A fantastic new initiative by CBCA NSW and SCBWI Australia and New Zealand. Each month our fabulous Aussie and Kiwi authors and illustrators will give us an insight into the inspiration behind their books and creative choices. A great resource for any who loves books! Click here to access Episode 1 with Deb Abela and Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, Victoria Mackinlay and Katrina McKelvey. Follow CBCA NSW on their Facebook page for the next episodes.

A brilliant interview from The Federation of Children's Book Groups with Australian author Zana Fraillon on her new novel 'The Lost Soul Atlas.' She is an outstanding writer whose stories reflect the displaced, disenfranchised and invisible humans that inhabit our world. One of my all time favourite YA writers. http://fcbg.org.uk/the-lost-soul-atlas/

You may have guessed from the Blog Bites header that I'm a big bee fan. Bees are beautiful. Bees are clever. Bees are, well. pretty amazing! And they are essential for our survival. We need to stop spraying fields with chemicals and pesticides because WE are bothered by bees and insects. We NEED these tiny creatures. They might seem small but they are a huge part of the food chain because of their pollination of the plants we love to eat!  Did you know that honeybees are the only insects that produce food eaten by us? Honey is not only yummy but is also used medicinally in some cultures. So - I've written a story, not just about the honeybee, but about insects in general and the important role they play in saving our planet. It's called 'An Insects Guide To Living On Earth.' If you like bees too, you can help by planting lavender and other scented flowers in your backyard. Bee - utiful!