Aimee Said's Blog, page 10
April 3, 2011
An invitation to Melbourne friends
So, the 'official' Little Sister launch is in Sydney on 6 May. Being greedy, I really wanted to have some kind of celebration with my Melbourne friends, too. Luckily for me, the Sun Bookshop* has generously offered to host a do** on Saturday 14 May. I hope you can make it!
* My local independent bookshop, home of The Younger Sun and launcher of Finding Freia Lockhart
** not a 'launch' because apparently you're only allowed one of those but it'll be kind of like a launch, without the launching...
* My local independent bookshop, home of The Younger Sun and launcher of Finding Freia Lockhart
** not a 'launch' because apparently you're only allowed one of those but it'll be kind of like a launch, without the launching...
March 31, 2011
Tales from the Fantapants archives - 1 April 1982
According to Mr Fantapants's class diary, he got up to April Fool's Day japes at Mama Fantapants's expense.
.
Sadly, he can't remember what it was...
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Sadly, he can't remember what it was...
March 27, 2011
Finding Freia Lockhart makes White Ravens list for 2011
I was a) chuffedtobits and b) gobsmacked to get a call telling me Finding Freia had been selected by the International Youth Library in Munich for this year's White Ravens list, which will be announced at the Bologna Children's Book Fair this week.
The list is comprised of 250 'especially noteworthy' books in 40 languages chosen from the books sent to the library in 2010. I'm very happy to see that Australia is well-represented on the list by 11 books, five of which are YA.
Squee!
see more Lolcats
The list is comprised of 250 'especially noteworthy' books in 40 languages chosen from the books sent to the library in 2010. I'm very happy to see that Australia is well-represented on the list by 11 books, five of which are YA.
Squee!
see more Lolcats
Star picks
Starred blog posts in my Google reader this week:
Ceilidh's post on the Book Lantern about why we need to challenge the default (straight/white) mode in books.Forever Young Adult's musical plea to YA book cover designers (Chopped-up photos of pretty girls/ Floating mouths, disembodied curls/ Book's worth its weight in pearls/ But DAMN, it looks embarrassing).Karen Tayleur's post on recurring themes in her writing got me thinking (I'm still working on my list - I suspect it's much easier when you've written as many books as Karen has!)Pip at Meet Me At Mike's is sending herself to online book buying rehab (there are some interesting comments on the 's post, too, comparing the book pricing war with the supermarket cheap milk bunfight).Meg Rosoff wrote about the misconception that writers gad about all day enjoying while their books write themselves (if only!).Suave word nerds from Mighty Red Pen.Aaaand...a baby squirrel who purrs
Ceilidh's post on the Book Lantern about why we need to challenge the default (straight/white) mode in books.Forever Young Adult's musical plea to YA book cover designers (Chopped-up photos of pretty girls/ Floating mouths, disembodied curls/ Book's worth its weight in pearls/ But DAMN, it looks embarrassing).Karen Tayleur's post on recurring themes in her writing got me thinking (I'm still working on my list - I suspect it's much easier when you've written as many books as Karen has!)Pip at Meet Me At Mike's is sending herself to online book buying rehab (there are some interesting comments on the 's post, too, comparing the book pricing war with the supermarket cheap milk bunfight).Meg Rosoff wrote about the misconception that writers gad about all day enjoying while their books write themselves (if only!).Suave word nerds from Mighty Red Pen.Aaaand...a baby squirrel who purrs
March 22, 2011
You're invited!
My new novel, Little Sister, will be officially launched in my hometown of Sydney on Friday, 6 May.*
The launch is at the very stylish Surry Hills Library (with thanks to City of Sydney for playing host). It's a free event, but you do need to RSVP as space is limited (phone 02 8374 6230).
As well as doing a short reading and, of course, signing copies of the book, I've also invited Twenty10 (whose work is close to my heart and to some of the novel's themes) to speak about their experiences of homophobia and bullying in the school system.
I'd love to see you there!
* Melbournians, I'm trying to organise some sort of celebration down here, too - stay tuned.
The launch is at the very stylish Surry Hills Library (with thanks to City of Sydney for playing host). It's a free event, but you do need to RSVP as space is limited (phone 02 8374 6230).
As well as doing a short reading and, of course, signing copies of the book, I've also invited Twenty10 (whose work is close to my heart and to some of the novel's themes) to speak about their experiences of homophobia and bullying in the school system.
I'd love to see you there!
* Melbournians, I'm trying to organise some sort of celebration down here, too - stay tuned.
March 21, 2011
Tales from the Fantapants Archive - 22 March 1982
Mr Fantapants' school diary for 22 March 1982 reports a boring weekend.
As an adult, it's hard to conceive of the weekend being boring, esp. when you have to cram in all the tasks you didn't have time to do during the week because you were too busy working, but I remember many days (even weeks, in the school holidays) of wandering around the house whining, 'I'm bored.' My mum's standard reponse was: 'Only the boring are bored.'* Like so many things adults said, this made no sense to me at all at the time, since I was convinced that I was a very interesting little person indeed and that it was only my lack of Barbie's Dream Castle/a pony/wings that made life so dull...
* pronounced in Lady 'In a handbag' Bracknell tones.
As an adult, it's hard to conceive of the weekend being boring, esp. when you have to cram in all the tasks you didn't have time to do during the week because you were too busy working, but I remember many days (even weeks, in the school holidays) of wandering around the house whining, 'I'm bored.' My mum's standard reponse was: 'Only the boring are bored.'* Like so many things adults said, this made no sense to me at all at the time, since I was convinced that I was a very interesting little person indeed and that it was only my lack of Barbie's Dream Castle/a pony/wings that made life so dull...
