Katapult - Edition 10 - February, 2019

Welcome to Katapult!

Hello there! Did you miss me?

Well, I've just finished dusting the cobwebs off this blog. There were quite a few since edition 9 - about 5 months worth. Oops!

'So where have I been?' I hear you ask. The simple answer is nowhere and everywhere. I've been at my desk, working hard, doing stuff, but I've also been trekking around parts of America on a very special family holiday trying to escape the heat of Summer.

I'm going to fly over the events of the last 5 months to catch you up and then give you a hint of what's to come in the first half of this year - it will be my busiest six months ever!

What's Up?

1) Up To Something Update:

Up To Something, our picture book about billy carts being published by EK Books and illustrated by Kirrili has gone to print - yay! Kirrili finished the illustrations and sent them to our publisher in September. Our book designer then weaved more magic into the layout and the cover. In January, the final edits were completed. I can't wait for you to see this book. So much hard work, tears and time have gone into creating it.

2) No Baths Week Update:

No Baths Week, our picture book about Ben and his dog, Bandit trying to avoid having baths for a week being published by Big Sky Publishing and illustrated by Cheri Hughes has gone to print - yay, two books! Cheri finished the illustrations early this year. After a few last minute changes, it was perfect. Can't wait to have both books in my hands. It has been a very long wait!

3) A new picture book about my Ivy:

Thanks to the craziness of raising a puppy, I've had oodles of inspiration to write a picture book about a puppy. After many rewrites, Sue Whiting, my freelance editor helped me nail the story and characters so I had a polished book to send to publishers in the new year. Watch this space as I will be getting face-to-face feedback from an agent and a publisher at the SCBWI Conference in less than two weeks - eek! Hope they like it!

4) 'Stories After Dark' CBCA NSW Branch Newcastle Sub-branch Childrens' Event

This was our local CBCA annual children's event and it was huge! Children of all ages filled the Newcastle Region Library to hear stories read in the dark by loads of local children's authors and illustrators. Too much fun!

5) Book Launches:

I popped my head into a few book launches over the last few months. I love attending these events. Here's a summary:

Sue Whiting's Beware the Deep Dark Forest
James Foley's Gastronauts
Kate Simson's Finding Granny
Jess Black's The Tales of Mr Walker - Book 1

6) Muswellbrook South Public School visit

Late last year I visited Muswellbrook South Public School to have a chat to the infants children about how picture books are made. What fun we had :)

7) I attended the CBCA Newcastle Sub-branch and the Sydney SCBWI Christmas Parties

I am a party animal! Yes, I am. I go to these events to socialise and catch up with my local and Sydney kidlit friends. There's not enough time to do all the socialising I wish I could do, so I always jump at the chance to attend these lovely events.

8) USA Family Holiday

My husband and I took the kids to USA to visit Disneyland, California Disney Adventure Park, Legoland, San Diego Zoo, Palm Springs, Universal Studios, Hollywood, LA, and everything in between. What a hoot we had! I won't talk about the vomiting bug both my children had while we were in Disneyland, but apart from that, we had a fabulous time. I needed a break from my computer, my town, my country, and technology (OK, I did sneak on Facebook and check my emails but that was it, I promise).

9) Puppy Update:

My beautiful Ivy will turn one on the 28th February. Where has that time gone? She is so lovely but she still chews things. The latest victim - my new, expensive sunglasses! Grrr ...

 

Ivy with Copper - her big brother!

10) Family

In between all these events these things happened: my son finished Year 6 and started high school, I attended all end-of-year school concerts, assemblies and events, the dishwasher broke down, soccer presentations, golf tournaments, P&F meetings, writing group meetings, school discos and keyboard concerts, singing concerts, Yr 6 camp, birthday parties, started water polo, funerals, haircuts, sport gala days, public speaking finals, school assignments, Aspire auditions, school excursions, new orthotics fitted (kids and me), dentist appointments, Bon Jovi concert, family Christmas functions, end of Yr 6 activities, dog grooming, a trip to the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas lights, CHRISTMAS!, NEW YEAR!, bought new school shoes, spring cleaned the house for four days, packed for an o/s holiday,  AMERICA!, prepared for the new school year, worked out school buses for HS, started Aspire rehearsals, pest man sprayed the house, first school swimming carnival, first junior golf tournament for 2019, and Year 7 camp. Oh, and the cat died :(

And you all know in the middle of this was housework, groceries, cleaning and other boring things. 

