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For those of you who missed getting into the Eltham library last week to hear Toni Jordan and Kate Holden in conversation with Jane Sullivan, I have to say, 'What a shame.' We were treated to a lively conversation about writing and writers and the perceptions of writing about sex in fiction and memoir. What a treat it was to have these three great women in to chat about their books (thanks to Eltham Bookshop).  
So, next time you hear about these events, you really should try to get to them because it's a great way to get an insight into the making of a book and also to be involved in the discussions that arise from them. That's what's so great about books. They create discussion and help us make sense of the world. If you think that reading and writing are isolated pass-times, you should come into the library and see how wrong that idea is.

Watsonia Library is celebrating a year of writing (discussion and ideas) with their Christmas Celebration this Thursday.  Members of Writers@Watsonia will enjoy some Christmas cheer with an open mic event. All visitors are welcome, so if you'd like to see what happens at this group, please come along.

Watsonia Library
Ibbotson Street, Watsonia
Thursday 18 November
6.30pm - 8.30pm

Dress to Sparkle

Eltham Library

Tuesday 9 November

7.00pm-8.30pm

Yarra Plenty Regional Library, in partnership with ELTHAMbookshop, invite YOU to a sparkly, witty evening with Kate Holden (new novel, The Romantic) and Toni Jordan (new novel, Fall Girl) in conversation with The Age literary critic and novelist Jane Sullivan. Dress to sparkle and be sure to book as seats will fill quickly.

Phone 9439 8700 or email elthambookshop@bigpond.com

Children's Week October 23-31

Children's Week celebrates the right of children to enjoy childhood. It is also a time for children to demonstrate their talents, skills and abilities.

Thousands of children and their families around the country are involved in activities and events during "The Week" through the participation of schools, playgroups, childcare, kindergartens, cultural groups, libraries, departments and community groups. and Yarra Plenty regional Library and associated councils are no exception.

A visit to Watsonia Library will show you that the writing and colouring skills of the children in the area are second to none. In the writing competition children, of primary school age, were asked to submit a handwritten story with the theme, 'What make a safe and happy place'. This was organised by Banyule council. Children put in great stories, in their best handwriting, and the winners were awarded a bike helmet as well as Smiggle goodies.

Also, as part of the week, there was a visiting cartoonist, Brett Cardwell
http://www.cardytoons.com.au/
to show the kids how easy it is to draw fun cartoons.

Story time has been enjoyed by many at various shopping centres around the region as well as Teddy Bear picnics and train rides.

What a great week it's been (so far) to celebrate being a child.

Writers@Watsonia

A great way to develop your writing is to make connections with other writers who can give you constructive feedback on your work. It might be a little daunting to show your writing to other writers but they understand the process and can give valuable insight into anything you might be struggling with, whether it be plot, character, sense of place, Point of View or just simply motivation to keep going with it when you lose confidence.

Watsonia Library, as well as many of our other branches, run regular workshops for the community. If you'd like to participate contact Lynne Siejka on lsiejka@yprl.vic.gov.au. You can email your writing to Lynne a week before the group meets if you'd like to be a part of the workshopping process.

To enquire if your local library branch has their own group, simply contact them directly.

Eltham Library Celebrates

 The Eltham Library re-opened to great fanfare last Monday and was officially launched on Tuesday morning in front of a great crowd.

Patrons have already made great use of the new computers and the children's area is very spacious and well loved.

There was something for everyone at Eltham during the week from an animal petting zoo, to a Wii competition, tours of the new space, the author Matthew Reilly and a harpist.

Matthew Reilly had a queue for signings the full length of the library and entertained his booklovers with stories about his critics and his start as an author before he had to make a mad dash for the airport to fly back to Sydney. What a treat to have Matthew visit the library and what a pleasure to see so many fans.

Sunday afternoon was very civilised with scones and jam and cream while listening to the hypnotic sounds of the harp.

BOOK LAUNCH

Ivanhoe Library is proud to host a book launch for Russell Beedles, author of  A Tribe of Angels, on Monday 20 September from 7.00pm till 8.00pm.

A Tribe of Angels is an evocation of daily life in Melbourne during the 1940s and 1950s. In this autobiographical memoir, Russell Beedles shifts perspective from that of a child growing up in the suburb of Ivanhoe, to that of an adolescent in the choir of St.Paul's Cathedral, and then as a young adult at Melbourne University. The changes of voice in each section, written at a different level of sophistication, suggest the shifting impressions of a young person gradually developing in maturity and understanding.


The wealth of detail in this personal account, together with the ability to evoke a sense of place and the shifts and changes in attitudes and social conventions throughout this period, give his narrative a liveliness which is engaging.

The inclusion of over 120 images (mainly photographs) offers a lively and immediate engagement with the people and the period, while the comprehensive index ensures that this will be a most useful reference for study and research by scholars, as well as for the general reader.

IVANHOE LIBRARY
255 Upper Heidelberg Road
Ivanhoe 3079
To enquire or book, phone: 9497 5780

Supper Provided

Releasing Creativity Writing Workshop

Writers@Watsonia are proud to present, by popular demand, author and publisher Suzanne Male. Suzanne will lead a session on Releasing Creativity. Come to the Watsonia Library on Thursday 16 September from 7.00pm-8.30pm and join this fun session and meet other local writers.

Booking are required.

Phone: 9435 2397