Katrina McKelvey's Blog: dandelions

Showing posts with label dandelions. Show all posts

Monday, 7 May 2018

Katapult - Edition 5 - May, 2018

Welcome to Katapult!

Where did April go? That must mean it’s time for the May edition of my newsletter, Katapult. So what has been happening at my desk since the last time we had a chat? Truckloads!

What’s Up?

The Newcastle Writers Festival Schools Program and Family Fun Day: This was amazing! In case you missed it, the link to my newsletter blog post about it is here.

Baking: I’ve been trialling an original recipe I wrote to be included in my latest picture book about a great-grandmother and her great-granddaughter. It has made me realise the work that goes into making a cook book ready for publication. We've had fun eating my creations, even the failed ones! I think I’ll need to make one more before I’m happy. Maybe two ;)

Writing Workshop with Zanni Louise: I was lucky enough to attend a writing workshop at The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft presented by Zanni Loiuse during the school holidays. I love going to workshops and soaking up any snippets of information I can on how to make my writing even better. Zanni was so beautiful and so were the people attending.

Harry Hartog, Kotara: I presented a little storytime at Harry Hartog, Kotara during the last week of the school holidays. Some of the kids made my laugh with their stories about the weather, rainbows, unicorns and their TV viewing.

Puppy: We got a puppy last Sunday. Her name is Ivy and she is a black cocker spaniel. You may think this isn’t writing related but trust me it is! I’ve been eagerly jotting down notes about her arrival and the ups and downs. There may be a picture book in there somewhere. I do have a dog in my next picture book, No Baths Week. Dogs are an endless source of ideas for stories.

Play Outside Day: Last Friday, Kirrili Lonergan and I presented an interactive storytime at the Hunter Wetlands as part of the Play Outside Day event hosted by Newcastle Region Libraries. Kirrili and I shared our book Dandelions, went on dandelion hunts, hosted craft activities, blew bubbles, and drew pictures. There were lots of kids, beautiful weather and a few pesky mosquitoes, but overall we had a beautiful day.

Storybox with ABC1233 Newcastle: I was handed the ABC1233 Newcastle Storybook last Wednesday and was interviewed on ABC1233 at 6:30am the following morning. Whomever has the box agrees to share their ‘story’ on the radio with the local listeners. It was a nerve-wracking experience but lots of fun.

Upcoming Events

1) I’m doing a monthly story time event at Harry Hartog, Kotara until the end of the year. My next one is this Wednesday, 9th May at 10:30am.

2) I was interviewed for the Just Write For Kids blog by the lovely Debra Tidball. It has been broken into three parts as I talk too much and Deb couldn’t fit it in the usual two parts - oops! Thanks for having me, Deb.

The first part is here.

The second part is here.

The third part will be released early June.

3) The third meeting of the CBCA NSW Branch Inc. Newcastle Sub-branch is this Wednesday night. We’ll be hearing from Deb Abela and Susanne Gervay about Room to Read, SCBWI and their wonderful books. I’m really looking forward to this event.

4) The MANTLE Conference is on this Friday. It’s an annual one-day conference for teaching librarian from the Central Coast up to Taree. I’ll be helping man the local CBCA table at the trade fair. I love talking books and reading with educational specialists. They do such a wonderful job making literature a joy for children.

5) Kirrili and I are off to Melbourne for the Kidlitvic Conference next week. This will be our third year attending and we’re very excited. I have a manuscript critique with a publisher while I’m there so fingers crossed they say something nice and encouraging. They usually do but that doesn’t help the nerves that come with the critique.

6) Kirrili and I have a school visit towards the end of May we are really looking forward to. I’ll have photos in the next edition. 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 welcome!

Publishing Update

I have news to announce but not formally yet. Hopefully I can announce it in the June edition. Keep an eye on my social media platforms as the news may appear there first. They’re all linked below.

Anything to Share?

The Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program hosted by CBCA NSW and sponsored by Harper Collins is open for submissions. Good luck to anyone entering. Submissions close 30th June. For more information, click here.

Davina Bell will be hosting a workshop at the NSW Writers Centre on Saturday, 26th May. It looks wonderful.

Recent Book Purchase/s?

