Books and Sundays

On Sunday, 50 young people, six authors and other assorted interested/ing individuals gathered at the State Library, to hear two additional authors talk about stuff, and eat cake.

The authors on stage were Simmone Howell and Justine Larbalestier. They were awesome. It was all awesome. The cake was awesome.

And it made me really happy, because it kind of felt like coming home. I’ve been working at the Centre for Youth Literature for nearly six years now*, but I’ve been involved for a lot longer.

The first CYL event I went to, a Bookgig at St Martin’s Youth Arts Theatre. It was 1993. I was 12. The author was Isobelle Carmody, the book was The Gathering. I went to a whole lot of Bookgigs as a kid, and loved them all. Talking about books with other young people and Real Live Authors seemed to be pretty much the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and I’m pleased to say that it still is.

Here’s a photo of that first Bookgig. See if you can find Tiny Lili**.

*ZOMG.

**Clue: Jeans too short. White socks. Otherwise, I haven't really changed.

Ich Bin Ein Autorin

Scatterheart is in German!

It's my first overseas edition, my first translation AND my first hardcover. AND my first book with SPARKLES. It is as SPARKLY as the SPARKLIEST of vampires.

The best thing about being in another language, is running the blurb through Google Translator. Thus:

Als Hannah Cheshire den Heiratsantrag ihres Hauslehrers Thomas Behr ablehnt, ahnt sie nicht, dass sie damit ihr Schicksal fur immer beseiglt. Von einem Moment auf den anderen verwandelt sich ihr wohlbehutetes Leben in einen Albtraum. Und ihr wird klar, dass ihre Vergangenheit auf einer einzigen groben Luge beruhte...

...becomes:

As Hannah Cheshire the marriage of their teacher's house rejects Thomas Behr, an idea they did not put them so that their fate for ever beseiglt. From one moment to the other wohlbehutetes transforms her life into a nightmare. And it is clear that their past on a single broad based Luge ...

Which pretty much sums up the book.

Scatterheart is published in Germany by Coppenrath.

Bushfires

It's a scary time, here in Victoria. I keep thinking about all the regional schools I've visited over the last few years. Many of them aren't there anymore. I hope the kids are all okay.

It's hard to know what to do. I think everyone wants to help, but unless you're a firefighter, there's not much we can do right now. The Australian Red Cross are saying they've got enough blood for now, but that money can always help. You can donate to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal here.

What a rubbish blogger I've been...

Sorry, all. But I have been distracted by:

• reading for The Cybils
• new friends that feel like old friends
• peeps back from across the seas
• the End of Days
• Leonard Cohen and his tower of charm
• novel revision
• exciting career-related developments
  
• Twitter.

Normal programming will resume shortly, I promise.