Wintry chill and welcome warmth

Finder's Shore set sail with a crowd of 70 or so to see it launched. Thanks to all who attended, the speakers, the students who escorted people to the temporary door (landscaping in progress at KHS library!), booksellers Beattie & Forbes and Random House.
I've had some great feedback since; hope all my readers enjoy it as much as those who've so far been in touch.
And now, on with the next...

Three phases of writing

Finder's Shore has arrived: a carton of ten author copies; five days till the launch. Can't wait to have it out there and to start getting feeedback.
Meanwhile, Ebony Hill has been shortlisted for the LIANZA Award. Keeping my eyes crossed.

And then there's the new book...
Starting to write is like unwrapping a gift. Quite a complicated gift, with layers of tissue, lots of surprises - a 'pass the parcel' sort of gift, where there are things to be found every step of the way. Then at the heart, the essence of it, satisfying and complete. Oh, and then the work begins!

Old books never die

Well, some don't - and that's a lovely thing to discover. Bookshops normally stock a title for 3 months and then it's mostly nudged aside. Even bookshops in your hometown, and award-winning titles - who can figure it? But schools are less fickle. Last Friday I spent an hour answering insightful and entertaining questions from a year 11 class who had studied Out on the Edge as a set text. Real fun, and nothing like teens to keep you on your toes.
In preparation, I reread the book - something I generally avoid, as there's nothing more disheartening than finding the bits you'd like to edit just a little (or the massive clanger where a name was changed late in the piece but the proofreaders missed one instance of it...). Pleased to report I still love this book, as much now as when I wrote it. Maybe more. Even better that a whole bunch of kids do too...