Book Links – The Centre for Children’s Literature
in conjunction with Voices on the Coast presents
Romancing the Stars – Sunshine Coast
Date: Friday 12 November 2021
Venue: Immanuel Lutheran College, Buderim
Time: 6:00 – 9:30pm
Cost: $25 for Book Links members and College staff | $35 for non-members
(Have your membership or discount code ready to apply at the end of the booking process)
Bookings close Monday 8 November at 4pm.
Discover the books our local authors and illustrators have been creating for children and young adults. Each creator will give a short introduction to their latest publication in a small intimate circle, before rotating on to the next group. You have a chance to get inside information about the creation of the books and make contact with potential presenters for your school or library.
Speed date 16 local stars
Buy the latest books from the pop-up bookshop set up by Book Links supporting bookstore The Little Book Nook from Palmwoods
Enjoy great food and drinks. View and buy books and illustrations.
Enter raffle and win books in the quiz competition.
PD certificates provided after the event.
Starring:
Picture Book Authors: Dhana Fox, Danny Parker, Kellie Byrnes, Michelle Wilson, Chris Collin, Marg Gibbs
Illustrator: Sandra Severgnini
Author/Illustrator and MC: Yvonne Mes
Authors Younger Readers, YA, Non-Fiction: Aleesah Darlison, Karen Foxlee, Peter Carnavas, Allison Paterson, Sarah Pye, Rhiannon Wilde, Kay Kerr, Emily Larkin
See what fun we had in Brisbane in 2018 at Romancing the Stars!
You Tube Video courtesy of Peter Allert.
Dhana Fox is a picture book author from the Sunshine Coast. Her first two picture books, How to Make a Friend in 6 Easy Steps (Scholastic) and Ham (Larrikin House) were released earlier this year. Stud (Larrikin House) is Dhana’s third picture book and second collaboration with illustrator Anna Demchenko.
How to Be a Hero in 6 Easy Steps (Scholastic) is due for release early 2022.
Dhana enjoys writing quirky, anthropomorphic stories about friendship and acceptance.
Read more about Dhana https://www.dhanafox.com/
Danny Parker has been an actor, a nurse, an undertaker and a drama teacher. The youngest of six children, Danny grew up with a family competing for airtime at the dinner table. His memories of the stories told and the laughter ringing out as one or other sibling held court surely influenced his own desire to create narrative. Danny writes about joy and challenge, about creativity and curiosity, and always – not very far from the surface he writes about love. A chance meeting with fellow WA-based illustrator and author, Matt Ottley, lead to Danny’s first picture book Tree in 2012. Their second collaboration, Parachute, was shortlisted for CBCA’s 2014 Picture Book of the Year award. Proven as an immensely talented author, and with an imagination to rival any 5-year-old, Danny’s next adventure sees him tackle the exciting world of junior fiction with the brand new early reader series Lola’s Toy Box. Not one to be idle, Danny also collaborated with award-winning illustrator Freya Blackwood in 2015 to release a picture book called Perfect.
Danny Parker has recently relocated to the Sunshine Coast. His most recent book is Shine, Illus Ruth de Vox, Fremantle Press Mar 2021 and a reprint of No Kind of Superman, illus Matt Ottley, Windy Hollow Aug 2021.
Danny Parker author Facebook Page
Kellie Byrnes is a children’s author and full-time freelance writer with a BA Degree in Literature. Wombat Books released Kellie’s first picture book, Cloud Conductor, in 2018, and has contracted her first junior fiction novel. Kellie also has four other picture books out now: Evie is all Ears and Yes! No. (Little Pink Dog Books, 2020 & 2021 respectively), One Remarkable Reef (State Library of QLD, 2020), shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2021, and This is NOT a Book! (EK Books, June 2021). Her sixth picture book, How Do You Love?: The Five Ways We Show We Care, comes out with Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan US, in Nov 2021. Kellie has also written 20 levelled readers for a Chinese educational publisher.
Michelle Wilson lives in the Noosa Hinterland with her husband and two spirited children. When she isn’t working as a primary school teacher, or wrangling her wild bunch at home, she’s probably at the beach or exploring her bush backyard.
Michelle loves the lighter side of life and a good belly laugh. She delights in giving children the giggles through her silly antics and big personality. Michelle writes from the heart with a down-to-earth style, reflecting the quintessential Queensland way. Her stories spark curiosity and help children better understand themselves and the world around them.
