Persnickety Snark: Reading Matters 2015 - Look what I have been working on!

Last month marked the end of my fourth year as Program Coordinator at the Centre for Youth Literature. Amongst the many elements of this role, coordinating Reading Matters is quite possible the largest. For those of you who aren't familiar, Reading Matters is Australia's largest and longest running celebration of youth literature. And it's also my baby.

Our team has been working on it for a long time and yesterday we were finally able to release the program.

In summary, we are presenting a YA focused program over 7 days;

student program (28 May)
professional program (29-20 May - conference)
public program (31 May)
national tour (2-3 June - locations tba)

This is the first time that there is a dedicated public program for YA enthusiasts. It will also have a writing focus with sessions around writing realist, fantasy, sci fi and pop culture for young adults. We're also taking eight writers to four different Australian locations (3 interstate, 1 regional Victoria) simultaneously.

What I am most proud of is the diversity we have on our program. We have emerging and established writers. We have writers who work in poetry, prose, graphic novels, animation, illustration, theatre, and non-fiction. We have writers that represent a myriad of different careers, cultures and backgrounds because representation, storytelling and art matter.

Who is coming?

Laurie Halse Anderson (USA)
Clare Atkins
Sara Farizan (USA)
Sally Gardner (UK)
Erin Gough
Kyle Hughes-Odgers
Amie Kaufman
Will Kostakis
Priya Kuriyan (India)
Jaclyn Moriarty
Abe Nouk
Tom Taylor
Jared Thomas
Sean Williams
Clare Wright
Stig Wemyss (audiobook narrator)
the Nowhere Boys team (producer, cast member & game developer)
teens representing Creative Rebellion Youth (poetry), AYTP Fresh Ink (theatre) and a panel of readers

If you're a YA professional in libraries, schools or within the publishing industry - there is definitely something for you.

If you are an aspiring YA writer, or passionate YA reader - there is something for you.

If you're simply curious - there is something for you.

As for me? I am relieved I no longer have to keep all our work secret. And my hope is to see many familiar, and new faces, at Reading Matters this May.

Reading Matters is a celebration of the breadth and strength of Australia's youth literature publishing and services. It is a celebration of great writers, booming trends, and the teens that love reading young adult fiction. It's about the fantastic people that work in libraries and schools across Australia, that put that right book in the right hands.

Hope to see you there!

Where to find more information: