It’s been a hot minute between posts … What on EARTH happened to 2025!? It was a huge year of book launches, travel and making connections around the country. To recap!
In March, I launched The Inside Dog with a room full of beaming friends, family and book peeps. It was quite simply - magical. And all the more magical because I got to do it alongside my friend and the book’s very clever illustrator Carolyn Davis, who had flown in from NYC to intro Cuddles to the world.
There was also a very lovely writing retreat with my supportive online critique group in the beautiful Byron hinterland. We talked and typed in a creaky Queenslander and clinked glasses when a couple of our books made the CBCA Notables list.
May brought news of an ABIA listing for Over or Under? and while I couldn’t be in Melbourne for the party, I was CHUFFED to be on the list for the first time. My first festival of the year kicked off at Newington College Lit Fest and I started mentorships with talented authors Jemima Parker and Jess Horn. Both my dream mentees - I relished our meet-ups and getting to read their WIPS as they grew and developed.
July began a series of bookish events and school visits, including LittleScribe, family Day at Willoughby Library Lit Fest, Abbotsleigh Lit Fest and the Northern Beaches Young Writers Awards. The next gen of storytellers are incredible and I had a blast judging the Y9-10 section.
August brought a panel moderation at the YA and Children’s Fest at the NSW Writers’ Centre - expertly programmed by Jacqueline Harvey and a short trip to Canberra to visit a flurry of schools. Then onto Book Week goodness in Brisbane + a Drift launch alongside the incredible Megan Daley and her buzzing live bee frame. Bee cookies, old friends, new friends and the gorgeous folks at Wild Things bookstore made the morning so, so special. Brisbane's schools and enthusiastic TLs were also above and beyond in their warm welcome.
The end of the month saw Zanni L. Arnot and I co-launch our YA books Drift and A Guide to Falling Off the Map at Gleebooks in Sydney. It was a blur of lovely convo with delightful author Jeremy Lachlan, confetti thrown by bookseller extraordinaire Rachel, seeing our publisher Jeanmarie and a room full of well wishes and good vibes. The Aussie children’s book community is a giant warm hug.
September was a trip in a very small aircraft to the outback for Storyfest South West in St George - joined by an amazing gang of kids authors. We whipped up excitement for reading and stories and shared so many moments of genuine connection with Queensland’s rural and regional communities.
October was all about Spooky Season! Camp Spooky: Attack of the Aliants was officially launched and my co-writing partner Kate Foster and I did a whistlestop tour of select Sydney schools … spreading the aliant love with a giant dice, cupcakes and treat bags! I’ve never had more fun on school visits, ever!
Headland Writers festival took me on a trip to Tathra on the far South Coast to chat to Gabbie Stroud and Jade Timms. Tathra is a gorgeous slice of heaven overlooking whales and beaches. I stayed at beautiful Tathra Hotel with a clifftop view that was extremely hard to leave, but the lure of the author line-up and chats to fascinating artists, actors, poets and authors kept me out and about!
My final festival of the year was Once Upon a Festival in Adelaide - a joyful celebration of Aussie books and a chance to talk to teens about Drift and why I wrote about a bee swarm. Perhaps my favourite moment was two teen boys buying a copy and waiting patiently outside my workshop so I could sign it. They were so excited!
The KOALA (Kids Own Choice Lit Awards), and a CBCA Christmas hang at the State Library rounded out a huge year of events. It was time to turn off my microphone and take a break.
To everyone who supported me this year with invitations to speak, help with editing/ publishing and promoting my books, beyond stunning illustrations, collaboration, space in your bookstore, a stage in your school, a seat in your library, cups of tea, student letters and chats, chocolate and meals, car rides, flights, author catch ups, scheduling - THANK YOU! It really is a privilege to do what I do.
2026 is an even bigger year with lots of festivals and events already locked in. I’m getting exciting about a new picture book co-created with Yiscah Marcatili that comes out in March. It’s Yiscah’s debut book and it’s STUNNING. She has absolutely knocked it out of the park with her illustrations of Eve and Nan. More on that soon…x