Christchurch Kids Blog

Yikes – I can’t believe the end of July has arrived so quickly. There are loads more things I wanted to say but July has turned out to be a lot busier than I anticipated. I am hard at work on rewriting a novel which I am hoping will be published next year. It is a big project and has taken me longer than I first expected. Sometimes stories come out almost perfect first time but sometimes they are like a sculpture inside a block of stone and it takes many hours of chipping and chiselling and sanding before the beautiful figure lying beneath can be revealed. Sometimes when you can see the shape of the body you think you are done but there are still many hours of work ahead to make it smooth and shiny. I am also a university student at Canterbury University (by long distance study) studying children’s literature so I can better understand books as a reader as well as a writer. So just like many of you I get to do homework as well (luckily this year some of my homework means I have to read The Hunger Games).

But I am also getting ready for the Storylines Festival which will be happening in August. I am involved in a number of activities, giving a workshop in Auckland on the 25th and appearing at the Auckland family day on August 26th. But this year I get to do something very special (and which I am VERY excited about) – I get to come down to Christchurch and will be at the Christchurch Storylines Family Day at Catholic Cathedral College on August 19th from 10am till 3pm. I am part of a nationwide organisation for NZ children’s writers and illustrators, Kiwiwrite4kidz and will be at the Family Day on their behalf. If you would like to come and meet me and say hello I will be there all day. I would love to talk books and writing with you and answer any questions you might have. I am looking forward to meeting you there