One of the verdicts on the Auckland Writers & readers Ferstival:
Philip Ardagh (children's author) was hysterically funny. He could be a stand-up comedian...
Fairs/Festivals: May 2007 Archives
Some authors, it seems, are falling out of love with the Hay Festival, including sometimes children's author Terence Blacker:
Leading the charge is the novelist Margaret Drabble, who attended the first festival in 1988 but has vowed never to return. The author of 17 novels, two biographies, a television play and winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize told The Independent on Sunday it had become too "celebrity conscious". "It's a pity," she said. "The whole thing has become a celebrity festival, not an author's festival. Of course there are some very fine writers there this year. But the whole thing of festivals has become about book sales and marketing, nothing to do with meeting readers. They argue that if they're selling your book then you don't get a fee. But I like to get a fee unless I choose to be a patron or a friend which I am to one or two small festivals. I don't want ?100K and I don't see why Bill Clinton did, and he's not an author." The author Terence Blacker, who has written numerous novels, said he was "bemused" by the reaction he received when he suggested giving a reading of his biography of the theatre impresario and author Willie Donaldson. "I've loved Hay in the past, as performer and audience," he said, "but this year my new biography of Willie Donaldson was rejected on the grounds that a reading from it could only work if it was 'glammed up a bit' - direct quote - with celebrity readers. I can't help feeling that something about the festival may have changed in some way and I'm sad that I'll never be glam enough for it."
ACHUKA is not going to Hay for the Red House Children's Book Awards this year. Lovely as it was to be there last year in the end-of-festival heat (I hope, for the sake of those who are attending this year, the weather will look up as this week goes on, just as it did in 2006) and to be able to follow up the awards themselves with those brilliantly entertaining star appearances by Eoin Colfer and Daniel Handler (see our report from last year), it is, as I hinted might be the case at the time, partly the new venue's inaccessibility that has discouraged us from going. To attend the festival in any degree of comfort requires considerable pre-booking, with regard to accommodation, travel etc.
So, instead of clicking away with the ACHUKA camera in the tent at Hay, I'll be travelling a similar distance to get first sight of our second grandchild. Well, I did say the venue was only part of the reason for non-attendance this year ;)
Apologies then to the shortlisted authors and illustrators and eventual winners for the fact that coverage of the awards this year will be limited to a short blog entry and main page listing.
John McLay, director of the inaugural Bath Festival of Children’s Literature, taking place between 21st-30th September 2007, has announced two major headline sponsors.
The Daily Telegraph will be the national media and title sponsor for the festival. Waterstone’s are on board as headline sponsor and will handle book sales throughout the 10-day series of events for children, young adults and families.
The Daily Telegraph Bath Festival of Children’s Literature has lined up many of the biggest names in children’s publishing. Festival confirmations so far include present Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson, Eoin Colfer, Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Allan Ahlberg, Louise Rennison, Garth Nix, Darren Shan, Julia Donaldson, Francesca Simon, Geraldine McCaughrean, Martin Brown, Cathy Cassidy, David Almond, Jenny Nimmo, Philip Reeve and Joanne Harris.
