Christopher Cheng's Blog, page 4
June 9, 2012
Voices on the Coast - days 2 & 3
What a thrill this was up on the Sunshine Coast at Voices 2012. Tuesday continued much like Monday with two workshops and a talk (the reverse of Monday) although it was a primary school day only so there were thousands of them moving all over the campus. All throughout we had tech students from the College making sure that the microphones and visuals worked seamlessly and we were escorted all over by the students. Volunteers (hard to miss in their bright yellow Voices tshirts) sitting in on all our sessions to make sure all was perfect. This was fun!
Tuesday also included the absolute joy of launching The Tender Moments of Safron Silk, number 7 in Glenda Millard's Kingdom of Silk series. What fun we had - dramatising an exempt from the book (I was Dr Larsson telling one of his tender moments) and then of course I was able to chit chat abut the Silk books and this one in particular. It really is a privilege to be able to launch another author's book.
Most of the visiting creators were homeward bound Tuesday afternoon but a few of us remained. I joined Sally Rippin and Roseanne Hawke (who I have't caught up with since my book selling days) back at the university early Tuesday evening to present a talk on Asian Literary Connections to a small group of teaching folk. It was very relaxed and informal with each of us talking about our books, a few of the intricacies of our work, Sally and I were able to also show and chat about chops (our name stamps - a bit of show and tell) the themes within and of course linking them to the new national curriculum.
Tuesday night was a quiet night in at the complex and then came Wednesday when Sally and I hit the local Sunshine Coast libraries. They were fun but what was really interesting was the difference in library staff and their attitudes to kids books and visiting authors. Nambour and Maleny - those two libraries really buzzed and the kids there were part of the library scene and enthusiastically welcomed. At Maleny there were even snacks on the go (including segmented oranges) before I arrived. At the libraries we did chit chat about Sounds Spooky and of course a reading of the book was part of the session but what was funny was chatting about the book and we were talking about libraries one of boy piped up and announced
"you have to be quiet in libraries!"
I wonder which school he was from! Egads ... quite a few strange looks closed then. Of course I dispelled that rumour straight away as we all read Sounds Spooky and made special effort for the pages where the children scream!
And then it was back home to my own bed! Yeah! That's the travelling for a while now! Time to write!
The Full programme for Voices is here.
Thanks Kelly and the team for a great time!
workshop - with teacher workshopping too!
Launching Glenda's luscious book
Glenda speaking
Asian Connections chit chat with Sally and Roseanne
milling about post chat
library fun
signing
buzzing in Maleny
Tuesday also included the absolute joy of launching The Tender Moments of Safron Silk, number 7 in Glenda Millard's Kingdom of Silk series. What fun we had - dramatising an exempt from the book (I was Dr Larsson telling one of his tender moments) and then of course I was able to chit chat abut the Silk books and this one in particular. It really is a privilege to be able to launch another author's book.
Most of the visiting creators were homeward bound Tuesday afternoon but a few of us remained. I joined Sally Rippin and Roseanne Hawke (who I have't caught up with since my book selling days) back at the university early Tuesday evening to present a talk on Asian Literary Connections to a small group of teaching folk. It was very relaxed and informal with each of us talking about our books, a few of the intricacies of our work, Sally and I were able to also show and chat about chops (our name stamps - a bit of show and tell) the themes within and of course linking them to the new national curriculum.
Tuesday night was a quiet night in at the complex and then came Wednesday when Sally and I hit the local Sunshine Coast libraries. They were fun but what was really interesting was the difference in library staff and their attitudes to kids books and visiting authors. Nambour and Maleny - those two libraries really buzzed and the kids there were part of the library scene and enthusiastically welcomed. At Maleny there were even snacks on the go (including segmented oranges) before I arrived. At the libraries we did chit chat about Sounds Spooky and of course a reading of the book was part of the session but what was funny was chatting about the book and we were talking about libraries one of boy piped up and announced"you have to be quiet in libraries!"
