I had the *BEST* time in Geraldton this week…

I was up there as a guest of the Geraldton City Library, and I feel so lucky to have been part of the Children’s Book Week celebrations. Everyone was SO welcoming and friendly (and energetic! They regularly attract more than 40 kids to RhymeTime!!).

[And newsflash: If you want a great seaside holiday combined with a terrific writing festival, book a weekend at Geraldton Library’s action-packed Big Sky 2013: it’s going to be great!!]

My visit was super-busy but very smooth: Thanks to the team of librarians for driving me here, there and everywhere, to the teachers for reading my books to their classes, to the school librarians for their gorgeous welcome displays, and to all the entire classrooms of kids for their great questions and great ideas. I came away Very Impressed Indeed!

As part of the week I also spoke on a panel at Nagle Catholic College‘s annual Girls’ Afternoon Tea, where I shared the couch with a Nagle student, a Nagle mum and two fresh, funny Nagle English teachers.

The afternoon was DELICIOUS and I had lots of fun. There was lots of audience participation, with students sharing their favourite books, their booky questions and their booky experiences. What a great idea! Well done everyone who participated!

I was also lucky enough to be able to speak at the Randolph Stow Young Writers Awards, which received more than 600 entries this year! Well done everyone!

It was so exciting to see all the nervous young writers accept their prizes (YAY!), and then to see them afterwards, when the pressure was off and the nerves were gone. I really thought some of them might fly out the door, they were so happy (and rightly so!) Great work everyone who entered and keep up the good work! Keep entering competitions!!

I also have to mention the terrific job that John Willcock College did in hosting the award ceremony for this year’s Randolph Stow Young Writer’s Awards. Their staff and student council were extremely welcoming and professional, with students doing a brilliant job of reading some of the winning entries. Thanks to everyone who helps to sponsor the awards: it’s thanks to opportunities like this that young writers, speakers and actors get a chance to shine.