NIGHT OF OUR STARS...

Last night I attended, with several of my writing buddies,  the CBCA 2018 Night of Our Stars at Lamont Books in Hallam.

It was an interesting night. Celebrating some of our Victorian authors and illustrators, both those who write and illustrate for picture books and junior novels, as well as middle grade and young adult.

The idea behind it is to showcase the various authors and illustrators, to share their recently published books but also as a way for the audience (majority teacher librarians, teachers and librarians) to see who they would like to book for their school or library for future events. Author visits or workshops.

It was a good mix of some great Victorian authors and illustrators.


What was very interesting was that each guest was given three minutes- yes THREE MINUTES- for their spiel. To talk about their current books, their just published books, how they wrote, what gave them the idea for the story, how they worked around problems that arose....and all of these topics were brought up.

But...THREE MINUTES!

Not a huge amount of time at all, especially when you have a lot of information to get across. 

There was also a Draw Off at the end of the session between the illustrators...Mark Carthew and Serena Geddes at one end of the room....
Adam Wallace and Nicky Johnston at the other. 




Three minutes to draw a picture which contained stars, books and the Lamont warehouse. 

I took home a few ideas of several people I would LOVE to come and talk at our library...but also a few tips that would be very useful for any writer.

The idea of condensing what you have to say in three minutes. Yes you have to do your work and cut and edit, but you could easily have a great 'concept' or mini speech in those three minutes.

Another good idea was given to us by Serena, who writes her story pitch (only a sentence) on the back of business cards to give to people.

I don't have any business cards but do like the idea of writing down in one sentence your story/ novel/ book idea so concisely and clearly. And so easily able to be taken with you. 

It was good to get out and about. To listen to some authors I have read for years, some I have just began to read, and a few I have yet to read but whose books I have ordered in.

My TO READ list is getting longer and longer. 

Vicki 

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