Somehow my book-week in mid September turned into a ‘book-fortnight’. I visited Balnarring Primary for two days, Cribpoint Primary later that week, the following week it was St Joseph’s Cribpoint, and finished off with Albert Park College. All the children and young people mentioned above made great audiences and I have nothing but admiration for their hard working teachers. Having in a past been a high school teacher myself, I had almost forgotten the enormous leap students make as they move from the carefully protected environment of the primary school to high school status.

This week I also had the opportunity to meet the very clever genealogist Shauna Hicks. If anyone is interested in tracing their family tree, I suggest you check out
http://www.unlockthepast.com.au/blogs/shauna-hicks

Presently, I am preparing for a busy October. I will be on two panels with Catherine Jinks and Sue Bursztynski at the SheKilda Festival, speaking about writing crime for young readers. This venue is rapidly followed by my other ‘hat’ when I’m running an all day seminar for the Port Phillip Council on ‘mentoring memoirs’. So far I have had a surprising number of willing participants. Should be an interesting day for all concerned.