Literature Live! And Other Literary Firsts

Nina Rycroft, illustrious, industrious and totally ingenious illustrator, via Video conference from Blaxland Public School (above).

Susanne Gervay, Jeni Mawter and Laurine Croasdale (above) reviewing our VC practise session.

Literature Live!, that's the name of the video conferencing festival that several authors/illustrators and myself are putting together with e-lit.

We had our first training session today, connecting Blaxland Public School and Balgowlah Heights Public School. I'm happy to say all the technology worked, the children were absolutely brilliant and all went well. Our next training session will be on 7 June. We should be polished professionals by the time we're ready to go live to schools across NSW on Thursday 22 July for our Literature Live! Video Conference Festival. We're all thoroughly enjoying the process and the opportunity to connect with classes that we wouldn't otherwise be able to 'visit'.

Lots of ideas flowed throughout the day. The whole experience was fun and exciting. And, if that wasn't enough, it was also my first 'public performance'.

In other news this week, there are several other firsts:

My first author interview appeared in Focus Magazine, which goes to all residents in the Manning Valley and Great Lakes areas. You can view the interview by clicking on this link: http://focusmag.com/fb/mgl/pdf/7.pdf

Susanne Gervay, Director of the Kids & YA Festival on 3 July at the NSW Writers' Centre, sent through a copy of the program - and I'm on it! That's my first listing in a festival program, another milestone crossed off.

Alphabet Soup magazine has accepted a short story of mine, titled, The Summer Swoop. My first story to be accepted by them. It will appear in the November 2010 issue.

And, although it's not a first, it's still a great delight to see my work published in The School Magazine. My story, Magali of Istanbul, appeared in the June issue of Touchdown. Noela Young illustrated the story, which I was absolutely thrilled about. Her illustrations are so clever, complimenting the story perfectly and bringing the street scape and architecture of Istanbul, in Turkey, beautifully to life.

Well, I think that's enough for one day, signing off now...