I wonder which school he was from! Egads ... quite a few strange looks closed then. Of course I dispelled that rumour straight away as we all read Sounds Spooky and made special effort for the pages where the children scream!
And then it was back home to my own bed! Yeah! That's the travelling for a while now! Time to write!
The Full programme for Voices is here.
Thanks Kelly and the team for a great time!
workshop - with teacher workshopping too!
Launching Glenda's luscious book
Glenda speaking
Asian Connections chit chat with Sally and Roseanne
milling about post chat
library fun
signing
buzzing in Maleny
June 5, 2012
Voices on the Coast - day 1
This time last week it was Singapore - now I am on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland for the Voices on the Coast literary festival. Kids from all over the area have purchased tickets for the gathering - 10,000 have been sold and that is terrific. What a buzz.
Thanks to Kelly Dunham and the Voices crew who have pulled me up here.
I flew up here with Boori Monty Prior - although we did't see each other till we collected our bags. He comes with his didgeridoo so we know what he will be doing in his talks. We chit chatted all the way to the Mirage apartments where we are staying then after dumping bags it was straight up for food! And who was at the door to greet me - the lovely Glenda Millard … it is her book #6 in the Kingdom of Silk series that I am so delighted to be launching! I have already hung out with Glenda Millard. JC Burke, Rosanne Hawke, Dave Hackett, Gabrielle Lord, James Roy, DC Green and a host of other folk … so this is a shelf load of kids creative folk. It is fun getting out with the students here and telling the story of my story or running worships - but it is such a great time too to be able to catch up with the creative folk I haven't seen for yolks!
Monday found me here at the festival venue - the University of the Sunshine Coast … it really is sunny here on this part of the coast. My itinerary for today, two talks about me and my books - "Spooky Sounds and Historical Tales" and one workshop "Writing stores for digital publication" with an autographing session squeezed in - 45 minute sessions just scream by and as I continue all of a sudden I have my minder (one of the students from the Immanuel Lutheran College) waving hands up and down to signal that my times is just about up!
Monday afternoon, I was sitting here outside with the late afternoon sun warming the body listening to the ocean waves crashing onto the shore in the distance … pity that it is interspersed with a few crying and screaming kids splashing around in the pool below … sort of takes away from the relaxing natural sounds.
Monday night was a Literary Gourmet Feating gathering at the school for a literary evening with sponsors and teacher librarians. It was a luscious evening, we were greeted with a string orchestra, and then such acclaim was presented by the principal to the creative folk gathered and also to the library staff who transformed the library into a restaurant, complete with fairy lights and decoratively crafted books hanging from the beams. It was leo delightful hearing his accolades for librarians and reading and books. wonderful words of encouragement and the love for books and reading. Alison and Boori - Australia's first Children Laureates - spoke lovingly of librarians and the need for paid librarians in ALL school libraries (much cheering and applause) as well as some of the tasks that they have been involved in. Food to eat, mingling and signing of books and then the night is over … day 1 is done!!!
More soon ....
May 31, 2012
AFCC (more on day 2)
So, back on home soil, a bit more of an update on Tuesday at AFCC.
My session was originally titled Apps for Toddlers but that soon evolved to incorporate ebooks as well. It really was in two parts :-
One a checklist for evaluating what makes a good app / ebook, and for that I really can't go past the data that has been compiled by my friend Warren Buckleitner (Child Technology Review) who has been in the business from the outset. He reviewed software that was created for Atari and he now also writes for the New York Times as well ... and he really knows his stuff as well. He has developed a grid / checklist for evaluating software and it is terrific and really easy to use, so rather than reinvent the wheel I rode it!
Two looked at my personal involvement as a writer first and foremost in the digital medium and the programmes that I have been working on over the last few years, looking at the things that worked for me and the things that didn't,and how I am now much the wiser and more cautious - all good of course. The end result was that questions went on and on and on ... they had to kick me out of the room - and the questions continued outside as well. Also chatted about the frustrations and the highlights and very much my personal insights into what goes in to creating the digital material. I really still get bamboozled how the programmers make the objects on the screen do the things they do!
