Michael Aird

Last year when I was running my kickstarter campaign I came across the Sandcliffe Writing festival online, and it looked kind of cool because it was concerned with diversity and was in Brisbane.

I emailed them to let them know I thought their festival looked great and to say I had a book coming out, Magic Fish Dreaming, would they be interested in my participation.

I promptly forgot all about it, and then early this year an email from the lovely Adele Moy arrived, with a phone number and asking me to ring her about the Festival, she apologised for taking so long to get back to me.

I phoned Adele as she requested and had the most beautiful conversation about diversity, life, writing, family and my book which went much longer than I think we both expected, and next thing I know I am on a panel to tell my unique story.

I met Adele for the first time in person at the Insights of an Outsider Panel last week, and felt like I had known her for years. She greeted me with such friendliness and warmth. Thanks for that Adele.

I am going to give you three photographic hints about my presentation on Saturday, and well you will have to attend to find out fully what this all means. I am going to share the story of my main inspirations, and the things that have compelled me to write.

Can you guess what they might be?

With my Grandmother

With my Family

Mum

My favourite literary character, Mma Ramotswe, in The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels, by Alexander McCall Smith, because she is curious, caring and looks for the most just resolution to any situation. She also knows a story for almost every situation.

I can be found on twitter, instagram and facebook.

My website is HERE

So if you want to catch my very first festival appearance for Magic Fish Dreaming

Unique Journeys

Saturday, April 29th commencing 9am

Bracken Ridge Library, 77 Bracken St, Bracken Ridge

Join authors Duncan Richardson, June Perkins, and Michael Aird as they talk about their inspiration and ideas and what compels them on their creative journey, where they are today, and where they hope to be in the future.

A huge thankyou to the Sandcliffe Writers Festival Organisers for giving me the opportunity to share the story of why I love writing so much and how I set about becoming an author! I also look forward to the literary dinner with Matthew Condon on Friday, the panel following ours (and the lunch!) and catching up with Lauren Daniels.

detail from Magic Fish Dreaming – By Helene Magisson

PLEASE NOTE

I will be selling copies of Magic Fish Dreaming, $18 each and signing them at the event.

Please bring cash, exact change if you can is much appreciated.

For $25 in total you can receive a custom printed calico bag with your book.

This bag is available only at events and book signings.

** Stop Press **

June will be presenting her ‘unique story’ in a panel for the Sandcliffe Writers Festival.

April 29th 9am-10.30 Bracken Ridge Library

The panel is Unique Journeys:

Join authors June Perkins, Duncan Richardson and Michael Aird’ as they talk about their inspiration and ideas and what compels them on their creative journey, where they are today, and where they hope to be in the future.’

For more information about the festival (lots of other great events, all free except for the literary dinner with Matthew Condon) contact Adele Moy, sandcliffewritersfestival@gmail.com

The festival also has a facebook page.

There will also be a poetry writing workshop with Angela Peita, on the same day at 1.30-3.30 pm. For bookings contact the Bracken Ridge Library, 32691102

Some of the presenters at the Sandcliffe Festival

June Perkins, Lauren Daniels, Leisa Raven, Michael Aird, Jacqueline Henry

sandcliffe3

Other News

Queensland Writers Centre, recently featured June in their Queensland Writer’s Life series. June says,’It is a great honour to be included amongst some great Queensland Writers, such as Jackie French! Nick Earls and more!’

Helene is doing fantastically. You can find her six picture books, that’s right six picture books, listed in her biography for this site. We welcome her to recently becoming an Australian citizen with her whole family! How lucky is Australia!

Helene loves all the books she is involved with creating and is an absolute inspiration. The Velveteen Rabbit has just been translated into Chinese!

Library Workshops

Some fantastic news is that Helene and June have some workshops coming up at libraries in Brisbane in the June holidays. We hope to create more fans for poetry and art in combination for children’s books! We will be collaborating on these workshops and we’re so happy that we get to work together again! We’d love to see more artistic poetry books in the world.

Suppliers and Bookshops

We hope to very soon announce school/tafe, childcare suppliers and more book stores OUTSIDE of Brisbane stocking Magic Fish Dreaming! (maybe Tasmania!) We are working super hard to ensure the book makes it into more libraries! Please send us your very positive energy as we embark on broadening the reach of Magic Fish Dreaming and start field tripping.

Community

We are working to connect with any community that loves caring for nature, supporting diversity and poetry and of course Queensland. We think our book is a great tool for encouraging mindfulness and have a psychologist let us know she is using it with her clients. How wonderful!

We will be back when we have more to share! But thank you to everyone who keeps helping us spread the word about the book.

Special thanks to some of the students and staff at the Keystones unit, at QUT, who are taking the news about the book to their children’s schools. That is just so special!

From the Tweet-sphere

The author of the Outlander Series, left this message, after my proud mother-in-law tweeted her about Magic Fish Dreaming. Thanks Helen Perkins for sharing the news about the book and how lovely that Diana Gabaldon replied!

outlanderauthor