Showing posts with label Wellington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wellington. Show all posts

Monday, April 8, 2013

This happened...

So my last post was a love letter to the children's literature community. Then this happened yesterday ...


... my amazing and most talented friend Fifi Colston drew this while waiting for her son to come out of surgery (it went well I believe folks). This captures a scene in my book so beautifully. I almost cried when I saw it. Imagine having artwork like this scattered through the book, graceful surprises to counterpoint the harshness of the family's circumstances.

On Friday I fly to Wellington for the weekend for the launch of A Winter's Day in 1939 (or AWD as it is affectionately becoming known) at The Children's Bookshop in Kilbirnie - 3pm Saturday April 13th - everyone welcome. And I am being put up by writing luminary Fleur Beale.

I am feeling very lucky

Monday, April 1, 2013

The Selfish Giant...

I thought Nathan Bransford's post on the Goodreads acquirement by Amazon was interesting. He might be a little optimistic about Amazon and it's intentions but he seems more rational than some other folk who believe this signals the end of the world as we know it. We are all selfish creatures at heart and if Amazon's ownership of Goodreads might affect your business bottom line then I guess you might spit the dummy somewhat. Those people however who suggest that readers and/or authors are somehow stupid, responsible or likely to suffer horribly as a result aren't necessarily thinking about the interests or welfare of authors or readers at all. Hugh Howey of Wool fame had this to say. He's biased I guess but I don't think any commentator isn't, one way or another.   Either way you see it, fighting against it seems futile. Authors have been finding ways to work within systems not of their making for years (centuries even) - and we will keep doing so. As writing is not a choice but a compulsion, being able to adapt seems wise.

I had another nice review for A Winter's Day in 1939 here which made me happy. And there was this one in the Magpies Magazine a few weeks back which was also rather nice.



And in less than two weeks I will be launching the book in Wellington at The Children's Bookshop Saturday April 13th at 3pm. I'm feeling pretty excited about this. Love Wellington. Love the Wellington Children's Book crowd. Love The Children's Bookshop.