Di Bates

When writers are not writing… sometimes they make hats. When Di Bates asked me if I’d like to come to a felt hat making class she was hosting, I thought: Why not. I’m always keen to learn a new craft and while I’m not a hat person, there are murmurs of change there. Last winter…

I’m thrilled to welcome an author whose life-long dedication to children’s literature is inspirational. It was my privilege to give the introduction speech when she was so deservedly given the Lady Cutler Award for Services to Children’s Literature. Di Bates taught me most of what I know about writing and impressed upon me the importance…

I am surrounded by book launching friends which is a wonderful thing. Di Bates launches two (!!) new books in October, Awesome Animals: Cats and Awesome Animals: Dogs. On 8 August, Jodie Wells-Slowgrove launches Daisy’s Gift, the fifth book in the Wilderness Fairies series at Sutherland Library. And on October 3rd I’m launching Sad, the Dog at…

Recently I headed to Sutherland Library for the launch of Georgie Donaghey’s gorgeous debut picture book, Lulu. It was a full house. A crowd of young people nabbed the front row seats eager to hear the story and get close to the author who was wearing a very cool polar bear beanie. Up the back,…

Do you ever feel like you get nothing done? And you can’t believe you wasted all those hours with zilch to show for your effort? I’m like that most of the time. I read a few productivity blogs (maybe that’s where the time goes!) and I learned that even though I might think I achieve nothing, I would be very surprised if…

It was a short week in poetry. On the first day my good friend, author Di Bates arranged a session of Poetry Games. The kids were very motivated to join in and grab points for their team – for group effort, individual brilliance and things that ‘took the judge’s ear’. At the start Di outlined…