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Karen Comer

@karen__comer

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Karen Comer is a verse novelist
+ editor. Grace Notes won CBCA (older readers), Sunshine on Vinegar Street won Qld Lit Award (children’s) - 2024.

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Today is International Literacy Day. And today, I signed an Australian petition to mandate qualified teacher-librarians in schools.

We cannot expect to raise the next generation of empathetic, emotionally intelligent, discerning, articulate humans if we do not value reading.

And some of the people who most care about connecting children and teenagers to books are teacher-librarians, library managers, library technicians.

Please sign the petition to show your support. https://www.change.org/p/mandate-qualified-teacher-librarians-in-schools

Photo taken in one of the beautiful school libraries at Bass Coast College. by @karen__comer

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a month ago

Rani soaking in the creative insights from publisher panels & presenter Karen Comer 🩷💙🩷 by @karen__comer

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a month ago

Excellent day at @sketchandscribefest!

@stefgemmill and her team have created a community event to connect kidlit creatives - there were stories of people who knew each other online connecting in real life and people meeting for the first time making sure they could stay connected afterwards.

Big honour to be invited by Stef to present a masterclass on poetic techniques.

So much fun to hang out with @a_cupful_of_hearts, @billierooneywrites and @fiona_e_a_white IRL.

And to catch up with @katefwhitfield, @ericawagnerstudio, @danivee_wordsandnerds, @samellenb and @clairesaxbyauthor.

Big thanks to all the fabulous volunteers and Lynne from @torquaybooks. by @karen__comer

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a month ago

And how books do shine a light for all of us!

Still feeling lit up by the students, librarians, teachers, parents and authors I’ve chatted with this week.

Thank you to @cbca_vic, @clayfield.college, @fintona.girls.school, @ruytongirlsschool, @xaviercollege and @albertparkcollege for inviting me to present talks and run workshops this week.

Huge thanks to the team at @bookedoutagency for organising me.

I’ve loved the poetry, food, stories, welcoming library spaces, all shared with me.

And my voice held out!

And @amywritingbooks and I began the week with a cuppa and cake - that definitely began Book Week with a flourish! by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

Fabulous Sunday to begin my Book Week at Realm, Ringwood Library.

📚Lots of support from the amazing @cbca_vic volunteers - @emmawiththegreenhair, Jo, Geraldine and Robyn.

📚Lots of creative children.

📚Lots of art materials to make a mini art-journal.

📚Lots of authentic lines of poetry.

📚And - a few parents who wrote a poem, too!

Happy Book Week! by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

About last night…

What a privilege it was to be graced with Karen Comer’s presence at last night’s Educator Evening. It was a wonderful evening of books, verse and inspiration.

Karen shared her stories, her process, and the many reasons why verse novels are wonderful for the most proficient, voracious readers as well as the most reluctant readers. Her award-winning Grace Notes and latest novel, Once Upon Tomorrow, are both available in store - we even have some signed copies. Thank you, Karen, for inspiring us. Our staff have been devouring your stories and we know many teachers and students are about to fall in love with them too.

Thank you to everyone who came along. We hope you found some wonderful new stories for your classrooms. And congratulations to our door prize winner… some lucky photography students at Upper Yarra Secondary College are about to discover some excellent new books!

We’re looking forward to many more events exclusively for educators in the future. Don’t want to miss out? Send us a message and we’ll add you to our Educators Edition emails.

#versenovel #teachersareheroes #healesville taken in Verso Books by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

The Sunshine Coast not only had warmth for this Melbourne girl but had lots of stars as well!

Thanks to Kelly and her team of amazing librarians from @immanuel_lutheran_college and @melissaelkwriter who organised a brilliant Romancing the Stars night for teachers, librarians and other passionate kidlit fans.

I loved meeting @charlottebarklabooks, @michelle_nye, @karenfoxleeauthor, Kay and Tony from @thelittlebooknookshop and @marg_gibbs for the first time, as well as catching up with @jason_gent_author and meeting the other stars and guests.

I felt like a rock star walking into the library - actually, walking ON the digital red carpet! The Year 8s and 6s were a delightful bunch of students who asked excellent questions about verse novels.

Warmth, stars and verse novel fans - what’s not to love about the Sunshine Coast? by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

“… because libraries
are open sources of truth,
the foundation of education.
And education offers possibilities for
everyone.”

How fitting the above quote is, from @karen__comer latest novel, Once Upon Tomorrow. For many children, their first library experience is their school library. Once Upon Tomorrow is a verse novel for young adults - a story of fate, technology, art and environment. Of libraries, fairy tales and dreams. All explored through the past, present and future.

What a privilege it is to have Karen join us on Tuesday at our next Educators Evening.

📚 Join us on Tuesday to hear from Karen. There’ll also be opportunities to restock your classroom shelves (or your own shelves!) with 20% off all children’s books, up to 40% off our preview sale table, and a $200 Verso voucher door prize up for grabs.

“In this knowledge era,
we value humans who make crafts with their hands.”

Planning on coming along? Book a free ticket via the link in our bio 🔗 taken in Verso Books by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

🩷💙🩷EVENT 1 speaker🩷💙🩷
📝We are so excited to bring you the award-winning author, editor and wordsmith extraordinaire

✨KAREN COMER✨

presenting her masterclass on
✍️THE MUSIC OF PROSE 🎶

Mastering rhythm on the page without rhyme and how verse novelists use literary devices and select words to create a “poetic punch”

✨ABOUT KAREN COMER✨
Karen Comer is a freelance editor and award-winning author who presents writing workshops to children and adults. Earlier in her career, she worked in educational publishing and was the editor for children’s art magazine BIG. Karen’s debut verse novels, “Grace Notes” won the 2024 CBCA Award Older Readers, “Sunshine on Vinegar Street” was awarded a 2024 CBCA Notables with the YA novel “Once Upon Tomorrow” out now.

✨Karen Comer is part of Event 1 - Professional Development Days appearing in person and on-line

📆September 5th in-person
📆September 12th recorded

🎟️ Tix & info link in bio 🔗
Supported by @surfcoast_events
#kidlitfestival #loveozmg #kidlitillustration taken in Jan Juc 3228 by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

Looking forward to listening to @drclaireet and @fionathehardy discuss their latest books at the @xc_libraries Literary Dinner, Thursday 27 August.

It’s always fascinating to me to hear authors discuss their initial ideas, writing process and the challenges they overcame.

I am a big fan of Claire and Fiona’s books, so can’t wait to hear their stories.

Still some places left - gather some friends and book! by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

I’m heading up to the Sunshine Coast this week for this amazing event! Join me at Book Links’ Romancing the Stars on the Sunshine Coast!
🌟 Meet me and 15 other author and illustrator Stars
📚 Browse or buy books from The Little Book Nook’s pop-up Bookshop
🥂 Enjoy yummy food and drinks
🏆 Grab some raffle tickets for your chance to win bookish prizes!
When: 6pm, Friday 14 August
Where: Immanuel Lutheran College, Buderim.

Book your tickets here: Romancing the Stars Sunshine Coast
Tell all your kidlit-loving friends! 📣
#romancingthestars2025 #booklinksqld #kidlit #loveozkidlit #upcomingevent by @karen__comer

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2 months ago

I’ve had the best two days at the first ever literary festival at Mentone Grammar!

Kathryn, Cobie, Lara and Courtney are an amazing team of passionate, dedicated, creative librarians - they supply chocolate and lollies, engage in fun ways with their students and create gorgeous displays!

So much fun to hang out with @piphaz - we lamented the fact we were at the same uni at the same time but didn’t know each other - so we are making up for lost lunches now!

Missed seeing @joelmckerrowcreative and @amywritingbooks but loved hanging out briefly with @adrianbeckbooks and @novaweetmanbooks.

Thanks to James @larrikinhouse for organising all the books. by @karen__comer

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3 months ago