Hopscotch

I am so delighted to have just found out that my short story, Scaredy Cat, is to be included in an anthology of children's stories and poems called, Hopscotch. Hopscotch will be released in November 2011 and will be distributed to all Ronald McDonald houses across Australia. A lovely gift to all those great kids.
Jellibeanz publishing is to be congratulated for putting together this book and I am so looking forward to the launch.

Short and Twisted

Yesterday I went to the launch of this year's anthology, "Short and Twisted" published by Celapene Press. Kathryn Duncan is a passionate editor who has created this book of poems, short stories and illustrations with a twist in the end. S&T is a great read which can be dipped into any time. In January I received the acceptance email for my stories. I was buzzing for the rest of the day.
It was such a wonderful experience to have my family at the launch knowing that two of my stories were accepted into the anthology.
Oh, and they served chocolate and lemon tarts as well and the cafe was cosy and comfy.
Will be trying again for next year's Short and Twisted.

Diary from the past

I have had loaned to me a handwritten diary in beautiful script, of the first two years of a baby boy's life in London, 1889. Luckily the handwriting is easy to read and it is a privilege to take a peek into the life of this family. The father kept daily notes and added photos or newspaper clippings to the diary.

Once I have had time to digest this snippet of life, I plan to write a story based on this family and the events that took place. It will be wonderful tossing around ideas about who should tell the story and where that journey ends.

Little Writing Competitions

I have had some good fortune recently when entering competitions to win Picture Books. Over the last two months, I have entered four competitions, found through Twitter as I follow various authors and publishers. There is usually a question to answer like, "What was your greatest expedition?" or "What does Mothers' Day mean to you?". I have managed to win each competition. The latest book, "Our Gags," by Catriona Hoy will be arriving soon. It really feels great to be selected worthy enough to win these lovely books.