Food - yes we did eat well. The organisers really have turned on wonderful spreads at the festival and these really are the times that, as presenters, you get even more question. And of course it is a networking opportunity. Most food breaks were filled with folks asking me more questions but it was also time to meet others ... some I haven't seen since last AFCC. I think there might have been a green room or retreat room of sorts for presenters but I preferred to mingle with the throng!
I sat in on a few presentations as well. For me it is really interesting to hear other folks speak, not only their content but also the way presentations are delivered. There are always things to be absorbed and maybe a few snippets to utilise. Sometimes too it is hard to choose what sessions are visited - and even though I have been to a few SCBWI First Pages panel sessions over the years I try not to miss them because it is really fascinating to hear what is being created and I guess underlying that too is the thought that one day I might just hear a work from a writer who will rocket to the front! It is also very enlightening to hear what the panelists are saying about the work they are presented with - especially when, like at this session, the panelists are editors and publishers and who are acquiring manuscripts!
[image error]
The board meeting was my first. It was great to meet many of the other fol. When I accepted the invitation last year I really didn't realise that it was such a global board. Members are from not only Singapore and Australia but also Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, India, and Japan. Of course AFCC is not just for Singapore. It is an outreach as well to the Asia Pacific region so it is only logical that there be representatives from a broad spectrum of folks from within the region. It did go longer than planned, so I think that is good and we certainly discussed future developments for AFCC festivals, like ways to improve the attendees experience and future programme initiatives. And then there was the board photo below, which, it was decided would be used in next year's printed programme ... and me the only one not in a dress shirt, but my shirt was a very new, nice, all cotton t-shirt! It is very much more formal than I am used to. Board meetings are a big responsibility and it is pretty amazing to think that a meeting like that an have an influence on what will happen in future developments for festivals and organisations. that's why I consider it a privilege to be on the boards that I am, and I hope that my input is valuable.
The final AFCC event for me was the Singapore Children's Literature lecture. In previous years this has always been fun and this year that tradition continued with the lecture, award presentations, and drama. It was wonderful to again hear Leonard Marcus deliver a lecture with his insights into three of the greats of children's picture book creation, Maurice Sendak, Mitsumaso Anno and Eric Carle. A dramatisation of a book by Singapore author David Seow was presented with lots of students transforming into flies in the room. The winner of the Scholastic Asian Fiction Award was announced and I know that I take lots of photos but there were sooooo many flash lights going off that there was no need for the facility lights!
... followed by MORE FOOD and networking and meeting folk, and an evening walk around the river foreshore.
And suddenly, apart from the masterclasses the next day, AFCC for 2012 and my trip to Singapore is over.
My session was originally titled Apps for Toddlers but that soon evolved to incorporate ebooks as well. It really was in two parts :-
One a checklist for evaluating what makes a good app / ebook, and for that I really can't go past the data that has been compiled by my friend Warren Buckleitner (Child Technology Review) who has been in the business from the outset. He reviewed software that was created for Atari and he now also writes for the New York Times as well ... and he really knows his stuff as well. He has developed a grid / checklist for evaluating software and it is terrific and really easy to use, so rather than reinvent the wheel I rode it!
Two looked at my personal involvement as a writer first and foremost in the digital medium and the programmes that I have been working on over the last few years, looking at the things that worked for me and the things that didn't,and how I am now much the wiser and more cautious - all good of course. The end result was that questions went on and on and on ... they had to kick me out of the room - and the questions continued outside as well. Also chatted about the frustrations and the highlights and very much my personal insights into what goes in to creating the digital material. I really still get bamboozled how the programmers make the objects on the screen do the things they do!
Food - yes we did eat well. The organisers really have turned on wonderful spreads at the festival and these really are the times that, as presenters, you get even more question. And of course it is a networking opportunity. Most food breaks were filled with folks asking me more questions but it was also time to meet others ... some I haven't seen since last AFCC. I think there might have been a green room or retreat room of sorts for presenters but I preferred to mingle with the throng!
