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<\/a>NBWG in the News<\/p><\/div>\n
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:<\/p>\n
- \n
- organise regular writing workshops<\/a> for local young writers and teens<\/li>\n
- raise money for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead through our Write-a-Book-in-a-Day efforts<\/li>\n
- write together outside of that \u2013 watch out for our next adventure ‘Into Tordon<\/em><\/a>‘<\/li>\n
- and this weekend we launched two engaging, award-winning adventure books<\/a> to raise money for The Kids Cancer Project<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Woo hoo! For many of us, our book launch at Dymocks Warringah Mall this Saturday was the absolute highlight of the year.<\/p>\n
It all started with some books.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Books, lovely books.<\/p><\/div>\n
I\u2019ve blogged about the production of those books here<\/a> and I\u2019m still blown away by how much work it involved. Publishers \u2013 you have my respect.<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 plus lots of supporters and readers!<\/p>\n
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<\/a>We filled \u2013 the entire \u2013 store!<\/p>\nNext came the glorious Susanne Gervay<\/a> to launch \u201cScribbles in the Dark\u201d and \u201cA Dolphin for Naia\u201d. Susanne Gervay is an award winning children\u2019s and young adult author. Her books include the I Am Jack series, Butterflies, Gracie and Josh<\/em>, and her most recent release, the stunning Elephants Have Wings<\/em> \u2013 the first children\u2019s book to carry the Blake Prize logo. She’s also the head of the Society of Children\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Wow! And she came to launch our books!<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nWe were truly honoured and she gave an incredible speech about how marvellous we are too, including me. Aw, shucks. Acknowledgements like Susanne\u2019s really make all the hard work worthwhile. Thank you, Susanne!<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
So at the launch I thanked my family for their support, and I\u2019d like to thank them again now \u2013 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<\/em> keep NBWG running.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nIn 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 \u2013 because these amazing writers all gave up their time, money, and most importantly writing-time for their own projects to create \u201cScribbles in the Dark\u201d and \u201cA Dolphin for Naia\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>I\u2019m very proud of them, their words and their illustrations.<\/p>\nSpeaking of which, seven lucky readers won canvas prints of illustrations from our books. Congratulations winners!<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nAfter the prizes were handed out, I gave short readings from both books…<\/p>\n
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<\/a>…then explained the target market of our books.<\/p>\n\u201cScribbles in the Dark\u201d and \u201cA Dolphin for Naia\u201d are for you if:<\/p>\n
- \n
- you like adventure<\/li>\n
- you know what it’s like to feel alone \/ face your fears \/ experience loss OR<\/li>\n
- you like adventure – did I mention adventure?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Who likes adventure?<\/p>\n
Then you’ll love these books!<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>So thank you to everyone who bought our books at the launch, and everyone who\u2019s going to buy our books now \u2013 you are literally changing lives.<\/p>\nOur books are available through every major online retailer such as amazon.com<\/a>, as well as:<\/p>\n
Dymocks Warringah Mall (thank you, John, for letting us have our launch in your wonderful store!)<\/p>\n
Berkelouw Dee Why<\/p>\n
Berkelouw Mona Vale<\/p>\n
The Children\u2019s Bookshop Beecroft<\/p>\n
Oh, and if you’d like to see more photos from the launch \u2013 they’re on Facebook here<\/a>.<\/p>\n