Saturday 21 September 5pm at NERAM
Cost $5 pp
The UNE Writers and Illustrators in Residence Program and NERAM are presenting a Public Talk by James Roy:
Scratching the Itch
At the age of nine, James Roy identified three lifetime ambitions: to be a writer; to sail around the world; and to play test cricket for Australia. While wearing the baggy green is now a faded dream and circumnavigation seems increasingly unlikely, James did manage to become a writer, and is now one of Australia’s most respected authors for young people, with some thirty books and multiple significant awards under his belt.
But why write for children? What was it that made James target readers of eight to eighteen? Was it his missionary upbringing? Was it the constant relocating of his family? Was it the lack of a television? Was it the omnipresent books? Was it all of the above? Or is there some childhood itch that simply has to be scratched?
Come and hear James speak candidly about his journey from shy Adventist missionary kid to successful writer and presenter, why he thinks that writing stories for young people is such an important job, and how our experiences determine which stories we choose – or are obliged – to tell.
James Roy is a well-known and award-winning author of Young Adult novels, including Anonymity Jones, Queasy Rider, City and Town.
This talk follows a Adult Writing Workshop (2-4pm)
