Snap Magic Launch – Mt Tamborine

In a Secret Garden on top of a southeast Queensland mountain 

warlocks, witches, kids and grown-ups came trick or treating.

All had gathered for the launch of a bewitchingly funny new book, Snap Magic,

 at Marks and Gardner Gallery and Secret Garden Bookshop

Some had trouble transferring back into their human form...

While a witch of great lineage instructed the gathered populus on proper wand usage.

And read a scene from her hilarious new book, Snap Magic.

 Bewitching beauty cast its spell.

And my wicked and whacky sister Nadia Sunde launched Snap Magic on the Mt.

For the large crowd we had a number of macaron towers

 courtesy of our sponsor Passiontree Velvet

The macaron-taking ceremony!

 The kids showed off their false fangs and scarred faces in the dress-up competition.

A sweet devil.

 More magical witches.

How did you get that scar?

Advanced broomstick flying!

Scar face bowls a pumpkin six.

Strike!

Little warlock, were you that bat in the tree?

A gaggle of witchie poos.

Snap Magic

The coven of witches and warlocks in the adult dress-up competition.

Bestie witchies.

What the young witch of today was wearing.

You win the pumpkin wine!

 Two can fit on my broom.

All the way from Melbourne to surprise me – feeling the love, 

but why does that eye keep moving on your T-shirt?

Ghoulie lanterns and colour-ins.

 The winner of the raffle – a Family Pass to Drax 4 Kids

courtesy of our sponsor Draculas.

 Wand off competition. First to smile loses!

Snap Magic is launched!

One very happy author/illustrator

Thank you Marks and Gardner Gallery

for hosting the Mt Tamborine

Snap Magic launch.

Thank you to our sponsors, Draculas, and Passiontree Velvet.

Thank you to our official photographer Jorge Branco.

And thank you sincerely to all who came along or sent well wishes.

Snap Magic Launch – Brisbane

 On a warm spring day in a bookshop in the Brisbane inner city suburb of Paddington a crowd had gathered (some weird and all wonderful) to celebrate the launch of one little book – Snap Magic, by Angela Sunde.

Black Cat Books

There were prizes and surprises...

A Family Pass to Drax 4 Kids from our sponsor Draculas

Thanks Drax!!!

 And spooky food on the baddies table.

People felt safe in the knowledge they were among friends.

Even the cupcakes were not as spooky as they looked.

Dear friend and children's author, Sheryl Gwyther, launched Snap Magic with aplomb.

 While a spider decorated my hat.

 Then it was storytelling time. 

Stories about wands and magic, some 650 years old.

 Some in the audience thought this was funny...

But they soon changed their minds 

when everyone pulled out their wands and sparks began to fly.

Posture when casting a wand is of the utmost importance.

 The wand is an extension of your arm...

And you must pull a scary face like this.

Yes, that's pretty scary. But no smiling!

I left the jellies in Mrs Swan's fridge overnight 

and now her false teeth are missing. 

(She likes to chill them.) 

Perhaps they're in one of the jellies.

Three spooky characters. One dressed up as Lily!

The official Snap Magic launch cake – a macaron tower,

courtesy of our sponsors Passiontree Velvet.

Smile...

 Oh, yum!

 Two whacky witches arrived from New Zealand to surprise me. 

We've been casting spells together since high school.

 Dad's hairy face also got mixed up in the jellies.

 That's Dad.

 All that spooky food and dangerous wand action still didn't put off some readers.

 And they could make a Ghoulie Lantern or colour in.

 Pop a bookmark in.

 I couldn't understand why not many drank the pumpkin juice; 

it tasted like orange.

After all, you needed the energy for some pumpkin bowling.

The first victim / I mean... participant arrives.

Thank you Black Cat Books

for hosting the Brisbane

Snap Magic launch.

Thank you to our sponsors, Draculas and Passiontree Velvet

Thank you to our official photographers, Peter Allert and Daniela Sunde-Brown

And thank you sincerely to all who came along or sent well wishes.

