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Monday, January 15, 2018

Australia’s Favourite Writer - Heat 4!

I’ve voted again - here!

Some good ones this time - again, I made it my rule only to tick the boxes of those authors I had read, even if it was only one book or a couple of short stories. I was pleased to see some writers for children and teens there.

Anh Do was there. I think of him as a writer for kids. Apart from his autobiography, The Happiest Refugee, which our kids did at Year 9 last year and generally enjoyed, he’s done a series of humorous stories for younger kids, which older kids whose reading is not so good also seem to enjoy.at least, mine did last year.

Jackie French was on the list and got my vote. She has written some wonderful historical fiction, set in many different eras, and seems to be the only historical novelist the students at my school will read, apart from Morris Gleitzman’s Once series. Oh,  by the way, he was on the list too - nuff  said!

Tim Winton got a gong from me for his Lockie Leonard books.

Colin Thiele - only read one of his books, but he is a classic children’s writer. I think I may have met him once, when he was doing a book signing, but where and when I don’t recall. I just recall being surprised he was still around...and then he wasn’t any more. :-(

John Birmingham is funny, so yes,he got a tick, despite not writing for kids.

Henry Lawson - well, he was one of our classic writers!

Damn, I missed Margo Lanagan! Just spotted her name now. She deserves a gong for her powerful fantasy writing. Her short stories AND her novels. Do vote for her!

Then the fannish ones, such as Justine Larbalestier and Amanda Pillar - and John Flanagan, whose Ranger’s Apprentice books I’m re-reading now!

I ticked Andrew Rule, though I only know him as a journalist, because I got good use out of Underbelly when I was writing Crime Time. That, whatever you may think, was a collection of previously-published articles he and a John Silvester wrote for the Age, not a novel and not even written as a true crime book. And it was very useful to me!

Sean Williams got my tick for his Twinmaker YA trilogy. Non stop action and he really wrecked the Star Trek replicator and transporter for me! ;-)

Other children’s and YA authors: Paul Jennings, Ruth Starke, my lovely publisher and children’s writer Paul Collins, Scott Gardner, the amazing Jaclyn Moriarty, for her Colours Of Madeleine trilogy... Emily Rodda, Pamela Freeman, the hilarious Oliver Phommavanh, who started life as a primary teacher and is now entertaining lots more kids!

Well, I’m biased toward writers for the young, but if you follow this blog you probably enjoy these books too.

Go to the web site between now and Wednesday January 17 to vote or just to check it out. This round closes as noon on Wednesday.












2 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Sue - it is such a great way to get readers involved and highlighting different authors via their votes ... good luck to all entries - cheers Hilary

Sue Bursztynski said...

Thanks, Hilary, it’s a lot of fun! Maybe there is something similar in England - or Canada, where you are now?