I sat in on a few presentations as well. For me it is really interesting to hear other folks speak, not only their content but also the way presentations are delivered. There are always things to be absorbed and maybe a few snippets to utilise. Sometimes too it is hard to choose what sessions are visited - and even though I have been to a few SCBWI First Pages panel sessions over the years I try not to miss them because it is really fascinating to hear what is being created and I guess underlying that too is the thought that one day I might just hear a work from a writer who will rocket to the front! It is also very enlightening to hear what the panelists are saying about the work they are presented with - especially when, like at this session, the panelists are editors and publishers and who are acquiring manuscripts!
[image error]
The board meeting was my first. It was great to meet many of the other fol. When I accepted the invitation last year I really didn't realise that it was such a global board. Members are from not only Singapore and Australia but also Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, India, and Japan. Of course AFCC is not just for Singapore. It is an outreach as well to the Asia Pacific region so it is only logical that there be representatives from a broad spectrum of folks from within the region. It did go longer than planned, so I think that is good and we certainly discussed future developments for AFCC festivals, like ways to improve the attendees experience and future programme initiatives. And then there was the board photo below, which, it was decided would be used in next year's printed programme ... and me the only one not in a dress shirt, but my shirt was a very new, nice, all cotton t-shirt! It is very much more formal than I am used to. Board meetings are a big responsibility and it is pretty amazing to think that a meeting like that an have an influence on what will happen in future developments for festivals and organisations. that's why I consider it a privilege to be on the boards that I am, and I hope that my input is valuable.
The final AFCC event for me was the Singapore Children's Literature lecture. In previous years this has always been fun and this year that tradition continued with the lecture, award presentations, and drama. It was wonderful to again hear Leonard Marcus deliver a lecture with his insights into three of the greats of children's picture book creation, Maurice Sendak, Mitsumaso Anno and Eric Carle. A dramatisation of a book by Singapore author David Seow was presented with lots of students transforming into flies in the room. The winner of the Scholastic Asian Fiction Award was announced and I know that I take lots of photos but there were sooooo many flash lights going off that there was no need for the facility lights!
... followed by MORE FOOD and networking and meeting folk, and an evening walk around the river foreshore.
And suddenly, apart from the masterclasses the next day, AFCC for 2012 and my trip to Singapore is over.
May 29, 2012
Asian Festival of Children's Content - Day 2
Day two in (very brief) summary shortly but first a few snaps from last night's SCBWI sponsored dinner in a most beautiful glass walled venue with the lights of Singapore at night flowing through ... on the 16th floor of the National Library. As part of the SCBWI partnership with AFCC we sponsor the evening and members and guests are invited. Tonight was hugely successful.
with the Hong Kong crew: Jan, Reshem (who is Singapore/Hong Kong), Kathleen
mingle and chat
food!
MY FOOD
eating food
amused listeners
the SCBWI RA crew
So today flowed rather rapidly by and because it is rather late i will leave this in brief with more to follow:
Breakfast meeting with Kathleen,Deliver session on Apps and EBooks for ToddlersFirst pages panellunch - food is vitalshort walk to stretch the legs and let the flood flow down.breakmy first BOARD MEETING (sounds like the title of a book)Skype Bini from hotelThe Singapore Children's Literature lecture,DINNER & mingleforeshore walk...
FIRST PAGES!
the BOARD
Final Lecture delivered by Leonard
Dramatic students!
... more on today tomorrow but now to bed!
This time tomorrow night i am homeward bound. But first to shop!
with the Hong Kong crew: Jan, Reshem (who is Singapore/Hong Kong), Kathleen
mingle and chat
food!
