Dim's Write Stuff

Like Nigella Lawson, I am crushed to have reached the end of this book. It has been a true companion in recent days, a place I have relished (and rushed) to return to. Its occupants devastatingly alluring, a sheer buzz to hang out with, even the reprehensible ones. Lessons in Chemistry is simply the best book I’ve read this year. Okay, it’s the also the first book I’ve read but what a humdinger to start with! Smart, sassy, no nonsense – this summarises the premise, plot and the standout heroine, Elizabeth Zott who it turns out, is the sum of many superlative things: chemist, rower, mother, TV star which ultimately concentrates down to staunch feminist. Or as she prefers, humanist. But that’s not all. This novel heightens one’s sense of intelligence. It’s an articulate read that rallies intellectual spirit and challenges status quo smashing the shackles of antiquated belief systems centering around  useless values based on categories of sex, race, economic status and religion ...

The Grandest Bookshop in the World It’s something I’ve always wanted to do – live in a bookshop and be surrounded by the magic of words and other spellbinding things, like cake. Siblings Pearl and Vally Cole are living that dream. But it’s not just any old bookshop; it’s the Cole’s Book Arcade in Melbourne. Their fantastical story germinates from their father’s own stirring rags to riches tale and meanders closely to the actual chronological time line of the eccentric Edward Cole, founder of Coles Book Arcade in the late 1800s. The key thing to remember be you staff, family member or patron of the Arcade is that buying a book is secondary to enjoying your visitation. Customers are encouraged to relax, read, dine on tantalising fare, wander through the exotic gardens harbouring monkeys, or perhaps select a curious toy for a well-behaved youngster. These fascinations really did exist and in the Cole children’s thrilling tale form the critical backdrops to their chilling (fictional) a...

Last time I checked, the world is still spinning. It's just some days, it feels like everything is a little off centre, topsy-turvy even. Life can be like that; like an out-of-control fun park ride that threatens to make you a bit sick. But it can also be the opportunity to make the most out of a new experience. It just depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? In recent times, we've all been forced to look at things a bit differently, including we authors. For the time being, we are not able to reach out and share with you all in person via school visits and festivals but of course that doesn't mean we want to stop sharing! So, like many of my clever colleagues, I have made a few life changes and adaptations in an effort to remain accessible and available for you. I've revamped my YouTube channel which was already chock-a-block full of book launches, book trailers , behind-the-scene sneek peeks , author-life shares and more. Here, take a look... ...

The world is undoubtedly in a state of upset and turmoil. Worry besets fear, besets panic, besets much more than just a corruption of health and well being. Whilst books cannot provide the whole cure or even offer all the solutions, they can help to ' restore resilience, uplift and reconnect humanity '. It's heartening to see so many people including booksellers, both the bricks and mortar and online kinds and publishers, rally to not only preserve their own business models and staff welfare but more saliently, their customers' best interests by offering incentives to help people decide how best to spend their dwindling pay packets. I normally abhor catch phrases, but it really does feel like we're all in this together, more than ever before in my time on this planet in any case. So I'm more than pleased to see that my publisher, EK Books and their parent company, Exisle Publishing are offering... FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON ALL ORD...

It's no secret I love a good read. If books were chocolate, I'd be as big as a whale because I just can't say no to them. Perhaps what I love most about my role as a kids' author is knowing that somewhere out there one of my stories is being savoured and enjoyed as much as a tubful of chocolate. Even better is when that story is being shared. Reading a story to another human is in my mind, one of the most intimate, caring and valuable shared experiences we can give each other. There is something about hearing another person's voice express a world of wonder and intrigue that simultaneously entrances and soothes. I think that's why Story Time on Playschool is still my favourite part of the show. So to emphasize the wonder of reading, the international reading campaign to encourage kids to get adults to read to them is all set to run again on the 19 March. International Read To Me Day , was created as another essential cog in the literacy advocacy wheel. It...