If I’d attended the Sydney Writers Festival on the weekend I would have had a truckload of new books. But I didn't make it so I don’t. Phew! My shelves are getting full and my ‘to read’ pile is very high. I hope everyone who presented at the festival, especially as part of the children’s program, or who attended it had a wonderful time. All your photos on social media looked amazing. I was quite jealous! And the weather was divine.

At the moment I’m reading ‘Missing’ by Sue Whiting.

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.

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

I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Mother’s Day

to anyone in a motherly role.

The definition of ‘mum’ is so diverse.

Hope everyone in your family has a wonderful day.

This photo of my cherubs is a few years old now but I love it!

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Katapult - Edition 1 - February, 2018

Welcome to Katapult!

This is a new thingy for me - a monthly newsletter. It will evolve with time and have many changes I'm sure, until I find the structure that works for you and me. Some newsletters will be long and some will be short. Sub-headings will change and some will say the same, but I'm glad you're here to share this journey with me :)

So why call my newsletter ‘Katapult’?

Kat is obviously from my name.

Catapult is a fun word. As a verb it means to hurl or launch. I often find my mind hurling into stories and ideas (anywhere, anytime), or launching into crazy and spontaneous decisions (some I regret later!). What a way to live one’s life!

I pushed the two words together and ‘Katapult’ emerged. I love it!

A Book Joke?

What do you do if a librarian rolls her eyes at you?

The answer is at the bottom :)

What’s Up?

Well, 2018 started nearly two months ago - where has that time gone? - and I have made a pledge to myself I’m going to write a monthly newsletter. I find snippets of news on my social media don’t quite give the full picture of what’s happening here at my desk.

Yes, I’ve missed a January newsletter, but everyone was on holidays including me so that doesn’t count. Right? No one would have poked their heads out of their Summer reading books and read it anyway. So let’s just merge January happenings into this February newsletter.

I’m not going to promise I’ll have my newsletters up and running on the first of every month. Too much pressure! But I’ll try to have it out during the first week of the month. Having said that, I’m already late with February, and March starts next week. Eek!

And I’m not apologising for any typos either. Just read over them and assume I was rushed, distracted, trying to do three things at once, I’m a terrible typer, or I just lost my mind. Any or all of these things could have been true at the time of that typo.

Let’s go back to December. My head was in a mess. There, I said it. A mess!

I had a pile of picture book manuscripts at 90% finished, I was waiting for a signed contract for two new picture books and I was getting anxious (I thought it was never going to come and that the publisher must have changed her mind - she’d just forgotten to tell me!), the end of the year was hurtling towards me at an alarming rate, Christmas was around the corner, and I started to consider getting an agent. Of course, then I got sick - flat on my back for two days!

I emailed a professional friend of mine to help me sort out my head so I could make a plan (maybe I should have enlisted a team of psychologists).

As a result, I spent December and January finishing some of my favourite manuscripts, sending them to her for editing, and then making a submission plan for 2018. I also sent another manuscript to a different professional editor.

I booked into the children’s literature Kidlitvic Conference in Melbourne held in May this year, and I joined The Duck Pond Facebook group to keep my motivation fresh and ongoing.

Santa came and went, the signed contract arrived (phew!), we rang in the new year, and relaxed and soaked up Summer holidays.

Hello 2018!

So January was relaxing and all about my husband and I entertaining our two children. We went to the Sydney Opera House to see the 78-Storey Treehouse on the stage. We also saw Operation Ouch at the Civic Theatre in Newcastle. Both were great shows!

Our CBCA Newcastle Sub-branch was on my mind too. I had been the president for nearly four years, and had spend the fifth year as the vice president. I had enjoyed being the VP as a lot of the workload have been taken off me. But did I still want to be an executive committee member?

I had also found out who was going to illustrate my first Big Sky Publishing (BSP) book called No Baths Week.

Drum roll …

Cheri Hughes

I was very excited by this. Cheri is very talented and has illustrated several titles for BSP. I was then in communications with BSP to help set up Cheri’s illustration brief. What fun!

The rest of January involved school shoes, labelling uniforms, testing out lunch boxes and making sure new school drink bottles didn’t leak - ha!

And here we are in February.

I submitted one of the professionally edited manuscripts to a publisher. I found out recently it’s going to an acquisition meeting. YAY! Anxiety builds while I wait.

