Happy Father’s Day, Dad.

Yes I know I’m two days late posting this, but the thought really was there. It was a great end to the 2012 Ballarat Writers & Illustrators Festival last Sunday. Sarah bought her father a full weekend ticket to the festival, and also accompanied him – isn’t that a delight?

Six lucky punters received feedback direct from publishers and editors in the final session of the festival. Selection of the six first pages was anonymous, though the little squeals of delight from the audience when the text was read out was a bit of a give-away. And in case you are wondering – no, my first page didn’t get an airing.

The panelists, Maryann Ballantyne (black dog books), Alison Arnold (Text), Catherine McCredie (formerly of Penguin) and Karen Tayleur (Five Mile) all spoke of what they liked – and didn’t – about the six works, and gave frank and fearless advice about how to improve them. It was a fascinating insight into what might make it to the first base of publishing.

Today’s round of volunteers deserve applause too – thanks to Sarah (different one) and Mary. You join a long list of heroes (see Saturday’s post) without whom the 2012 BWIF wouldn’t have happened.

Might take me a while to recover adequately enough to contemplate the 2013 festival…