Every day should be Teachers’ Day for the hard-working mob who nourish and inspire the future generations.

The Booked Out Team and all our wonderful authors and illustrators certainly appreciate the efforts teachers make to connect their children with the wonderful world of books, art and literature.

So although Teachers’ Day was officially last week – we just want to use it as an excuse to say to all the teachers out there – Yay YOU!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Today, the Booked Out team a took a quick break from emails to catch up with three of our fabulous speakers: Sue DeGennaro, Craig Smith, and Nova Weetman. They came in to share their new books, tell us about what they do in their sessions, and even give us a quick demonstration of their school visit activities!

Sue, Craig and Nova are as busy as ever: screenwriter and novelist Nova has a number of new books up her sleeve for 2019, illustrator Craig is off up North for an outback adventure, and Sue is always busy creating gorgeous characters in her studio.

The Booked Out team takes great pride in keeping up to date with what our authors and illustrators are up to – because we are their biggest fans – but also so that we can ensure that our recommendations are always fresh and up to date.

So do get in touch now if you’re interested in finding out more about these superstar speakers – we’re just a phone call away on 03 9824 0177.

Tristan Bancks is our Skype superstar!

Alongside being an absolutely amazing speaker already, Tristan also offers fantastic online sessions for schools who are located in regional or remote locations, or missed out on a tour spot.

Tristan is lucky enough to reside in cozy northern New South Wales, so if you’re after a visit but covering flights and accommodation is out of budget, Tristan is just a Skype call away.

Tristan is suitable for students from Grade 3 to Year 8, and can speak on The Fall, Two Wolves and general writing tips for younger readers.

If you’re still hankering after an in-person visit, you could be in luck. Tristan still has spots available in his Sydney tour (5 – 9 August) and Melbourne tour (19 – 24 August).

Please feel free to send us an email at bookings@bookedout.com.au to find out more about Tristan’s availability!

Last week, Booked Out helped to send transgender activist and author Nevo Zisin to Cairns State High School, for a Mental Health Week visit.

In a region first, Nevo delivered talks and workshops to staff, students and the school community. Their workshops started conversations about bullying, sexuality, and gender identity, with an overall message of acceptance and compassion.

The school shared some wonderful feedback about the impact of the visit:

“Nevo was amazing. I have had so much positive feedback from students, staff, parents and the community. The various youth services were also very impressed. We will continue to pass on Nevo’s messages, I learnt a lot.

Nevo surpassed the expectations I had for this event and really made a difference to inclusivity and the mental health of many of our young people.”

Watch the video below to see Nevo in action talking about the importance of Mental Health Week. Nevo also touches on what they do to make their sessions fun, educational and inspiring for students.

Booked Out is proud to represent speakers like Nevo who are starting important conversations, sharing their stories and making a difference all over Australia.

If you are interested in hosting Nevo at your school or library, do get in touch on 03 9824 0177 and we would be happy to help.

The Booked Out team have been eagerly anticipating the announcement of the theme for Book Week 2019 (17th – 23rd August 2019), and it is finally here!

We were excited to get the news this week that the theme for 2019 is….(drum roll please):

“READING IS MY SECRET POWER”

We can’t wait to hear more.

If you’re already planning for Book Week 2019, do get in touch. The earlier you are, the better chance of securing your first choice author or illustrator! Of course, if you are unsure what kind of visit you’d like, let us give you some recommendations – we are experts at finding that perfect person for your school.

Keep an eye on the CBCA website for more updates: https://cbca.org.au/news/cbca-book-week-2019

Demet Divaroren’s debut novel Living on Hope Street has been honored once again – shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for 2018 in the Young Adult category.

Judges had plenty of praise to dish out, commenting:

“In this powerful debut novel, Demet Divaroren authentically portrays the everyday lives of a number of working class families as they come to terms with a range of challenging contemporary issues in a suburban street. Each of the central characters is richly drawn as they share their individual stories … Living on Hope Street is an honest and thought-provoking celebration of human courage and resilience; the importance of family and friendship; the need to build intercultural understandings; and the hopefulness that can foster new beginnings.”

Go Demet!

Check it out! Primary speakers Anna Walker and Belinda Murrell have both been shortlisted for the 2018 Environment Award for Children’s Literature.

Anna’s award-winning and stunning Florette has been shortlisted for Picture Fiction, accompanying Belinda’s fantastic Pippa’s Island 1: The Beach Shack Cafe under the Fiction category.

Winners will be announced in October 2018 – keep an eye on the EACL website here for updates, and to download a poster with all the titles for a colourful addition to your classroom.

Anna is available to be booked in Melbourne for Book Week 2019, and Belinda can visit schools all year round in Sydney.

How excited are we to get our paws on Rosalie Ham’s new release, The Year of the Farmer! Timely and magnificent, Rosalie’s new title is set in a quiet farming town in regional New South Wales where a war is brewing…

“The last few years have been punishingly dry, especially for the farmers, but otherwise, it’s all Neralie Mackintosh’s fault. If she’d never left town then her ex, the hapless but extremely eligible Mitchell Bishop, would never have fallen into the clutches of the truly awful Mandy, who now lords it over everyone as if she owns the place.

So, now that Neralie has returned to run the local pub, the whole town is determined to reinstate her to her rightful position in the social order. But Mandy Bishop has other ideas. Meanwhile the head of the local water board – Glenys ‘Gravedigger’ Dingle – is looking for a way to line her pockets at the expense of hardworking farmers already up to their eyes in debt. And Mandy and Neralie’s war may be just the chance she was looking for…”

Fans of The Dressmaker are set to devour The Year of the Farmer, where drought is the last of the community’s problems, and small town country life is revealed in all it’s dark glory. Rosalie’s trademark satirical tone permeates The Year of the Farmer, and her black comedy is both pleasing and fantastically spot on.

We can’t wait to attend the book launch on this Thursday evening and our office copy is already being passed around like a hotcake! Make sure to keep an eye out for Rosalie in the upcoming months as she commences her promotional events around Victoria.

Booked Out is pleased to announce our newest speaker addition – Chris Hammer, author of Scrublands.

Chris has worked as journalist for more than thirty years, alternating between covering federal politics and international affairs. As a political correspondent, he reported from more than thirty countries across six continents.

Chris is the author of two successful and well-received non-fiction books, The River: A Journey through the Murray-Darling Basin and The Coast: A Journey along Australia’s Eastern Shores. The River recounts Chris’ travels through the Australian bush during 2008 and 2009, from Queensland to South Australia, at the height of the worst drought in Australian history. It’s those travels and the people he met that provided the inspiration, and inform the setting, for Chris’s first work of fiction, Scrublands.

Already a no 1. bestseller, Scrublands has taken Australia by storm and is expected to make similar waves internationally.

As a former television and print journalist as well as a crime writer, Chris brings a wealth of experience to his talks. Perfect for library audiences and book clubs, Chris is available in Canberra and surrounding areas.

Whoo! We adore getting packages in the post, but nothing is more loved than when one of those packages is a new book from one of our lovely authors.

Michael Gerard Bauer‘s new YA novel The Things That Will Not Stand has finally been released and looks set to be a hit – with an interesting premise of Sebastian meeting the ‘wrong girl’.

Frida is an edgy and caustic storyteller whose stories begin to not quite add up the more that she speaks. The Things That Will Not Stand takes place in one unexpected and eventful day at a university open day.

Topped off with a beautiful cover, we are excited to add this to the Booked Out Book Club!