MY FOOD
eating food
amused listeners
the SCBWI RA crewSo today flowed rather rapidly by and because it is rather late i will leave this in brief with more to follow:
Breakfast meeting with Kathleen,Deliver session on Apps and EBooks for ToddlersFirst pages panellunch - food is vitalshort walk to stretch the legs and let the flood flow down.breakmy first BOARD MEETING (sounds like the title of a book)Skype Bini from hotelThe Singapore Children's Literature lecture,DINNER & mingleforeshore walk...
FIRST PAGES!
the BOARD
Final Lecture delivered by Leonard
Dramatic students!... more on today tomorrow but now to bed!
This time tomorrow night i am homeward bound. But first to shop!
May 28, 2012
Asian Festival Children's Content - Day 1
Breakfast really is a place for networking ... well it is if you are standing around waiting for folk to arrive for breakfast. There was more meeting and shaking of hands and "you're here again" said in the nicest possible way!!
But before I continue about Day 1 of the writers and illustrators strand last night's dining treat was here at the hotel on the top floor -- Hainanese Chicken and rice and soup, and black bean sauce, and chilli and finer sauce .... yummy!!!
So day 1 saw an opening keynote from Leonard Marcus talking about authors and illustrators searching for the right balance of education and entertainment in the books that we create, commenting also on the way kids learn and the things that they learn from the books they read. It's the counting, and the days of the week and the food that can be eaten in the Very Hungry Caterpillar. His insight and knowledge of children's books is wonderful ... like the fact that the Very Hungry Caterpillar was originally going to be called Willy the Worm!
Day 1 also saw a talk presented by Helen McAleer, MD of Walker Books UK and her talk on their approach to the multiformat future of publishing where publishers need to think outside the traditional publishing format (and authors and illustrators and agents too) with it now involving ebooks and apps and licensing and productions ... and other business ventures. But two focal points stood out:
Publishers must diversify and utilise their content, and the Content is King. Great content is the foundation of everything.
Great writers are still always needed!
There were also panels on the challenges of selling books in the Asia pacific region as well as panels on the very aspect of the asian-ness of titles and enabling them to be published for an international audience.
And this morning I was able to do my thing and present the first of my two talks, this one called Book Trailers, fashionable fad or the future ... and it must have been passable as lots of folks want the notes - i don't hand out notes at these sessions. These days lots of folks take photographs of the visuals anyway but if they really want notes they can contact me through the website to get them .. and thus drive traffic through my website and boost the rankings - oh and saving a few trees at the same time too. this photo below is a little deceiving as the room were a lot of folks filling the back rows ... what is this ting about sitting as far away as you can from the front!
Book Launches are a part of most festival, this festival included. Yesterday found celebrity Edmund Chen launching his new title ... instant crowd as this guy is a television personality, much photographing and a goodie bag for all - but wonderfully, today our IRAC (International Regional Advisor Chair) Kathleen Ahrens and Marjorie van Heerden (SCBWI RA South Africa) launched their lovely new dual language (with CD) title Numbers Do & Ears Hear. It' been a long time n the making but it is done! Hooray! At the launch Leonard and Kathleen were pouring over the book ... much admired. Alas, somehow my books never made it here! (bother, blast, ratkies!)
As SCBWI is a part sponsor Kathleen chaired a session that is well received at most SCBWI conferences - First Pages, when illustrators submit a sample spread of (in this case) 6 pages which is then critiqued by the panel.
session was just about packed
Other features of the day were about books crossing boundaries, picture book development n emerging countries, as well as a abel of Filipino authors and illustrators talking about their works. Interestingly there has been much less emphasis this year on the digital publishing side of things than in previous years, where folk were even forecasting the demise of the traditionally printed books. Not sure whether that is because of the programming or whether there is less interest in general but there sure seems to be less digital sessions - although I am doing one tomorrow.
And so a few meetings were part of the day and day one is done - except for tonight's SCBWI sponsored dinner ... for which I now have to prepare!
celebrity launch
lots of photographing
But before I continue about Day 1 of the writers and illustrators strand last night's dining treat was here at the hotel on the top floor -- Hainanese Chicken and rice and soup, and black bean sauce, and chilli and finer sauce .... yummy!!!
