I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Parents’ Association for their generosity as these visits would not be possible without their financial support through the Parent Grant scheme. Teacher Librarians Margaret Chapple and Helen Knight organised and coordinated these visits with the English teachers so as to ensure that Ken and Michael got to speak to and influence a wide range of students.

Local based writer, editor and critic Ken Spillman has written over 20 books spanning many genres. During his workshops and talks Ken provided insight into the life of a successful writer and encouraged the boys to venture into worlds beyond their immediate environment and experience through reading. The boys learned how writers decide upon the names of characters, the plot, the scene, the title of the book, and how to overcome writers block. In a gentle, quietly spoken almost reserved manner Ken conversed with the boys and got them to open up about the books they have read and what they loved about them. He was also a fantastic ambassador for fostering reading for leisure amongst the boys, promoting not only his books but those of other writers that the boys would probably like to read. For further information go to his website at http://www.kenspillman.com/.

Michael Bauer is based in Brisbane, and has won many awards for children’s and young adult fiction novels. A number of students had chosen to read his popular novel Don’t Call Me Ishmael as part of the Literature Circle programme. His sessions were entertaining and informative and he was able to provide the students with an insight into the writing and publishing process. In his workshops the boys were encouraged to create alternate endings to a particular incident from his childhood. Some of the alternate ending were humorous and others tragic. He has written a number of other popular young adult books including The Running Man, Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs and Dinosaur Knights. His stories about fainting, infatuation, unrequited love and Ishmael’s birth were hilarious.

Greg Lindorff
SENIOR TEACHER / LIBRARIAN