Al came up with the kite design, made me a prototype, donated the wire and yellow tail which he then measured and drilled, in Yass. He even bought me pinking sheers and a device to dispense glue. He and Sarz spent a day where we made 18 kites, with the sage guidance of Beppo. (You can see this process in more detail in the Creating the Kites post.) Al is also picking kites up after I fly down with them to Sydney for the Sydney Book Fair. I will leave them with Nadia Wheatley and All will collect them there and transport them from Sydney to Canberra, to install in the window of Smith’s Alternative. Al is an expert at installation because when not making art, or helping someone build something, he spends a good bit of each week installing or uninstalling art in what he calls ‘the big house’.

Al and Sarz are also members of the Fellowship of the Kite.

Adelaide came to my rescue by writing up most of the thirty interviews of the kite makers, in Prague, where she is currently living.

Ann and Jess helped me to make a list of potential kite makers, put me in touch with those I did not know, and allowed me to use their home as a central drop off point for many of the Victorian kites. They also helped me package some of the kites so I could carry them safely in my luggage, and posted latecomers to Canberra. From the first, they were wonderfully supportive of this wild but lovely project, as they are to so many others in the lovely world of children’s literature. It is no wonder both received the Pixie O’Harris Award for services to Australian children’s literature in 2000 and the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2016 for their work in Australian Children’s Literature. They are the go-to pair for those of us lucky enough to call them friends and colleagues, when we need help or advice.

Ann is also one of the Fellowship of the Kite.

My extraordinary writer and historian, who allowed me to use her home as a place to amass kites in and around Sydney.

Nigel Mc Care and Beth Tully, who own the fabulous and iconic venue have kindly donated their exhibition window for the whole month of November so that people can actually see the kites in reality. I will also be hosting a Literary event at Smith’s Alternative, on Dec 6 – that is the day after the big Canberra launch and the midnight conclusion of this auction. At it, aside from an in conversation and some readings, I will be announcing the new owners of the kites, and the amount we have raised for Red Kite.

Author and journalist Susan Johnson has graciously agreed to launch Comes the Night for me.

Karen helped me locate a few organisations that would love to receive the gift of a special kite, should someone wish to support the event and donate the kite, and turned herself into a camera woman to document the launch of Hope Flies. She will also conduct an in conversation with me at the Stones Corner Bookshop on December 11.