Michael Gerard Bauer Author

The Inevitable Catch-up Post

Posted on October 26, 2022 by mgbauer

As the last major blog I posted was back in March and it’s now almost November (!) it might be time for a bit of a recap on some things that occurred in the between time.

So …

RODNEY FORGETS IT! was released and we had a lovely launch thanks to the good folk at Avid Reader’s Where The Wild Things Are bookshop. Teachers Notes – HERE.

I received a Chinese language edition of RODNEY LOSES IT!.

I filled in for three days at the wonderful IPSWICH STORY ARTS FESTIVAL after Covid unfortunately struck down some presenters.

We renovated our ensuite and added new bookshelves to the study. I still think the toilet should be inside!

Even though I had more or less decided to stop doing school visits I still had a great time visiting St Ignatius School Toowong, Ambrose Treacy College Indooroopilly, Our Lady Help of Christians Hendra, Somerville House Sth Brisbane, Kimberley College Carbrook, St Finbarr’s Ashgrove and The Springfield Anglican College.

My wife and I had a few stays in Melbourne to catch-up with our lovely grand kiddies and their equally lovely parents. Leaving is always a bit hard on the heart.

Our banana trees produced their first ever bunch. Give them a hand!

I was stoked to find the missing RINGO PEG DOLL that was made by my son Joe and featured on the original Australian cover he designed and created for DON’T CALL ME ISHMAEL. It had been missing for close to a year. And even though I had searched there previously and more than once, it eventually turned up hiding in the bottom of the bag I use for school visits.

Rodney Loses it but Michael finds It!

I helped launch LITTLE SHARK LULU for good friend Josie Montano, co-author Charlotte Birkmanis and Carla Hoffenberg (illustrator).

I read a bunch of good books including …

I did a bit of work in the back yard. (Just kidding of course! That’s our front yard.)

I had (another!) birthday and was very happy to score this.

And last and probably most, I was surprised, humbled and honoured in equal parts to be awarded The Dame Annabelle Rankin Award for Distinguished Services to Children’s Literature by the Queensland Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia and to have the award presented to me by Governor of Qld, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM . My acceptance speech is HERE.

As for my the current state of my writing, I’m happy to say that I’ve signed a contract for a new picture book (not a Rodney) with Scholastic Australia which will be released in 2024. I’m also playing around with some other picture book texts as well as still continuing to work on the YA novel which seems to be turning into a never-ending project. Although in my defence (after only two or three years) I now have a reasonable First Draft, so where there’s life there’s hope!

And for your great amusement I leave you with son Joe and d-in-l Rita’s take on Halloween. You can check out all their other amazing and hilarious videos, and maybe join their over 2.4 MILIION HAPPY SUBSCRIBERS, on their ARTSPEAR ENTERTAINMENT page.

Cheers (from Brisbane)
Michael

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RODNEY RIDES AGAIN!

Posted on June 29, 2022 by mgbauer

Just a quick blog to announce the release of RODNEY FORGETS IT! the sequel to the 2018 CBCA Awarding winning RODNEY LOSES IT!

RODNEY FORGETS IT! will be launched this FRIDAY at WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE bookshop at West End Brisbane.

There’ll be a talk, a reading, morning tea, some fun and games and even a few prizes. Everyone welcome but you need to book via the link below:

https://wherethewildthingsare.com.au/events/michael-gerard-bauer-launches-rodney-forgets-it

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Blog #143: The year Marches on!

Posted on March 11, 2022 by mgbauer

Marches. Like the month? Geddit? (Boom! Tish!)

Anyway, to bring you up to date with December, January and February, here’s a few things I remember and for which I have some PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF .

First there was CHRISTMAS.

Then we had a few rainy and cyclonically windy days at SURFERS (not always a) PARADISE on the GOLD COAST with some of the fam including our adorable grand-daughter and grandson.

My wife and I drove up to beautiful MALENY on the SUNSHINE COAST to check out Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World.

While there we auditioned for the remake of Hitchcock’s BIRDS …

… and I had my ear PIERCED for free.