So day 1 saw an opening keynote from Leonard Marcus talking about authors and illustrators searching for the right balance of education and entertainment in the books that we create, commenting also on the way kids learn and the things that they learn from the books they read. It's the counting, and the days of the week and the food that can be eaten in the Very Hungry Caterpillar. His insight and knowledge of children's books is wonderful ... like the fact that the Very Hungry Caterpillar was originally going to be called Willy the Worm!
Day 1 also saw a talk presented by Helen McAleer, MD of Walker Books UK and her talk on their approach to the multiformat future of publishing where publishers need to think outside the traditional publishing format (and authors and illustrators and agents too) with it now involving ebooks and apps and licensing and productions ... and other business ventures. But two focal points stood out:
Publishers must diversify and utilise their content, and the Content is King. Great content is the foundation of everything.
Great writers are still always needed!
There were also panels on the challenges of selling books in the Asia pacific region as well as panels on the very aspect of the asian-ness of titles and enabling them to be published for an international audience.
And this morning I was able to do my thing and present the first of my two talks, this one called Book Trailers, fashionable fad or the future ... and it must have been passable as lots of folks want the notes - i don't hand out notes at these sessions. These days lots of folks take photographs of the visuals anyway but if they really want notes they can contact me through the website to get them .. and thus drive traffic through my website and boost the rankings - oh and saving a few trees at the same time too. this photo below is a little deceiving as the room were a lot of folks filling the back rows ... what is this ting about sitting as far away as you can from the front!
Book Launches are a part of most festival, this festival included. Yesterday found celebrity Edmund Chen launching his new title ... instant crowd as this guy is a television personality, much photographing and a goodie bag for all - but wonderfully, today our IRAC (International Regional Advisor Chair) Kathleen Ahrens and Marjorie van Heerden (SCBWI RA South Africa) launched their lovely new dual language (with CD) title Numbers Do & Ears Hear. It' been a long time n the making but it is done! Hooray! At the launch Leonard and Kathleen were pouring over the book ... much admired. Alas, somehow my books never made it here! (bother, blast, ratkies!)
As SCBWI is a part sponsor Kathleen chaired a session that is well received at most SCBWI conferences - First Pages, when illustrators submit a sample spread of (in this case) 6 pages which is then critiqued by the panel.
session was just about packedOther features of the day were about books crossing boundaries, picture book development n emerging countries, as well as a abel of Filipino authors and illustrators talking about their works. Interestingly there has been much less emphasis this year on the digital publishing side of things than in previous years, where folk were even forecasting the demise of the traditionally printed books. Not sure whether that is because of the programming or whether there is less interest in general but there sure seems to be less digital sessions - although I am doing one tomorrow.
And so a few meetings were part of the day and day one is done - except for tonight's SCBWI sponsored dinner ... for which I now have to prepare!
celebrity launch
lots of photographing
May 27, 2012
Asian Festival of Children's Content
And so where is Christopher Cheng (no this is not a Where's Wally adventure) -- it's hot and humid (I just love it) and there are a gazillion tourists walking around.
Last night I landed in Singapore for the Asian Festival of Children's Content which has just begun. This is the third year the festival has been running (Singapore Arts have done lots with writing over the years) and I am thrilled once again to be here ... and this time as a board member as well as presenter. A great new addition to the festival is the 'guest nation' feature and this year it is the Philippines. The festival takes in four sub strands - the teacher strand, the parents forum, the media summit and very importantly for me the Asian Children's Writers and Illustrators strand. SCBWI is a part sponsor of the festival. Yeah!
This really is a major festival that needs to be on all literary calendars for those in the Asia Pacific region and hopefully it will grow from strength to strength. Last year Steve Mooser was the keynote speaker and this year it is Leonard Marcus. I caught up with Leonard in New York earlier this year when we went on a walling tour so I am most definitely looking forward to hearing him speak.
