Rovers Revealed # 4

I do love a good reveal. I confess, I’m one of those types who appreciate a bit of explanation at the end of a well-read tale so I can be sure of who’s who and what’s what and why it all ended up that way. Colour me duller than dishwater but for me, that beats being left in the dark with my (out of bounds) imagination.  Here at SCBWI, we never want you to feel in the dark either, so here is another of our Meet and Greet series reveals. Sit back and become better acquainted with two more of our sparkly Roving Reporters, Canetoad, Melanie Hill and Cockroach, Ramona Davey. *

Melanie Hill

Melanie Hill

Melanie has loved fairy tales since her birth in 1971. She has always written poetry for pleasure. The need to write fiction was dragged from her unconscious during hostage training prior to deploying to Iraq. Now, she is the matriarch of a wild gang of outlaw kids and is married to a former pirate. Melanie is terrified of crocodiles, mice and swamp monsters, but she enjoys cloud busting, travelling by train, and stories with hopeful (but not happy) endings.

You can follow Melanie on twitter @melanieahill, facebook under Melanie Hill Author, or her bloghttp://melaniehill.weebly.com/

Is this your first SCWBI Conference?

This is my first SCBWI Conference

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

I hope to come away with 1-2 new writing friends and ideas on how to improve my work.

As a creator in the Kids Literary Industry, what do you want to be best known for?

I would like to be best known for children's poetry, and action packed stories.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

I cannot live without my family. They inspire me and stop me from spending too much time daydreaming.

Ramona Davey

Ramona Davey

Ramona Davey was born in Jersey. She is an experienced primary teacher with a specialty in Art & Design.

Ramona writes picture books, junior fiction and middle grade novels. She has a passion for rhyme, quirky stories and historical fiction.

She also participates in Tania McCartney’s 52 week Illustration Challenge.

In 2012 Ramona wrote, illustrated and self-published a picture book called “The Jersey Twelve Days Of Christmas.” She also created it as an eBook for iPad with sound effects for iTunes.

Writers Groups/Societies:

NSW Writers Centre

SCBWI - NZ & Australia

Ramona is new member co-ordinator for SCBWI Aus/NZ – Sydney region)

You can contact Ramona on the following social media:

Blog: http://ramonadavey.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RamonaofJersey

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jerseyramona/

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This year will be my third SCBWI Conference and I am really looking forward to it.

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

This year's may be the most memorable, as I no longer feel like a nervous newbie. As New Member Co-ordinator for SCBWI Sydney region I can meet and greet new SCBWI members and do my best at making them feel welcome and not alone. 

As a creator in the Kids Literary Industry, what do you want to be best known for?

Writing hard to put down children's books - whether it be through my humorous writing or for extremely interesting and mind blowing historical stories.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

Hand cream. :-)

 *Any assumption that either of these ladies resemble the creatures of their home-states is purely speculative and that of the author’s. No offence to either state, reporter or creature is intended, unless of course you are a Queenslander, like I am…

Better rove you later!

Dimity

#SCBWISyd

Behind the Scenes - Meet Aura Parker

The SCBWI Sydney Conference 2016 aims to enrich and unite creators and industry professionals in meaningful and productive ways. One such vehicle for eliciting exciting opportunities is the ever-popular Illustrator Showcase. This event aims to display the talent of SCBWI illustrators in situ so that a veritable army of publishers, designers, and editors are exposed to it often resulting in contracts for work.

This year, one of our own SCBWI success stories, Aura Parker was solicited to provide the 2016 Conference Showcase logo banner. Here is her delectable design.

If you are attending the Conference this year, keep a look out for her. If not, why not brew a cup of tea and get to know her better, now.

Aura Parker is a Sydney based author, illustrator and designer who makes prints, textiles and children’s picture books. Her work is joyful, imaginative, and brimming with details to explore. Aura also designs and exhibits screen prints and handcrafted textiles at Studio Bonnie. She has a background in graphic design and a passion for children's literature. Aura’s books Twig and My Magnificent Jelly Bean Tree will be out in 2016.

Are you attending the Sydney Conference in September? Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where? 

Yes, this will be my second Sydney SCBWI conference.  

What is the most memorable conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

 At a SCBWI Conference, you'll find all the book nerds who never grew up hanging out together in one place - and what a lovely bunch they are! The thing I enjoyed most was the conversations. I met writers and illustrators who have since become friends, which is great because most of my work is solitary and it's inspiring to be connected to other creative people and hear what they are up to. 

