– BARGAIN for U.S. readers: Takeshita Demons hardcover copies selling on Amazon at 80% off!

– Interview on One Writer’s Journey: Check out this interview with me on the One Writer’s Journey blog.

– Society of Women’s Writers workshop: I attended a fun and useful plotting workshop, run by John Harmen and partly funded by the Society of Women’s Writers (thank you both!). John used THELMA AND LOUISE as a plotting example and even reading the plot summary made me teary. What a great film! Wouldn’t you love to write something in that vein?

– Script debut: I’m thrilled that my short script, SHELTER FROM THE STORM, is being performed next month in Queensland, by the Miles Regional Arts Council. I’ve always wanted to write something slightly absurdist with a sting in its tail. I haven’t quite been able to make it  work for children’s fiction, but an adult radio play? Sure! Why not?

– Asian Festival of Children’s Content: I’m also excited to be preparing to present at the 2014 Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore. I’m jetting over there thanks to WritingWA, who are just fantastic at spreading the good word on writing opportunities in WA.

I’m presenting Whatever Happened to Non-fiction, on non-fiction for children. It’ll be a fab, fun session, followed by Mark Greenwood presenting Breathing Life into History, and I’m telling you, he does it well! Looking forward to it!

I’m also co-presenting a session on scary stories for children, with Canada’s Mahtab Narsimhan. Mahtab’s TARA trilogy draws inspiration from Indian mythology and is maybe a million times scarier than TAKESHITA DEMONS. I’m scared just writing about it! I can’t wait to meet her and present our session: Are YOU afraid of the dark?

Perth Writer’s Festival: And of course….this weekend is the Perth Writer’s Festival!!! My favourite time of year! If I could, I would camp at UWA all weekend with my notebook and pen, sucking up ideas and inspiration and caramel milkshakes with lots of ice. Instead, I’m dragging my children from tent to tent and hoping they’ll stay still/quiet/dry enough for at least a couple of ideas and inspirational moments, and about 50 milkshakes.

Hope to see you there!