win an autographed copy of Andy Griffiths' The 13-Storey TreeHouse

 Greetings all,

Last weekend, tightly squeezed in between parties, i attended a book signing & presentation by Andy Griffiths - one of Australia's BEST loved & highest selling children's authors - at the National Library of Australia.  It was packed with over 300 children clutching stacks of his books, the atmosphere was electric & i was thrilled to be in his presence.

Naturally my son had left his Andy books at school so we purchased some new books (ok, nine new books) & bless Andy, he signed every single one!!  Including an extra book i purchased to giveaway on my blog.  I told Andy i was doing this (giveaway) & he stopped, looked up & asked if i was a writer, did i run a children's literacy blog - he was so engaging, interested in who i was & what i was doing - i was thoroughly impressed.  This man is as energetic & fun as his books.  

 I hung out with my gal pal author Tania McCartney who had hosted a book awards events the day before with Andy, she said he was fantastic.  With the overflowing crowds, Andy started the event an hour early, to autographed books so no one missed out.  Truly an author who appreciates his audience!!

I've stolen these images from Tania (thanks) as my images were dark.  

Andy gave a fabulous presentation, but truly, he was more interested in questions from the audience & bantering.  He made everyone feel special & his brain goes a million miles an hour, he's absolutely hilarious & spilled the beans on his next instalment in the 13-Storey series (it will involve a chocolate fountain!!)   

 Andy writes like a naughty school boy, it's so entertaining & captures that difficult demographic of fidgety boys who can't sit still.  While he was chatting, there were boys reading everywhere - the Library provided seats & cushions - it was brilliantly organised. 

After he finished, he went back to signing books, the queue was loooong & the Library staff brought around badges, book marks, balloons & chocolate frogs.  My boy continued to read, then bounced a balloon around, made some new friends & back to reading.  While at the signing table, Andy chatted away to my son, which books he liked the most, he treated us like we were first in the queue, when we were easily the 200th!!  Gosh he must have signed thousands of books. 

 My son spent the rest of the weekend with his head stuck in Andy's books.  He has the 13-Storey & 26-Storey TreeHouse books now, the series will continue to expand.  So i thought i'd start someone's collection off with . . . 

an autographed copy of Andy Griffiths' 13-Storey TreeHouse 

. . . in a blog giveaway.

Just leave a comment here & follow this blog (on the right) for your chance to win.  Entries close after midnight Sunday 9th December, just in time for someone's Christmas stocking!!  Good luck, random draw & as always + extra entries per mention on your Blog, Twitter, Instagram, FaceBook.  Love Posie

Mem Fox 'Good Night, Sleep Tight' autographed book giveaway

Greetings all,

I was lucky enough to attend the sold out reading at my local library, with my author Tania McCartney (a National Year of Reading Ambassador) & our primary school daughters . . . to listen to the engaging Mem Fox read her book Good Night, Sleep Tight.  I doubt there is a home in Australia without a Mem Fox book in it.  We have dozens.  She was a delight. 

It was so much fun, the nursery rhymes in this book (as told by Bonnie & Ben's babysitter, Skinny Doug) made me teary, remembering how many times i'd sung them to my four children . . . the sweetest memories as they are timeless & generational.  

Mem is also a University lecturer & campaigns for children's literacy . . . it has been proven, if a child can know 6 nursery rhymes by heart by age 4 . . . they will be the soaring with their reading in primary school.  Fascinating & seriously, who can't belt out a few "Round & Round The Garden, Like a Teddy Bear, One Step, Two Steps, Tickle You Under There" while changing a nappy or "Star Light, Star Bright, First Star I See Tonight, I WIsh I May, I Wish I Might, Have The Wish I Wish Tonight" while taking one last look at the sky before putting a toddler to bed?? 

