In the past month I have had SO much going on that I have sometimes felt a little overwhelmed. Fortunately, I have good friends and family, and furry companions, who remind me to regularly stop, take some deep breaths and enjoy what I’m doing.
And, today, I am taking some of those breaths as I share some of what has been keeping me busy.
Firstly, my friend and peer Rebecca M. Newman and I are busily working on a follow-up anthology to
Right Way Down. We are delighted that Fremantle Press has asked us to produce a second anthology, which will be filled with poems from Western Australian poets, and again illustrated by the amazing Briony Stewart. Submissions have closed, Rebecca and I have finished the difficult job of narrowing down our selections and now we are working through the editing process. No title yet, but you will see this book in stores and on shelves in 2026 and we cannot wait.
Secondly, and staying with the topic of poetry, I had my first poetry publication for the year, in a brand new online magazine. You can read Freedom at the Nimblewitlit site and, if you want to hear my voice, can also hear me reading the poem.
Thirdly, an honour. As you may know, the Children’s Book Council of Australia is celebrating its 80th year, and I have been named one of the Western Australian branch‘s Ambassadors. This means I’ll be joining a bunch of other amazing creators in shouting from the rooftops (and here on my website, on Instagram, Facebook and at events) just how wonderful the CBCA is. Not a hard gig at all.
And, last but not at all least, I was fortunate enough at the start of the month to join other creators and hardworking Form staff to visit Western Australia’s Goldfields as part of Scribblers on the Road. Working with Zeno Sworder, Brenton McKenna, Shane McCarthy, as well as creatives from the Goldfields, we visited:
- Kambalda Primary School
- Coolgardie Primary School
- Leonora District high School
- Menzies Community School
- John Paul College, Kalgoorlie
- Kalgoorle-Boulder Community High School
- St Joseph’s School and
- East Kalgoorlie primary School
as well as talking via video-link to students in remote communities at the Ngaanyatjarra Land School campuses, and running a writing workshop for adults at the Kalgoorlie library AND appearing at the Scribblers Family Fun Day at the Kalgoorlie Arts Centre.
Phew! If that sounds a lot, it was, but it was amazing – and you can see some of the fun in this photo reel which I shared on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Now I’m back at my desk, writing and smiling, and thinking how very lucky I am to get to do what I do.
