Submissions for the Kids Book Review Unpublished Picture Book Award close Monday 17 June The winner will receive $300, a manuscript appraisal and the chance to have their work viewed by Sue Whiting, Publishing Manager at Walker Books! Two runners-up will win $100 each, and a short manuscript appraisal. We also reserve the right to nominate highly commended authors (no prize). A feedback sheet is provided to every entrant, upon completion of the competition.

Manuscript submissions are for picture books of 500 words or less, no illustrations required. For submissions details and to get your entry in, head to http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2013/04/kbrs-2013-unpublished-picture-book.html Submissions must be sent by email by Monday 17 June 2013 at 11.59pm.

Mandurama local Bruce Green is launching his self-published title Account Reyner at Mandurama General Store on Saturday 15 December at 11am. It traces the life of Bert Reyner and is a project Bruce has been "tinkering with" for more than 20 years. The book will also be sold in local bookstores. Congratulations Bruce!

Do you have what it takes to write a story that will engage a member of the iPad generation? Can you get a young adult to switch off their iPad (well at least stop playing games) and instead focus on your writing? If so, why not enter the Stringybark Young Adult Fiction Award 2013. Aimed at the YA market (ages 12-18) we would love to hear from you. As long as it is in 1500 words or fewer. The story must have a link (no matter how tenuous) to Australia. The competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 and living on planet earth. There is a total of $770 worth of prizes in cash and books available -- plus publication for place-getters and highly commended authors. There is an entry fee of $9.95 (discounts for multiple entries). Closing date 13 January 2013. Details: http://www.stringybarkstories.net

The stars and planets are at the heart of a novel that writer Melanie Joosten will work on during a month-long residency in Orange. Melanie has arrived in Orange and will be guest speaker at Orange City Library on Wednesday 5th December at 5.30pm. Come along to hear about her latest writing project.

Melanie will also present a Writing Good Fiction Workshop on Saturday 8th December from 10.30am – 12.30pm. This workshop will cover the basics of creative writing by asking participants to interrogate the elements of good fiction. How do you create memorable characters? How do you find your writing voice? How do you create narrative tension? How can setting convey emotion? What do you do with a piece of writing that's just not working? What use is an unreliable narrator? How do you find something to write about? How can reading help you write? Please call the Library on 6393 8132 to book your place at these events. Writing Australia, a consortium of the state and territory writers' centres, has developed this new regional residency scheme, titled 'Places', to support the writing of new Australian works.

The 2012 Free 50 Books You Can't Put Down Guide is officially available! You can pick up your copy of the Guide from your local bookstore or library. The guide is also available electronically, as a flick through or a download! Go to the Get Reading website http://www.getreading.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/GR-Guide-2012-WEB.pdf

And we will be hosting one of the Get Reading! selected authors Fiona McCallum. Writer of bestsellers Paycheque, Nowhere Else and now Wattle Creek. Meet her at Orange City Library on Tuesday 11th September at 12.30pm. Please let us know you can join us by calling 6393 8132. Happy reading!

From acclaimed author Charlotte Calder comes a thrilling historical mystery to make your spine tingle to be launched with a wonderful event for young readers at Orange City Library.

Charlotte Calder was born in Adelaide and has worked as an actor, photographer and occasional newspaper columnist. Her first novel for young adults was Settling Storms (2000), followed by Cupid Painted Blind (2002), Surviving Amber (2005) and Paper Alice (2008). Stuck! her first picture book was short-listed in the Young Children Category of the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2010, and received a notable mention in the Picture Book Category, Children's Book Council of Australia Awards, 2010. Charlotte lives with her husband and three children (when they are home) near Orange, in the Central West of NSW.

Come along to help launch Charlotte's new book at Orange City Library:

Special event for young readers age 8 +

Charlotte Calder launches her new junior fiction novel The Ghost at the Point Orange City Library 147 Byng Street, Orange Wednesday 13 June at 4pm Includes a special performance by St Mary's Primary School students Parents and siblings are welcome to come along Please RSVP to the Library on 6393 8132.

Supported by Boomers Bookshop and ABC Centre

The State Library of NSW, in association with Arts NSW, will manage of The Premier's Literary Awards and The Premier's History Awards.Nominations for these awards are now open. Applications will close at 5pm on Friday 1 June 2012.

For more information and to nominate for these awards please visit the State Library of NSW website (http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/). Select About the Library and from the drop down menu, select Awards and Fellowships. Both The Premier's Literary Award and The Premier's History Award are listed here. Click on the title to open further information, and nomination forms.

Author Chris Womersley will be the special guest at Orange City Library's National Year of Reading Book Club Dinner to be held in the Library on Saturday 5th May at 6.30pm. Tickets are $80 pp and available from the Library. He will also be hosting a Short Story Writing Workshop that day.

Chris Womersley's debut novel, The Low Road, won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Book in 2008. His fiction and reviews have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Grant New Writing 14, Best Australian Stories 2010, The Monthly and The Age. In 2007 one of his short stories won the Josephine Ulrick Literature Prize.

His book Bereft was nominated for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2011. Bereft was also included in the vote for NSW in "Our Story" collection for National Year of Reading.

Chris says short fiction relies on a decisive and concise approach to crafting the story. Learn the basics of constructing a short story; creating characters, how to define its shape, voice, tone and point of ending at the workshop.

When: Saturday 5 May Time: 10am – 1pm Cost: $25 Venue: West Room, next door to Orange City Library, 147 Byng Street, Orange Bookings: 6393 8125

For more information about Chris go to: Visit www.chriswomersley.com

Don't miss the First Tuesday Book Club tonight on ABC TV with Miriam Margolyes and Lloyd Jones. The First Tuesday Book Club is back for 2012! Jennifer, Marieke and Jason are joined by legendary actress and Charles Dickens obsessive Miriam Margolyes and Lloyd Jones, author of Mister Pip. Books discussed are The Submission by Amy Waldman and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Tune in tonight, 10pm on ABC1. And yes, Miriam is coming to Orange Civic Theatre soon...........

Twelfth Planet Press is looking to develop a new line of dynamic, original genre novels. Twelfth Planet Press novels will push boundaries to question, inspire, engage and challenge. They are specifically looking to acquire material outside that which is typically considered by mainstream publishers.

They are looking for science fiction, fantasy, horror and crime. They will consider borderline literary, new weird, steampunk, space opera, hard science fiction, soft science fiction, urban fantasy, cyberpunk, military science fiction, young adult, paranormal romance and everything in between.

Twelfth Planet encourage writers to take the time to familiarise themselves with the kind of content they publish, and the kind they do not. They are not interested in gratuitous violence, misogyny and gore or sex scenes for shock value. They are looking to acquire all English language territory rights and ebook rights. They are offering advances and royalties. Submission details at www.twelfthplanetpress.com/news/twelfth-planet-press-novel-manuscript-submission-month-january-2012