The July storytelling rounds have begun!

Here is the Earth.
Here is the sky.
Here are my friends.
And here am I.



Back into harness, loading the car with stories and visiting schools, kindergartens and childcare centres.

Children's Book Week is almost upon us. My book Lyrebird! A true story (illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe and published by Museum Victoria) has been short listed by the Children's Book Council of Australia and I reckon that's worth throwing my hands in the air!

This photo was taken this morning at a child care centre in Melbourne. Lets support the people, who look after our children, in their bid for a pay rise. I see with my eyes how hard they work with energy, courtesy, intelligence and patience.

The Adventures of Split Dog and Ol'Joe no 2 is out now

In my enthusiasm to see my Intelligent Tall Tales in the universe as a comic, and being unable to convince any publishers that it was a grand idea, I've made my own. A little DIY comic. This is adventure 2.

When telling stories to Italian children in Rome recently, I was delighted to see how my little comics leapt the language barrier.

I sell them for $2.00 each and there is nothing so heart warming as exchanging a warm and sticky gold coin for an ephemeral little book.

Split Dog (the dog who is two legs up and two legs down) appears in traditional stories in Britain, America and Australia. But these are my Split Dog stories.

Special thanks to Bernard Caleo for encouraging me to have a go instead of whinging and wishing someone would do it for me.

Australian Bush Poet and reciter: Dave Davies CD Launch Newport Folk Festival 2013

I am delighted to be taking part in the launch of Dave's CD. The recitation and composing of stories in  rhyming verse is a significant part of the oral tradition in Australia and is still practised to perfection. 

From Ironbark to Dandaloo, Dave has been bringing us poems and stories of the bush for many years now. This will be a special event as Dave is launching his CD The Man From Ironbark. The CD showcases Dave's extensive repertoire, including C.J. Dennis' The Play, Banjo Paterson's How Gilbert Died and Henry Lawson's The Lights of Cobb and Co. Come along, enjoy a poem or two, and pick up your own copy of the CD.

Newport Bowls Club, Sunday 7 July 10:30 am - 11:00 am 
Entry: Wristband or pay at door

All details for the festival, venues etc HERE

From the introduction BUSH BALLADS by Banjo Patterson:

Among the assisted immigrants and currency lads of the earlier days education was not a strong point; and such newspapers as there were could not be obtained by one-half of the population, and could not be read by a very large percentage of the other half. It is no wonder, then, that the making of ballads flourished in Australia just as it did inEngland, Scotland, and Ireland in the days before printing was in common use.

Back from Rome: the Federation for European Storytelling Conference and Storytelling Festival 2013

The idea for a European Federation for European Storytelling was first mooted in 2001, in Paris at the Maison du Conte in response to the challenge faced by storytellers to be recognized for their art. Behind the Federation is the idea that as a group, storytellers would have more ‘weight’ as well as providing a network for building expertise, collaborations, and the development of new storytellers.

Since its formation, FEST has met in Oslo (Norway), Lausanne (Switzerland), Reading (England) and Toledo (Spain).

This year, FEST attracted 90 delegates. The non member guests included, Canada, Pakistan, the USA, Singapore and Australia. It was my privilege to represent Storytelling Australia (Victoria).

I had some fun with my little digital camera and imovie and as result you can share some of the adventure.

The Storytelling Festival followed on from the FEST Conference. I had fun with my Italian colleague and translator Mariella Bertelli. These are some slides of our antics.