On another day we visited the nearby ENOGGERA RESERVOIR and WAKABOUT CREEK DISCOVERY CENTRE.

Somewhere in there I scored a couple of new T-SHIRTS.

The local BUNYA PINE went nuts and threatened to kill any unsuspecting people foolish enough to spend too much time below its branches.

I read some good books.

I also massacred some songs on my guitar(s).

And meanwhile on the WRITING front as well as continuing to toil away on my never-ending YA NOVEL, the brilliant illustrator of RODNEY LOSES IT Chrissie Krebs made me some post-it notes so I wouldn’t forget that we had a SEQUEL coming out later this year.

I just can’t remember what it’s going to be called.

And on a final note I just wanted to send my best wishes to the tens of thousands of folk who were flooded and lost possessions including entire houses and businesses in the terrible rain event that hammered Brisbane and S/E Queensland and NSW recently. We were lucky (with only the relatively minor inconvenience of a new water feature appearing at our front door and threatening to come inside) but so many more people including some in our neighbourhood certainly were not.

Cheers
Michael

*‘Cause how many times can you wake up in this comic book and plant flowers?* Sixto Rodriguez

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Blog #141: I’ve Been One Poor Correspondent

Posted on November 20, 2021 by mgbauer

Ok I’m just going to gloss over the fact that with all my good intentions about blogging more regularly, I haven’t actually posted anything for over six months.

The good (?) news is that having just been let back into Brisbane after spending 11 weeks in Melbourne, my wife and I are now in Home Quarantine for the next two weeks, so I should have plenty of time to write!

So what has happened since my last blog? Well in no particular order …

1. The German version of THE THINGS THAT WILL NOT STAND (Dinge, die so nicht bleiben können) has been getting some wonderful reviews and the audio version by the amazing Hörcompany was named “Best Children’s Audio Book 2021”. Such a thrill!

The audio award was due in large part to the great narration provided by the super-talented and very popular Jens Wawrczeck.

“Jens Wawrczeck reads the multi-layered story at first with verve and sparkling humor, later he becomes more and more hesitant. The tightness around the chest and throat that afflicts teenagers with their revelations becomes audible. The result is a listening experience perfectly balanced between lust for life and the burden of life. ” Southgerman newspaper

With Jens at the White Raven Festival in Munich 2010.

2. A new Australia edition of JUST A DOG was released featuring a new look Mr Mosely.

3. I was contacted by FEDERICO STRAGA an Italian singer-songwriter. He sent me a lovely email recently explaining how a few years back he read my book DON’T CALL ME ISHMAEL! with his daughter and how he really enjoyed it. He was particularly taken by the James Scobie character who faces the school bully. Scobie explains that he’s not afraid of the bully or anything else any more because after surviving a brain tumour operation, he just has no fear left. Or he “exhausted fear” as it translates in the Italian version. Federico said he liked this concept so much that he wrote a song entitled “I Exhausted Fear”. It became the first single from his record released three years ago. Federico’s fantastic song and video is below. “I hope you will like it and thank you for your inspiration and the good times spent reading the book. A big hug from Italy. Federico” I certainly did like it! As I told Federico, as someone who dreamed of being a singer-songwriter, it was a thrill and an honour to think I played some small part in the creation of his song.

4. My wife and I spent 11 weeks locked down to varying degrees in Melbourne because of Covid travel restrictions. The plus side was we got to spend a lot of time with our gorgeous and amazing grand daughter (2 yrs 2 mths) and new grandson (7 mths). I am now an expert at Duplo.

5. There were only a few actual school visits due to the pandemic but I did make some contact with readers in other ways.

6. I scored some beautiful artwork from my friend, brilliant artist and wonderful picture book creator CAROLINE MAGERL. If you don’t know Caroline’s work, do yourself a favour and checkout some of these titles: Nop; Maya and Cat; Hasel and Rose.

7. I presented via ZOOM at the 2021 Celebrate Reading Conference at the LITERATURE CENTRE in Fremantle WA. Would have loved to have been there in person with the other fabulous authors but this was the next best thing.