Photo by: Paul Cristina
The launch of my new book, The Little Penguins of Manly, was so exciting, and a huge success. It was held in the little (fairy) penguin enclosure at the top of Manly’s Sea Life Sanctuary, and as everyone filed in, all the little penguins came out to have a look. And they put on…
Since writing The Janna Mysteries, I’ve come across some amazing pronunciations of Janna’s name. A reader’s question about it today prompts this post. As explained in Rosemary for Remembrance, when Janna was learning to talk she had difficulty pronouncing her name: Johanna. She was named after her father, John – although she didn’t know that…
This is a photo of Sticky Beak, one of the cute ‘fairy’ penguins residing at Manly Wharf in Sydney. The book has been a long time in the writing, with information coming in from the many agencies involved in the care of this endangered colony including Mel Tyas of NPWS, who commissioned the book; staff from Taronga Zoo…
I recently had the pleasure of taking part in a panel on YA fiction at the inaugural Newcastle Literary Festival. It was great fun meeting other writers and swapping news and views. One of the topics that came up for discussion was the need for authors to go out and talk about their new books and…
The phone no. for bookings for the Ghost Boy tour + my writing workshop up at the Quarantine Station in Sydney during the school holidays should read: (02) 9466 1551. Other details remain the same: 10-4 pm on Monday 22nd April, for students 11 – 14 y.o. We begin the day by exploring the secrets…
Come and explore the secrets of the Quarantine Station in Sydney on a very special ‘Ghost Boy’ tour followed by a creative writing workshop designed to get students thinking about this wonderfully atmospheric historic site. A series of fun writing exercises based on what they’ve seen and heard will guide students towards an understanding of the craft of…
It was heart-warming to see so many friends and to have their support at the launch of A Ring Through Time at Paul Macdonald’s wonderful Children’s Bookshop in Beecroft. The birth of a new book is always exciting, and it was great to have this opportunity to talk about the inspiration that led to this story, and…
Invitation to afternoon tea to launch A Ring Through Time: March 21st at 4.30 at The Children’s Bookshop, 6 Hannah St., Beecroft. Free event, everyone most welcome! RSVP essential: tel 9481 8811 or email: staff@thechildrensbookshop.com.au. A Ring Through Time is a ‘ghostly romance’ for Y/A set on idyllic Norfolk Island, with a flashback to its…
Just a reminder that the paperback versions of Books 5 & 6 of The Janna Mysteries (Sage for Sanctuary and Thyme for Trust) are selling at a discount this month! This medieval crime series has been likened to the well-loved Brother Cadfael chronicles of Ellis Peters. Read more about The Janna Mysteries on my website:…
I first became interested in the plight of Richard III when, years ago, I read The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey in which she ‘proves’ that the portrayal of Richard had more to do with Tudor propaganda than with reality. A journey to York, while researching my Janna Mysteries, further prompted my curiosity. There…