Dim's Write Stuff

A few dozen moons ago, this little black duck backpacked around Europe and the Middle East. It was the era of reverse-charges communications, before the advent of free Wi-Fi or even the Internet for that matter. The sensation of roaming freely through unknown countries and soaking up new cultures with nothing more than a well-thumbed travel guide, three pairs of gaily coloured socks and the budget of a nine-year-old was inexplicably fulfilling. Our packs contained our whole existence yet the horizon possessed everything else we really needed – or wanted. I suspect author, film-maker, adventurer extraordinaire, Tim Cope’s feelings about his incredible expeditions replicate those I had some 26 years ago – only, a thousandfold. Fast forward 12 or so years and I find myself watching this remarkable young man on the tellie, forging through extreme weather conditions on horseback across the impossibly remote Eurasian Steppes. His aim: to travel 10,000 kilometres from Mongolia to the ...

This author has been fortunate to be involved with the biennial  StoryArts festival in Ipswich for a number of years now, as a panel host, session reporter, delegate and fan of Kids' Lit. This year, however I had the joy of presenting to the school children, who each festival, are bused in from around SE Queensland to enjoy a host of story and drawing orientated sessions performed by a stellar lineup of children's authors and illustrators from around Australia. The school and family programs make up the bulk of the Festival operating out of Marburg near Ipswich, which concludes with a brief Adults' program, this year running in Brisbane. Lucky primary school children and their families are still enjoying events (I was only able to do one day) but my memories of the marvellous location at Woodlands of Marburg , lingering over lattes with industry mates and presenting in one of the haunted rooms of the magnificent Woodlands mansion remain sharp and colourful.  T...