JANNA + OTHER NEWS

First up, apologies for the long silence: just returned from two blissful weeks in Bali and, although it’s hard coming down to earth again, the landing was made easier by all the wonderful emails and blog messages waiting on my computer – thank you all so much for your enthusiasm, it means a lot to me. In answer to some of your questions: still no publishing dates for the next two Janna mysteries, so I’m sorry you’ll have to wait a bit longer for news of that. However, there is interest from an agent, and that’s a really important first step in the publishing process. I’ll keep you posted on that one. AND – exciting for me – I’ve just attended the biennial book awards at the Society of Women Writers and I’m happy to tell you that Willows for Weeping was awarded a Highly Commended (ie 2nd prize) in the junior/teenage fiction category. It’s always great when your work gets some public recognition.
More news is that I’ve also been given a May Gibbs Fellowship which means I’ll be spending June 2010 in Adelaide, so hopefully I’ll have a chance to catch up with some readers in South Australia. The Fellowship is to give me ‘time out’ to work on a new book. I have to say I’m feeling horribly daunted by the prospect. I’ve spent so long in Janna’s world that it’s a real wrench to leave medieval England and focus on something completely different. More on this new ‘work in progress’ once I get my head around it a bit more. But I’m thinking a time-slip Romeo and Juliet type love story.
To those of you who sent me emails: I’ll be answering them asap, I promise. Having been in the more remote areas of Bali (having a wonderful time snorkeling and looking at Komodo Dragons amongst other things) I haven’t been able to access the internet in quite a while, so there’s a mountain of stuff needing my attention. But I really enjoy hearing from you and reading your comments and suggestions: thanks heaps.