News 9/20
Gumleaf Notes August 2020
How y’going folks
Well, things continue with COVID and I really feel for our Victorians. What a difficult time for them. On a positive note, I hope, I’m so excited about the upcoming release of my third picture book, Old Man Emu, to celebrate the song’s 50th birthday. Simon McLean’s amazing illustrations will have young and old laughing. I think it’s a great book to share. It will be published by Puffin Books (Penguin) and they’re also celebrating 80 years of books for kids. I’m proud to be part of their team. The first 100 books ordered from my website will have the book signed by me and also Simon. That makes it even more special. It can be pre-ordered now but won’t be sent out until the week of the publication date which is 29th September. And any additional merchandise on that same order will also be sent at the same time.
Illustrator Simon McLean and I having a chuckle over the page proofs for Old Man Emu.
My previous book, My Dad Snores, is part of the Puffin promotion for Father’s Day. I reckon lots of dads and kids will relate to it and have a laugh reading it together . . . or singing it together. If you haven’t seen it, you might like to watch the video I did for Puffin of me reading it.
Sadly, my November concerts have also had to be postponed because of the border closures and restrictions on numbers in venues. My 50th year is now running well into 2021 and even into 2022. The new dates for November concerts will be available soon.
Wouldn’t you know it; the weather was perfect when the Willoshed concerts were supposed to be on last June. Let’s hope it will be as good for June 2021.
Meg and I are quite sad that most of our children and grandchildren are now out of reach in NSW and Victoria and hope that border restrictions are eased soon. It’s hard for so many people who are cut off from family and, in many cases, their jobs. We are, of course, still quite safe at Springbrook and I’m keeping busy with plenty of projects around the place.
By the time I’m able to get back to performing, I’ll have to learn to sing again, but I’m keeping my fingers going on the guitar.
Thanks for buying the 50 year Winding Back box set.
Please take care, folks, and see you along the road of song soon.
Johnno
