That's Why I Wrote This Song
Page 25
Marilla North’s sharing of her stories and postcards inspired the postcards and my friend Cilla Hodge inspired KISS.
I greatly appreciate the support of Jeni Mawter, Hazel Edwards, Felicity Pulman, Christopher Cheng, Moya Simons, Elizabeth Gervay, Bill Frankland, Len and Roslyn Gervay and Mark Eldridge.
The music producer Tony Buchen gave Tory the confidence to actually sing her songs. His skill and talent as a producer brought out to the search for identity that underpins young adult literature.
As an executive producer of a film clip Psycho Dad, I loved the integration of literature, lyrics, music and film. Rachel Guerry, the gifted young film producer-director, script writer and editor immersed herself in the book, music and lyrics, bringing another layer to That’s Why I Wrote This Song.
There were so many talented people who gave generously of their creativity and time to produce the video clip, including the director of photography and special-effects editor Martyn Taylor; assistant director and actor Mark Ure; first assistant director Eddie Tang; camera operators Toni Zipevski, Shannon Selby and Nathan Guerry; lighting director Richard Hawking; camera and lighting assistant Victor Tang; and make-up artist Mia Kern. The stills photographs by Rick Munitz are a photo gallery of the two-day film shoot, filled with the energy of the music and story.
The psycho dad was played by Peter Carmody, a well-known Australian actor and director who founded the Griffin Theatre. He brought veracity to the psycho dad of the book, music and film. Beth Webb played the other wife, and the band performers were actors Tullia Mawter and Danielle Nicholson, violinist Trish Cassimatis and drummer Cat Hunter. Thank you to all these actors, and the many young people who participated in the video clip with such enthusiasm.
Special thanks also to Billy Hyde Music, Randwick Girls High School, the Hughenden Boutique Hotel and Kambala Girls School for their commitment to music.
Thank you to everyone involved in the cover shoot: Belinda Mason-Lovering, who is an artist with the camera; Helen Biles and Christine Orchard from the HarperCollins Design Studio; and the Not Perfect band girls, Tullia Mawter, Shevaughn Mawter, Bridget Berkeley and Alanna Forte.
I am aware of the innovative and challenging nature of crossing mediums in That’s Why I Wrote This Song and am especially grateful to my literary agent Rachel Skinner for believing in the project. Thank you to HarperCollins for committing to it, to my dedicated publisher Lisa Berryman and my gifted editor Emma Kelso.
What a journey.
Susanne Gervay
Lyricist’s Acknowledgments
I want to thank all of those people who have been an important part of my life and this book. Firstly Mum, for always being there for me and putting up with my moods. I know I am extremely lucky to have such an unbelievable person in my life. My entire family, but in particular my stepdad Bill, Grandma Veronika whom I miss every day, my brother and best friend Jamie, and my cousins, aunts and uncles. My amazing friends Sophia Cassimatis, Sarah Urwand and Fliss Gray. All of the people who have brought music to my life: my music teachers Sara Davy, Peter Corkill and Naomi Turner; my musical inspirations who get me through life every day, Good Charlotte, Green Day and Eminem; and all of the other great musicians out there.
Tory Gervay
About the Authors
SUSANNE GERVAY’s parents were post World War II Hungarian refugees, and she says they taught her that life is a rocky road but also a gift. This is the ethos behind her award-winning books (most notably I am Jack and The Cave), which celebrate life but also tackle important issues, from bullying to multiculturalism.
Although Susanne has been published extensively in literary journals and magazines, her chief love is writing for young people. She is a specialist in child growth and development, and a teacher. As a mother and aunt, she has always opened her home to children and teenagers.
Susanne is a dedicated supporter of the Australian writing community and its various organisations, and is on the board of the NSW Writers Centre, co-head of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Australia and New Zealand (SCBWI), and chair of the Sydney Writers and Illustrators Network, to name a few organisations. Her special passion has been the restoration of the Hughenden, a literary hotel in the heart of Sydney’s antique and arts precinct.
Susanne describes working with her daughter Tory, who wrote the lyrics and music for That’s Why I Wrote This Song, as ‘a long road, but a wonderful one,’ and Tory agrees with her wholeheartedly.
On completing her degree in business music management, TORY GERVAY started working for Australian music publisher Rough Cut Music. Her job involves seeing bands and talent spotting, working on contracts, licensing, royalties and a host of other things. Best of all, she gets to listen to music all day. Small wonder she thinks her job is fantastic.
Tory also plays, sings, listens to and writes songs, and spends as much time as possible going to music gigs and festivals. As a student, she was a security guard for music gigs; despite her diminutive size, she could be found back stage or in the green room ‘guarding’ such bands as 5 Cent, Pearl Jam and The Veronicas. The drum sticks from Green Day’s drummer now have pride of place in her bedroom.
Copyright
This story is a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments or localities is entirely coincidental.
Angus&Robertson
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, Australia
First published in Australia in 2007
This edition published in 2010
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Ltd
ABN 36 009 913 517
www.harpercollins.com.au
Text copyright © Susanne Gervay 2007
Song lyrics by Tory Gervay copyright © Tory Gervay 2005
The right of Susanne Gervay to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication data:
Gervay, Susanne.
That’s why I wrote this song.
1st ed.
For secondary school age children.
ISBN 13: 978 0 207 20086 1 (pbk).
ISBN 10: 0 207 20086 6. (pbk.)
ISBN 978 0 7304 4418 3 (epub)
I. Title.
A823.3