 I had already spent $70 before the event started, my children are ravenous readers & who can resist a book which comes with a green sheep??  Straight up, Mem came over to my 3rd daughter & asked if she could borrow her green sheep, which Mem promptly tucked under her blouse for the finale of reading "Where Is The Green Sheep??"  As my youngest child is nearly 9, it's been a while since i bought these kinds of children's books, but who cares, i'll keep them for the grandchildren!! 

 It was just so much fun, the atmosphere electric, until . . . the wind was taken out of my sails when Mem stopped reading a few pages into the first book to request we didn't take any photos.  I know, WHAT??  How about some publicity & capturing the experience??  Judy made a spiel about not appreciating the moment if you're busy taking photos to look at later.  If you're that famous, SURELY you can't stop people taking photos at a public event.  No one was trampling anyone, no blinding flashbulbs, no media . . . just mums sitting on the floor with iPhones & a baby in their lap taking a few snaps.  I've been to zillions of book launches & events, big & small, this 'no photos' was new to me.     

They had zero issues with you buying some books though.  I purchased an extra book to be autographed & given away on my blog, to one of my gorgeous readers!!  They also requested "no photos" at the signing table.  Seriously!!  It's terrible public relations.  I hope everyone in the queue at least got something autographed.  

So here you go, the mixed world of the book industry.  I assure you, i will always give an honest account of any public relations, products & events.  The books are excellent.

Please leave a comment here if you'd love to win an autographed copy of Good Night, Sleep Tight, autographed by author Mem Fox & illustrator Judy Horacek.  You must be a follower of this blog (on the side, sorry i can't tell if you are RSS fed) & i'd like this to be won by an Australian resident, if you're overseas - i'll gladly post to an Australian friend!!  Of course, an extra entry for every mention of this giveaway on your social media platforms of Blogs, Instagram, FaceBook, Pinterest, Twitter etc.  This is something really special, thank you for sharing the love!!  

 Good luck everyone, winner will be drawn after midnight Sunday 11th November.  Love Posie
EDIT: i am proud i wrote this post as-it-happened-from-my-perspective, i have reconsidered to make it more gushing, then thought . . . wouldn't you prefer your child to have a photo of their hero in Mem Fox, an educator . . . than a sports star or celebrity with questionable real life morals (that your child may be aware of)??  No photos at a promotion, it really is completely bizarre, full stop.  Especially as we were not standing in the crowd of 200 children with flash bulbs, blocking people's view or calling out to the author "look here, work it Mem" . . . we were politely sitting on the side lines, listening to the reading & taking photos discretely because we are fans & paying good money for their products!!

a brilliant book launch indeed

Greetings all,

Today i sponsored the book launch of Riley and The Curious Koala & boy was i extremely proud to be part of this amazing event. 

 Liz from pARTy cakes made this amazing ensemble of iced perfection, the moist chocolate cake was delightful & i was enjoying myself nicely until my eldest daughter ran to my husband & said "Dad Dad Dad, OMG, Mum is eating cake on her diet".  FYI she's a Daddy's girl & is off to see Harry Potter with him this afternoon, good riddance.

 Tania put on craft entertainment for the children, at the closed cafe next to Dalton's Books, before a book reading.  Look at my crafty girls helping each other out. 

Even miss about-to-start-high-school got into the fun!! 

 The last thing Tania emailed me last night said "i don't do things half-arsed" & boy is that true - even the lamington wombats had little feet underneath.  Hello, meringue Sydney Opera Houses anyone??  Remember she's an author & mum, not a professional dessert bar or event organiser!!  Her children's parties are equally incredible & amazing (& exhuasting!!) 

 Euc juice, squeezed from the leaves of gum trees!!

 Check out those baby blue eyes of my middle girl.

 The cake top deserves a close up for Riley's adventures around Sydney.

Tania in full flight, she puts in 150% in her animated readings & they're so much fun!!  We even won a door prize from the National Library, pretty thrilled with that.
For you chance to win a copy of this book, check out 2 blog posts back & leave a comment there.  Good luck & have a lovely week, love Posie