Kate is a story of growth and mistakes. Kate is struggling to deal with her best friend leaving, a school bully and with the death of her mother. She believes that life is hard. Then a chance encounter with a battered, heroic hound she rescues from the streets, and Mal, a troubled young man with a dark past, leads Kate into more danger and excitement than she could have wished for. She wonders about her unusual friendship with this damaged young man, but when things go really wrong, they’ll need each other ... and they’ll have to run! | I was going to say ... when he is a writer, but writing takes artistry as well. So I guess the answer to my question is ... never. Artist extraordinaire, Kevin Burgemeestre is no stranger to authors and readers. As an artist and illustrator with more than 25 years’ experience, he has a list of over 60 published books that contain his illustrations. But that is not enough for Kevin. He has recently turned his hand to writing. Kate, his debut novel, was completed as part of the Copyright Agency residency at the University of New England in 2012. A compelling novel of a troubled girl and a lovable but damaged hound and his equally damaged previous owner, Kate is a YA novel that even adults will love. The life lessons for its readers are many. But of course, Kevin being an artist first, it had to be illustrated. Kate contains 5 illustrations which were exhibited at the Stonnington Literature Alive exhibition early in 2013. Kate will be launched in November in Melbourne (places and times to be confirmed) and at the Catholic College Bendigo on November 22nd. The book will be available in all bookstores through Dennis Jones and Associates. And as an eBook through all good eBook stores. Or you can pre-order now and get a signed copy as soon as they are released. |
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Today I have the pleasure of starting the blog tour for Royce Bond, author of the sci fi/fantasy novel The Princess and The Pirate – Book one of The Knights of Katesch, a swashbuckling adventure about a Pirate, a Princess and their followers as they fight to save the universe from evil forces. Synopsis: These are the chronicles of the Knights of Katesch, who for time out of memory have fought the wizard Maligor, across all the dimensions of the known universe. After the death of her mother Hibana, one of the famed Knights of Katesch, at the hands of a Kladath assassin, Princess Hepzebah faces the fight of her life. As the new queen, she has inherited her mother's powers. The space pirate Captain Sergio runs the blockade to bring an unearthly army to fight the last battle against Maligor's hordes. He has plans for this young queen, but his plans are hijacked and they are thrust into an inter-dimensional battle for the future of the known universe. Q. Tell me about yourself. I’m a retired primary school teacher with twenty-two years of experience. I have had other books published. Ashton Scholastic published my first book, Kitchen Science, after I won the National B.H.P. /C.S.I.R.O. Science Teacher’s Award. This book was used in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, and in some schools in South America. Random House published two children’s books; The Case of the Smelly Armpit and other Scientific Mysteries, and Mars Attack. These children’s books were translated into Chinese and Korean. Hodder Headline published the next book, Spare Body Parts, and seven teacher reference books were published by Scholastic Australia. During this time, I worked as a part time freelance writer, publishing dozens of articles in magazines and newspapers across the nation, as well as working as a newspaper columnist. I dabble in poetry and have written over a dozen children’s short stories and one television script, called The Beetlejuice Pirates. Since my retirement, I have changed my writing to young adult fantasy novels. I began, what I thought at the time, was the first book in a series, The Knights of Katesch: The Summoning, in February 2005 and since have written two more, The Fall of Maligor, and The Nexus, the final book in this series. Early last year, I wrote The Princess and the Pirate, and decided that that this book should be the first in the series. Q. Who is your favourite author and why? My favourite author is C. S. Lewis. I absolutely love The Chronicles of Narnia. Karen and I bought the book when we were on our honeymoon. Q. Some writers have a preferred writing schedule. Do you? I often day-dream each chapter before I plan it. Then I day-dream the planning for about a week. So by the time I come to write the chapter I have spent a week seeing all the action, hearing all the words, smelling, feeling, everything that happens in the chapter in my imagination. When I sit down to write I am then able to replay everything I have imagined and am able to write 2,000 words in an hour and a half. Q. Do you have a favourite place to write? Yes, my medieval room. I’ve set up a room under my house so when enter it I feel like I’m in not only another time, but in another world. Q. When did you begin your writing journey? I began in 1985, while studying at college in Brisbane. My first actual story “The Time Warriors” was a good story, but quite badly written. Q. What is your greatest joy in writing? Seeing my reader’s eyes open in wonder as they read my stories. Q. What is the hardest part of writing for you? I find editing quite hard work. It’s a very important part of the writing process, but I find it a lot harder to motivate myself to do it. Never-the-less, I find the outcome from a good session of editing very satisfying, because I can see how much better the final product is once the editing has been done. Q. What's the easiest? Daydreaming and imagining the action and various scenes in a chapter. I can remember one time I was in a staff meeting and was staring out the window, imagining a part of the next chapter I was to write, when I heard my name. The principal of my school was talking to me, but then realized that I was day dreaming my next chapter. I heard her say to the rest of the teachers. “Oh ,Royce isn’t here at the moment. Can you bring him up to date after the meeting please.” My body was in the chair in the staff meeting, but my mind was on the planet of Katesch, in the midst of a major battle. Q. What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects? I’m about a quarter of the way through a prequel called The Hunter. This is the fifth in the Chronicles of the Knights of Katesch series. And oh boy, it’s so exciting and