21 August, 2015, Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, Australia
What a day we have in store. Across the country we have nervous short-listees, hovered over the CBCA website, pressing refresh over and over with terrified hope. There are some in that category here at the Melbourne Town Hall, eyes glazed over, willing me to get on with it so that this wash of words may end, and their fates may be determined.
Well I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that this wash of words will eventually end. The bad news is that in order to set the mood for all of us who aren’t on the short list, I’ve got a little CBCA awards inspired picture book manuscript I want to trial. They are plenty of publishers in the room, and I’m sure once they get an earful of this, it’s going to be mega four figure advances and whispered promises of up to 3.5% royalties! Bring on the underbidding war folks.
The title of this work is ‘Each Peach Pear Figs’ - and if I’m honest, it does have a progenitor somewhere out there in the children’s book world.
Each Peach Pear Figs
I spy Karen Briggs
Karen Briggs left and right
I spy Scary Night
Scary Night, Stephen King
Judith Rossell, Withering
By the sea, lovely Stella
I spy Trace Balla
Trace Balla’s Rivertime
I spy an easy rhyme
Easy rhyme coming atcha
I spy Robin Cowcher
Robin Cowcher, so awesome
Snip Green’s Douglas Mawson
Ambelin
Kwaymullina
Girl that’s lost
Have you seen her?
This rhyme gets longer
I spy Christine Bongers
Christine Bongers in the hood
I spy Freya Blackwood
Freya Blackwood who can best her?
I spy A Lester
Noni heading for the beach
Longer now than Each, Peach
Bruce Whatley, Jackie French
Meetzenthen, he’s a mensch
Stone Lion, Margaret Wild
Loved by every child
Bill Condon, Simple Things
He also often wins
Snail and Turtle Still Friends
Stephen Michael King again
Tony Wilson and his Cow
Self promoting, out now
Aaron Blabey’s Pug is Piggy
I spy brave Figgy.
Brave Figgy in the world
I spy Cinammin Girl
Winners will give thanks
Will it be Tristian Bancks?
Two Wolves out hunting
They spy baby bunting
Baby bunting torn apart
Each, Peach, rated R
Bleak boy in the rain
Libby Gleeson’s name again!
Books on war - not so cheery
One by Michael Camilleri
Older readers, teenage cares
I spy two Claires
Two Claires, both respected
I spy The Protected
Other Claire, and her Nona
Both deserve sticker honour
Can The Minnow win the day?
Hashtag Love - OzYA
Jesse get the eff to sleep
I spy the ... Green Sheep
Green Sheep by the door
Here since 2004
Who was huge even then?
I spy Robert Ingpen
Robert Ingpen, Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton rhymes with Crichton
Crichton Medal, illustration
Draw the face that stops the nation
Children’s books, special day
C-B-C-A
Each peach, pear, plum
Good luck, everyone.