Blue Dragon movie fundraiser

Blue Dragon Children’s Trust New Zealand is holding its annual movie fundraiser on Monday 12 October, starting at 6.30pm at the Penthouse Cinema in Brooklyn, Wellington. The movie is “Umrika”, an Indian comedy-drama written and directed by Prashant Nair.

A small village in India is invigorated when one of their own travels to America (aka Umrika) and details his adventures through letters home, sparking community debate and inspiring hope. But when the letters mysteriously stop coming, the letter writer’s younger brother Rama (Suraj Sharma) sets out on a journey to find him with the help of his best friend Lalu (Tony Revolori). 

Set in the mid-1980s, "Umrika" won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award when it premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Tickets cost $25 and as in previous years, there will be a brief introduction and auction with some great items up for grabs. The movie itself will begin at 6.50pm and we ask you to be seated by 6.30pm.

You can either pay directly into the bank account of Iona McNaughton, Blue Dragon NZ trustee (to be transferred as a lump sum into Blue Dragon's account) or you can pay in cash on the night. Please let Iona know what you would like to do. If you want to pay her online, let her know and she'll send you the bank account details (iona.mcnaughton@gmail.com).

Also, if you could spread the word and let your family, friends and workmate know, that would be really great. 

Here's the link to the trailer, and thanks so much for your support of Blue Dragon. It's a great cause and you can read more about the New Zealand Trust here.

Storylines Free Family Day, Sunday 23 August 2015

Storylines Free Family Day

Wellington, Sunday 23 August 2015

Are you passionate about helping kids read?

Would you like to make a difference to children’s literacy?

Do you enjoy having fun?

We have 6 weeks until Family Day and need your help!

Storylines Free Family Days help kids meet New Zealand authors and illustrators and have fun with their books. Crafts, live performances, face-painting, competitions, and activities help kiwi books come  to life for kiwi kids. Join us as a volunteer - we need you.

Unlock the child within! 

Encounter weird and wild creatures!

Run amok with aliens and astronauts!

Fling a medieval insult and help kids create medieval stories!

Meet 'Monkey Boy' and help kids cook creatively!

Fish up something from beneath the surface in the underwater corner.

Dare to dress up! Shape-shifters welcome! Cool costumes rewarded!

Over 4,000 Wellingtonians  attended  Family Day in 2014! This year we are at Shed 6, on Wellington waterfront, next to the TSB Arena. Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of this special rewarding day.     

                           

If you’re interested in helping as a volunteer on the day, please contact, Nikki Geeson, the volunteer coordinator for the Wellington Free Family Day. Email nikkigeeson@xtra.co.nz and let her know how you are able to help, or for more information phone her on 022 0104373.

Or click on this link for a contact form. 

We look forward to hearing from you and having fun planning Family Day together!

Kind Regards,

Eileen Mueller

Storylines Wellington Regional Coordinator

P:+64 4 389 8550|M:+64 27 4799 731|nzmueller@clear.net.nz

Skype: nzmueller |Twitter @nzmueller

www..eileenmuellerauthor.com

www.storylines.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/WellingtonStorylinesFamilyDay --please like our Facebook page

Storylines Festival of New Zealand Children's Writers and Illustrators 2015 | 22-30 August 2015 | Wellington Family Day Sunday 23 August 2015

How to Catch a Grim Reaper

Big congrats to WCBA member Helen Vivienne Fletcher, featured on Radio NZ's Standing Room on Sunday 5 July:

"Having gathered a stack of awards for her poetry and a book of hers translated into French, German and Spanish, Helen Vivienne Fletcher has now set her sights on writing for the stage. Her poetry has appeared in print and on line, and she's also got several e-picture books to her name, including Jenny No-Knickers and Do Fruit Worry About Getting Fat? She's about to attend the opening night of her first play, How to Catch a Grim Reaper, which is part of the 2015 Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre."

You can read more about How to Catch a Grim Reaper on the Bats website here. Great title and great poster! It's on from Friday 10 July to Saturday 25 July. 

Susan Price: the sedulous recorder

I've only read this lovely article online, but apparently it makes the front cover of Salient, the Victoria Uni student newspaper.



If the link doesn't work, try going to the Salient page  and clicking on the latest issue for June 2015.

A wonderful tribute to Susan and her amazing work. (That delicious description, "sedulous recorder", is apparently a quote from Kate De Goldi.)

Congratulations, Fleur!

Biggest and best congratulations to WCBA member Fleur Beale, who was awarded the ONZM (Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature) in the New Year's Honours and will be presented with her honour at Government House tomorrow. 

We are very proud of Fleur and the amazing books she has written, and we were very happy to present her with some flowers on behalf of all of you in the WCBA. Feel free to send her your own congratulations by phone, email, letter or whatever format you prefer!



Read an interview with Fleur here. I especially like her (typically modest) reply to this question:

What is the best thing a teenager has ever said to you about your work?
Cool book, miss. I finished it.

Julia Donaldson in conversation - a life in writing

Writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers and anyone interested in children's literature:

Julia Donaldson, the popular best-selling author of The Gruffalo, A Squash and a Squeeze, Room on the Broom and many other children's favourites will be in conversation with top New Zealand author/illustrator Ruth Paul.

This is a fantastic opportunity to hear Julia speak about her life as a writer and an outspoken children's literature advocate, and her time as the Children's Laureate 2011 -2013.

Place: St Peter's on Willis St., Wellington.

Date: Thursday 12 February

Time: 6.30-8.00pm. 

Tickets $10 each - bookings essential.

Book on Eventfinda here.

The event is organised by The Children's Bookshop, Kilbirnie in conjunction with Macmillan Publishers and Scholastic NZ. Any profits from the evening will go towards the organisation of Tinderbox, the professional development conference for children's book authors and illustrators to be held in Wellington in 2015.

Hope to see lots of you there!