Michelle’s debut picture book, Crocs Don’t Do Yoga, published by Larrikin House is in its second print run and available now.
Connect with Michelle via social media or email.
F: @michellewilsondreamweaver
I: @michellewilsonauthor
E: michellewilsondreamweaver@gmail.com
Chris Collin is an award-winning author and lives in the glorious Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia. His quirky books all have a unique feature – they are musical picture books; All Chris’ books come an amazing digital package; an audio-visual narrated version of the book to an incredible orchestral backing score, plus a song for each book, all performed by the author. ‘As an independent publisher, we have the scope to create a world-class musical package with every book. By providing audio and audio-visual versions of the books and a song, kids (and their adults) of all abilities can enjoy our beautiful rhyming stories and songs. What better way is there to get kids reading than combining story with music!’
Chris has produced 5 beautiful books, including the award-winning Funky Chicken series and A Bug Called Doug. His second book in the Funky Chicken series, the hilarious Funky Chicken Chooks in Space, was voted winner of the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year. All of his books appear in various Australian state Premier’s Reading Challenge book lists.
Chris’ exciting new book, The Things you can do with Blue Whale Poo, has been shortlisted in the 2021 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards. This very funny (and slightly stinky) story, celebrates a little-known fact; blue whale poop plays a crucial contribution to the health of our planet – poop with purpose!
Chris performs over 100 events every year both in-person, and through Live Virtual Visits to literary festivals, libraries, schools, preschools and public events all over the globe. His role is to bring fun (and funkiness!) to the world, to encourage readers of all ages to ‘read for the joy of reading!‘
Marg Gibbs is a Queensland author who is a writer of poems and stories for children. She has published over 10 titles inspired by her family, community, nature and grandchildren. Her latest publication is the Blue Bucket Cousins with 4 stories written for emerging readers ( 6-8 years) in one bumper collection. Marg’s books range from Goose at the Gate and I’m a Viking Kid ( poetry) to The Post Office Pup, a picture story. Always passionate and connecting to young readers and adolescents, Marg lives in the picturesque village of Mapleton on the Blackall Ranges.
Marg welcomes anyone to read her website, www.mjgibbs.com.au
Sandra Severgnini owned an art gallery and retail store before finally deciding it was well and truly time to nurture her lifetime passion and focus on children’s picture books. Her fascination with the magical natural world around her inspires her words and brings sensitivity and humor to her illustrations. Her most recent books are:
Tree Warriors (illustrated), written by Raymond Huber, E K Books 2020 – Winner Wilderness Society Environmental Award for Childrens Literature Non Fiction 2021, Forward Indies Book of the Year Award Finalist 2021
Where’s Lucky (illustrated), written by Jacqui Halpin, Little Pink Dog Books 2019 – Speech Pathology shortlist book of the year 2019
In The Shadow of an Elephant (illustrated) written by Georgy Donaghey, Little Pink Dog Books 2019 – Speech Pathology shortlist book of the year 2020, Finalist International Book Awards 2019, Shortlisted Society of Women Writers NSW Book Awards 2020
Find out more about Sandra Severgnini
Yvonne Mes is an author and illustrator who writes stories for children and young people with curious minds.
As an early childhood professional with a Bachelor of Children’s Services with many years’ experience, she loves sharing books, stories and art with children in places big and small, of diverse cultures and abilities and of all ages.
Her books are published in Australia, China and New Zealand.
Yvonne is a frequent speaker at schools, literary festivals and events. She is the coordinator of Write Links, the Brisbane based group for children’s authors and illustrators. She buys more books than she can read, comes up with more ideas than she can write or illustrate and has more children than she can manage. But she does try very hard, and best of all, she is NEVER bored.
Find out more about Yvonne Mes.
Aleesah Darlison is a multi-published, award-winning author of over 50 books for children. Aleesah’s stories often champion the cause of animals and the environment. She loves creating books that make a difference and she also loves sharing her passion and knowledge of native Australian species with young readers. Her latest titles include Poppy, the Punk Turtle and Coco, the Fish with Hands (part of the Endangered Animal Tales Series), Space Kids: Sabotage, and the League of Llamas Series. Find out more about Aleesah at www.aleesahdarlison.com.
