Dim's Write Stuff

Risk taking is never easy to contemplate let alone actuate. EK Books have done so with me on more than one occasion. When publisher, Anouska Jones first approached me to publish one of my stories, the then fledging The Fix-It Man , I could hardly believe it. My story about grief and loss had ticked all of EK Books' boxes. Several years on, EK Books has blossomed from a handful of titles to the impressive children's imprint of  Exisle Publishing stabling titles by well-known creators and rising new talent that expound the premise 'books with heart on issues that matter '. Fortunately for me, domestic violence is an issue that matters very much to them. Today I want to shout out my eternal gratitude to Anouska and the entire EK Books team for being foresighted and bold enough to not only take on this delicate subject but for embracing Flick's story with as much enthusiasm and determination as I. As Holyrood Lane's illustrator, Nicky Johnston and I ...

From the second I heard Founder and President of Think Equal , Leslee Unwin utter the words of Socrates, ' education of the head without education of the heart is no education at all ' I knew this lady was so much more than just an advocate for change.   Helming the mighty force that is Think Equal , Leslee truly believes that through the process of narration, young people have the opportunity to develop their empathetic abilities - through stories, reading, conversations and experimental learning, change is made. We share a similar conviction, that books and story mediate empathy and create emotionally intelligent, sympathetic human beings who become critical thinkers able to self-regulate. It is why I embrace picture books with difficult subject matter. It is why Leslee supports the intent behind At The End of Holyrood Lane . Today I thank Leslee for her generous words of endorsement and applaud her and all that she does to empower communities across the globe...

So this will be happening soon. I'd be two-cows-over-the-moon happy if you could join me in the celebrations. #AtTheEndofHolyroodLane #picturebook #booklaunch #newrelease #NickyJohnston #EKBooks #DomesticViolence #dosomething

It's time to find a little box to hop onto and hold up my new book baby to the world. Illustration courtesy Nicky Johnston Pop onto the link to Kids' Book Review below for the full REVEAL. Kids' Book Review: Cover Reveal: At The End of Holyrood Lane : I love announcements and this time it's something I'm extra excited to shout about ... the imminent arrival of my new picture book...

Living is an uncompromising occupation at times. You often have to sift through mountains of detritus to find even the tiniest diamond chips. Sometimes, you get lucky. But more often you discover the hard way that fate is a capricious companion and good luck is never guaranteed.   Despite all this, I believe that good things do come to those who wait, and as the saying goes, better things come to those who work for them. I've been one of the so-called lucky ones these past few months. Realising a dream come true has the tendency to inflate joy, rekindle hope and raise esteem. The release of The Fix-It Man , has done all that and more for me. I want to say THANK YOU  to all those who have thanked me and Nicky Johnston for this book - for all the 'thank yous'. You have embraced our humble story with full and open hearts. Some degree of fan fare always surrounds any new book release. Ours was no exception. The groundswell of appreciation and positive reviews for The ...

Today, we celebrate this   in all its wonderful glory. Thank you EK Books and Nicky Johnston for being part of an amazing dream come true. I'll be celebrating with a live cross to ABC Canberra Radio . Feel free to pop a bottle of bubbles on my behalf until I return. 😊

I mustn't give too much away. There are enough marvellous revelations about The Fix-It Man today as it is thanks in huge part to our sensational collection of Blog Bursting hosts. However, in the essence of a short sweet bubble burst, here are a few insights that didn't make their final cuts. Inspiration for: A baby, a bowl, a daddy and many, many tubes of Superglue First draft generated: April 2014 Number of drafts and rewrites : 17 Number of title changes: None -truly Number of thank you cards I would have to send to those who helped get this baby off the ground, before it was published: At least eight, not counting the husband who kept working to feed us throughout my creative confinement. Ante-publication awards won: Kids' Book Review Unpublished Picture Book Manuscript Award 2013 - shortlisted . Now that it has a real cover and pictures, it might win some more. Location of author when the contract confirmation call came through...finally:...

Little Witches ~ Angela and sister Nadia Sunde at Snap Magic's Launch Tweenhood is a terrifically testing time. One I remember of intense scrutiny when everything about you; the way you look, the way you dress and the friends you avoid suddenly becomes big deal. You find yourself navigating that mystical ground twixt ‘little kid’ and ‘fully fledged adolescent’, feeling as though your every move is being examined under some humongous magnifying glass for humiliating broadcast. It’s a time to loosen grip on your childhood beliefs while at the same time search for new vessels of magic in which to float your maturing soul. Complicated concepts at any age, but utterly bewildering at age twelve. Yet Lily Padd, star of Angela Sunde’s inaugural Pond Magic , is about to set sail in another tale of pre-puberty angst to prove to us all that tweenhood really is ‘a snap’. Snap Magic snaps, crackles and fizzes from the moment Lily plunges into the girls’ toilets to escape the pa...

Today is special. Today we welcome two new girls to the neighbourhood. They are Tottie and Dot and they grace the pages of Tania McCartney's and Tina Snerling's latest creation, Tottie and Dot . To celebrate, the girls are having a BLOG BLAST party guaranteed to have you screaming with delight.  H ere's a snippet of what I thought of this yummy picture book. Tottie andDot is the latest picture book deliciousness doled up by Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling. As with their previous bestseller, An Aussie Year, Tottie and Dot effortlessly teams McCartney’s delectable dream-like story line with Snerling’s candy-luscious illustrations. Sweetly simple statements are anchored on full double page spreads with divinely drawn detail, right down to the tiny-tarred paw prints and gumball pebbled paths . You can read the rest of my review of Tottie and Dot here . Meanwhile, I've just spotted illustrator, Tina Snerling . If I can keep her away from the apricot sandwi...

Thrilled to announced I'm on the road again, touring the blog-sphere this time with Alison Reynolds and The Littlest Bushranger . Be sure to join Alison and I on Friday 14th June at Boomerang Books Blog. Can't wait to get wait to jump in the saddle and take off. Yeah Ha. Visit Alison's site for a full listing of Blog Tour dates and competition details. http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au/