I won an award!

At my Sydney Herman and Rosie book launch on the weekend, Markus Zusak presented me with a rather unexpected honour. Can't believe I'd never heard of this award! Amazing!

Here it sits next to a beautiful potted plant that Laura Harris, my publisher at Penguin, presented me. What a nice day I had.

Here's a closer look.

Can't imagine anything topping that! The launch was a lot of fun. Good crowd (85 I'm told) and signed a bunch of books for a ton of good people. Will post up some photos soon.

Herman and Rosie is being launched. From everywhere.

Herman and Rosie is finally in the book stores next week (Aug 22nd). We have, rather exitedly (and probably far too ambitiously) decided to have a number of book launches all over the country. I am doing speaking tours in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in August and September so we've decided to do a launch at our favourite book stores in each city.

At each event I will be reading Herman and Rosie (which won't take too long I'm guessing) and speaking about the art and inspiration for the book. There will be drinks and signing and I'll probably do some drawing as well (if you're nice.) I also have some pretty cool friends to launch the book in each store. The first launch begins at the very funky Riverbend Books in Brisbane where it is being launched by the especially talented author of 'Dust', Christine Bongers.

The next launch will be in Melbourne at The Little Bookroom which is the world's oldest children's book store (seriously!) The book will be launched by the amazing author/illustrator Leigh Hobbs.

... and in Sydney, Herman and Rosie will be officially launched at the The Children's Bookshop in Beecroft. This is a really amazing specialised children's store - love going there! The book is being launched by Markus Zusak, the incredibly well sold author of 'The Book Thief'. He also happens to be a rather nice guy.

Should be great fun. Love to see you there (and the kids of course) if you happen to be around. Many thanks to Tina Gumnior and the Penguin design team for doing these snappy invites.

See you soon!

GG x

Penguin playing at The Mangy Hound

Remember a while back when I posted a rough illustration of a Penguin playing a double bass? Of course you do! Anyway, I have just (right now at a quarter to ten at night) finished that illustration in the book and I thought you may want to see how it turned out - well part of it. This is a scene where Rosie is singing with her band at her only gig in town which just happens to be at the very dilapidated and not so popular anymore establishment, 'The Mangy Hound Jazz Club'. A large bear plays the drums, Rosie sings and this Penguin plays his double bass. There is only one animal in the audience and that is a duck who is reading a newspaper. See you soon.

click to embiggen

A small something...

From my new picture book I'm working on. Just a sideline character. I like the sideline guys almost as much.