Today I celebrated the ultimate event in my writer’s year. The Australian CYA children’s and young adult writer’s conference at St Laurence College, Brisbane. Its a one-day action adventure retreat for writers. Refreshing. Exhilarating. Exhausting.
I shared this stimulating day with my real & online writing buddies and colleagues, participating in writing courses, scribbling down blueprints for my next writing projects, revitalizing my creative brain to the max.
Who WON the first places in the CYA Writing Competition?
DRUM ROLL …
Picture Book Preschool … Lynda Davies
Picture Book Primary School … Jodie Wells-Slowgrove
Chapter Book … Marian McGuiness
Young Adult … Nicola Alter
Graphic Novel/Illustrated Picture Book … Renee Treml
Illustrations … Gay McKinnon
Published Author … Chris Bell ( HUGE YAY! to my online friend)
A special congratulations to two dear friends:
Writer Friends: Dimity Powell, Charmaine Clancy & Renee Taprell
Renee Taprell for 3rd Place in primary picture book and Kelly McDonald for 3rd pace in the illustrations category.
I’m so proud of you all!
What brilliant ideas did the Author Presenters teach me?
Brian Falkner … shared his amazing expertise on constructing an imaginative and suspenseful story and developing 3D characters that readers truly care about.
Michael Bauer … divulged how he injects humour into his scenes by digging up dramatic personal experiences, connecting with those intense emotions of tragedy and comedy.
Karen Robertson … shared her expertise and experience on how to create and publish eBooks and interactive picture books on iPad APPS.
Amanda Ashby ... revealed her secrets on how watching TV shows teaches you about writing action as the camera rolls and getting to the emotive heart of the character.
CYA Success Stories Winners …
Including Alison Ashley, Katherine Battersby, Peter Allert, and Julie Fison shared their passionate, surprising and truly inspirational journeys on how they became published.
Everyone who attended today were Winners.
Leading publishers, agents, editors and authors shared their precious knowledge, experience and inspiration to aspiring writers. CYA participants were all partakers of an unique opportunity, that could shape our writing lives and craft us into the writers we could be. Only if we believed.
What was the Highlight of my Day?
Five precious minutes chatting with the Publisher who requested and is considering my kids sci-fi novel, JOSH AND THE IT for publication. Finally making face-to-face contact with her was an absolute writer’s dream.
Enough to keep my focused on what could be, if I truly believed.