I have written a post that has just popped up on Cynsations (go on have a look at Cynsations) about the importance of networking. Networking is how I got involved with the AFCC three years ago and has been the link for many of my international appearances of late.
And just to demonstrate, these are some of the terrific folks I bumped in to over breakfast just this morning --
[image error] the lovely Andrea Pasion-Flores (we chit chatted over breakfast), Candy Gourlay (we chit chatted after breakfast), Dianne Wolfer (we chit chatted in passing during breakfast) Rukhasana Khan (down in the foyer waiting to have breakfast), Uma Krishnaswami (also down in the foyer waiting to have breakfast), and Uma has a brand new book being launched here. Last year it was announced at this festival that Uma's manuscript won the Scholastic Asian Book Award and this year it is published. Hooray for Uma.
And totally buzzed I am to put up here a new award that I was involved in developing. It's the SingTel Asian Picture Book Award ... and the first one will be awarded here at the festival next year!
... and the folks above I have met on quite a few occasions - networking is not just a one off occasion! It continues.
So, as is my way I have to add here a piccie of last night's dining treat - Singapore Laksa. I just adore Laksa.
And for my first full day in Singapore it has been time for:
catching up with a few of the folks mentioned above, walking over to the festival venue to check in and gather goodies (they have a really nice sample bag)
putting the finishing touches to my presentations.zapping out to the electronics mall right next door to the hotel to grab an adaptor for my iPad. The mall is full of electronics stores - including heaps of Mac things ... and they all charge the same price!and adding a few images to the SCBWI presentation for tomorrow night.
So the AFCC doth begin.
More soon.
Last night I landed in Singapore for the Asian Festival of Children's Content which has just begun. This is the third year the festival has been running (Singapore Arts have done lots with writing over the years) and I am thrilled once again to be here ... and this time as a board member as well as presenter. A great new addition to the festival is the 'guest nation' feature and this year it is the Philippines. The festival takes in four sub strands - the teacher strand, the parents forum, the media summit and very importantly for me the Asian Children's Writers and Illustrators strand. SCBWI is a part sponsor of the festival. Yeah!
This really is a major festival that needs to be on all literary calendars for those in the Asia Pacific region and hopefully it will grow from strength to strength. Last year Steve Mooser was the keynote speaker and this year it is Leonard Marcus. I caught up with Leonard in New York earlier this year when we went on a walling tour so I am most definitely looking forward to hearing him speak.
I have written a post that has just popped up on Cynsations (go on have a look at Cynsations) about the importance of networking. Networking is how I got involved with the AFCC three years ago and has been the link for many of my international appearances of late.
And just to demonstrate, these are some of the terrific folks I bumped in to over breakfast just this morning --
[image error] the lovely Andrea Pasion-Flores (we chit chatted over breakfast), Candy Gourlay (we chit chatted after breakfast), Dianne Wolfer (we chit chatted in passing during breakfast) Rukhasana Khan (down in the foyer waiting to have breakfast), Uma Krishnaswami (also down in the foyer waiting to have breakfast), and Uma has a brand new book being launched here. Last year it was announced at this festival that Uma's manuscript won the Scholastic Asian Book Award and this year it is published. Hooray for Uma.
And totally buzzed I am to put up here a new award that I was involved in developing. It's the SingTel Asian Picture Book Award ... and the first one will be awarded here at the festival next year!
... and the folks above I have met on quite a few occasions - networking is not just a one off occasion! It continues.
So, as is my way I have to add here a piccie of last night's dining treat - Singapore Laksa. I just adore Laksa.
And for my first full day in Singapore it has been time for:
catching up with a few of the folks mentioned above, walking over to the festival venue to check in and gather goodies (they have a really nice sample bag)
putting the finishing touches to my presentations.zapping out to the electronics mall right next door to the hotel to grab an adaptor for my iPad. The mall is full of electronics stores - including heaps of Mac things ... and they all charge the same price!and adding a few images to the SCBWI presentation for tomorrow night.
So the AFCC doth begin.
More soon.
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