little by little

Hi,
Well little by little I am sort of figuring out blogs... I have managed to put an image up.. yes it's my cover for the children's book which will be published by Penguin in August.
The launch for BONES will be at The Children's Bookshop in Kilbirnie, Wellington. The Launcher will be Kate de Goldi. I am looking forward to it as it will be a chance to stand in one of the best bookshops in the country next to a whole lot of children's authors I admire and hold MY book.

Writing about authors I admire brings me to this weeks subject. I have been asked to write an article for the Dompost on Jack Lasenby and his latest book. 800 words was the length... so far I'm up to 1200 and I'm only half way....horrors but what do you leave out?

Jack is the most amazing children's book writer as well as being the esteemed Patron of the Wellington Children's Book Association. In 2002, we, the association (I was chair at the time), set up The Jack Lasenby Award, a bi ennial competition for children and children's writers.
His early exploits in the bush read like a tale from one of his tall stories.
Jack was a deer culler in the Urewera's about twenty years earlier than when I was growing up there. I knew some of his old mates and I know the country he writes about.
Jack and I had a good chuckle about the fact that, twenty years after he and his mates were there, children were still being warned that the deer cullers were in town (Murupara)and to avoid going in because they were a drunken lot....
His latest book, Old Drumble, tells tales of the cunningest drovers dog that ever lived. A lot of the country side in that book I know because I went to high school on the Hauraki Plains. I also knew a few dogs that could have been the model for Old Drumble. It's funny the connections I have from Jacks books.... It's like he is writing my childhood.

Now that I've figured out putting images on the blog, I plan to put my favourite pictures from space up....and Mars!
maureen

tricky things about blogs

Well it's all a bit tricky if you want to leave a message on my blog.
Blogspot have layered in new privacy regs. so you can leave a message if you already have a blogspot account or if you create an open id. If you don't have either contact, I have set up an email address maureencrisp@gmail.com for you to respond to.
I hope to link this into my blog to make it easier to contact me.
So far navigating my way around the various sites has taken a lot of time. I really should be back on mars....however I am learning!!!!!!
Sometimes my brain feels like it's melting...
I have started to look at other children's writers blogs out there and boy there are some amazing ones.... I have lots to aspire to...
When I learn linking I will put up the best ones that I discover as well as important links to organisations in NZ that promote children's lit.
On that note I am on a countdown to the NZPost Children's Book Awards in May. I have four friends among the finalists-one in each catagory, and two friends on the judging panel....so this year I hope to get a ticket to the ceremony....they're very sort after....so thanks FIFI (convenor of WCBA and judge of the awards) for thinking of me.
Next year my book Bones will be eligible for the awards....cross fingers.
I am expecting the page proofs any day, and when I figure out links I will post a picture of the cover.
Have a great day!
maureen