funny that I often find myself laughing, and getting excited while I’m writing. My wife now ignores me when she hears peals of laughter or excited yells coming from my room when I’m writing. I’m so into this book I actually feel it will be the best of the Chronicles yet. We look forward to reading that one. Thanks for taking the time out of your school tour to do the interview. The Princess and the Pirate is available from your local bookstore. Signed copy available from the MPA website. http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/the-princess-and-the-pirate.html Follow the blog tour get some great writing tips, read reviews, and learn more fascinating information about this author. Comment on any of the blogs and go in the draw for a free copy. BLOG SCHEDULE: Monday August 12th: http://morrispublishingaustralia.com Interview Tuesday August 13th http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au/ Interview Wednesday August 14th http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Interview Thursday August 15th http://www.elaineoustonauthor.com Interview Friday August 16th http://bookmusterdownunder.blogspot.com.au Review Saturday August 17th http://www.losangzopa.wordpress.com Review Sunday August 18th http://www.kids-bookreview.com Interview
How can you be a sweet, innocent teen-age girl one moment and the psychological killer the next? Follow Dianne Bates' blog tour and find out how she did it. As well as reviews of this riveting spine-chilling thriller, each day you will discover the reason she wrote the story, the research she had to do and much more. Comment on any of the blogs and go in the draw to win a free copy of the book. Monday July 1st. www.creativekidstales.com.au Review Tuesday July 2nd www.alisonreynolds.com.au Interview Wed July 3rd www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Interview Thurs July 4th www.christinemareebell.wordpress.com Interview Fri July 5th www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Review Sat July 6th www.elaineoustonauthor.com Interview Sun July 7th www.kids-bookreview.com Review Monday July 8th sherylgwyther.wordpress.com Interview Tuesday July 9th deescribewriting.wordpress.com Interview Tuesday July 9th clancytucker.blogspot.com.au Interview Wed July 10th www.morrispublishingaustralia.com Interview Wed July 11th www.jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com Interview If you are in WOLLONGONG NSW, BRISBANE QLD, ALBANY WA, or on THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA you will find one of our busy authors out and about. Check out our AUTHOR EVENTS page to see who is where and when. http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/author-events.html
Ask Dianne Bates how she did it at the launch of her thriller The Girl in The Basement. Date and time: Thursday June 27th, 2pm Venue: Keira High School Library. The public is invited to attend. Enter the minds of a psychopath and a defenceless teenager in this mesmerising and timely page-turner, with its unforeseeable twists and edge-of-the-seat suspense. A man lurks in the shadows, spying on a girl in a red party dress. The girl, Libby, is trying to shrug off a bad date. Not for a moment does she suspect that this night is the end of life as she knows it. The man pounces; Libby is grabbed and driven away. Held prisoner in a basement, she grapples with constant fear, all the while sustaining herself with thoughts of escape. Meanwhile, her captor is engaged on another mission, that of abducting a young boy to complete his 'family'. Will Libby ever escape? Or will the man kill her? And what of the boy who refuses to submit to the man's demands? Can he possibly survive his merciless anger? She is everywhere. Drop in and see her at any of the venues below. 29th June Christmas in July with Dimity Powell – Reading time 10.00am at Books@Stones book shop, Brisbane. 2 July Author Encounter and Story time session 10 – 11 am 6 – 12 year olds Upper Coomera Community Centre and Library, Upper Coomera, Gold Coast. 6 July CYA Conference Success Panel presentation, Southbank TAFE, Brisbane. 25 July Gold Writes Presentation – Writing for Children Seminar with Dimity Powell, Adults. 10.00 - 11.30 am Robina Library, Gold Coast. 1st October Children’s Writing Workshop 8 + yrs 9.30 am Upper Coomera Community Centre and Library, Upper Coomera, Gold Coast. The countdown is on to Central Queensland's 3 School Literary Festivals from April 18th to the 22nd.
But the children at the 3 schools involved are not the only people who have the chance to meet the 8 visiting authors and illustrators. A luncheon will be held in the Leichhardt Hotel on April 20th where anyone can come along and meet and chat with the group and enjoy a lovely light lunch. Visit our Literary Luncheon page to see the fantastic line up, which includes Paul Collins, Michael Gerard Bauer and many more well known, award winning authors and illustrators. But don't forget to book. Bookings close on April 11th, so the venue can have the final numbers. The bookings are rolling in and we have only limited seats, so if you are thinking of coming, book now. The kind of book that kids love, full of nonsensical barbs, and smart-mouthed conversation.2/20/2013 That what this reviewer thinks of Robert Favretto's hillarious book, CAT-astrophe. Read on to see what else she had to say. CAT-ASTROPHE by Robert Favretto, Illustrated by Kevin Burgemeestre Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis This chapter book for younger readers is clever and entertaining due to the marvellous play on words that is used throughout, and the terrific illustrations produced by the multi-talented Kevin Burgemeestre. It’s the kind of book kids love to read – full of nonsensical barbs, and smart-mouthed conversation. It comes highly recommended for reluctant readers. Rhys has detention for not showing interest in his Writing assignment. Bored out of his head and with not even a floating thought of what to write about, a ball comes through the widow, shattering both his thoughts and the glass. A brilliant idea enters his head, breaking his day-dream. The story flows through him at great speed. It takes on a peculiar, detailed form. It includes the class suck-up Alex, and Alex’s well-known, over-used story about the fish that got away, and an incredible but hilarious cat tale with a strange twist. Available at your local bookstore, from our bookshop, and on your favourite online store. Select the cover to go to the books page and learn more. |
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