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What's New ... and not so new?
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Here's a photo of me and my friends Josh and Melinda at the opening of Owairaka School's amazing new library. Melinda is the clever clogs who wrote The Were-Nana. But she's not scary at all! Josh hasn't written any books yet, but he's an amazing reader. |
The MOST AMAZING NEWS OF THE YEAR ... so far - Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! WON THE FLICKER TALE AWARD!!!! I'm now trying to figure out how to get to North Dakota by September to pick up my award. Maybe if I start walking now ...
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In October I was in Ranfurly for three days to celebrate Book Month. Kelly from Burn FM had arranged heaps of events that really kept me busy. I visited every school and playcentre in the Maniototo. I even did a radio interview, which was exciting. I also got to do some sightseeing. What a beautiful area. So thanks to all the schools and playcentres for letting me come to read to them. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did! |
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Old Hu-hu was officially launched at the Alexandra library on Wednesday, September 9. It was a great day, thanks to the fabulous efforts of librarian Janine and her amazing team. I talked to four different schools during the day, and in the evening there was a grown-up event. There were lots of people there and lots of yummy food, thanks to Marion and Rebecca, and the people at The Fridge. It was a bit nerve-wracking reading to a room full of adults, I must say. I would have been a lot more relaxed if everybody was sitting on the floor and fiddling with my shoe-laces. But I think everyone enjoyed themselves.
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Last Thursday (October 22), I was at Next Page Please bookshop in Takapuna. What a FANTASTIC bookshop! I think Maria (who owns the shop) has read EVERY book ever written. So if you're ever looking for a good book to read, you should ask her! She even gave me a book as a present, too. It was Spells by Emily Gravett. I LOVE it. (When I grow up I want to be like Emily, because she's my absolute hero!)I also got to meet some amazing young authors from Bayswater School. They have written a heap of stories and actually published them. The stories are very exciting and funny, with illustrations and all. You can buy them at the bookshop.
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I had a FABULOUS time at the Family Fun Days and the Taranaki Festival. What an enormous effort the organisers put in!!! Makes me tired just thinking about it. I flew on 9 different planes in 10 days - which is a record for me. And when I got home there was a parcel waiting for me - the South Korean edition of The Eleventh Sheep! What a perfect coming home present! |
Kiss!Kiss! Yuck!Yuck! has made the shortlist for the Flicker Tales Children's Book Awards in the U.S. WOW!! If only someone would pay for me to do a US tour ... Never mind, I'm off to Taranaki on Monday for three days touring for the NZ Post awards. Can't wait, as I've only been to Taranaki once 20 years ago, and all I did was drive through in two days because it was pouring down non-stop the whole time.
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I just got the my advance copies of Old Hu-Hu which will be published in September. It's a story about grief, and it took ages for me to write. I started writing it when my cat, Momo, started getting sick, but I didn't finish it until after she died. Somehow the story felt wrong until I suddenly thought about having a Hu-Hu beetle as my main character. There are lots of hoo sounds like hu-hu and moon and flew. Old Hu-Hu flew to the moon and back, then fell to the ground. Dead. |
I was also very lucky the publishers asked Rachel Driscoll to illustrate it. She is a GENIUS! Her last book The mouse that danced was one of my favourites last year. I was very surprised when it didn't get into the book awards. Rachel had the idea to make Old Hu-Hu look like a World War One flying ace, with helmet and goggles and a huge moustache. That's him on the left. Isn't he brilliant!!?? Old Hu-Hu is also being published in Te Reo, which is exciting.
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DRUMROLL PLEASE..... TA-DA!!!! Duck's Stuck! has just been shortlisted for the NZ Post Awards. YAY!! I'm soooo excited. If you stumble across my website in the next few weeks - VOTE FOR ME!!!! I also just found out Duck's stuck! is going to be published in the UK next year! |
Kiss!Kiss! Yuck!Yuck! won both the Best Picture Book and Children's Choice Awards at the 2007 NZ Post Book Awards. I know it's not exactly news, but I didn't have my website when I won the awards, and I'm still so excited about it I thought I'd mention it anyway! |
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No Room for a Mouse made the Notable Books List in both New Zealand and Australia. It has also been published in Germany and Holland.
I can speak German pretty well (even though my grammar isn't very good). So it was funny reading my story in German. The translator had to change a few things, like changing Mrs Fizzletum into Frau Buglund, but I think he did a wonderful job. Sadly, I don't speak ANY Dutch. HOT NEWS!! It be published in Japan next year, too!! |
COMING UP - On November 15 and 16, I will be running a writing workshop in the Dunedin Public Library as part of their centenary celebrations. Places are limited to 20 children, so if you want to come along, contact the Library. |
The other day I was invited to open the new library at Mataura School. The opening was very exciting - every class put on a great performance singing or acting or reading a poem. What a great school! I nearly didn't make it, though, because my website decided NOT to send me emails, so I didn't get my invitation until two days before. The school thought I wasn't coming, so they organised Jimmy Cowan to open the library instead. But then he got picked for the All Blacks, so he couldn't make it either! Lucky I wasn't picked for the AB's too!! I learnt a valuable lesson, as well - don't rely on computers to do things. So I'll be checking my website more regularly from now on. |
In June I was at the Storylines Festival, including the Family Days in Wellington and Auckland. I toured lots of schools in Auckland with a minibus full of local writers, illustrators and storytellers. It was GREAT FUN! I also got to meet the very special overseas guests Carole Wilkinson and Babette Cole. |
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On May 12, Duck's Stuck was officially launched in the Dunedin Public Library, as part of NZ Post Book Week festivities. I hope everyone who came had a great time! Thanks again to the lovely people at the University Bookshop for organising it all!
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On March 30, I was very lucky to be at the Grand Re-opening of the newly refurbished Oamaru Libaray. The library looks great and everyone's costumes looked amazing! There were fairies and spidermen and Pippi Longstockings and clowns, not to mention Mary Poppins. There were plenty of stories and games, and a ride around Oamaru on the double-decker Magic Bus! Great Fun!! |
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What's the most important
thing a writer needs? A very BIG coffee mug. My talented wife, Marion
just made me a new one. It's got this drawing on one side and says "Kyle
Mewburn Rocks" on the other side. She copied it off a card a young reader
sent me this year. I think it's totally COOL! And it means I don't have to
walk to the coffee maker too many times. 