* pronounced in Lady 'In a handbag' Bracknell tones.
March 20, 2011
Star picks - Japan edition
I first found out about the earthquake in Japan about three hours after it happened. Mr Fantapants and I were catching up with some friends after work and chat turned to travel plans for the year, to which I responded that we were hoping to finally get to Japan (a destination that's been high on our wishlist for the past 10 years!). My friend looked at me as if she wasn't sure whether I was being serious before informing me that we'd better make other plans.
Watching the news unfold over the last week has been heartwrenching. So many villages completely destroyed; so many people's lives ripped apart. A number of bloggers I follow helped me to begin processing the ongoing devestating events in Japan:
Novita (aka ::verypurpleperson::) has written some extraordinary posts sharing her family's experiences in and after the quake. She's also participating in A Bit of This and A Bit of That's Japan Quake Appeal - you have until 26 March to make a donation to Global Giving and bid on Novita's gorgeous bag and purse, plus an original artwork by her husbandLili Wilkinson's post helped to put my feelings in perspective (and delivered the very welcome news that Maru and her family are safe and well!)Hank Green helped me get my head around the nuclear disaster*Pip reminded me that the most practcal and effective way to help those affacted is by making a donation.It was a bit of a roug week, and to be honest I'm quite glad to see it end. Hopefully this week will bring all of us, everywhere, something to feel optimistic about.
* Kind of. I'm afraid I still have an instant nod-off reflex when people start talking about atoms and fission and such - it transports me straight back to the Year 10 Science lab.
Watching the news unfold over the last week has been heartwrenching. So many villages completely destroyed; so many people's lives ripped apart. A number of bloggers I follow helped me to begin processing the ongoing devestating events in Japan:
Novita (aka ::verypurpleperson::) has written some extraordinary posts sharing her family's experiences in and after the quake. She's also participating in A Bit of This and A Bit of That's Japan Quake Appeal - you have until 26 March to make a donation to Global Giving and bid on Novita's gorgeous bag and purse, plus an original artwork by her husbandLili Wilkinson's post helped to put my feelings in perspective (and delivered the very welcome news that Maru and her family are safe and well!)Hank Green helped me get my head around the nuclear disaster*Pip reminded me that the most practcal and effective way to help those affacted is by making a donation.It was a bit of a roug week, and to be honest I'm quite glad to see it end. Hopefully this week will bring all of us, everywhere, something to feel optimistic about.
* Kind of. I'm afraid I still have an instant nod-off reflex when people start talking about atoms and fission and such - it transports me straight back to the Year 10 Science lab.
March 15, 2011
Star picks
Blog posts starred in my google reader this week...
Radio National's Book Show Blog summed up the IWD panel discussion about women in print - a sobering (and rather depressing) reflection on why male writers get more reviews (by predominantly male reviewers)Cerebral Boinkfest showed off Jonathan Callan's book-based sculpturesMaureen Johnson offered more love advice for people who like love advice (and also did another great Shelterbox fundraiser for the Japanese earthquake, which I missed because I was offline all weekend - poo)Tarhereh presented a list of 9 Things Everyone Needs to know About Writers (note to self: send link to Mr Fantapants, stat!)And if, like me, all the news footage from Japan is making you too sad for words, perhaps the sight of a slow loris being tickled will help... (hat-tip to The Hairpin)
Radio National's Book Show Blog summed up the IWD panel discussion about women in print - a sobering (and rather depressing) reflection on why male writers get more reviews (by predominantly male reviewers)Cerebral Boinkfest showed off Jonathan Callan's book-based sculpturesMaureen Johnson offered more love advice for people who like love advice (and also did another great Shelterbox fundraiser for the Japanese earthquake, which I missed because I was offline all weekend - poo)Tarhereh presented a list of 9 Things Everyone Needs to know About Writers (note to self: send link to Mr Fantapants, stat!)And if, like me, all the news footage from Japan is making you too sad for words, perhaps the sight of a slow loris being tickled will help... (hat-tip to The Hairpin)
March 14, 2011
Tales from the Fantapants Archive - 15 March 1982
The upside of Mama Fantapants* being a hoarder so sentimental is that every so often she unearths a gem from Mr Fantapants' childhood and shares it with us. Last week, a small exercise book arrived in the mail. It was my beloved's class diary from - I think - fifth grade.
His entry for 15 March 1982 pretty much sums up how I spent the Labour Day long weekend...*
I spent almost the entire weekend proofreading a chunky sci-fi/alt history novel, which is completely outside of my usual genre of reading and was surprisingly enjoyable. (And counts as an adult novel in my new year's resolutions tally - huzzah!)
* At the risk of sounding like Mama Fantapants herself, that's a pretty excellent drawing for a nine-year-old, don't you think?
His entry for 15 March 1982 pretty much sums up how I spent the Labour Day long weekend...*
I spent almost the entire weekend proofreading a chunky sci-fi/alt history novel, which is completely outside of my usual genre of reading and was surprisingly enjoyable. (And counts as an adult novel in my new year's resolutions tally - huzzah!)
* At the risk of sounding like Mama Fantapants herself, that's a pretty excellent drawing for a nine-year-old, don't you think?
March 8, 2011
IWD addendum
I wish I'd seen this yesterday! Dame Judi and a dragged-up Daniel Craig send a message about gender inequality.