For the first time ever, I walked into a writing conference bereft of note book and pen. I'm a fastidious note-taker by nature so this oversight was more a result of a clogged up brain in need of defragging rather then act of intent. The distraction of having to emcee a few conference sessions for the inaugural SCBWI QLD State Conference  was probably also to blame but I still managed to drag home a few significant take away points from what was a hugely successful day of sharing, caring and entertainment. You'll find some of my favourite revelations below. Visit the Story Craft page for a full outline of this year's Program  and Presenters. Some of the Conference happy campers What sparks publishers' interest? Fresh ideas Solid ideas told in dramatically exciting new ways Manuscripts that possess a hook from the get go Synopsises that hook from the get go Quietly beautiful literary works may be beautiful but make your work SHOUT its point of ...

About six years ago, I launched my first book, PS Who Stole Santa's Mail? I was a consummate newbie to the book launching game and filled my presentation time (and my audience's ears) with platitudes of gratefulness and incredulity. However, there was one point I did linger on ... the joy of hearing a book read aloud. For me, listening to story time on Play School is still one of the purest joys on earth. To hear another human's voice relay ' the flow of language ', slowly unveiling a story you can't wait to hear the ending for is indescribably soothing and fulfilling. I think this is because from the inception of speech, it is something that we have been conditioned and accustomed to. I'd forgotten how good this made me feel until I was lucky enough to listen to a teacher librarian read a clutch of picture books to a group of children I was conducting the Read Up program with at the time. Again, hearing the rise and fall of a human voice bring the ...

November 13 is World Kindness Day Comos - WKD floral symbol A day to ' to look beyond ourselves, beyond the boundaries of our country, beyond our culture, our race, our religion; and realise we are citizens of the world. As world citizens we have a commonality, and must realise that if progress is to be made in human relations and endeavours, if we are to achieve the goal of peaceful coexistence, we must focus on what we have in common. When we find likenesses we begin to experience empathy, and in such a state we can fully relate to that person or those people.' For me, it's the supreme power of story that promotes empathy. Stories collected over time, through life experiences, embellished with hope and humour and ultimately shared , like the stories we share with children. The best stories of all. When you read with a child, you share more than just a tale in words (and pictures). You share smiles, distribute joy, radiate love and yes, generate emo...

'Books have a powerful way of triggering the imagination of children and building their understanding of the world.' CEO  Elaine Ng of the National Library Board, Singapore This was a sentiment echoed not only in my own seminar at this year's Asian Festival for Children's Content 2017 (AFCC) but in many other sessions I attended and moderated for as well.  The official AFCC 2017 program, which ran from 17 - 21 May 2017, is nearly 90 pages long bursting with over 120 conference sessions and book-related events for delegates and the general public. That's a lot of talking, work-shopping, pitching and exchanging. I was delighted to be in the thick of it having been invited to present and launch my latest picture book there. I can but hope to reproduce the animated vibe and sense of camaraderie I experienced wondering up and down the multi-floored, air-conditioned halls of the mighty National Library, but I'm going to try... Leslee Udwin punchin...

Life should be about caring and sharing right? And while I concede there's a rightful time and place to smoast (trendy new term and semi-acceptable behaviour for social media boast, but not quite as trendy and acceptable as gangnam style ), I do care to share other things when time permits. And what better time than the school holidays? Sick of dragging the kids in and out of the pool? Tired of endless outings to the local shopping centre? Free-activity'ed out? Broke from repeated visits to other 'worlds'? Seen all the age-appropriate new release movies? Then why not get back to basics with your kids or someone else's if you are short on kids and big on love and time. OK this is where it gets a bit bookish...but this is a wonderful way to spend time with your under 10 year olds, while generating a little creativity at the same time. It takes place over a week - 5 days, but could be condensed to less days or increased to cover the number of days yo...

I'm fond of quotes which cast wide philosophical nets, evoke emotion and rearrange one's thinking. But sometimes you just can't beat the Oldies but Goodies like this of Dr Seuss (I Can Read with my Eyes Shut). "The more that you read, The more things you will know, The more that you learn,  The more places you'll go . " It simply recounts an epiphany I had in the girls' toilets of my new school in Adelaide as a wise old Grade One newbie (not sure why it occurred there, maybe because water inspires me); That books would always be my friends, that I could attain absolutely anything from within them and that their power was limitless. Wouldn't it be lovely to bestow this upon children so that their worlds are boundless too?