Oh, and sleep ... we had some sleep :)

Upcoming Events

I'm chairing a panel of four publishers at the upcoming SCBWI Conference in Sydney in less than two weeks. At this conference, I'm also meeting with Walker Books Australia publisher, Nancy Conescu. I'm also meeting with an agent to discuss possible representation. And I'm getting a manuscript assessment from an o/s agent. Phew!

I'm also attending:

Newcastle Writers Festival Program Launch
CBCA NSW Night of the Notables event
Grey-glasses-itis (by Lynn Jenkins and Kirrili Lonergan) Book Launch
Local CBCA Newcastle Sub-branch meetings
CBCA NSW AAA event
Newcastle Writers Festival - presenting two writing workshops and launching 'Up To Something'
CBCA NSW High Tea with the Stars event
Launching 'No Baths Week' in Lambton Park - bring your dog!
Gresford Billy Cart Derby - presenting storytime
Crown St PS Lights Off Torches On event
Kitlitvic Conference - Melbourne
CBCA National Conference
CYA Conference - presenting a 90-minute workshop on how to write picture books
More events to be confirmed ...

And this is all in the first half of the year! I have Book Week school visit bookings coming in too. 

Hmmm ... I think I've overloaded myself a little.

Publishing Update

So, if you don't follow me on Facebook, you've missed the all-important reveal of both of the covers of my new books. Here they are:

Book launch information for both books coming soon. They will both be in April.

Anything to Share?

This meme was taken from Facebook. No explanation needed. 

I was in the USA while the government shutdown was on in an anti-Trump state (California). Two teacher strikes also happened during our time there. As we had sick children for some of the trip, we spent a lot of time watching American news. Eye-opening stuff!

Recent Book Purchases?

Where can you find me on social media?

I’ve made it easy. Just click on the live links below to like or follow me.

Website

Blog 

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

My YouTube channel

Feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email: author@katrinamckelvey.com

I’d love to hear from you!

I've just finished making my, 2018 My Year in Review movie and have uploaded it to my YouTube channel. Click here if you'd like to see it.

I can't promise I'll be back on my blog in March. I may be too busy. But I do visit my Facebook page often so keep an eye on news about my book launches and other events there.

The definition of resilience!

And some information about my writing workshops at the upcoming 

Newcastle Writers Festival.

Katapult - Edition 6 - June, 2018

Welcome to Katapult!

So May has flown by and Winter has certainly started here. It’s cold and rainy this week so that’s great for getting lots of computer work done. So what has been happening at my desk since the last time we had a chat? Oodles!

What’s Up?

CBCA NSW Branch Inc Newcastle Sub-branch Meeting: Our lastest local meeting featured two wonderful children’s authors: Susanne Gervay and Deb Abela. These ladies had us enthralled as we listened to inspirational stories of how their latest titles came to be. I could listen to both of them all day long.

Kitlitvic Conference in Melbourne: Kirrili and I attended this conference on Saturday, 19th May. This was the third time we’ve attended and we always come home refreshed and motivated to continue to create for kids. It’s such a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends, talk to publishers, make new friends, and meet those we’re connected to on social media but haven’t met in person yet. The day flew - when we weren't soaking up advice, we were trying to catch everyone you can in the breaks before they disappeared after the conference. 

I had a wonderful manuscript assessment with a publisher while there. She has asked me to do a slight rewrite of both manuscripts I submitted to her, and then resend. This was wonderful news. I’ve completed one rewrite. I would have had both done by now but I've had computer issues since the conference. See below for my computer whinge.

We took our husbands with us (they went to the footy while the conference was on) as we have the previous conferences, so we could visit the most amazing restaurants together without the kids :) And then we did a little shopping on the Sunday before heading home. We felt the weekend was over in a flash, but it’s always so rewarding and fun. Can’t wait for next year!

 

St Philip’s Christian College, Cessnock School Visit: Kirrili and I visited the college on the 24th May as part of their annual Festival of Words celebrations. We spoke to and provided workshops for the Year 3 and 4 students. We were on the same day as Morris Gleitzman but alas, didn’t have time to have a cuppa with him. The kids we worked with had amazing ideas and contagious creativity. Its always rewarding when kids take a small idea and turn it into stories bursting with adventure, tension and chaos. We wrote about disastrous billy-cart stories following on from the storyline in our upcoming book, Up To Something. 

If you’d like us to come to your school, shoot me an email so we can organise one that is perfectly designed for your school’s needs. Preschools, Primary Schools and High Schools!

JWFK Blog Interview: I was interviewed for the Just Write For Kids blog by the lovely Debra Tidball. It was been broken into three parts as I talk too much and Deb couldn’t fit it in the usual two parts - oops! The third part was released last last week.

