MEDIA RELEASE December 1 2005

The Thuringowa Library will this Saturday host the book launch for a locally written and published picture story book from Black Ink Press.

Biddy's Fishing-line, written by Bridget Priman and illustrated by Robbie Paul, is a story about the author's childhood memories growing up near Bundaberg in regional Queensland.

Thuringowa Mayor Les Tyrell said the Council was delighted to support publications by local authors and artists.

Black Ink Co-ordinator, Jeanie Adams, said "Indigenous heritage, stories and languages makes up a very significant part of Queensland's cultural life and it is important to share this with our younger generations. The book launch provides an opportunity to support those who created Biddy's Fishing-line. For both these Indigenous artists, this is their first publication" she said.

Robert Paul comes from an Aboriginal and South Sea Islander family in Bowen. He is also well known for his murals. He has a Bachelor of Communications Design from James Cook University and has won an award for designing Black Ink's first book, Crow Feathers.

Bridget, like Robbie, has come to tertiary education later in life, studying Linguistics and Adult Education. She works to help people throughout the region to record and teach their own languages. She has always shared stories with her own children and grand-children.

Biddy's Fishing-line will be launched on Saturday December 3, 2005, at 10.30am in the Breezeway outside the Thuringowa City Council Library.

There will be a dance performance by the Little Children Dancers with Karen Doolan and James Doyle, and tea and damper will be provided.

The artists, publishers and Thuringowa Council staff will be there to share information and for book signing.

Black Ink Press is a part of CCDEU Ltd, an initiative of the Uniting Aboriginal & Islander Christian Congress. Black Ink is an Indigenous community writing, illustrating and publishing project always interested to find storytellers, writers and artists, designers and editors.

Black Ink Press books are sold directly and in book shops through the national distributors Australian Book Group and JB Books.