It was a very successful 2015 Literary Lunch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (Illawarra South-Coast) on 29 July. With more than 160 guests from schools around the Illawarra and South Coast and 15 guest authors, the day was all about stories and books – bringing them to life and encouraging a love of reading.
I had the privilege of sitting with students from Thirroul Public School and their Teacher-Librarian, Sonya. We chatted about books and writing, and about my novel, Racing the Moon. I brought along historical photos from the early 1930s to give them a feel for what it was like to live and go to school back then. The complimentary Racing the Moon postcards and balloons were a big hit with the students as well.
The really exciting part of the day was the three-minute pitch sessions by the authors and illustrators: Di Bates, Wai Chim, Bill Condon, Di Ellis, Wendy Fitzgerald, Tony Flowers, Sandy Fussell, Susanne Gervay, Lizabeth Klein, Oliver Pommavanh, Lisa Shannahan, Lexi Watt, Sue Whiting and myself. After lunch, Jacqueline Harvey, gave a lively presentation on her two children’s series: Alice Miranda and Clementine Rose.
I was so busy chatting to students and signing their program booklets, I barely had time to eat. A big thank you to the CBCA ISC organisers and to the enthusiastic students and teacher-librarians who made the literary lunch such a special event.