The first part is here.

The second part is here.

The third part is here.

Puppy Update: So, Ivy had her 3 month birthday on the 28th May, and we’ve had her for one month now. We’ve had some ups and downs I can tell you! She is so sweet and smart and I adore her puppy eyes. But we have been the most unlucky family when it comes to unlucky one-off health issues in the time. I asked my vet this morning if he has a frequent flyer scheme as I feel I’m there every second day. Ear infections, gastro bugs, possible food allergies, and abysses have kept us on our toes. Fingers crossed we avoid surgery over the next few days. Lucky we love her :)

Computer Issues: So my computer had a major breakdown! After I had one too, I called in an IT expert. After three visits from him, two visits to Apple, a visit from my electrician, a new screen and a complete rebuild of my computer at Apple (no computer for a whole week!), I am back up and running. It’s in times like these I realise how much I use and need my computer, how much I rely on it, and how grateful I am I had everything backed up! Back up people! Back up your computer now! (Then backup the backup!) Thank goodness of the iCloud!

Upcoming Events

1) I’m doing a monthly story time event at Harry Hartog, Kotara until the end of the year. My June visit is on Wednesday, 13th June at 10:30am.

2) Our next CBCA Newcastle meeting will feature Ed Wright talking to us about his business, The Creative Word Shop on Wednesday, 20th June. I'm looking forward to this.

3) This month is flooded with lots of lovely family and school celebrations. So I’m actually happy I have some breathing space to organise, attend, and relax and enjoy them.

Publishing Update

If you read the third part of my interview on the JWFK blog, you may already know I have been offered my fifth picture book contract. I'm so ecstatic! We won’t see this book until 2020 so this is where the waiting begins for you, but the fun behind-the-scenes stuff happens for me *though there is a lot of boring waiting for me at times too). I will share more information about this exciting news in the months to come. 

No Baths Week has been rescheduled for an early 2019 release (instead of Oct, 2018) so you’ll have to wait a few more months before this one hits the shelves. I know, it's a little disappointing, but it's for good business reasons. I won't bore you with the details.

Anything to Share?

Kids and YA festival: Saturday, 30th June: This festival is biannual and is always held at the NSW Writers Centre in Sydney. The program looks amazing and it’s another excuse to catchup with amazing people in the industry. Hope to see you there!

Recent Book Purchase/s?

Wolfie - An Unlikely Hero by Deb Abela and Connah Brecon

Elephants Have Wings by Susanne Gervay and Anna Pignataro

The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery by Deb Abela

Where can you find me on social media?

I’ve made it easy. Just click on the live links below and like or follow me.

Website: www.katrinamckelvey.com

Blog: http://katrinamckelvey.blogspot.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/katrinamckelveyauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinamckelvey/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katrinamckelvey 

My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgfVHAHyIHP14oeEkGl2jtA

Feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email: author@katrinamckelvey.com

I’d love to hear from you!

I took this photo a few weeks ago while at my daughter's soccer training. One of my contracted picture books is about rainbows. You'll see that one late in 2019.

CBCA Lunch with the Stars - Newcastle

Photo: CBCA NSW Branch Inc. Newcastle Sub-branch - Lunch with the Stars Booklet Cover

What a day we had yesterday!

The CBCA NSW Branch Inc. Newcastle Sub-branch hosted its third annual 

Lunch with the Stars

A committee of eight local CBCA members spend the last 6 months planning, discussing and organising this year's event. It's a mammoth task to pull together an event like this but it's all worth it once the kids enter the room and fill it with an overwhelming atmosphere of excitement and anticipation.

Thanks to: Kirrili (chief co-ordinator), Jodie, Ruth, Julie, Gwynne, Amanda, Lillian and myself. 

It would never have happened without this team.

Our local children's literature community is such a dedicated bunch when it comes to supporting our local CBCA branch. They jumped on board once again and gave us an entire day to be part of this event.

Photo: Lynn Jenkins, Liz Anelli, Renee Price, Katrina McKelvey, Ant Wood, Oliver Phommavanh, Karen Hughes, Deb Kelly, Paul Russell, Gwynne Jones, Lizzie Wilcock, Kirrili Lonergan, Jenny Blackford and Lillian Webb.

Thanks to our stars: Gwynne Jones, Deb Kelly, Kirrili Lonergan, Liz Anelli, Paul Russell, Oliver Phommavanh (special guest), Lizzie Wilcock, Lynn Jenkins, Anthony Wood, Lillian Webb, Jenny Blackford, and Karen Hughes. We missed you Jess Black - hope you feel better soon :)

Schools came from everywhere to join in the festivities with over 100 children having lunch and a chat with these 14 amazing local authors and illustrators. The kids decorated their tables so wonderfully - such a creative bunch! Check out the photos below.

