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Tutors and Assessors

Dr. Virginia Lowe has been a Judge for the Children's Book Council's Book of the Year Award and Convenor for the CBCA Crichton Award for new illustrators. She has taught children's literature, English and creative writing at university. She is a published poet, and has also written extensively on children and books. She reviews regularly in Reading Time and appears occasionally in Viewpoint and Australian Book Review.

Virginia's book Stories, Pictures and Reality: Two Children Tell was published by Routledge (London) in November, 2006.

Earlier articles by Virginia, relevant to the book, can be found on the bibliography page.

Virginia has a wealth of knowledge and experience about children's books, having been a public librarian and a school librarian as well as a university lecturer. She has a PhD on the topic of children and books (Is this a Real Story? Monash 1997), and an MA and BA (1st Class Hons.) in Literature (Monash). She also helps in the writing of biographies and autobiographies through Memories in Print.

Virginia enjoys speaking at libraries, parent groups and writing groups about babies, young children and books or on writing for children. She will also run workshops on creating picture books and writing memoirs and biographies.

Contact Virginia by phone: 03 9578 5689  or email: Contact Virginia via the e-mail link here:

More contact details on the Contacts page.

Marlo Garnsworthy is a writer, illustrator and artist. She is now working in the USA and has started a branch of CReATe a kids’ book  there, where she is running workshops and assessing for USA and Canada. She will continue to assist Virginia with emailed assessments from Australia as well. (Examples of her work can be seen on the USA and Canada and contacts page.) In 1991 Marlo achieved a BA and has since spent many years overseas. She has been active in children's book creation since 1996, and has exhibited her artwork in Australia and abroad. She finds her greatest inspiration in nature, and is an avid outdoorswoman.

Contact Marlo by phone: (+1) 401 207 5026 or Email: Contact Marlo via the e-mail link here:
 

Contact Jo by phone: 03 9580 0112 or Email: Contact Jo via the e-mail link here

Jennifer Dabbs began teaching the Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing & Editing) at TAFE after publication of her first children's novel. She became the co-ordinator and delivered seminars and guest lectures at the CAE, Monash and Melbourne Universities over a period of eleven years. She has had three more novels, numerous short stories, articles and reviews published and has judged several literary competitions. Her work has been broadcast on ABC Radio. She has had a play produced at Carlton Courthouse Theatre. Victoria University of Technology commissioned her to write a distance education teaching text for Short Story Writing. She now edits and assesses manuscripts for published, as well as aspiring, writers. She is a reader for a major publisher and is working on a new novel. Reading and writing are her ruling passions! Jennifer assesses some of the novels submitted, and has written and runs the Create a Kids’ Novel e-course. She is also tutor for the novel workshops of CReATe a kids’ book . Jennifer’s first and best known novel was Beyond Redemption. It is being republished. (Lamont Publishing, 2007)

Contact Jenifer by phone: 0433 798168 or Email: Contact Jennifer via the e-mail link here: 

Eileen Nelson has worked with children and books for most of her life. A retired children's librarian, she has worked mainly in Melbourne libraries, but also spent some time in libraries in Toronto, Canada. Eileen has also worked as a teacher, and has been involved actively in story-telling for many years. She has been a Judge for the Children's Book Council's Book of the Year Awards, and is a past President of the Melbourne Dickens Fellowship. An award-winning actress, she has written several musical plays and numerous puppet shows. She has a BA with 1st Class Hons. in English from Monash, and also primary and infant teaching qualifications.

Contact Eileen by Email:   Contact Eileen via the e-mail link here

Roger Dunn has published picture books and short novels.

Photo by Rosemary Sheludko

John Lowe, Virginia’s husband does a lot of the administration of CReATe a kids’ book, especially while Virginia is occupied writing her book. He also assesses all texts in verse, and the poetry module of the Create a Picture Book e-course as well. He has an MA in English from Monash, and has himself written three novels and writes poetry continually (as yet unpublished). He is an expert proofreader.

Contact John by phone: 03 9578 5689  or email: John via the link here

Teresa Culkin Lawrence has had 20 years of experience in the publishing industry and has illustrated about 100 books. Lately, she has been writing them as well and in 2010, she will have four baby board books published which she wrote and illustrated – with some very helpful input from Virginia! Teresa and Virginia have joined forces this year for the first time to conduct a regional Create a Kids’ Book Workshop at The Brougham School of Art and Photography in Geelong. You can find out more about Teresa at:

www.teresaculkinlawrence.com.au

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