Welcome to Litsy!

Held at the end of October every year #celebratereading2016 is a national Australian conference that celebrates Australian children's and YA authors. It's also got a bit of a Halloween flare as it's held at the Fremantle Literature Centre, on the grounds of the old (convict built) prison - complete with resident ghosts!

Lili Wilkinson - "I think it's a crime that the editor doesn't get to have their name on the cover". There was so much love for editors at #celebratereading2016

When working with his publicist in London Nick Earls met a brilliant publicity assistant and was going to ask to have her lead the promotion of his next book when he found out the assistant was Renee Zellweger doing undercover research for Bridget Jones's Diary!!! We got to hear so many amazing writers life stories at #celebratereading2016 #AusYAuthors

Yesterday Marcus Zusak gave a keynote speech at the #celebratereading2016 conference. One of his first stories was about giving an author talk in my home town, that no one showed up to and where the librarian made him read anyway. Simultaneously (but fleetingly) embarrassed of my home town and profession! 😳 #AusYAauthors

Haul from the two days of #celebratereading2016 I'm particularly excited to read Lili Wilkinson's 'The Boundless Sublime' and Deb Fitzparick's 'The Break'. #AusYAauthors

"I don't accept that a good romance cannot exist without a brain tumour" - Dianne Touchell at the 'Dying is literary but falling in love is trashy' panel. She also said "let's all be pissed!" in reference to gender marketing in children's and YA lit. #celebratereading2016 #AusYAauthors

"I confess I may be the one that made love trashy" - Nick Earls at the 'Dying is literary but falling in love is trashy' panel. He then told a story about a dinner talk he gave at the Australian National Library (in front of some very important Australian literary and political figures) on points for writing a love scene. Point 9 was: "Any attempt to describe a penis would just make it seem sillier". #celebratereading2016 #AusYAauthors

"Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries is one of the most radical YA texts I read" - Lili Wilkinson in reference to her Ph.D. research at the Dying is literary but falling in love is trashy panel discussion #celebratereading2016 #AusYAauthors

Freebies from the Fremantle Literature Centres #celebratereading2016 National Conference! We just heard from Marcus Zusak about his next book 😍