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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Mem Fox Best Loved Author @ Sydney Writers Festival

Hi, Friends, I'll write about another Australia legend author, "Mem Fox." Mem is tremendously popular and famous in USA as well as in Australia and other countries. Probably, many American blog visitors may know Mem's work and her name. I enjoyed her talk, "You can write a story" at Parramatta Riverside Theatre. The event was a part of Sydney Writers Festival 2014.
Mem, this so charming lady, is an amazing ENTERTAINER! What a comedian she is! I always wanted to see her reading out in my eyes. Fantastic. That is a magic! A book flyes across an air, jumps, flipps, whatever. Her reading pace and tone "colours" a text well and beautifully. A story comes up alive in the air, when she reads. I want to read out picture books like her. Her body language and face expressions are so rich and funny. Sense of humour shines through her talk. How many times did she make us laugh and giggle? Mem sings, dances, and we sing together! Yes, Mem gives books lives. Her so rich body language and face expressions amused audience.

Mem knows well about the importance of "talk" or an oral language. Her writings heavily weigh on a "rhythm," as she emphasise. So, her work is easy to read out and very well considered words are wonderful. To write a short story is much, much harder than a long story. Only well selected and necessary words should be in a story. A plot must be interesting. It's a very difficult and demanding task (*so, a good editor has an important role!). Another element I love in her stories is the beauty of "parental love" especially, relation between a mother and a child. It repeatedly comes up in her texts. Sure, this lady really loves children! Her life story is full of colourful episodes. Very inspiring.  
Just after Mem's fabulous one-woman-show, I asked her to sign my sketch.
Kind Mem happily signed the sketch. She already had noticed my sketching during a talk, for I was sitting at the centre in a second raw = nearly in front of Mem!
"Ann James is my mentor. Helen Chamberlin is my editor," said Sadami and told my debut next year. "Super!" Mem said twice to celebrate my blessed publishing team and the first trade picture book publication. Friends, remember, this international super star Mem experienced times rejections of the first manuscript of "Possum Magic" and ... it turns out "million seller" in Australia and all over the world. Statistically, one in two Australian has Possam Magic at home. It has become classic in modern Australian picture books. Once or twice rejections are not a matter. Perseverance! 
After the talk, people made a long queue for Mem's book signing. I observed her carefully and learned how to handle many people and signing. 
Any event gives artists chances to connect others.
Teacher librarians sat next to me. My quick sketches impressed them and they happily picked up my business cards. I hope I will make audience or children happy next year in my own "talks" of our picture book "Moon."  Two ladies, Jeanmarie Morosin and Allison Lee working for Sydney Writers Festival, showed a strong interest in Moon. Particularly, Allison, when she heard Libby would be my book launcher at Gleebooks. She also said, "Ah, you have a good mentor, Ann!" (*thanks, Libby, Ann, Helen! You always help me directly or indirectly!) She happily got my business card. I hope 2015 will be a good year for Moon.

These days, I've accumulated posts. Thank you for your patience. To make up my laziness, I'd upload them as many as possible before 2014 will be gone.
Also, Melbourne visit has given me confidence to sketch architecture. I will try more and share sketches with you.
Friends, Happy Painting!



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4 comments:

  1. Oh Sadami, things sound so exciting for you. Many good wishes for continued success. :)

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    1. Thank you, Carol! I hope so, too. You, too, enjoy art activities. Best wishes, Sadami

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  2. You have captured her expressive body language in your sketches, Sadami. Superb!

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    1. Thank u, Judy! I love sketching people!! Cheers, Sadami

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