No Baths Week is moving along very quickly. We’ve been working on cover concepts, back cover blurbs, initial character concepts, and sales documents. This part of the process is extremely exciting!

I have also been working on a picture book manuscript based on my childhood memories at my grandmother’s house. It’s such a lovely story and includes some of my favourite sweet delights. Mmmm … jam drops and apple pie! It went to a professional editor yesterday. Fingers crossed.

Flights, workshops and a manuscript assessment have been booked for the Kidlitvic Conference in May.

We had our CBCA Newcastle Sub-branch AGM early February. So did I put my hand up for an executive position? No I didn’t. But I am happy to be a general committee member. It was time for Kirrili and I to hand over the sub-branch we started mid 2013. It’s in wonderful hands now (thanks Jodie and Liane) so I look forward to seeing it evolve with fresh blood and new ideas. I also have loads of undistracted time to write now so I can seal the deal on more publishing contracts this year.

I have also booked into a manuscript assessment at the NSW Writers Centre in March with Leonie Tyle. I’ll be working on that manuscript all of next week so it’s ready to submit to her a week beforehand.

Upcoming Events

I’m very honoured to be speaking at the upcoming CBCA NSW AGM on the 17th March. It’s a great opportunity to share my journey so far as a writer and share some sneak peeks of my upcoming books.

I'll be volunteering at the upcoming Newcastle Writers Festival. I'm going to the VIP program launch tomorrow. The Schools Program has been released and is selling out fast. We have some wonderful visitors coming to inspire primary school kids in the Hunter area.

I'll also be attending the CBCA NSW Branch Night of the Notables event at Dymocks, Sydney on the 27th February. This event celebrates the longlisted titles for the CBCA Book Week awards in August.

Publishing Update

My first picture book, Dandelions, is still out and about. I love to hear stories of children still enjoying it and I continuously see dandelions everywhere.

No Baths Week, my second picture book is being illustrated as you read this. I can’t wait to see a storyboard and more sketches. It is scheduled to be released in October this year. I have booked in a venue and date for the launch party, and I’ve started to plan food and decorations. These October school holidays will see me doing some interesting story times in conjunction with Newcastle Region Libraries. More information soon.

Chasing Rainbows, my third picture book (second one with BSP) will be released early in 2019 so it will be illustrated mid this year.

And my fourth picture book, Up To Something, the second with EK Books and Kirrili Lonergan (same team as Dandelions) will be illustrated mid this year with a release date of May, 2019. We’re planning some exclusive pre-launch local activities but it’s too early to reveal anything yet.

Anything to Share?

I’d love to share a secret. I have major problems with passive voice. When working on my manuscripts, I often copy and paste the text into a website called Hemingway Editor to get rid of it.

I know a group of clever girls doing podcasts for lovers of kids' books. It's called One More Page. The second episode was released today. These podcasts are for anyone and everyone who loves books for kids. Very funny stuff!

Recent Book Purchase/s?

Bold Australian Girl by Jess Black and Fern Martins

Grace and Katie by Susanne Merritt and Liz Anelli

Perfect Petunias by Lynn Jenkins and Kirrili Lonergan

Betty the Yeti’s Disappointing Day by Emily S. Smith and Graham Davidson

Ella by Nicole Godwin and Demelsa Haughton

Ella Saw the Tree by Robert Vescio and Cheri Hughes

Where can you find me on social media?

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

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

I’d love to hear from you!

Kat x

PS: So what do you do if a librarian rolls her eyes at you?

You roll them back of course! :)

Thursday, 24 August 2017

Book Week School Visits 2017 - Escape to Everywhere!

Photo: Maroubra Junction PS library display

Book Week is such an exciting time for schools, libraries, librarians, teachers, parents and kids as the nation stops to celebrate books, reading, storytelling, writing, and illustrating.

Book Week is also a highlight on the calendars of authors and illustrators all over.

So where did I escape to? I went everywhere!

School 1: DALE Christian School, Waratah

DALE Christian School, Waratah is a special needs school catering for children aged 11-17 years. Kirrili and I had the great pleasure of talking to all of their students last Friday, 18th August, the afternoon of the Book Week Awards announcement. They had had a Book Week parade earlier in the day and Kirrili and I got to finish their celebrations by stepping them through the complicated process of how picture books are produced. Kirrili then workshopped some drawing techniques. These students were so tuned in and really appreciated our presentation. Kirrili and I left on a high!