Karen Foxlee writes for both kids and young adults. She grew up in the Australian outback mining town of Mount Isa and still frequently dreams she is walking barefoot along the dry Leichhardt River. Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy, Karen’s first novel for children, was published internationally to much acclaim while her second novel for younger readers, A Most Magical Girl, won the Readings Children’s Fiction Prize in 2017 and was CBCA short-listed the same year. Her next book was the internationally successful Lenny’s Book of Everything, which has won multiple awards including the NSW Premier’s Literary Award, the Indies Book Award, the Queensland Literary Award, was a CBCA Honour Book and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Karen lives in South East Queensland with her daughter and several animals, including two wicked parrots, who frequently eat parts of her laptop when she isn’t looking. Her passions are her daughter, writing, day-dreaming, baking, running and swimming in the sea. Her most recent book is the newly released Dragon Skin, published by Allen & Unwin.
Peter Carnavas is a children’s author and illustrator. He has created over twenty books, such as The Children Who Loved Books, Last Tree in the City and A Quiet Girl. Peter’s novel, The Elephant, won the Griffith University Children’s Book Award at the 2018 Queensland Literary Awards. His new book is My Brother Ben, about brothers, birds and boats, set on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek. Peter divides his time between writing and working as a teacher librarian.
Allison Paterson is the author of the ABIA and CBCA longlisted title Anzac Sons: Five Brothers on the Western Front, the children’s version of Anzac Sons. She is the author of three picture books for children and two titles in the Australia Remembers military history series for children. In 2017 she was awarded a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship, resulting in the YA novel Follow After Me. Her latest picture book I Wonder was inspired by the beautiful beaches of the Sunshine Coast, a perfect place in the world to live. Allison was a teacher-librarian for over twenty years and has reviewed children’s literature for Magpies Magazine for almost as long. Allison is now a writer, publishing consultant and presenter.
Award-winning author (and avid traveller) Dr Sarah Pye met Malaysian ecologist Dr Wong in 2012. She asked what she could do to help him save the rainforest. He replied, “do what you do best”. Those five powerful words sparked a Doctor of Creative Arts degree, an enduring friendship, and a growing series of Wildlife Wong narrative nonfiction chapter books which align with the Australian curriculum. The first, Wildlife Wong and the Sun Bear, was a finalist in the 2021 International Book Awards and Wildlife Wong and the Pygmy Elephant came out 10 September 2021. Sarah’s engaging presentations and workshops around the books’ content are often joined by her puppet sidekick, Ranga!
Contact Sarah:
https://www.facebook.com/SarahRPye
https://www.instagram.com/savingsunbears/
https://twitter.com/AuthorSarahPye
Rhiannon Wilde has been telling stories for as long as she can remember – inside her head, as well as through working as a journalist, terrible barista, and high school English teacher in Brisbane’s inner north. Rhiannon’s particular interests are caffeine, characters both real and imaginary, and the power of well-strung words to challenge and change us. Her second-person short story inspired by urban Brisbane, You Deserve Nothing, was longlisted for the Queensland Young Writer’s Award in 2014. Henry Hamlet’s Heart is her first novel, and won the Queensland Literary Awards Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer in 2019.
Kay Kerr is a former journalist and community newspaper editor from Brisbane, now living on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and daughter and working as a freelance writer. Kay was writing the first draft of Please Don’t Hug Me, her first book, when she received her own autism-spectrum diagnosis. This contemporary YA novel was published with Text Publishing in April 2020. Her most recent book is Social Queue, published by Text Publishing in September 2021. It’s a romantic coming-of-age story with an autistic teenage girl at the heart of it.
Emily Larkin is a Queensland author who writes for children, teens, and adults, and holds a Doctorate in Creative Writing. Emily loves stories about magic, nature, and the future. Emily’s YA novel Within the Ward (published by Rhiza Edge) explores mental health in a dystopian tomorrow. Emily is also the author of The Whirlpool, a picture book about a polar bear’s journey through life’s highs and lows. The Whirlpool is illustrated by Helene Magisson and published by Wombat Books. Emily shares her passion for writing and literature as a tutor at The University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology College, and holds creative workshops with the Queensland Writers’ Centre. Emily’s short fiction and poetry features in Australian and international literary journals. To follow her, visit https://www.facebook.com/ehlarkinauthor.
