Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen)

Children's writer/illustrator. Freelance editor. Mum. Wife. Tea drinker. Mununjali descendant 🖤💛❤️ Rep: @barkerliterary #KidLit #12x12 #SCBWI

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

I’ve been struggling to be present on here lately, but I have some amazing news to share:

I am now represented by @BarkerLiterary 🙌🤗🥰 I’m ecstatic to have Annabel on my side, helping me get my children’s stories out into the world.

#IHaveAnAgent #KidLit #KidLitWriter

[Leftwing Bastard @_SocialDemocrat]

Sam Kerr is no being charged with public drunkenness. She is not being charged with despoiling a taxi. She is not being charged with breaking a window. She is not being charged with resisting arrest. She is being charged with calling a grown up white cop “white.” #auspol

[Peter Murphy @PeterWMurphy1]

If (like me) you weren't taught at school about the Frontier Wars between Indigenous Australians and the white colonists, Rachel Perkins' 3-part series "The Australian Wars" is excellent viewing (available on SBS On Demand). #auspol #AusHistory #invasion #colonisation

[Mindy Alyse Weiss @MindyAlyseWeiss]

Here's the list of 55 participating agents, editors & ADs for the 2025 #PBParty contest. Wahoooooo!

I'll shout out as more yeses come in.

To help you prepare, this post has a link to the 2025 Ranking Party (thanks for running it @BeccaMcMurdie) & a participant badge/banner.

https://t.co/RCclHuB1qp

[Dr Tracy Westerman AM @TracyWesterman]

Loving your country does not mean lying about its history.
Pro-Aboriginal is not anti-white,
nor does loving your culture mean you are less Australian.

These things are not mutually exclusive

A history denied is compelled to repeat itself; and each year on January 26th, we celebrate the trauma inflicted on Aboriginal people.

From a position of science, it is the denial of trauma that compounds and magnifies the original trauma; because you are forced to expend more energy 'convincing' people you have experienced trauma rather than on healing from the trauma itself.

The denial extends to invisibility.
Aboriginal people are not celebrated for our contribution to this country on January 26; and there is not greater injustice than to feel invisible. To feel as though you matter less.

I am a proud Australian and I would like the basic right to celebrate that.

But until we have a maturity of leadership that has the bravery and honesty to acknowledge our past; our future will continue to be limited by ignorance,

#changethedate

[Dr Liz Allen @DrDemography]

Many are horrified at the idea of moving Australia Day but the truth is, it hasn’t always been celebrated on January 26. https://t.co/jdl13x0mKp

[derek guy @dieworkwear]

Sorry for tweeting so much, but Twitter throttles out-bound links, so I'm trying this again.

SoCal animal shelters are overwhelmed with people dropping off injured animals they can't take with them as they flee. Many are in need of volunteers, money, and foster homes 🧵

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

Australia Day - Jan 26 - Not a date to celebrate - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/Dzq1P5yyKF via @ChangeAUS

[Dave @Mesut_Ausil]

There's a certain kind of fragile Australian that whenever Uluru is mentioned online they will comment "Ayers rock!". A weird horde of morons who've dedicated their lives to the most meaningless pursuit imaginable

[Dr Tracy Westerman AM @TracyWesterman]

So, I was asked to provide a statutory declaration to "prove" my Aboriginality so an organisation could send staff to my workshops. Yep; clearly they asked the wrong black person. That's not happening.

I will never & have never compromised on this disgraceful practice and not about to start now.

Clearly, I can provide the so called 'proof' requirement; that's not the issue.

This is about showing leadership.

There is a bigger picture here of the untold psychological and mental health damage I have witnessed as a psychologist as a direct result of the identity struggles of Aboriginal people.

It also creates a 'divide and conquer' mentality amongst Aboriginal people that feeds this narrative that we are all 'frauds' claiming some kind of advantage over each other.

We are the only cultural group in Australia that required we sever ties with family to have our human rights restored and are also the only cultural group that requires we provide proof of our cultural identity. Its incredibly traumatic for so many.

I cannot imagine a white professional consultant having to provide a stat dec of their 'whiteness' as a requirement for contracted work. But here we are.

So, I offered to provide the places for free instead. There is no amount of money or a contract big enough that will lead me to compromise my values or integrity.

They weren't prepared for that.

Btw we don’t require it for my Dr Tracy Westerman Indigenous Psych scholarship & I pay for one out of my OWN pocket!! Self report is good enough. Mob knows mob. Our students want to work in the highest risk communities going. That’s good enough. Importantly they ALL come from disadvantage. It’s about closing a gap; which we are!

[Overland Journal @OverlandJournal]

For Dao Van, and Yousef Dawas | The text of the speech delivered by André Dao at the Prime Minister's Literary Awards

https://t.co/G1ZuufEaDR

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

The Quick Six Interview with Jess Horn and Zoe Bennett on Bernie Thinks in Boxes, an exciting new picture book! https://t.co/qha8ACz16A via @jwfkblog

[Dr Tracy Westerman AM @TracyWesterman]

Getting ready for the Sept 3 Perth launch of my memoir & just got this amazing endorsement from Stan Grant:

‘Affliction strips us of our humanity — we become nothing — then a miracle happens and we realise the sufferer is us, all of us. Tracy Westerman makes us human and whole — read this and be better.’

There’s also some absolutely MASSIVE news to share soon about the Sydney launch (I promise-it’s epic!!).
We are already nudging close to 500 copies sold on pre order which is pretty cool for a first time author and based on the cover pic alone!

Order your copy here:

https://t.co/OgMMvgsl2t

Ps if you want a signed copy just state that at checkout!

[The CBCA @TheCBCA]

Where will you be at midday (AEDT.) tomorrow, Tuesday 19 March? Across at https://t.co/OynqVBdYDr you'll find the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year Award Shortlist!

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

For my #KidLit creator friends – sign up to Christine's newsletter if you're not already subscribed! Great tips and insights into the world of children's writing and publishing.

Christine Evans: Children's Author https://t.co/676lkOsn4A

[Dr Tracy Westerman AM @TracyWesterman]

First look at my memoir cover! 🔥🔥 Coming soon in Sep 2024. 
You can PRE-ORDER your copy now: https://t.co/KCktnjPFIV

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

@TaraShiroff Happy birthday, Tara! 🎉❤️🥰💫🎉

[Melissa-Jane Fogarty (Nguyen) @MelissaJWriting]

@kfosterauthor That’s me too 😅

[Page Turner Literary Agency @PageTurnerLit]

I open tomorrow to queries. I use query tracker for submissions. You can find the link on my website here:

https://t.co/E0CoepwdMb

#amwriting #kidlit #MG #PB #YA #GN #kidlitart #WritingCommunity #ER #CB