Dim's Post Autumn Dump


Life's been a hodgepodge of comings and goings of late. Wins and losses. Swings and Roundabouts. Cliches aside, it's just life. One can't, or shouldn't try to, truncate it even if by attempting to do so creates a sense of accomplishment and win for time management. Regardless, because humans are contradictory beings, here I go, anyway!

It's mainly a recap of work, my excuses for failing to write one single new word of fiction for myself thus far, this year. I'm sure or at least furtively hopeful, that my writing mojo will return forthwith but, in the meantime, take great solace and a serious serving of enjoyment in presenting writing workshops, seminars and sessions for kids and grownups everywhere. 

And so, the dump:

  • Online masterclass presentations in multiple ending stories proved a hit with the G.A.T.E WAYS gifted and talented kids
  • In school programs with yet more G.A.T.E WAYS kids never fail to entertain and enthral. Visit their site for a swag of brilliant STEM and literary based programs to choose from throughout the year.
  • Transforming budding scribes into fully fledged storytellers amps satisfaction to the nth degree, in both camps - theirs and mine - while tickling the anxiety a bit, too - just mine! There are simply so many gifted kids out there with darn great stories to share. This was abundantly evident in the Write Like An Author (WLAA) school holiday writing camps I facilitated recently. I've really got to up my game! 😆 More camps are coming up so visit the WLAA site if you have a child keen to hone their love for writing. 
WLAA Camp at Brisbane Boy's College
  • Speaking of love of writing, I shared my 'how to be a rad kids' writer', Top Five Dos and Don'ts For Children's Authors with the newly formed, Children's Publishing Academy. Swing over to their site if you're a burgeoning author of children's stories with serious aspirations about getting published or simply curious to know what I reckon helps. 
    Mastering Mindfulness session at AFCC May 2024

  • Time to raise the temp a bit, which I did by attending the Asian Festival of Children's (AFCC) in Singapore last month. This was my second festival with them on site although I've been fortunate to be involved with this super informative and enlightening celebration of all things Kids' Lit for the past few years online. This year I presented and moderated a magnificent panel of artists both Australian and Asian. You can read and view the many marvellous programs and events that embraced four awe-inspired days via the AFCC website. (I'd need a month-full of blog posts to do it justice).
    Book signing with fellow Aussie author, Sally Murphy at the AFCC

    Me with Priyanka Shahra and the AFCC crew, Caroline and Wei

    Hanging out at the AFCC with SCBWI chums and illustrator David Liew

  • The theme of this year's AFCC festival was - Curiosity. I was ably impressed to be judged a Curiosity Connoisseur as per their online quiz. 
     
  • While in Rome or this case Singapore, it would have been remiss of me to forego the opportunity to present in one of the colleges there. Thanks to my agents at Speakers Ink and the dynamic, Shirley Roser of XCL World Academy International College, I got to experience this very pleasure. Spanning two days, we - the effusive, Pippa Pigeon and I - presented writing workshop and imagination spurring sessions to the entire Primary cohort. It was my first go at presenting to bilingual youngsters with limited English so the challenge was real but stimulating. 
    So much fun!
And so, as I take a few days to come up for breath and wonder how the heck my counterparts do this (endless gig thing) so consistently well while still pumping out books, I remind myself that the pleasure of crafting stories is not a competition (although some end up there), rather a happy amble through known and unknown territory while stumbling across pleasant and arresting discoveries, so remarkable they have to be recorded. Somehow. In some time. 

Thanks for sitting through my droll little round-up. I hope it jiggles your inspiration somehow, if by doing no more than showing you where persistence, patience and hard work can eventually take you. 

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