Thanks to our schools: Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, Ashtonfield PS, New Lambton PS, Edgeworth Heights PS, Tanilba Bay PS, St Therese's Primary - New Lambton, Kahibah PS, Belair PS, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary - Tarro, Tarro PS, Shortland PS, Waratah West PS, 

and Beresfield PS.

Photos: Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College - Jess Black, Katrina McKelvey, and Renee Price 

(long story as to why they had three stars!)

Photo: Waratah West PS - Jenny Blackford

Photo: St There's Primary, New Lambton - Paul Russell

Photo: Shortland PS - Lillian Webb

Photo: New Lambton PS - Deb Kelly (First Place)

Photo: Belair PS - Lizzie Wilcock

Photo: Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, Tarro - Lynn Jenkins

Photo: Edgeworth Heights PS - Kirrili Lonergan

Photo: Kahibah PS - Oliver Phommavanh

Photo: Tarro PS - Ant Wood

Photo: Tanilba Bay PS - Liz Anelli

Photo: Ashtonfield PS - Gwynne Jones

Photo: Beresfield PS - Karen Hughes

The unforgettable Oliver Phommavanh, our special guest, entertained the room 

with amazing stories and funny jokes. 

Thanks Oliver!

 

This event was impossible without financial support from our wonderful sponsors. We had schools sponsored who would otherwise have never been able to participate. I heard whispers these children went home after having the best day of their lives - happy days!

Newcastle Region Libraries sponsored several schools and gave a free, signed copy of one of Oliver's books to every child who attended. Thanks to Oliver who arrived super early to sign every single copy (over 100!).

Newcastle and Charlestown Toyota also sponsored several schools who would have otherwise not been able to attend.

MacLean's Booksellers in Hamilton always support our local CBCA events with book donations. Amanda also set up an amazing pop-up bookshop full to the brim with books from 

our participating stars for our attending schools to buy.

Beresfield Bowling Club supplied the venue and set up the room perfectly to meet the needs 

of our event. Nothing was too hard. The staff were superb!

Thanks to: Newcastle Region Libraries, Newcastle and Charlestown Toyota, MacLean's Booksellers and Beresfield Bowling Club.

    

We were very lucky to have had two beautiful volunteers on the day to help troubleshoot 

and support our guests (and the MC! - me). They ran around all day making sure 

everything was just right. And they left last!

Thanks Linda and Robyn - you're angels :)

Our booklet took a while to pull together but it finally did thanks to a huge team of clever people. This booklet is aways a popular keepsake from the day and treasured by the kids for years.

Thanks to: Gwynne and Deb for the internal pages

Thanks to: Liz, Kirrili, Gwynne and Lillian for designing the cover

The illustration activity was fun and challenging indeed. I asked children to chose nouns, verbs and places to mash together for our resident illustrators, Kirrili, Liz, Lillian and Gwynne to draw on easels around the room as the kids followed along. Six rounds, one minute time restrains, and lots of pressure made this part of the day truly 'challenging'. It proved to all of us just how clever these illustrators really are no matter how hard I tried to make the suggestions. 

They had to draw:

~ a rooster scratching for fleas in a helicopter, 

~ a unicorn wrangling a crocodile at the zoo, 

~ a librarian knitting underwater, 

~ an alien parachuting in outer space, 

and 

~ an astronaut jumping on pogo stick on the back of a whale. 

Sounded hard to me but they nailed it!

Round six involved a 'Mr Squiggle' type activity and they named that too! Magic!

 

Photos: Gwynne Jones and Liz Anelli (photos by Karen Hughes)

Photos: Kirrili Lonergan and Lillian Webb (photos by Kirrili Lonergan)

Congratulations to the children and schools who won lucky seats prizes and 

book packs for best dressed tables.

It was an honour to have helped Kirrili and the committee provide such a unique and special event for our local community and to be the MC once again. The day ran smoothly thanks to everyone pitching in and helping when needed and for all the finer details being sorted before the day.

Kirrili did an amazing job co-ordinating this event this year (and for being a star, and for being my MC wingman). It's a hard task, especially when the odd thing goes wrong, but we handled it like pros and provided an experience these children will never forget. You're a star!

Thanks Kirrili!

It's now time for us to evaluate and recover. The feedback has been amazing so far and we've loved seeing all the photos popping up on social media. Hope you have too!