Monash KOALA Kids Book Club

 Last Wednesday I was invited to share 'Seadog' and 'There Was an Old Sailor' with young children at the Monash KOALA Kids Book Club at Monash Medical Centre.The bookclub aims to provide a spot of normal in the middle of medical treatment.

We read 'Seadog' then provided individual Seadogs with personalised coats. Then we read 'There Was an Old Sailor' before creating a Sailor with a wide open mouth. Sea creatures great and small then disappeared into his tummy, before being 'burped' out again.

It was hilarious, as Sailor was fed spaghetti with his seafood, via his open head. He then released his meal at the other end. Toilet humour. It's a winner. Every time.

Thanks for Seadog

 THIS is why I do what I do ... an email from a fan of Seadog.

"Dear Claire,

Just wanted to say a big "Thanks!" for "Seadog".

We have a 3 1/2 year old who borrows it from the library every time it's there.

I just asked Oscar what he likes best about the book and he said: "The dog rolls in fish! He runs out of the door!" Those are his favourite bits. He imagines that Seadog is running straight out of the door to roll in more fish!

Anyway, we really want to foster good reading habits and your book has helped as he just loves it!

Thank you very much!"

Seadog on Playschool!

Seadog was read on Playschool today. What a thrill! Alex Papps did a great job sharing Seadog with the world. Go Alex! Go Playschool! Go Seadog, go!

Here's the link if you'd like to watch/listen

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/play-school#playing

Toddlers, Tweens and Teens Festival

I'll be here on Sunday, courtesy of the wonderful Book and Paper Bookshop, as part of a day of activities for the younger set. :)





If you're nearby, or have small people, come on down!

The weekend that was

Saturday morning saw the official opening of the 10th Williamstown Literary Festival and the presentation of the Ada Cambridge Prose and Poetry Awards. My poem, Accidental Historians, was a Commended Poem. All short listed stories and poems are included in a book, which is lovely. Fascinating to read other entries. 

Here are some of the short listed people, Terry Bracks (Festival Patron) and Angela Altair (Hobsons Bay mayor and President of the Willy Lit Fest committee).

Preparing for Seadog launch.

Angela was back to introduce the launch session.

Waiting for the fun to begin. And fun there was. Andy was almost upstaged by small people at the front who were suggesting some titles for the next book, and sharing stories of their own. Then there was the reading of Seadog - and a few stanzas for a sequel!
Fantastic to share the launch with many good friends and family and other book lovers.

This weekend

Melbourne is the place to be at the moment. Emerging Writers Festival, Reading Matters, Williamstown Literary Festival. It's all happening.

The launch of the Willy Lit Fest is 10 am Saturday and that's also when the announcement will be made of the winners for the Ada Cambridge Short Story and the Poetry Prize. I've a poem shortlisted which is exciting.

Saturday 1.30 pm I'll be running a two hour workshop on picture book writing in the Williamstown Library. Looking forward to that.

Sunday 2.00 pm, with the help of Andy Griffiths, I'll be launching my newest picture book, Seadog.

It's going to be a big weekend!

Details of the program can be found here

Graduate Union Family Day

Renee Treml and I were part of today's Graduate Union Family Day in Melbourne 

 Warren from Embiggen Books in Little Lonsdale St (opposite Wheeler Centre) was the able bookseller.

 

Monty, daughter of Warren was happy to have a pic taken, as long as she could keep feeding animals into her paper sailor.

Here Monty is trying to smile-as-instructed, while maintaining the supply of food to Sailor  

Seadogs

My next picture book, Seadog, is due for March 2013 release. Here is our dog, Emmi, who inspired the story.

At Torquay on Sunday, we saw myriad other seadogs. There's nothing like watching a dog race along the beach to show pure joy.