Congrats to Dee White on the publication of
Published by Scholastic Australia, in paperback
For ages 9 - 14.
Inspired by a true story of Muslims who saved Jewish children in WW2. Ruben’s hiding from the Nazis in a Paris mosque. One hint of his true identity and he’ll be killed. So will the people trying to save him.
A timely story of inter-faith friendship and solidarity, and those who risked everything to save innocent lives.
What a wonderful story - congrats again Dee!
From Sydney to Paris
I always set conference goals, and my major one for SCBWI Sydney 2016 was to take advantage of the opportunity to pitch my manuscript idea, Beyond Belief, to a publisher panel.
I was hoping to get interest in my story to help me with a VicArts funding application I was about to submit.
I was desperate to spend a month in Paris researching a true story I had discovered about Muslims at a Paris mosque who saved Jewish children during WW2. I had spent all my money on a research trip to Europe in 2015, and it would be years before I could save for another.
But this story had to be told, and I needed to visit the mosque to do it.
Pitching a story idea that had very personal connections for me was terrifying, but if I could get that grant, it would be worth the angst.
All the publishers on the panel were so encouraging, and Clare Halifax from Scholastic generously wrote a letter to support my funding application.
Thanks to my pitch at the SCBWI conference, and Clare's belief in my story, I was successful in getting the money for my trip and in April 2017 I spent an amazing month at the mosque, in synagogues, at a wine market (all in the name of research) and exploring the Paris sewers. Being able to immerse myself in the world of my story has added a new layer of richness to it.
It has been an amazing journey. I have uncovered secrets, spoken to Holocaust survivors, drunk mint tea in a beautiful mosque, and sat in the oldest synagogue in Paris.
Thanks to this opportunity at SCBWI Sydney 2016, Beyond Belief will be published by Scholastic Australia next year.
Sometimes when you reach the stage of not being able to 'see the forests for the trees' with your story's manuscript, it helps to have a writing buddy or two. And sometimes it's not easy to connect with someone in the same city or town, and that's where the internet has become a fabulous resource.
Here's a tried and trusted site from Aussie children's and YA author, Dee White. The link is called FIND A WRITING BUDDY.
See what you think?