Snap Magic Blog Tour Overview

Wow, I only just caught the Snap Magic Blog Tour in time. It has been like a very fast train, leaving the station straight after the massive weekend of book launches (photos to follow tomorrow) and visiting nine stops on its way. Huge! I need a holiday now.

I've enjoyed catching up with the most gracious hosts you could imagine on this tour, and it was thrilling beyond words to read the first reviews of Snap Magic.

Thank you most sincerely to all the blog tour hosts. It has been a wonderful journey.

If you missed a stop, direct links are now live below:

Snap Magic Blog Tour Stops

October:

Monday 13. Kids Book Review

                     Snap Magic vs Pond Magic – Independent vs Trade

Tuesday 14. Sheryl Gwyther–author

                     Interview – Independent Publishing

Wednesday 15. Writing Children's Books with Robyn Opie Parnell

                           Themes and Messages in Snap Magic

                           
                           Karen Tyrrell Author

                           REVIEW – Book Giveaway

Thursday 16. Alison Reynolds Author

                        Interview – Writing Habits

Friday 17.  From Hook to Book – Chris Bell Author

                    Interview – Story vs Character

Saturday 18. Boomerang Books Blog

                       Interview – A bewitching encounter

                       Dim's Write Stuff – Dimity Powell Author

                       REVIEW – Snap Magic – It's more than hocus pocus

Sunday 18. Stories are Light Sandy Fussell Author
                    REVIEW 

Monday 20. Aussie Reviews

                     Interview – 

Tuesday 21. DeeScribeWriting Blog – Dee White Author

                     Tips on Writing a Sequel
                     REVIEW

Redlitzer Anthology Gala Awards Evening – Editor

As the editor of the Redlitzer Junior Anthology I spent a wonderful day with the ten finalists earlier this year, giving editorial feedback on their stories and workshopping strategies to lift their work to an even higher level. Mentors and judges, Louise Cusack and Marianne de Pierres, worked with small groups of writers to polish their manuscripts before re-submission. 

Tonight I will be presenting the Editor's Choice Awards (it was very difficult choosing) at the Gala Awards Evening at Victoria Point Library, when the Redlitzer Junior Anthology is launched.

Each year the Redland City Council has run the Redlitzer Anthology competition for adult and teen writers with fabulous prizes on offer from the city council and The Queensland Writers Centre, culminating with a published anthology of best stories.

In 2013 the competition was extended to junior writers under 13 as well. Ten talented young writers were selected from the many entries to spend a day workshopping their manuscripts for publication with published children's authors acting as mentors.

I do not know of another city or regional council that offers a better or more supportive opportunity for gifted young writers, and I'm so proud to be a part of it. Well done, Redlands, and congratulations to all the finalists.

Snap Magic Live Radio Interview

I'm having fun hopping from blog to blog on the Snap Magic blog tour at the moment, but before it all kick started, Snap Magic was given a good push into the stratosphere by being featured in a live to air radio interview on 612ABC Brisbane's  'Mornings' with Steve Austin. Steve is such a welcoming and fun host, who quickly helped me feel at ease. We had quite a few laughs.

You can have a listen by clicking on the photo.

Gympie Literary Awards Judging

After a crazy busy weekend of Snap Magic Launches and the beginning of the blog tour, I'm now off to the Gympie Region Literary Awards Evening, followed by a workshop with the award entrants the next day.

To read another writer's unpublished work is indeed a privilege, and to judge this work is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. The six categories of 2014's Gympie Region Literary Awards – (Adult and Children's) Short Story, Poetry and Picture Book, each with their own skill sets, literary elements and nuances, required a broad range of experience and knowledge as a judge.

Following guidelines, meeting a deadline and sending off a manuscript to an unknown reader can be a daunting experience. But it is the first step forwards as a writer - putting your work out there.

I was particularly impressed with the Children's Short Story category. The strength and depth of the themes covered belied the age of the writers. 

I'm very much looking forward to meeting the writers at the awards night and workshop.