Behind the Scenes: Meet THE BEATNICKERS! Meredith Costain

Literary legend and master of the keyboard, Meredith is no stranger to SCBWI conferences. If you’ve never got down and dirty (aka hot and sweaty) on the dance floor with her rocking tunes, you’re in for a treat. Wax lyrical for …

Meredith Costain

Briefly state your conference role and conference responsibilities

I have a bit of a mixed bag this year! I’ll be part of the Creating Passionate Poets panel (lots of excellent alliteration right there!) for the PD Day on the Tuesday, and also doing some manuscript assessments for Ford Street.

But most importantly I’ll be flexing my fingers, cranking up the keyboard and – in the words of the immortal Blues Brothers – ‘getting the band back together’ for the Beatnickers’ third outing at the SCWBI Dinner Dance on the Monday night. Should be a hoot! (If not a nanny )

How long have you been part of the SCBWI Band and what made you sign up for it: the money, the notoriety, the free scotch finger biscuits?

The SCBWI band seems to have morphed out of a few late-night (well-oiled) jam sessions around the grand piano in the foyer of the Hughenden Hotel in 2010. By the next conference I’d managed to co-opt a few more SCBWI members to put together a ‘lounge band’ with Scott Chambers and Chris Cheng on guitar, various vocalists (led by the inimitable James Foley) and even a ukulele.

2014 saw us ‘plug in’ for surround sound, with Mark Greenwood on drums, Scott and James in full flight, and a host of guests. Karen Collum stepped up brilliantly to play keyboards at the last conference when I was a late scratching (with even more stellar guests up on stage) – and this year I’m back, ready to (rock and) roll. Bring your dancing shoes!

What made me sign up for it? Ummm … the free wine? (Were there scotch finger biscuits?!?) (There’s free wine?! Where’s my ukulele… Ed.)

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

Being awarded the Graham Davey Citation for my contribution to Australian children’s literature at the YABBA awards in November meant a lot to me. The next week one of the Ella Diaries (brilliantly illustrated by Danielle McDonald) won Honour Book in the junior fiction section at the KOALA awards in Sydney. And then a couple of weeks after that I headed off to India with Leigh Hobbs to take part in children’s book festivals, school visits and creators’ content conferences as part of Australia Fest. So a great month!

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

Staying up till very late (were there birds chirping?) in a little room in the Hughie, drinking wine and chatting to US poet Ellen Hopkins and people who have since become close and dear (and I suspect lifelong!) friends. This is one of the biggest take-aways an event like the SCBWI conference can offer, and why I keep coming back.

Name one thing you can’t live without

Only one? Good friends that get your jokes and have your back. (Plus the usual: books, music, wine, chocolate et cetera, et cetera, et cetera . . .) ( and nut-filled M & Ms?! Ed.)

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

100+ sweaty people in a room doing the Nutbush! And not letting the band have a break because they wanted to keep dancing. Now that’s commitment.

Visit Meredith and her astounding library of written work at www.meredithcostain.com

With only a couple more weeks to go until the next Sydney 2019 SCBWI Conference, you should have packed your dancing shoes, manuscripts, coloured pencils and notebooks and booked your tickets by now. There’s still however plenty of time to settle back and meet a couple more of the amazing faces behind the names of the people behind the scenes of this incredible event. Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

www.dimitypowell.com

#SCBWISyd

Behind the Scenes: Meet the Faculty

Before any landscaping team launches into a new project, they need a sound and detailed brief from someone with a clear vision of how they wish their garden to grow. Coordinating a SCBWI conference is no different. It requires foresight, planning, creative vision and above all, an united team effort.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll endeavour to introduce you to a few of the movers and shakers behind next year’s 2019 Sydney Conference, the faulty as it were; the directors of our creative direction. This week, Susanne Gervay, SCBWI Australia’s Regional Adviser, reveals some of her conference fun facts. Wave your gladioli in the air for Susanne!

Susanne, briefly state your conference role and conference responsibilities

Conference Director – the glue between the many moving parts of the conference team with the incredible Marjorie, Sue, Jodie, Margaret, Sarah – and the enthusiasm of the coordinators of the chapters Victoria, Qld, SA, ACT, Tas, NSW and NZ, as well as the Roving Reporters and of course the fabulous delegates of the children’s book industry.

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

The nomination for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award representing Australia and receiving an OAM for children’s literature. Both mean the world to me, as my parents were refugees who came with only courage to Australia, to rebuild their broken lives. Their belief in Australia was validated through the recognition of my work in Kid’s Lit. They would be so proud. I am proud too.

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

It has to be meeting the incredible FONZ at the LA Conference. Henry Winkler wasn’t in his leather gear, which was a disappointment. His hair was a little grey and his motor bike missing in action, but he was charming and definitely hadn’t lost any of the FONZ charisma. We did talk about the Hank Zipster series, but really I was waiting for him to comb his hair. Ahhh.

Name one thing you can’t live without

My family. They fill my life with all the emotions and drive my writing.

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

It has to be the insanely enthusiastic dancing, singing, shouting at the SCBWI dance party in Sydney. The SCBWI band with SCBWI authors and illustrators centre stage – led by James Foley, Meredith Costain, Scott Chambers, when Dale Newman, Vair Buchanan and Karen Collum - all jumped in. Dale played a mean guitar. So much talent! Heaps of fun.

I think that moment will remain for us all who were there!

Visit again for more fun facts and behind the scenes revelations soon. Till then,

Rove ya’ later!

Dimity (Head Gardener)

www.dimitypowell.com

#SCBWISyd

Floral images courtesy Tania McCartney

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