The end of June is rapidly approaching and by now I had planned that I would have completed the first draft of the 50-60,000 word YA novel that was the basis of my Queensland Writers Fellowship application.

Well, as it stands, I’m not quite there yet, but at least I think you’d have to agree, I have made a very promising start …

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Of course there have been many other things that have filled my time and occupied my mind since my last post in April.

These included, but were not restricted to:

# READING and enjoying these books …

# ATTENDING a May Gibbs Childrens Literature Trust talk by resident Brisbane Fellow Shivaun Plozza (Frankie; Tin Heart) where she informed and entertained us all explaining her current YA writing projects …

# SPEAKING to a bunch of lovely teachers and teacher-libarians about The Things That Will Not Stand at a RIVERBEND BOOKS Bookclub evening …

# SIGNING copies of The Things That Will Not Stand at AVID READER’S Where The Wild Things Are bookshop …

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# ATTENDING the launch of Megan’s Daley’s wonderful book Raising Readers at St Aidan’s College and meeting up with Chris Bongers (Intruders, Dust) and Trisha Buckley (Children’s and YA literature Guru) …

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# HAVING Rodney Loses It! being shortlisted for the 2019 YABBA/KOALA/KROC Children’s Choice awards in the Picture Storybook category and also having it secure a future publication in CHINA …

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# POSING with various forms of vegetation in various locations …

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# BECOMING a Reading Champion for HOOK INTO BOOKS an initiative of the Youth+ Foundation which is a charitable trust focused on supporting vibrant and innovative responses to provide equitable educational access for some of Australia’s most diverse and complex young people.

# AND FINALLY and sadly, fare-welling the first friend I ever made outside my own family.

It was a friendship that started on my first day of grade one when I was sitting alone on the edge of the playground at morning tea break because I was shy and didn’t know anyone and a pixie-faced boy with sticky-out ears just like mine, tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You can play with us if you want.”

There are some moments in your life that you never forget.

Cheers and thanks Kenny.

X Michael