Speaking tours that never end

Just got back to my studio. It's been a crazy four weeks of speaking at schools, libraries and festivals all over the country side. I really enjoy it but I do get a little tired of hearing my own voice. There are moments when I can hear the next line in my head as it moves, reel to reel like, between my ears.

The Ipswich Children's Literature Festival was a definite highlight. Jenny Stubbs did an incredible job coordinating the festival program and bringing twenty one authors and illustrators from around Australia together. Here's the official list:

Andy Griffiths, Aleesah Darlison, Angela Sunde, Anne Spudvilas, Brian Falkner, Chris Cheng, Christine Bongers, Clare McFadden, Deb Abela, Freya Blackwood, Gabrielle Wang, Greg Holfeld, James Moloney, John Heffernan, Kerry Brown, Leigh Hobbs, Lisa Hollier, Tracey Roper, Lucia Masciullo, Lynelle Westlake, Mark Wilson, Meredith Costain, Michael Bauer, Michael Salmon, Michelle Pike, Narelle Oliver, Oliver Phommavanh, Richard Newsome, Sally Rippin, Sarah Davis, Sheryl Gwyther, Sue Whiting, Susanne Gervay, Tanya Batt, Tristan Bancks

Woodlands of Marburg where the Ipswich Festival was held - there's ghosts in there! Pretty cool, hey.

It's a hell of an organisational feat. Bloody astounding actually. It's a really great opportunity for the kids attending to hear all about their favorite books and how they came to be, learn how to write good stories, draw and hopefully they go away feeling inspired (maybe exhausted but surely inspired). Plus it's a good chance to get together with your kind, drink a bunch of wine, set fire to the furniture and talk about how we all hate children. Kidding (we hardly ever set fire to anything). 

Me, author Sue Whiting and author/illustrator Sally Rippin before the wine and fire. © Susanne Gervay

Anyway, it is always great to hang out with a whole bunch of talented people. It is also nice to be back though and with voice amazingly intact. Time to get busy with paint. I'll post up some Herman and Rosie progress reports along the way. Ahhh... I missed my studio.