

I love February. It's sunshiny and warm (though a four-week+ heatwave here in Canberra is getting kind of ridiculous) and there's always extra chocolate involved, even if it means melted chocolate--a February phenomenon exclusive to the Southern Hemisphere.

Some very special friends and colleagues have birthdays this month. Then the 14th is International Book Giving Day (#IBGD), Library Lovers Day and Valentine's Day all in one--could it possibly be a more heart-thumping date??

On the 17th, I have my beautiful son's birthday and mine is two days later, meaning a weekend of cake and quite possibly champagne, if I have my way.

February doesn't muck around. It gets down to business after the long hot summer holidays. The inbox starts flooding again, and all the publishers get back to work. It feels like I've done a year's work already and we're only at the month's midpoint!

It seems to have a creative energy about it, February. I'm always refreshed, renewed and ready for brand new projects and shiny new directions. Here's what's going down for Feb.

This month, Tina and Snerling and I have just sent off the next two books in the A Kids' Year series off to print (EK Books). We always 'appear' on the dedication page, and here we are, below. Any guesses where these books might be set? Wherever that first one is, I want to be there right now!

This is Banjo Paterson was just launched yesterday (illustrated by my February Friend Christina Booth). We had the sweetest event at the National Library (a wrap-up here).

I'm now working through the text for a new book book with the National Library, discussing illustration format. It's going to be a whopper of a book--stacks of pages and some incredible content compiled by a prominent Australian; very exciting. This is my first official illustration commission and I'm both nervous and breathtaken. I have lots of wonderful ideas for the illos which will be digitally rendered, and I'm going to feature a range of textures that I hope to achieve with some mono-printing. Will post some pics of my mono-printing setup.

On the National Library, my 2012 book Australian Story was reissued this month--and BigW are stocking it--my very first experience with the BigW phenomenon. So happy for this quiet little book that tends to slide under the radar and pop up all over schools and libraries, who rely heavily on its content. Fantastic to see it achieve some more commercial attention.

Jess Racklyeft and I worked on a Christmas book idea over the summer and we're thrilled to have signed with divine Indie publisher Windy Hollow Books. The book is out this October, so Jess will be a busy bee these coming months! On top of that, we're busy working on a sequel to Smile Cry, featuring Piglet, Bunny and Cat (EK Books). It's going to be adorable--the roughs are too cute for words. Hope to have some sneak peeks for you later in the year.

Smile Cry is actually coming out in paperback this March, too. Two copies arrived this week (below). Can you even believe this succulent plant I found at IKEA? If anyone knows what it is, please tell me. It's like peas on stalks. Obsessed.

You can see the paperbacks again at the top of this post, with my newest flamingo family member--a surprise from my gorgeous friend Coral Vass. More too cute for words.

Another recent arrival--my very first illustrator postcards. I'm showing my very first portfolio at KidLitVic in Melbourne this coming May, and these will sit alongside, along with my business cards. Scary! but beside myself for this conference ... will get to catch up with treasured friends and fabulous industry folk; some I'll be meeting for the very first time.

2017 is certainly shaping up to be a year of very firsts.

It was pretty special to be accepted for the Australian Society of Author's The Style File this month, too--alongside some wonderful established talent. Quite surreal. Just goes to show how things unfold when you dedicate yourself and practice fiercely!

An interesting thing has occurred since the start of the year. I've been working on some secret squirrel business--a picture book I've long dreamed of creating, about a well-known Australian. The format for this book is unusual in terms of its narrative structure (not typically biographical), and I've been having the time of my life creating it without deadlines--just full creative expression with no limits or constraints. I've never been so focused and happy.

I don't even know if I'll have this book contracted, but it doesn't even matter, I'm loving it that much!

What else?

Oh--it's often the little things that mean a lot, yes? When I lived in Melbourne, I developed quite the obsession with Readings in Carlton (est. 1969). Over time, the store has expanded, and--if you didn't already know--they recently opened a children's store. Gasp.

I could only dream of having one of my books on face-out display in this beautiful store ... and look! Australia Illustrated in the publicity shots! I not only did a double-take, I did a quadruple-take, AND it's sitting right next to Iggy Peck Architect which is one of my favourite books of all time. Too too much. It was a sit-down-before-I-fall-down kind of reaction, that one.

Yes, it's the little things.

This coming Friday, 17 Feb (which is Banjo Paterson's birthday), I'll be chatting with Genevieve Jacobs on 666ABC Radio Canberra, all about Banjo. You can listen live here (just after 9.30am). Then at 1pm, I'll be chatting with NLA publicist Candice Cappe in a live Periscope video (another very-first). We'll be showcasing the actual original manuscript of Waltzing Matilda, which I've never seen, can you believe it? View the Library's Periscope channel right here.

Right--I think that's it for Feb! I'll be head-down, paintbrush up these coming weeks, trying to resist the temptation to check in on the train-wreck that is US politics right now (horrifying but unable to look away). I know 2017 will be a hugely productive year for me, and I'll be online a lot less as a result. Since commencing my illustration journey, it's more important than ever to trade off sitting time with movement time--so this year will be all about physical and mental balance.



I hope your February is full of very-firsts, and creative pursuits that make you focused and happy.

Tx

This is Banjo Paterson launch wrap-up

What a gorgeous event today at the National Library, launching This is Banjo Paterson into the stratosphere!

On a mega high-temps morning, we had a lovely turnout of adults and kids. After an intro by publisher Susan Hall, we enjoyed a rendition of Waltzing Matilda, sung by the amazing Sarah Wallace, accompanied on guitar by Candice from the National Library. They trilled like angels! And of course, everyone sang along.

Next was a book reading followed by a book signing and some Banjo-inspired activities. Kids made their own hobby horses and sheep masks, and hunted around for Banjo-inspired words.

I was astonished to see how much some kids knew about Banjo, and it was so much fun revealing more about his incredible life. The only thing missing was illustrator Christina Booth who is currently stranded on a beautiful island just south of Victoria (known for its apples; you may know it).


Warmest thanks to Susan and Candice from the NLA for all their hard work, and to Sarah and her daughter Imogen for their beautiful voices. Huge thanks to Nicole Godwin for taking these sensational images, and for the small handful taken by Cate Whittle, too.

And thank you to everyone who came along, for your continued support and for celebrating books for kids. Books are everything. Everything!

I hope you enjoy this wrap-up. Wish you could have been there.

Above, with James from Harry Hartog in Woden and with Julie (President, CBCA ACT) and Dawn from CBCA ACT Branch.

Above, intro by Susan Hall, and angelic voices singing (not mine!).

Oh my goodness, this little girl, above. The most divine little soul. She high-fived, fist-bumped and blew kisses, all while sipping from her hot chocolate bubbaccino takeaway cup. Not even two years old. Oh my. I wanted to steal her.

happy - lovely people make me happy, books make me happy

nattering with James from Harry Hartog, author Cate Whittle and Leanne Barrett, CBCA

behind the scenes--the incomparable Nicole Godwin