Guest blogger: Wendy Fitzgerald, author

Author, Wendy Fitzgerald is behind the scenes at this very moment filling the conference sample bag with lots of info and freebies from publishers, authors and others. Here's her guest post.


I am really looking forward to the SCBWI conference. If you haven’t been before, you are in for a treat. You can immerse yourself in lots of interesting people, discussions and ideas.

In your conference bag you’ll find a pile of treasures, one of which is a copy of my book, ‘Bollywood Dreams.’  I decided to publish Bollywood Dreams myself with the help of A & A Book Publishing.

To be honest I was scared to send my work to any ‘real or traditional’ publishers as I know how hard it is to get published and I am allergic to rejection.

But I was surprised and delighted at the positive reaction I got when Bollywood Dreams came out.

I was interviewed on SBS Hindi Radio, and on FM 99.3 and on TVS community television. I had an article in my local paper and I was reviewed very favourably in the newspaper ‘Indian Link’. Also, I was invited to be a judge at the Miss Bollywood Australia Beauty Pageant at Riverside Theatre in Parramatta.

I got a commended certificate in the Society of Women Writers Biennial Book Award and have been encouraged by the children’s literature community through the Children’s Book Council, the Society of Women Writers and, of course, SCBWI.

Because of this book, I was an extra in a Bollywood movie. The producer showed some interest and I even wrote a script. Mind you, the script hasn’t come to anything, but I’m glad I took the leap and I’m still out there having a go.

Who would have thought that all these things could happen from one book?

But I did make a few mistakes. One was that I had too many books printed. That is why I can be so generous and offer free copies for the conference bags. Hah!

So please enjoy your free copy of Bollywood Dreams and I hope you can make your own dreams come true as well.

Wendy Fitzgerald