First Outing of my Children's Novel, 'GOLD' at CBI Conference

Conceal and Reveal: Truth and Lies in Children's Books is the title of the forthcoming CBI Conference to be held on Saturday 12 Sep 2015 from 10:00am to  5:00pm on Sunday Sep 13 2015.  It is a great delight for me to be part of the New Voices Section where I will read from my first children's novel GOLD to be published by Little Island in 2016.

The CBI Conference is a weekend-long celebration of the very best in Irish and international children’s books which will be located again at the Light House Cinema, Smithfield. This annual event is a unique opportunity to critically reflect on the impact, imagination and importance of books for young people. Anyone with an interest in and a passion for children’s books is welcome to attend and participate in what is always a lively and thought provoking event.

Featuring some of the most exciting names in writing, illustration, publishing and criticism, this relaxed and friendly event is an opportunity for teachers, booksellers, librarians, academics, artists and other professionals – or anyone else with a passion for children’s literature – to meet old favourites and discover new voices.

Speakers include; Mac Barnett, Barroux, Steven Camden AKA Polar Bear, Nicola Colton, Nicola Davies, James Dawson, Aisling Fahy (Young Poet Laureate for London 2014/15), Kieran Fanning, William Grill, Kim Hood, Yasmeen Ismael, Mairi Kidd (Barrington Stoke),  Deirdre McDermott (Walker Books), E.R. Murray, Geraldine Mills, Louise O'Neill, Jim Pipe, Annabel Pitcher, Nigel Quinlan, Juliette Saumande, Maureen White, Pádraic Whyte, Rachel Williams (Wide Eyed Books and Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

For full schedule and timetable click here

Launch of Growing a New Tail by Lisa C. Taylor

I am really delighted to be launching Lisa C. Taylor's debut collection of short stories, Growing a New Tail  in the Pearse Library, Dublin on Thursday 3 Sept at 6.00pm. Lisa and her husband Russ are flying in from the US especially for the event so it will be a double celebration for me getting to meet up with them again.

Her first venture into short fiction, this most  accomplished collection  is, as Suzanne Strempek Shea says in her endorsement, 'populated  memorably by characters who must find their footing after their lives have been irreparably altered by loss or circumstance. Richard Hoffman remarks on the exquisite writing, the observations  that are nearly preternatural,  the incandescent intelligence. But there is much more to it, with its poetry, its wit, its undeniable humanity. The only reason I didn't read it in one sitting was so I could savour each perfect image.

With its stunning artwork by Robert Sparrow Jones this is another exquisite publication from Arlen House. Congratulations, my good friend.

   

Alan McMonagle, another fine Arlen House author, will be launching the collection in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop on Sat 5 Sept at 6:00pm.  

Photo: Russ Taylor