I just finished chatting to schools in the online festival. It’s wonderful to get to talk to the kids directly like that. I wish it had been longer! One of the cool questions was if I had made Sally a boy, would that have changed the design? Very good question. I’d like to think the style wouldn’t change. Hmm. It’s got me thinking actually. I purposefully pulled the story back from getting too scary because I wanted it to be exciting but not frightening. I don’t think that would have been different if it was a boy. I’m conscious of not having all adventurous stories being about boys which is partly why I chose a female character. Also because the story is the adventure I always wanted to have… so Sally is me, really.

One of the schools said that they were about to make their own books. There’s nothing better and I’ve seen some fantastic books made by students…

In fact…

Just last Wednesday night I went to about sixty launches! I was revisiting my Grade 3 friends at St Michael’s Grammar in St Kilda for the launch of all their own books. I was so impressed. There was a huge sense of occasion, excited parents, very excited young authors, a red carpet video, teasing blurbs, hardcovers and dust-jackets, beautiful endpapers, great stories and illustrations. Brilliant! Some of my favourite titles were “Attack of the Soap” and “The Unexpected Monster”. I am so proud of all their hard work and what they achieved. And of all the hard work of the teachers too! People underestimate what kids can do.

I realise that I didn’t explain anything about the festival It is a huge event. It runs for a full week with programs for primary school kids during the week days and some further sessions for adults on the weekend. The most startling fact about the festival is that it is free for the children. The schools simply have to book in. I would have loved to have a chance to meet and learn from authors and illustrators when I was a kid! And with no fee attached the experience can be shared by all children, not just the privileged schools. Some still find the bus hard to afford, showing just how little money there is to spare in some schools… but it was a fantastic turnout.

And check out this list of presenters! Anita Bell, Janeen Brian, Mark Carthew, Anna Ciddor, Lindsay Cripps, Justin D’Ath, Tony Davis, Brian Falkner, Sandy Fussell, Pat Flynn, Simon French, Matt Dray, Ann Haddon, Simon Higgins, Scott Monk, Josie Montano, Boori Pryor, Frances Watts, Terry “bindi” Denton, Brian Doyle, Elise Hurst, Ann “Iceberg” James, Marc “Spooky” McBride, David Miller, Jan Ormerod, Andrew Plant, Donna Rawlins, Kim Toft, Liz Flynn, Michael Bauer, Lachlan Creagh, Lee FullARTon (PANI), Belinda Jeffrey, Lucia Masciullo, Charlotte McConaghy, Kristina Schulz, Robyn Sheahan-Bright, Leonie Tyle, Michelle Witheyman-Crump.

And here’s my favourite picture of the week… Count Congo.

A motorcross-riding blood-sucking gorilla.

Here are some things I learned…
* Although some were troubled by the Dark Spirits of the old mansion’s ghosts, I found it a very friendly place, especially the dungeon.
* A cold at the beginning of a long period of teaching is not good for my voice.
* When I lose my voice I fluctuate between sounding like Barry White and a 6 year old choir boy.
* Melaleuca honey and pineapples don’t cure all ills.
* Cows are curious in daylight and also in moonlight.
* Marburg locals don’t see pink hair often. But they get over it.
* Creeks are harder to cross by starlight and it’s easy to miss the obvious ford one metre away.
* Preppies like you to draw vampire teddies when in a dungeon.
* A burst of rain leads to: cacophonous frog singing and Jenny Stubbs discovering the horrible violent side of gravity.
* Crows have a huge range of calls I never knew about and are good dancers.
* I still don’t know what a bunya(?) nut looks like and why they’re so dangerous.
* It may be possible to rig “friendliest town” competitions.
* Festivals are wonderful for children and presenters alike and we all have an absolute ball.

This post is dedicated to Jenny Stubbs who worked like crazy to organise this festival for two years, then missed out enjoying the finale when she broke her ankle in an awful fall. We love you Jenny. And to Shirley who stepped in and made everything keep working beautifully!

I absolutely loved doing this festival. It was hard work but the kids were fantastic, the place was inspiring and my partner-in-crime-presenters all formed a gorgeous community that it was bliss to be in.

Today was another fine day of drawing fun with the kids at ArtPlay on the Yarra River in Melbourne. We drew pirates. What else would you want to do with your time? That’s the end of the Melbourne Writer’s Festival and Children’s Book Week for me. A busy time of the year