You were chosen as the illustrator for this year’s Illustrators’ Showcase. Please describe the theme. What are you hoping to convey? 

The theme is 'tea and talent’. I was trying to portray a sense of fun at an under-the-sea tea party. I imagined these little characters as children being playful and creative.

Why do you think it’s important to include Portfolio Showcases in Conferences like this one? 

The Showcase is an excellent way to have your work seen by publishers and art directors and especially useful for new people trying to break into the industry.

As a creator in the Kids Literary Industry, what do you want to be best known for? 

As an author/illustrator of picture books that kids will come back to, spend time with and pore over the details.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

Coffee

Aura, from one book nerd who is still struggling to grow up to another, I couldn’t have written it better! Thank you. View Aura’s beautiful tea and talent inspired illustrations, here.

Don’t forget to visit again as we introduce you to even more of our terrific Roving Reporters team.

Till then, Rove ya later!

Dimity

#SCBWISyd

Meet the Team Part 3

This week we reveal our token male Rover! Every crew benefits from having a solid male presence…we have Giuseppe!

Some of you may know him as a shy retiring owlet or better remember him as a scowling orange grumble. Meeting Giuseppe Poli, the artist behind these beguiling picture book characters is as entertaining as being in one of his stories. See why below.

Our second featured Rover hardly needs any introduction; she is one of Australia’s best-loved and most endearing authors of children’s and young adult fiction and I just love her stories to bits. Meet, Nette Hilton.  Keep an eye out for both of them at this year’s SCBWI Sydney 2016 Conference.

Giuseppe Poli

Giuseppe Poli lives in Brisbane and is one ecstatic newcomer to the Children’s literature world.

Giuseppe has illustrated three pictures books, Hootie the Cutie (New Frontier, 2014), Fearless with Dad (New Frontier, 2015), Oliver’s Grumbles (DragonTales, 2015) and is currently finishing his fourth. In 2016 Fearless with Dad was published in Korea.

Giuseppe is a sought after presenter at schools, sharing his passion for imagination, his belief in the creative process and of the potential in us all. 

As a creative, Giuseppe has found his home in Children’s Literature - he is feverishly pursuing his Author Illustrator career and can’t wait to publish his own stories to continue to delight people for many more years to come.

www.giuseppepoli.com

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? 

Yes, this is my first one and I'm so excited!

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have? 

I'm coming to learn, share and grow.  I need to improve my ability to tell/show stories and I need to be a part of a team that brings great stories to life.  I'm hoping I can make progress on both of those.  I'm also hoping to be able to share some cool insights to help others on their journey.

I can't wait to meet fellow creatives and publishing professionals. After this conference, I would love to be able to call many of these amazing peeps, my friends. 

As a creator in the Kids Literary Industry, what do you want to be best known for? 
When kids and parents see my name on a book, they know it's going to be a great ride.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

My family is number one. After them, I just can't live without creating, especially creating things that brighten someone's day or simply makes their life just a little bit more special.

Nette Hilton

Nette Hilton is a reporter with a roving eye. She lives on NSW far north coast and is the proud author of lottsa kids and YA books, some of them pretty good. Currently she continues to write and fill her time with writerly things like festivals, and school visits and learning as much as she can about writing and story making. Her latest conquest is to master illustrating her own work and, so far, has had one work accepted – and rejected (but the good news is that it wasn’t let down by illos).

www.nettehilton.com.au

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This is my second SCWBI conference and I attended in Sydney at Hughenden – four years ago? I think – 2012 (know I wore blue denim boots).

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

An impromptu meet up with Karen Tayleur about the little bear book that Peter Taylor and I had put together. This resulted in a long, long story about my ‘Fox and Hen – a love story’ manuscript being adopted for a week’s residency at Pinerolo to work on illustrations and then presented to Five Mile and then . . . rejected.  

As a creator in the Kids Literary Industry, what do you want to be best known for?

The opportunity to say ‘good lookin’ ‘ is very strong but . . . no – I’d like to be best known for being a successfully published author who is still trying to win – and a willing and helpful mentor to up-and-coming writers.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

My family – they’re a story without end . . .

 Thanks Giuseppe and Nette!

Keep your eyes peeled, there are a few more members lurking in the wings, dying to be met.

Rove you later!

Dimity

#SCBWISyd