Emily Rodda

When I decided to have a blog as part of my new website I promised myself faithfully that I’d keep it up to date. Then came the Mudgee Readers Festival, The Melbourne Writers Festival and the Brisbane Writers Festival. Then as soon as I got home I had proofs to check and deadlines to meet. And then I gave into temptation and started work on a new book.

So much for solemn promises! My first blog was written when Shadows of the Master, the first book in the Star of Deltora series, was about to be published. Now the second book, Two Moons, is out. I can’t believe it!

Anyway, it was great to meet so many people while I was travelling around. One of the real highlights in Brisbane was an online session with kids who live out of the city, sometimes in very remote areas. It was amazing to sit in that small, quiet room answering questions from some of the thousand kids who were online in their own classrooms such a long way away.

In Melbourne, Marc McBride, the fabulous cover artist for Deltora Quest, the Three Doors and Star of Deltora, did sessions with me. As always, that was really good fun. I talked, Marc painted, and then we both answered questions. We did some kids’ TV together, too. Marc painted a lot of amazing dragons in those few days!

There are some New South Wales events coming up soon. On Thursday 19^th November I’ll be at Cabramatta Library as part of the Children’s Author Roadshow organised by the Sydney Writers’ Festival Children’s Festival of Moving Stories. On Friday 20^th November I’ll be at the Festival’s Primary School Day at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith. And on Saturday 21^st I’ll be at Katoomba Library for the Dragon Detective Quest being held by the Blue Mountains branch of the Australian Children’s Book Council.

Well, that’s it. I hope you’re enjoying the new-look website. Things to come are some extra pages about Deltora Quest and some of my other series. A complete book list is on the way, too, and maybe an interview that will help to answer some of your questions about writing, and about my books. If you want to contact me, the best way is still to write to me care of Scholastic Australia, PO Box 579 Lindfield NSW 2070 Australia.