From Hook To Book

Calling all young writers, playwrights and poets!  Lots of regular and new young writers’ competitions and opportunities have opened up. Some are closing soon. So flex those writing muscles and get your entries in fast. (Only if they’ve been buffed and polished and proofed, of course.) You’ll find further details and some great new … Read More

On Saturday November 12 SCBWI Vic enjoyed a fabulous end of year meeting and wrap party to close what has been a busy, enjoyable and creative SCBWI year. We began with our usual Show and Tell session celebrating six member successes and new publications. This session is always so inspiring … Read More

Writing is such a solitary endeavour. Of course, we writers/illustrators/creators are no longer isolated or starving in a garret as in years or centuries past. (Forgive the aside, but is it only me who perceives ‘starving in a garret’ as somewhat romantic when transported to 20th century Paris? I could … Read More

I can’t believe it’s been weeks since I attended the fantastic CYA Conference in Brisbane. I’ve been head-down ever since, following up on manuscript advice received during my two publisher assessment sessions and giving social media a narrow gaze. I was really excited in the weeks prior to the conference to be shortlisted … Read More

Move over notebooks. I think I’ve just found my new favourite thing – for a writer. I feel a bit odd gushing about a gadget in this terribly material age, but my new favourite thing is a fantastic tool of trade – a shiny new iPad Pro (the small 9.7 … Read More

As a writer of historical fiction, many an hour I’ve spent to great result in the State Library of Victoria, PROV and various local and overseas’ libraries. So it was dismaying for me to read a recent blog post on research, on a major, international writing website, that alleged researching your novel in a … Read More

What better way to start the New Year than with a new edition of an old book baby! Just before Christmas, I was delighted to receive the new Cengage Learning multicultural version of my 2001 title Roller-Coaster Ride, re-illustrated by Samantha Asri to set the story in the Middle East … Read More