Photos From Our NBWG Book Launch

Did you know I founded the Northern Beaches Writers’ Group way back in 2009? I created the group because I wanted two things:

• to improve my own writing through informed peer review +
• to connect with similarly minded others in my local area

NBWG in the News

Five years later and NBWG is doing all this and so much more. As well as reading and reviewing each other’s stories once a month, we:

• organise regular writing workshops for local young writers and teens
• raise money for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead through our Write-a-Book-in-a-Day efforts
• write together outside of that – watch out for our next adventure ‘Into Tordon‘
• and this weekend we launched two engaging, award-winning adventure books to raise money for The Kids Cancer Project

Woo hoo! For many of us, our book launch at Dymocks Warringah Mall this Saturday was the absolute highlight of the year.

It all started with some books.

Books, lovely books.

I’ve blogged about the production of those books here and I’m still blown away by how much work it involved. Publishers – you have my respect.

Then came some cupcakes and snacks, some amazing artwork printed onto canvases, a guess-the-jelly-bean-jar competition, an artwork-quiz and lucky dip – plus lots of supporters and readers!

We filled – the entire – store!

Next came the glorious Susanne Gervay to launch “Scribbles in the Dark” and “A Dolphin for Naia”. Susanne Gervay is an award winning children’s and young adult author. Her books include the I Am Jack series, Butterflies, Gracie and Josh, and her most recent release, the stunning Elephants Have Wings – the first children’s book to carry the Blake Prize logo. She’s also the head of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, patron of Monkey Baa Theatre, Writer Ambassador for Room to Read, Role Model for Books in Homes, and has been awarded an Order of Australia.

Wow! And she came to launch our books!

We were truly honoured and she gave an incredible speech about how marvellous we are too, including me. Aw, shucks. Acknowledgements like Susanne’s really make all the hard work worthwhile. Thank you, Susanne!

Writing is a solitary, squeeze-in profession. I squeeze it in between jobs, family, friends, cleaning the house, cooking dinner, eating dinner, cleaning up after dinner, sleeping, walking, breathing – every moment I find that’s empty, I fill it with writing my stories because it’s my passion, it’s what drives me and gives me meaning.

So at the launch I thanked my family for their support, and I’d like to thank them again now – my husband and two children are very lovely people because without their understanding there’s no way I could write the stories I do and keep NBWG running.

In the same way, my fellow NBWG writers couldn’t write their stories without the support of their friends and families. So at the launch I thanked their supporters too, and asked my fabulous co-authors to stand up front so I could also thank them – because these amazing writers all gave up their time, money, and most importantly writing-time for their own projects to create “Scribbles in the Dark” and “A Dolphin for Naia” to raise money for The Kids Cancer Project: Leah Boonthanom, Madi Duncan, Tracey Jackson, Chris Lake, Tony McFadden, Fiona Michell, Liz Michell, Mijmark, Zoya Nojin, Kylie Pfeiffer, Kristin Prescott, Susan Steggall and Kirsten Taylor.

I’m very proud of them, their words and their illustrations.

Speaking of which, seven lucky readers won canvas prints of illustrations from our books. Congratulations winners!

After the prizes were handed out, I gave short readings from both books…

…then explained the target market of our books.

“Scribbles in the Dark” and “A Dolphin for Naia” are for you if:

• you like adventure
• you know what it’s like to feel alone / face your fears / experience loss OR
• you like adventure – did I mention adventure?

Who likes adventure?

Then you’ll love these books!

At least we certainly hope you do, because 50% of profits from the books go to The Kids Cancer Project for the next two years.

We were also lucky enough to have Robert Wynn from The Kids Cancer Project at the launch, and he spoke about their work finding a cure for childhood cancer, which is also having tremendous results in the treatment of melanoma.

So thank you to everyone who bought our books at the launch, and everyone who’s going to buy our books now – you are literally changing lives.

Our books are available through every major online retailer such as amazon.com, as well as:

Dymocks Warringah Mall (thank you, John, for letting us have our launch in your wonderful store!)

Berkelouw Dee Why

Berkelouw Mona Vale

The Children’s Bookshop Beecroft

Oh, and if you’d like to see more photos from the launch – they’re on Facebook here.

Finally, thank you to the little reader who gave me this bunch of lovely blue flowers. I hope you enjoy “Scribbles in the Dark” and “A Dolphin for Naia” as much as I’m enjoying your flowers 🙂