Speaking at The Space

For anyone in the Brighton area, I'll be interviewed at The Space event on February 6th. Here's the information:

THE SPACE: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6TH –
The SPACE (Southern Performance and Creative Energies), Brighton’s popular media and arts networking event, brings together the creative community, with special guest interviews. It is a great place for making contacts and connections, so, ideally, work can be made.
www.thespace.me.uk
www.myspace.com/thespaceuk
SPECIAL GUESTS – a great line up, from broadcasting and literature.

Trevor Dann
Trevor is Director of the Radio Academy, the professional body for the UK radio industry. He is also a writer, broadcaster and media consultant. His first book, the acclaimed Nick Drake biography, "Darker Than The Deepest Sea" was published in 2006. Trevor presents an album show on Classic Gold and produces programmes for BBC Radio 2. He was previously Head of BBC Music Entertainment, responsible for Radio 1, Radio 2, Top of the Pops and Later with Jools Holland. He is known in the music industry as the man who overhauled Radio 1's music policy during its mid-nineties repositioning. As Managing Editor of GLR, launched the radio careers of Chris Evans, Chris Morris and Danny Baker. Trevor has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, Q, Music Week and Mojo, and has won a BAFTA for Live Aid.
www.trevordann.com
www.radioacademy.org.

Laura Atkins

Laura has a wealth of experience in the children’s publishing industry, and has organised various conferences and events in this growing field. She offers a range of consulting services and creative writing workshops. Laura is behind, with creative writing organisation, The South, a forthcoming Brighton based Children’s Literature Festival, which will feature the wonderful William Nicholson, a former SPACE guest, among others.

www.lauraatkins.com

www.thesouth.org.uk

VENUE

The SPACE takes place at the New Madeira Hotel, Marine Parade, just a pebble’s throw from Brighton Pier. Doors open at 7pm. Entrance fee of just £3.00 www.newmadeirahotel.com

FORTHCOMING GUESTS INCLUDE –

Radio 1 DJ and Sunday Best Records’ Rob Da Bank –

www.sundaybest.net

Singer/songwriter Chris Difford (formerly of Squeeze) –

www.chrisdifford.com

Acclaimed artist/ Cliff Wright (best known for illustrating Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets & Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).

Arts Council’s Music Consultant Penny King –

www.artscouncil.org.uk

FUNDING

We are keen to gain further funds to ensure the long-term future of The SPACE, and to cover forthcoming expenses. Applications for grants from organisations, such as the Arts Council, are currently being looked into, but in the meantime, any suggestions, or offers of help will be much appreciated.

For more info Wayne Imms 01273 682612 / 07932 981028

Special thanks to

Working Links: Changing Lives, Creating Futures www.workinglinks.co.uk

Outpost Sound: Brighton’s Pro Audio Specialists www.outpostsound.co.uk

Long time no post!

I know, I know. I start this blog thinking I'll post at least once a week, and now it's been well over a month. What happened?

The main thing is I found out I was pregnant, and my energy level went way down. It's great news, but my focus is now pretty much on June 2007 when we'll have an addition to our lives. All those children's books I've been gathering over the years will now have a new appreciator.

I will try to add to this blog more often. I'm currently reading the graphic novels that made the final list for the Cybils. Here are the ten books that were shortlisted. I've almost finished (though am still awaiting two books), and look forward to the committee's discussions. There are lots of different types of books to compare, which should make for a challenge.

Also, in light of my previous post on the environment, global warming, and children's books, I noted with interest that Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth has been adapted as a book for young readers. You can read about it on this Publishers Weekly report.

Otherwise, I'm working on an information pack for this year's big celebration from CILIP (the Chartered Institute for Library and Information Professionals). This year is the 70th anniversary of the Carnegie Award and the 50th of the Greenaway, and they've got lots planned. In April they will announce the top ten winners of each award, as selected by a panel of experts. After that, the public can vote for the their all-time favorite, which will be announced at the June ceremony to announce this year's winners. CILIP have a great resource website, mainly for those in groups that are shadowing the awards. But this year they plan to create a special extended site with lots of information and guides related to the whole list of books which have won these awards. Keep an eye out for the launch of the site, which should be found through the main awards website. I'm working on an information pack looking at otherness/difference/diversity, and I'll blog when it's posted.

I'm writing from Berkeley where I've been visiting family. On Saturday we're have a Bay Area children's bloggers brunch. So far it will be me, Aqua Fortis and Tadmac, with the possibility of Jen Robinson coming as well. I'm sure at least one of us will blog post-brunch...