Tuesday Poem, Mary's booklaunch and Sir Julius Vogel Update!

What a whirlwind this week has been with Wellington Writers Week and two of my works reaching the Sir Julius Vogel Awards shortlist, Ahi Ka written with the talented Eileen Mueller on my website and Northwrite and our Twisty Christmas Tales ebook is on Smashwords and Amazon.

The highlight for me was Mary McCallum's book launch of the gorgeous Dappled Annie and the Tigrish on Sunday.  What a fantastic turnout to celebrate Gecko book authors and Mary in particular.  Teamed up with the whimsical and magical Annie Hayward, Mary and of course the publishers have produced something so beautifully nostalgic I'm sure it's going to be a favourite in many households.

The following is an extract is from page 57, just after Annie discovers a little honey, and explores the importance of loyalty,  
 
At that moment, one of the fingers of sunlight that had been making its way across the lawn through the gap in the hedge slid across the fingers of one of Annie's hands.  It was the one with the honey thumb.

"Loyalty royalty then," said Annie loudly, and then again: "Loyalty." And she bowed toward the tigrish as if he were a king and she a visiting princess, and she closed her hand on the sunlight to keep it in case she needed it later. This was something her father had taught her to do. Being a lighthouse keeper he had a lot to say about light.

Annie noticed the fur of the tigrish was shimmering now, blue and gold like the hottest part of a fire.

"I'm ready," she said.

For what? you might wonder. I'm not sure yet.  I guess I'll have to keep on reading :)

Lovely stuff, with just a touch of poetry
For more poetry, and some of the posts this week are outstanding, why not check out the Tuesday Poem Hub at the tuesday poem blog

A.J. Ponder

Authors and Poets

Busy week, there's lots to do in the build up to Christmas - there's the obligatory making of Christmas Cakes and scramble to tidy the house and the garden, not to mention all those social event -  books, writing, books and more books - in my case ;)   

And like most people these days I'm also working - although some of it is fun -  Rona Gallery is putting on "The Santa Trap" (One of Peter Friend's and my School Journal Plays) for Christmas.   Not to mention the Christmas exhibition itself - and all the advertising.... so

So for a change I'm putting up about twenty favourite authors -  and in as few words as possible why they are so fab.  Feel free to contribute, I'm sure I've missed more than a few!

JRR Tolkein 

       for historical fiction that went the extra mythological mile

John Wyndham

        for disconcerting and surprising children     

A A Milne

         a bear however hard he tries grows tubby without exercise, 

         he gets what exercise he can by falling off the ottoman --

         and yet other authors seem to lack a certain good willed knack

         of finding love in little things, in toys and chairs - and crackpot kings.

Frances Hardinger

           the newest inductee.  Not for the prizewinning "Fly by Night,"

           but the bottomless well that is Verdigris Deep

C. J. Cherryh

          Down Below Station -  Enough said

Andre Norton

          The lady of science fiction herself   

Helen Cresswell

           There was winter, and there was birds --

            but I although I read the same words I could never read the same story twice

Roald Dahl

           Danny the Champion of the World, not to mention an abiding love of chocolate.

CS Lewis

          For opening the wardrobe door.

Terry Pratchett

           for raising a smile, and adding footnotes.

E.B White

          Thankyou for Charlotte, and your even more endearing mute swansong.

Diana Wynne Jones

           Ged

Mary Norton

           For making little people big.

Astrid Lindgren

          Two strong arms, plaits and an indomitable personality. 

Ursula K Le Guin

           Ged - and  more recently the little known Lavinia. 

Lewis Carrol

          A glimpse into madness,

Maurice Sendak

            One night Max made mischief - and the rest is history involving a boat and some very cute monsters.

Dr Seuss

           And the song of the swomee-swans rang out in space

Douglas Adams (both really I guess, but this one in particular) 

          Got towel - can travel. Don't panic.     

HG Wells

          For travelling back in time to get there first.

I hope you enjoy these authors as much as I do,
A.J. Ponder

A.J. Ponder's work is available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, and good Wellington bookstores

My very popular, Wizard's Guide to Wellington on my author webiste.