Now I feel like real author again! I've been invited to participate in the Somerset Celebration of Literature Festival in March next year. It's one the leading festivals for Children's writing held at Somerset College on the Gold Coast. I was invited there 10 years ago when Beauty of Truth first came out as a 'young author'. Being under 35 was apparently the criteria for being counted as "young". The young authors panel consisted of me, Markus Zusak and Matthew Reilly. It was slightly awkward becase the panel was chaired by the literary editor of the Brisbane Courier Mail. They had just run a review of Beauty of Truth which to this day remains the most horrible personally abusive book review I've ever read. The reviewer clearly hated me not just the book. She had interviewed on the phone and been very nice, even wished me all the best with the book and then unleashed the vitriol. It was astounding. The editor was lovely. She wasn't able to apologise for the review, but she did say that perhaps she had chosen the wrong person to write it.
10 years later and I'm the only member of that panel not to be an international publishing sensation. Was it something I said? Markus Zusak will also be at Somerset again next year but as the guest of honour at the big dinner!
Perhaps second time round might prove luckier for me.
Literary Festivals, whether you're an international sensation or not, are be great - you get to talk about yourself and be paid to do it. Bonus!
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Hi Bruno, nice to see some local talent. I went to the festival last week but sorry I didn't see you. My first novel"The Pages of Lost Time" has been released in the US and I've been madly trying to do my own marketing. I would love to go to one of your workshops and maybe get some more idea's on writing and entering the Aust market.
Kind Regards Sharon Lea Ford
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