I share my home with three lovely people. One of them, Peato, has just been diagnosed with cancer. He has a large carcinoma on his arm and encephalitis to boot. He needs lifesaving brain surgery and surgery to remove the fist sized lump on his bicep.
Peato is the dad to a seven year old who needs his father. Peato’s older brother died of cancer when he was 28. They really don’t need to lose Peato, aged 30, as well. Any help funding his surgery so he can have it more quickly would be much appreciated! Please share this.
About the book launches, the wizard, upcoming work, books in homes and science fiction conventions…
that Joel, my fantabulous artist, has had his art displayed by the very funky Cuba Street gallery Eyeball Kicks. All three pieces sold within a couple of days. They were the proverbial hotcakes. None of us who know how talented Joel is are surprised but, of course, we are wicked pleased. Here is the man himself in the gallery window:
Eyeball Kicks representatives told me today that they plan to hang more pieces by Joel next week. Its your chance to get some Joel art before it appreciates stupidly! This is Primate Pirates, currently the last piece of his art left in the gallery:
I can think of a few people who might enjoy a few months overseas writing, writing and researching as well as helping the International Library folks curate their New Zealand children’s literature:
The International Youth Library, housed in the late-medieval Blutenburg Castle, boasts the world’s largest collection of international children’s and youth literature. The unique collection includes more than 580,000 children’s and youth books in more than 130 languages, published during the past 400 years.
Look for information about the International Children’s Library Fellowship here.
With thanks to June Young who wrote it and sent it to me.
New Zealand Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Awards
Finalists for the 2009 Sir Julius Vogel Awards Announced
Authors Nominated
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand is pleased to announce its list of finalists for the 2009 Sir Julius Vogel Awards celebrating popular consumer choice and excellence in science fiction, fantasy and horror. Eligible works are from the 2008 calendar year.
“Deputy Dan & The Mysterious Midnight Marauder” created by Sally McLennan and illustrated by Joel Liochon, has been nominated in the category of Best Professional Publication. This is a fantasy story written entirely in poetry with illustrations on most pages, and about half the artwork in colour.
A full list of finalists by category can be seen at http://sffanz.sf.org.nz/sjv/sjvNominations-2009.shtml
Voting will take place at Conscription, the 30th New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention, which will be held in Auckland, New Zealand over Queen’s Birthday Weekend, 29 May – 1 June 2009. Conscription is taking place at the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Mangere. Winners will be announced after the Conscription banquet on the Sunday night of the convention.
For more information about Conscription — including how to obtain tickets to attend — please visit http://www.conscription.co.nz/ConScription/index.htm
Poet and author Sally McLennan, will be attending Conscription in a private capacity.
…Can be found here. What a fantastic night! Thanks to everyone who helped us make the evening so much fun and to everyone who joined us for the celebration!!!
It’s just under two weeks to the Christchurch book launch for Deputy Dan. Preparations are going really well and I got two fantastic bits of news on Saturday. One is that The Wizard of Christchurch is going to be joining the pre- launch dinner, with his wife Alice, and will be Master of Ceremonies for the launch. The other is that Tramways have agreed to let the three kids who are quoted on the back cover of the book, and their siblings, join the pre-launch tram procession for free! They’re going to be incredibly excited when I tell them!
Today has been a very big day for me! I have been confirmed as an Alan Duff’s Books In Homes Role Model. I will start my journey with Books in Homes at Van Asch School for the Deaf in Sumner on April the 10th. As you can tell I am excited about it, and I feel really honoured to be part of this programme, which gives kids in lower decile schools hundreds of thousands of books per year.
This is pretty special as today is also the day Deputy Dan & the Mysterious Midnight Marauder comes off the press. I am exhausted, and happy, and utterly enthralled to be starting my journey as an author.
Tomorrow, Deputy Dan goes into final print production. All 2000 copies of the First Edition will have been printed by 2am the next day. It feels amazing, and unreal, and I can hardly wait to have the day safely over with. It’s so hard to believe that this time is finally here.
I check of the quality of black and white pictures about noon. We had some issues with them but I think the design team have sorted them out. At some time after midnight I should get a call to go in and check the colour run. Then it’s all in the hands of the team at Rainbow Press.
They will print each page four times, hand trim pages and glue them into their covers, and then hand stitch each section of the book to the spine twice to make an extra strong, high quality book. I’m really proud of how much care and commitment has gone into each stage of creating Deputy Dan.
Wellington Book Launch Easter Weekend.
Christchurch Book Launch TBA.
