Behind the Scenes: Meet the Faculty Sheryl Gwyther

Sheryl Gywther is the SCBWI Assistant Regional Adviser for Queensland, an impassioned advocate for all things kids’ lit and a writer for 7-13 year olds. Her short stories, chapter books and school plays are widely used in schools, and her novel, Secrets of Eromanga, an adventure set on an Australia’s dinosaur fossil dig is still popular in many schools.

She’s a recipient of two Australian Society of Authors Mentorships; two May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Residential Fellowship; and an Arts Qld Individual Professional Development Grant. In 2013, Sheryl was recently awarded a SCBWI Work-of-Outstanding-Progress Grant for her historical adventure w-i-p, Sweet Adversity.

When Sheryl occasionally has a spare day, she spends it on painting, printmaking and photography. She’s also a completely besotted grandmother who now has a small person of her own again to share wonderful children’s stories with. It’s hard not to admire her zeal and talent so slam your plant pots together for Sheryl Gywther!

Welcome!

Briefly state your conference role and conference responsibilities

I’m a SCBWI Assistant Regional Advisor, in charge of a wonderful tribe of KidLit creators from Queensland. We also have three sub-branches in Queensland (we’re a pretty big state) - one in the Far North Qld, at the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

At the conference, I’m MCing a session, and various other duties (can one call ‘having fun’ a duty?)

Describe your most notable achievement or proudest moment in Kids’ Lit to date

The publication in July 2018 of my historical adventure set in the Great Depression, Sweet Adversity, (HarperCollins Australia).

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

A manuscript assessment with the wonderful HarperCollins publisher, Lisa Berryman … most memorable because Lisa told me she absolutely loved my manuscript submission, Sweet Adversity, and my protagonist, Addie McAllister, and also the way I write, and could I please send her the whole manuscript. I didn’t stop grinning for the rest of the conference.

My most memorable foreign SCBWI Conference was the 2018 Summer Conference in Los Angeles. OMG! It was totally amazing, brilliant, informative, massive … I’m still getting my head about the experience. I’m so glad I made the effort to go! Thank you, Susanne Gervay for encouraging me … may not have forced myself to fly so far just for a week otherwise.

Name one thing you can’t live without

My imagination. And my family … especially the little addition to our lives, Ava Harriet Gwyther … now 16 months old. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ’s the next scientist in our family.

Provide at least one Fun Fact from a SCBWI Conference you’ve attended or organised (anywhere in the world)

A FUN FACT from the SCBWI Summer Conference in LA. There were over 1200 delegates to this conference held in a huge hotel in the city. Can you imagine 1200 people in a huge ballroom ALL talking at the same time about books, publishing, writing, illustrating KidLit? Yeah, the buzz almost lifted the roof! Check out the fabulous, informative conference blog, here.

Awesome, Sheryl! Just like the Sydney 2019 SCBWI Conference is shaping up to be. Can’t wait.

Uncover more of Sheryl’s writing and artwork at www.sherylgwyther.net Or meet her in Sydney IRL along with all of our other fabulous SBCWI faculty. The fun begins on Sunday 24 February. Stick around for more info on that in our next post, soon! Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

www.dimitypowell.com

#SCBWISyd

Meet the Roving Reporters: Dimity Powell

Nothing fills me with more pleasure than digging around in the garden, the sun warm on my back, dirt under my nails, nourishing tomorrow’s miracles. It’s as satisfying as digging around for the perfect idea, fertilising it with words then watching that idea grow into something beyond spectacular. That is why I’m so very happy to be heading this team of gardeners, the Roving Reporters, for the 2019 SCBWI Sydney Conference.

You’ve no doubt met one or two, if not, get to know them now, here.

No great team of word landscapers would be complete without their Head Gardener so today I share a little be more about, me. Come smell the roses…

Dimity Powell

To Read, Write and Inspire sum up Dimity’s main passions in life, along with sailing on the beam, eating ice cream and writing in her diary – although doing all three at once makes her nauseous. She’s a Kids’ Lit nut, living, breathing and reading it for huge chunks of her day. She weaves words into short story webs for anthologies, digital narratives, junior novels and most gratifyingly, into picture books. When she’s not wrangling words, she’s reviewing, managing an esteemed team of reviewers for Kids' Book Review or sharing her love of story in front of crowds of very small people. It says so on her website, so it must be true. Dimity lives just around the corner from Bat Man on the Gold Coast and she adores applying the adage, ‘from little things, big things grow’ anywhere and everywhere, especially in her garden.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

This will be my third, all in Sydney.