Photo 1: Drawing emotions

Photo 2: sketches from our upcoming book, 'Up To Something'

Photo 3: Thank you gift

School 2: Greta Public School

Greta Public School recently refurbished their tired library and held their grand opening on Monday, 21st August. Kirrili and I were VIP guests along with several others including the local mayor. Their library is now amazing!

Library monitors were ready to answer questions and demonstrate how the new technology worked. Some old visitor books were on display. I was very excited to look at old editions of The School Magazine from 1962!

After the official opening and morning tea, Kirrili and I ran two workshops with some lucky children. But we think we were the lucky ones!

We were introduced to a new Promethean 'smart board' (we were told it's like a smart phone on wheels). Kirrili learnt how to use the digital whiteboard app on this smart board only 30 minutes before our presentation and then demonstrated on it during our workshop. How clever!

The children had completed a lot of work on our book before we arrived so we were chuffed to see some of their artwork displayed on the library walls. Magic!

Photo: Kirrili and I

Photo: Kirrili in action

Photo: Dandelions artwork

Photo: Kirrili using the digital whiteboard app - very tech savvy!

Thank you gift: handmade charm with dandelion seeds encased - very thoughtful

School 3: Fern Bay Public School

Fern Bay Public School is a small seaside school with less than 60 students from K - 6.

While Kirrili was presenting at another school, I visited Fern Bay PS on

Wednesday, 23rd August.

During my three sessions, we pulled my story apart and discussed the themes, we walked through the writing process (including rejections) and highlighted how important it is to edit, rewrite, edit, rewrite ... you get the picture ... until a story is just right.

Then I shared the process of submitting, finding an illustrator, the illustration process, and all the way to seeing the book in the shops or on library shelves.

This little school really appreciates books as they didn't have an onsite library until 2 weeks ago (YES - 2 weeks ago!) and the day I was there was their first library borrowing day.

It was an honour to be their first guest author in their brand new library and I'm sure they will adore every book they have after having barely any for so long. And now they also appreciate the process books go through to make it in their hands.

Photo: Here I am in action with some infants students

'We think you're DANDY and we're not lion :)' - super cute!

Photo 1: I adore my handmade welcome sign

Photo 2: School History sign

School 4: Maroubra Junction Public School

Photo: Welcome Sign - all these languages are spoken at MJPS

A 4:30am get-up and a 5:15am leave to travel to Sydney was worth it once I met the 300 infants students of Maroubra Junction Public school on Thursday, 24th August. This was my last school visit for Book Week, 2017 and it finished with a bang!

Photo: Year 1 MJPS

The children were very engaged as I shared my publication journey with them and inspired them to never give up and keep reading and writing.

I was invited to visit their library and was blown away by how special their library space was.

(Allisa, you are one super clever lady!)

It was full of beautiful Book Week displays featuring some of their favourite shortlisted titles.

I was very honoured to be able to say I personally know or have met some of these clever book creators.

Photo: 'Gary' by Leila Rudge

Photo 1: 'Chip' by Kylie Howarth

Photo 2: 'Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade' by Kate Temple, Jol Temple and John Foye

Photo: 'The Patchwork Bike' by Maxine Beneba Clarke and Van T Rudd

(Van T Rudd is also the winner of the 2017 Crichton Award for a Debut Illustrator)

Photo: 'Nanny Loves' by Kylie Dunstan

Photo: 'Fabish' by Neridah McMullin and Andrew McLean

I presented three sessions to over 100 children each time and was amazed by the display of manners and enthusiasm for learning. It was a lovely way to end a very busy Book Week.

Thanks to The Children's Bookshop Speakers' Agency for co-ordinating this school visit.

Photo: Thank you gift: 'Maroubra on the Menu' - School Centenary Cook Book

Phew! Time for some rest and to catch up on some sleep. I hope you, your children, friends and family enjoyed Book Week celebrations wherever you were. My children's school is celebrating Book Week next week so it's now time to help my children organise their costumes. At least I have lots of ideas from my travels this week.