In May\/June 2012 I was very privileged to embark on a six-week book research sojourn in<\/p>\n
beautiful Sicily thanks largely to the combined sponsorship of a \u02bbborsa di studio\u02bc from the<\/p>\n
Nino Sanciolo Prize for 2012, in conjunction with ICSA and Babilonia School in Taormina.<\/p>\n
While I was responsible for my air fares and living costs, ICSA magically organised my<\/p>\n
accommodation in a wonderful apartment in the centre of beautiful Taormina at \u02bbmates\u02bc<\/p>\n
rates\u02bc, followed by two weeks gratis homestay with three wonderful families in Noto,<\/p>\n
Caltanissetta and Leonforte, as well as gratis tutition at Babilonia for three weeks.<\/p>\n
What an excellent arrangement this turned out to be, because as an author of books for<\/p>\n
children, I was hot on the trail of some truly Sicilian stories, and the combination of<\/p>\n
independent apartment living, homestays and great language schooling, led me to<\/p>\n
friendships, places and experiences I could otherwise never have dreamt of having, while<\/p>\n
on my quest to discover the real Sicily.<\/p>\n
With a particular main character in mind, the hero of an earlier junior novel of mine which<\/p>\n
is set in Tuscany, I was hunting for homespun, true to life Sicilian stories and, thanks to<\/p>\n
ICSA and the Nino Sanciolo Prize, I gathered inspiring research for what will be not one,<\/p>\n
but two books for children, the writing of which I have scheduled for later this year.<\/p>\n
Special thanks to Maria Sanciolo-Bell (Melbourne) and Gaetano Failla (Catania) who had<\/p>\n
not only the imagination but also the ability to make my research trip to Sicily possible,<\/p>\n
when for me it had only ever been a dream that I never believed would happen.<\/p>\n
Thanks also to Alessandro Adorno, director of Babilonia Centro Studi Italiani (Taormina)<\/p>\n
and his staff of excellent teachers, whose talent, patience and good humour gently<\/p>\n
nurtured my Italian grammar and speaking skills to the next level of competency. Check<\/p>\n
out Alessandro interviewing me in Italian on YouTube!\u00a0– \u00a0www.youtube.com\/watch?v=flQBq_nxAu8 –<\/p>\n
And in particular thanks to my generous volunteer hosts Lucia (Noto), Mikaela and<\/p>\n
Vincenzo (Caltanissetta), Theri and Claudio (Leonforte), and their gorgeous children, all of<\/p>\n
whom took me into their homes and made me so much a part of their families that, in all<\/p>\n
honesty, I never wanted to leave! I will write my books for them. Viva Sicilia!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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