Well, I’m back home after a wonderful weekend in Brisbane! I flew there on Friday and went straight to the CALEB book awards dinner. When it came time to announce the 2011 CALEB children’s book award my heart was pounding so hard I felt like it was going to jump right out and run away! 🙂 Talk about nerves! What a thrill it was when Where Arrows Fly was named the winner!! It was a very exciting moment. I could hardly believe that I had won it again, after winning the award last year with Where Lions Roar at Night.
Luckily for me, the children’s section was announced before dinner, so I was able to enjoy the beautiful meal without having to fight the butterflies like all the other category finalists!
Do I look excited??
The next day was a wonderful full-on day at the Word Writer’s Fair with workshops and panels. I did a workshop on Finding the Inspiration to Write (if I can figure out how to do it, I may upload it onto my website for any writers out there who may be interested) . I was also on a panel discussing writing for children, finding a publisher, and the pros and cons for self-publishing. Then in the evening we all enjoyed piles of pizza before having a combined book launch for a number of new books.
Sunday morning I sang at the Wynnum Baptist Church – the pastor there told me that twenty years ago he had been sent a copy of Wounded Healer while he and his wife were missionaries in Irian Jaya, and that it had greatly blessed them. Small world! After lunch it was back to the writers fair for a master class in fiction writing. What a great weekend!
So, I return full of enthusiasm to keep writing, and to get cracking with the publication of the next book!
Rosie ~ 14 November 2011