I’m not sure what happened to 2020 and 2021! Like the rest of the world they’re lost in a daze of  lock downs, anxiety, masks, and restrictions and then just when the end appears in sight another variant arrives!

I’ve really missed getting out and about to share my love of writing and stories with readers young and old and just meeting people in real life. We had so much fun promoting The Day Rudolph’s Nose Turned Blue at bookshops and festivals and do plan to be back out and about later in 2022.

I am lucky to be a writer which is a solitary profession anyway, although it feels a bit different when it is enforced solitude! I had no idea how much I usually go out! But I’ve been busy after being commissioned to write some young readers as well as a number of nonfiction titles for Engage Literacy a division of Capstone US.

It was so much fun writing these two titles. One set in space (the title is possibly a giveaway) and the other about goods and services. I’m especially pleased with that one as I think I’ve managed to make it fun and not boring. The books were released in February 2021 and are available in Australia through the usual online bookshops.

KidLitVic Meet the Publishers also took up a great deal of time. I ran a mini KidLitVic in 2020, and 2021 we ran the full conference on line. Huge thanks to Sarah Reynolds, Nicky Johnston, Coral Vass, Julie Grasso and the volunteers. And the wonderful, generous publishers. So many zoom sessions with the potential to go wrong, but everything ran amazingly smoothly. Of course my internet connection decided to keep dropping out in the very final session, but nobody knew except me frantically pushing buttons.

The lockdowns also gave me the time and impetus to tackle a project of mine that has been sitting on the back burner/ lying in the bottom drawer/dwelling in the depths of my computer. Finally, I finished and polished it. I don’t want to give too much away at the moment but there will be some exciting announcements in the next few months. Sometimes good things really do happen in the publishing world.

Wishing everybody out there a wonderful, healthy 2022!  

Looking for that special gift? Any book purchased through Alison’s website can be personalised with  an inscription of your choice and a signature from Alison.

Check out our shop today as it features a few hard to get titles.

Shop Now Open!

 

Thank you to the hard working organisers and volunteers who made me feel so welcome at this year’s festival. It was a beautiful setting and the area is full of  very talented budding writers. If you are up that way make sure you visit the very special local bookshop Sandy Pages.

 

Many of you will know that I’m fortunate to be part of the KidLitVic Meet the Publishers team. The aim behind the conference is to have an event in Melbourne where YA and children’s writers and illustrators have the opportunity to meet publishers, editors and agents. I think we succeeded brilliantly with publishers, editors, agents and attendees flooding the State Library Victoria at our second conference in May 2017.

This year:

• 180 children and YA writers and illustrators attended
• Attendees came from Victoria, NSW, QLD, SA and Tasmania
• We had 90% more assessments so we could offer attendees the opportunity to book more than one assessment
• Nineteen publishing professionals generously shared, advised and encouraged us all. This was 7 more than the previous year.
• Every speaker returned, who appeared at the conference in 2016,, which makes me particularly happy
• Because we like to mix it up, we offered workshops. These were a huge hit and booked out quickly.

Our team consists of Coral Vass, Jaquelyn Muller, Nicky Johnston and me. I’ve never worked with a team of such all-rounders, tireless workers, super-smart, funny (in the humourous way) women. People have asked me who did what, so here you go!

(more…)