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

Being together in the same room with Nicky Johnston and my publisher, Anouska Jones for the first time at the 2016 Conference was an absolute heart-swell. We had just signed a contract for At The End of Holyrood Lane and Nicky was sharing her first roughs with us. It was a supremely emotional watershed moment for me. Connections like this at SCBWI events are simply the best.

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

The feeling that we are trusted conjurers of magic, forever fine-tuning our craft and always eager to enlighten never ever ceases to thrill me. My roles in this Industry are many: reviewer, writer, presenter, mentor, editor, student. I love them all and the absolute feeling of camaraderie from all sectors of the industry. It really is a crazy job but one I find I’m much less without.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

Sleep. Although I challenge myself to do so each and every day.

Please feel free to breeze on into www.dimitypowell.com anytime for a chat or at tea or two.

Remember, this garden is ever evolving. Visit again when we showcase some interesting behind the scenes fun facts of conferences past and present. Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

#SCBWISyd

Images courtesy of Tania McCartney

Meet the Roving Reporters: Cherri Ryan and Yvonne Mes

The winds of change occasionally deliver divine surprises: the scent of new beginnings, the hint of new ideas, a promise of something exceptional. Today we meet two more exceptional members of our SCBWI Sydney 2019 Conference Roving Reporters Team.

Find a shady spot to sit back and welcome:

Cherri Ryan

Cherri Ryan is an author who is inspired by the children and families she cared for as a family doctor in Australia for almost twenty years. When she is not writing or reviewing fabulous children’s stories for Kids’ Book Review, Cherri works in medical education, and enjoys helping organisations that help others.

In 2016, one of Cherri’s stories was animated and projected onto Brisbane City Hall as the Christmas Lights Spectacular. Cherri’s debut picture book, Spirit, illustrated by Christina Booth and published by Black Dog Books (an imprint of Walker Books Australia), follows a young girl with creativity, courage and sailing dreams.

Cherri lives in Queensland, Australia, with her family, one cat, two guinea pigs and many visiting birds and possums. Cherri believes in hope, joy, perseverance and the power of stories.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference?

Yes! And I am very much looking forward to it!

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

I am looking forward to meeting some friends I’ve known through social media for several years in real life!

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

I love the way everyone in this field is so supportive of each other and encouraging. There is never fighting over who gets the piece of pie, there is only ever more pie!

Name one thing you cannot live without.

My family.

Sail away with Cherri on her literary journey at: www.cherriryan.com

Now, enjoy the breeze and meeting:

Yvonne Mes

Yvonne Mes is a children’s author and illustrator from Brisbane. She writes fiction and non-fiction including picture books, junior fiction and short stories and has recently started designing pop-up story boxes. Her stories expand perspectives and invite feelings.

Her picture book Meet Sidney Nolan was published by Penguin Random House in 2015 and her picture book Oliver's Grumbles was re-released with Yellow Brick Books in 2017. Her short story 'A Starry Christmas' was animated and projected onto Brisbane City Hall over Christmas for two weeks. She is currently illustrating her first picture book.You can find more of her short stories in The School Magazine and anthologies.

Yvonne delivers presentations for grown-ups and is happiest when reading and performing stories with children (or grown-ups, or chickens).

Yvonne is on the Book Links Executive Committee, coordinates Write Links for children’s authors and illustrators and is a member of SCBWI, QWC and several other professional bodies.

Is this your first SCWBI Conference? If not how many have you attended, where?

Nope, this is my third in Sydney!

What is the most memorable (SCBWI) Conference experience you’ve had to date, or hope to have?

They were all inspiring in different ways, but I did get my first publishing contract after meeting an editor during my first conference, so that is hard to top!

What endears you most about the Kids’ Literary Industry and your role in it?

The shared passion of the power and beauty of story, whether written or visually.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

A THING right? You wouldn't want to make me choose between my kids! Let me think ... Yes! Hope. And Dreams. and Love. Ohh, now I have gone all metaphysical, that's OK, right? Right? Is that alright? Hmm, perhaps I can't live without validation... Is that a THING? Help!

We call that ‘mango madness’ in Queensland, Yvonne. But who doesn’t love mangoes!

Unearth more of Yvonne’s words and art at: www.yvonnemes.com

For more sweet insights into our team be sure to visit our garden again next week. Till then,

Rove ya later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

#SCBWISyd

www.dimitypowell.com

Images courtesy of Tania McCartney