Geena Davis is a giant among women – and I don’t exactly mean that metaphorically because she is seriously very tall! Just in case you haven’t heard of her, she’s a Hollywood movie star and has appeared in fabulous films like A League of Their Own (about women’s baseball) and Thelma and Louise (that’s not one for kids!) – she was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Thelma and won an Academy Award for her supporting role in The Accidental Tourist so she’s an absolute superstar and on top of that she’s really lovely too.
Geena was appearing this past weekend at the All About Women Festival in Sydney, and talked about the power that Hollywood has to improve equality for women by portraying them more positively and more regularly in movies and on television. She even has her own institute which studies women in the media so that she can go to the Hollywood studios and the producers and directors armed with the facts. It’s hard to believe that in 2017 there are still far fewer good roles for women than there are for men but even worse is that in television and movies made for children there are simply a lot less girls and women even included in the shows – which is really silly because movies and television aren’t real life, so they could have as many girls and women as they wanted! Geena Davis is doing her best to change that and hearing her speak was empowering in itself. Did you know that the more hours of television that girls watch, the fewer options with regards to jobs and opportunities girls think they have – now that is terrible!
Children need to see themselves on screen and so that’s why it’s really important we have as many girls as boys in shows and that they are doing all sorts of activities and jobs. We want girls to grow up believing that they can do anything. I was really proud to be part of the recent Opera House film which promoted the festival where three young girls were asked to name some role models in the jobs they wanted to do when they grew up. They all named men but later that day they got to meet three women who did those jobs. ‘If she can see it, she can be it,’ has been a hugely successful campaign and today I got to see Sierra, the little girl who wants to be an author and meet Annika and Brianna whose role models were a marine biologist and helicopter doctor. What a pleasure it was to see them today and meet their mums too.
I took one of my good friends Donna with me to the event and we both loved it. It was so special to meet Geena Davis and it’s a day I won’t ever forget.
Lucky you and happy birthday soon
Wow Jacqueline Harvey
Geena Davis sounds cool
I wish I had met her
By the way Happy Birthday!
Kind regards
Thank you! She was lovely!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Love it
Dear Jacqueline
Happy Birthday! Best wishes for the year ahead! You are the best author in the world!
Love from your biggest fan,
Denae.xx
Thanks Denae! You are a sweetheart and I have something to share with you very soon!!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline xx
Hi Jacqueline,
Happy Birthday! Congratulations and have a happy year! I think Geena seems like a really nice lady. I hope you and Donna stay friends forever.
Sincerely,
Mariam
Hi Mariam,
Geena is a lovely lady. It was such an honour to meet her. Donna just called to wish me a happy birthday. We’ve been friends for a long time and I can’t see that changing anytime soon.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Happy Birthday! I just wanted to know if there were any competitions coming up soon.
Love,
Madeline
Hi Madeline,
Thank you! There is a new competition every month via my newsletter – which if you haven’t signed up for you can do on the website.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Happy birthday to my favourite author in the world ❤️! It’s Taylahs birthday today and charlottes in 1 month! Enjoy!!!!!Charlotte and Taylah
Thanks Charlotte and Taylah – happy birthday Taylah – it’s my birthday today too! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day. I got tickets to see Adele for my birthday last Saturday in Sydney but then my plane didn’t leave Bundaberg until too late (I was on tour) and so my stepdaughter went to the concert instead (and I was very sad to have missed it) but my husband got tickets to Adele in Melbourne this coming Saturday so we are having a weekend away! I am so excited I will be jumping out of my skin xx
Happy birthday lovely girls xx
Dear Jacqueline Harvey, happy birthday sorry for wishing u late happy birthday. I read alice miranda holds the key. I luv it. I enjoyed thoroughly. I have a question when is the penberthy house documentary releasing? I can’t wait to read the next book.
