Awarded the Lifetime Social Justice Literature Award by the International Literacy Association and an Order of Australia, Susanne Gervay is internationally published. Her rite-of-passage I Am Jack books on school bullying, adapted into an acclaimed play by Monkey Baa Theatre, touring Australian and US theatres has been published in many countries. Butterflies YA has achieved international acclaim. Her recent publication is a picture book, Elephants Have Wings. Writer Ambassador for Room to Read, www.sgervay.com Programme

9:30 Registration and morning tea

10:00 Welcome and introductions. Frances Plumpton

10:10 – 10:20 SCBWI – We’re on your side: Frances Plumpton, Susanne Gervay Overview of SCBWI and member benefits

10:20 – 11:00 The Other Side of the International Dateline: Susanne Gervay Susanne’s experiences with her titles in both the Australian and US markets

11:00 – 11:20 Agents – Love them or Leave them? Frances Plumpton A glimpse inside a literary agency

11:20 – 12:00 Over the Ditch, Working with Australian Publishers: Susanne Gervay (with input from Sally Sutton, , Frances Plumpton)

12:00 – 1:00 lunch

1:00 – 1:30 More Than Pretty Pictures: Christine Dale: Illustrator portfolios, what you need to know

1:30 – 2:15 Beyond the Contract: Penny Scown, Sally Sutton, Maria Gill Working with the creators: Sally - series fiction, Maria - nonfiction

2:15- 3:00 I Wish! Do’s and Don’ts of submissions: Experts panel: Christine Dale, Penny Scown, Susanne Gervay, Frances Plumpton Speakers

Christine Dale is the co-Director in New Zealand’s newest publisher of children’s books, OneTree House Ltd, which she established with Jenny Nagle in 2017. Christine was the Publishing Manager at Scholastic NZ Ltd for many years and has been in the industry for over 30 years. She has written and illustrated for children and one of these titles was re-released by Scholastic in 2017, The Big Block of Chocolate, written by Janet Redhead. She has overseen the release of some of New Zealand’s most iconic titles such as, The House That Jack Built by , The Little Yellow Digger by Betty and Alan Gilderdale and The Bantam and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck and . Her current venture won the Publisher of the Year (Oceania) at the Bologna Book Fair in April this year.

Penny Scown, Senior Editor, Scholastic New Zealand. For over thirty years, Penny Scown has worked with Scholastic authors and illustrators creating children’s books – picture books, junior fiction, novels, nonfiction. She has had a hand in almost every one of the many hundreds of books that Scholastic has produced in that time, including a multitude of award-winning titles. During her career she has worked with almost all of the traditional big names of NZ children’s literature and has been proud to be involved in launching the careers of many others. Penny has also worked for Scholastic in the UK and these days works closely with Scholastic counterparts in Australia.

Sally Sutton is a best-selling, award-winning author well known for her picture book series Roadworks, Demolition and Construction, published by Walker Books Australia, which have now exceeded 500,000 sales. She has written a series of diaries of NZ native animals for Scholastic NZ, now followed by a very popular junior fiction series Miniwings, about six mischievous winged toy horses creating havoc for their owners, sisters Sophia and Clara.

Maria Gill, who has a background as a teacher and a journalist, has written 57 children’s books for both the educational and trade markets. Anzac Heroes, illustrated by Marco Ivancic, and published by Scholastic NZ, won the 2016 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Book of the Year Award. Maria writes full-time from her seaside home north of Auckland.

Frances Plumpton, Assistant Regional Advisor, Australia East and New Zealand. Frances is a founding member and trustee of Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand. Following a career as a children’s librarian she has now established Frances Plumpton Literary Agency, representing many outstanding NZ children’s authors and illustrators. Frances has participated in and convened NZ children’s and young adults judging panels over the years. She is currently chair of IBBY NZ (International Board on Books for Young People).