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So the festival is over for another year, and what a fantastic few days it was. My only disappointment was that I was so busy preparing for my own events that I didn’t get much chance to attend other sessions. Still, I met some wonderful authors and readers and can’t wait for next year. I’m going to be quiet for a little while now as I am hard at work finishing Shallow Breath. See you in April!col-md-2

The brilliant fundraising initiative for Queensland flood victims known as Writers on Rafts – the brainchild of Rebecca Sparrow and the Queensland Writers Centre – has only one week left. For just $5 a ticket you can enter a draw to win all sorts of writing and reading related prizes.

My books are up for grabs on there, as well as the opportunity to have feedback on the first 5000 words of your manuscript and a complete synopsis. Check out the long list of authors who are involved at http://writersonrafts.com – and don’t miss the chance to attend the Ultimate Girly High Tea, with some brilliant Australian writers including Anita Heiss, Kate Morton and Mia Freedman.col-md-2

A group of wonderful writers spent last week collecting donations and setting up an auction website where you can bid for signed copies, tickets to events, manuscript assessments and mentoring, or even the chance to have a character named after you in a novel. All money goes to help those affected by the Queensland floods. For full details go to: http://authorsforqueensland.wordpress.com/ On the site there’s a chance to win signed copies of Come Back to Me and my second book Beneath the Shadows, which won’t be out in bookstores until 1st February 2011. Bidding closes 11 pm on 24 January (Sydney time). Good luck with the bidding, and thank you for your support.col-md-2

Finally, after six long weeks of work, I have finished the structural edit of Beneath the Shadows. It’s lovely to put my head up again, as I’ve literally been working morning, noon and night, around my toddler’s waking hours, to get everything done. I am already thinking of things that need changing or tweaking, but I will get another chance to do that when the copy-editing begins. I have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with this side of the editing process, which is ironic since I’ve been a book editor for the last ten years. But editing someone else’s work is fun. Editing my own novels seems to be much more gruelling, since I find myself continually re-examining every aspect of plot, characters and writing, and coming up with more and more problems or weaknesses that need fixing. However, I thrive on the challenge, and so far I’ve had two great editors who have really pushed me to make my books stronger.

So, while I’ve been taking a break, I’ve been dabbling with my bookshelf on goodreads.com.  I now have an author profile, which I’m still working on, and you’ll find my latest book reviews on there as well as on this website. You’ll notice they all tend to be rather positive, but I often don’t finish books I’m not enjoying, and as a result I don’t feel entirely qualified to comment on them! I’m currently reading and loving Water for Elephants, so you can expect another positive review soon!

Lately, quite a few aspiring authors have asked me for advice on what to do when you feel your novel is ready to go out into the world. So, while I have some downtime, I’ll shortly put up a blog or two with some general advice and information. Good luck to you all. Book publishing is a tough world, but it’s a very exciting and fulfilling one too, and I love being part of it.col-md-2