Hi Lara,
So thrilled that you’ve enjoyed Holds the Key. The Penberthy House documentary is featured in the next Clemmie book, Clementine Rose and the Wedding Wobbles, which is out 1 April.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey, Wow I am so excited, I can’t wait, who won the contest for the alice miranda book, whats the next alice miranda book called? I luv ur books and I am ur no.1 fan
Hi Lara,
I’m really excited too, as I will be contacting the winner of the CHILD Magazine competition today. There were so many amazing entries it was hard to choose the winner. I am currently in the middle of writing Alice- Miranda in Hollywood and looking forward to Alice- Miranda and her friends’ adventures in Tinsel Town!
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Best Wishes,
Jacqueline
Happy Birthday I wished you it early on the first comment , Luved Alice-Miranda holds the key whens the next one out
Thanks
Hi Halle,
Alice-Miranda in Hollywood is scheduled for release in September 2017. I am currently in the midst of plotting and planning the friends’ adventures in Tinsel Town!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline Harvey
When will the new Clementine Rose book come out?
I will be really excited.
From Hattie.
Hi Hattie,
Clementine Rose and the Wedding Wobbles will be released on the 1st of April… Only 7 more sleeps! I’m excited too!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
hi Jacqueline Harvey
I just love your Alice-Miranda books
I have the WHOLE series of Alice-Miranda
books they are all so fun and exciting to read.
When is the next book coming out (number 16)?
Hi Leelah,
Thank you so much for your kind words; it’s humbling that you enjoy reading the stories. Alice- Miranda in Hollywood will be released in September. I am currently in the midst of plotting and planning the friends adventures in Tinsel Town!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
your books are amazing! i love your work! happy b-day, sorry its a bit late! will u ever do a tour in Darwin? i hope u do!
Hi Melodie,
Thank you for your kind words and birthday wishes- you are too kind!
I haven’t any plans to travel to Darwin in the near future- but, why not ask your teacher to make contact via my website- I can’t make promises- but never say never.
In the meantime, keep enjoying the stories :).
Best wishes
Jacqueline
hey Jacqueline Harvey
when will kenzie and max be out?
Hi Lemon,
Kensy and Max will be out in March 2018 I think – just awaiting confirmation of that at the moment. I will post more about it as I am able.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
She is tall so tall.hi Mrs Harvey I am 7 and I think your amazing.When is the next clementine rose book. By
Hi Saide,
Yes, Geena is tall and lovely, too!
Clementine Rose and the Wedding Wobbles will be officially released on 1 April- only 2 more sleeps!
Hope that you enjoy it- much will be revealed….
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline!
I’m always wondering, you know how you always address you Alice-Miranda books to someone? Who is Sandy? Also do you write the Blurb on the back of the book?
Thank you!
Hi Yasmin,
Sandy was a very dear friend of mine who was instrumental in getting Alice-Miranda into the hands of the lady who became my publisher at Random House. Sadly, Sandy passed away a year before the first book came out. I am very good friends with her daughters and granddaughter and think of them like my family.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey, Wow, do you know who won the alice miranda contest? I am wondering about it.
Hi Jacqueline,
It’s Tabby/Beth here (and Izzy my friend who you haven’t met before)
When you spoke about how to be an author and about writing books (at the Alice-Miranda holds the key book launch) I was inspired by your words to write my own book. I have always wanted to be an author but I have found it difficult to coordinate all my ideas. At school this year (all of the grade sixes) we are learning how to write short stories. This has helped me heaps in getting ideas for my own book. Now instead of writing stories I have decided to write music/songs. Thank you so much for inspiring me to do this.
Kind Regards,
Tabby\Beth and Izzy 🙂
Hi Tabby/Beth and Izzy,
Thank you for taking the time to write on the blog. When I hear from readers that my stories have encouraged them to read more and to write themselves, I am so humbled and, more than any other success, inspired to keep writing. Thank you!
Good luck with your writing (in any form:))
Best wishes,
Jacqueline