Please book for the Workshop and/or Literary Event
by Monday 7 December.
Creative Writing Workshop
(in person only)
Please note starting time is 10:00 am!
Time: 10:00 am to 11:45 pm
Place: Michael Crouch Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $40, non-members $55
Deborah Abela: Finding the Joy: The Key to Writing for Kids
The prime function of the children’s book writer is to write a book that is so absorbing, exciting, funny, fast and beautiful that the child will fall in love with it. Roald Dahl
Writing for children can be fun and rewarding but most of it is simply hard work and a lot of practice. Join children’s author, Deborah Abela, author of over 30 books for kids, as she shares what she has learned about writing and takes you through practical writing activities to hone the skills you need to write for kids. Deborah loves what she does and is keen to share her experiences of and insights into this specialised and incredibly exciting profession.
Deborah (Dip Teach, BA (Comm)) trained as a teacher before becoming a writer/producer of a national children’s TV show at Network TEN. She then went to Africa where she was harassed by monkeys, got caught in a desert sandstorm and was thrown in jail twice. Since then, she’s become an internationally published and awarded author of 30 books including her climate change trilogy, Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery were inspired by her grade 4 teacher, Miss Gray. She wrote the CBCA Notable Bear in Space, illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, and the CBCA Notable The Book of Wondrous Possibilities, is her love letter to books, booksellers and librarians and how they save us when we feel lost. Her latest novel is The Kindness Project, where four kids try to change the world with a school project. Deb’s won awards for her work but mostly hopes to be as brave as her characters.
Literary Event
(in person and via Zoom)
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Place: Michael Crouch Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $25, non-members $40
It’s almost Christmas!
Come along, join in the festivities, meet other women writers, catch up with your friends!
Market Stall
Because it’s almost time for Christmas, as members, you can bring your recent publications for sale. Please note, it is up to you to arrange payment – bring appropriate amounts of change if you want to receive cash. Alternatively, you can use your square reader for credit card transactions.
Christmas Performance
Get into the spirit of the season with Off the Shelf, The State Library’s Choir – sing along or just listen and appreciate their joyful singing.
Member Spotlight
Pippa Kay: Beyond Doubt & Conviction
Pippa will discuss the writing of Doubt & Conviction: The Kalajzich Inquiry (published in 2002) and what has happened since. Andrew Kalajzich served 25 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Megan, and is still fighting to prove his innocence. I have recently been interviewed by private investigator, Ken Gamble, for a documentary called Megan’s Murder. Ken Gamble has been working pro bono for Andrew Kalajzich and has new evidence. (www.gambleinvestigates.com)
Pippa is a past-Co-President of the Society of Women Writers and is now Workshop Coordinator. She has published two books: Doubt & Conviction: The Kalajzich Inquiry (2002) and Keeping It in the Family (Ginninderra Press, 2018), and aims to publish a collection of her poetry soon. Many of Pippa’s award-winning poems and short stories have been published in anthologies, including Ink 4 (SWW), Brushstrokes (WA Poets), Oystercatcher One and Oystercatcher Two (5 Island Press). She is working on a verse biography of her great aunt, modernist artist, Grace Crowley.
Guest Speaker
Catherine DeVrye: Beyond Timbuktu: Journeys of Hope & Humanity
A bestselling non-fiction author you’ve likely never heard of, Catherine DeVrye’s earlier books—Hope Happens! Hot Lemon & Honey, Good Service Is Good Business and Who Says I Can’t?—were translated into over a dozen languages, while others didn’t sell out their first print run and are likely now landfill!
Starting life in a Canadian orphanage, she lost both adoptive parents shortly after graduating and arrived in Australia with a backpack, $200 and one-way ticket, never dreaming she’d become an Australia Day Ambassador.
Following a global career with IBM, her business/self-help books led to invitations to speak in over thirty countries, and she was named Australian Executive Woman of the Year and Keynote Speaker of the Year.
A cancer survivor, she’s carried the Olympic torch, volunteered with street kids in Vietnam, trekked beyond Everest Base Camp and journeyed to Timbuktu. Yet she believes the toughest challenge is promoting a new book in today’s market!
Her tenth book, Beyond Timbuktu: Journeys of Hope & Humanity (Hardie Grant, 2026), features jacket comments from Tony Wheeler, Hugh Mackay and Tim Costello. It takes readers on an A–Z armchair journey from Albania to Zimbabwe, drawing on travels through over 150 countries to explore whether the world is kinder and more connected than headlines suggest.
Book and pay:
Members, you can book for yourself and a friend at member pricing, if purchased at the same time.
NEW for members – you can attend the Literary Event (not the Workshop) in your birthday month at no cost. Simply book via TryBooking and select the Birthday Month option. January birthdays (when there is no meeting) may attend free of charge in February.
Workshop (in person only): Members $40, non-members $55
If you have a Workshop Voucher, please email Pippa, Workshop Coordinator, to advise your intention to attend.
Literary Event (in person): Members $25, non-members $40
Discount for full program (Workshop and Literary Event) when booked together: Members $60, non-members $85
By Credit card: https://www.trybooking.com/DQTRO
or by Direct debit - if you wish to pay via Direct Debit, and have not previously paid The Society in this way, please email Membership Secretary to receive the details.
Literary Event via Zoom: Because of the nature of this Literary Event, sorry but no Zoom will be available.