Merry Squishy Christmas

Thanks for joining me for another year at the Well Read Rabbit. Everyone who has hopped by has been so generous with their comments and encouragement, so Squish Rabbit and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and safe journey into the New Year.

As is the way with this time of year, I’ll be taking some time off from all things writerly, including this blog. I’m currently in tropical (ie. cyclonic) Mackay, the town I grew up in, spending the week with family and friends. Then from Boxing day to New Year’s Eve I’ll be hanging out at the Woodford Folk Festival, camping, dancing, drinking and meeting lots of awesome creative types.

So to end the year I’ll leave you with this (somewhat frightening) image – the gumboots I bought for stumping around the festival if/when the weather sets in. Think I’ll blend in?

See you in the new year!

Writerly Party

Who said writers are a shy, unsocial bunch? I can’t speak for all writerly types, but at the very least Queensland writers aren’t. Last Thursday the Queensland Writers Centre threw its annual Christmas party, the first one held at their new premises at the State Library, South Bank.

This night was especially exciting for me as it was also the launch of the 2011 program of workshops and masterclasses. For the first time I’ll be a part of it, presenting a workshop called Making Picture Books in August next year. For more info (and to see my grinning mug) check it out on the QWC’s webpage. Here’s a snippet from their site about what the workshop will cover:

Focusing on the principles of writing for children and the craft of creating picture books, as well as covering how to build your resume and submit work to publishers, Katherine Battersby will illustrate each concept using picture book examples drawing from both classic and modern Australian titles. Perfect for anyone with a children’s story in the making!

It was a great night, with much chit chat, wine, finger food and posing in lovely frocks (mainly the women). Unfortunately there was no dancing, as some rumour mongers would have you think (you know who you are – Kathleen I’m looking at you). See the photos below for evidence of the fun had:

Me, Simon Groth (author and new addition to QWC staff) & Jodi DeVantier (WQ Editor)

Me, David 'Ghostboy' Stavanger (poet and general trouble maker), Kathleen Noud (YA writer / rumour monger) & Peter Allert (illustrator)