Hello everyone!

Thanks for visiting my website.

I want to start by saying ‘thankyou’ to you all for your wonderful support of my books.  It is very heartening, and appreciated more than you know.

When I first decided to self-publish Quizzical, I had no idea what to expect.  In general, self-published authors aren’t taken as seriously as commercially published authors, but it is very difficult to get published, and the thought of having to wait months, or even years hoping to be published didn’t appeal to me all that much.  So I decided to publish the book myself.  I have always loved writing, and my childhood dream was to one day write a book that hopefully someone would enjoy then, perhaps make mention of it to friends, and maybe … just maybe … that would lead to me writing another one, and another one …

Imagine my surprise (and great joy) then, when Quizzical was awarded joint first prize in the 2006 Australian Best Self-Published Book Award for Fiction.  It was the best feeling to have my work recognized by a panel of judges, and to have them say some really great things about it.  Oh, and the prize money and certificate were just the icing on the cake!

Quizzical was subsequently picked up by commercial publishers, The Five Mile Press, who re-released it in 2008, followed by the sequel, Money Bags, in 2009. 

In 2008 The Five Mile Press also published a chapter book I wrote, called Alby and the Cat, as part of their 2008 Ripper Reads series.

My dad was blinded in an industrial accident many years ago and had a guide dog called Duke for 13 years.  It was wonderful watching their unique relationship, and to see how important Duke was in helping dad regain his independence, and his confidence to face the world again.  I wanted to write a story for children so that they could understand more about the work a guide dog does, and how important they are in the life of a visually impaired person. 

Early last year The Five Mile Press asked if I was interested in writing the text for a Christmas book they were planning.  I jumped at the chance.  I’m a big believer of when an opportunity comes your way, you grab it with both hands, because they don’t come along very often.  The end result was: A Classic Christmas Treasury: Carols and Stories, with beautiful illustrations by Lee Krutop, a book I’m very proud of.   Having to research the information needed for the book, then writing the different parts to it was a wonderful experience and one I thoroughly enjoyed.  I found it very interesting, and very different from the sort of writing I’m used to doing, which made for a nice change.

I have two books due out this year: Puzzle Palace, the third in my Quizzical series, and Alby and the Cat: Showbusiness, the second of my books about Alby the guide dog and the mischievious cat that lives next door, for younger readers.  So, keep a look out for those in bookshops, or you can purchase them online via my website. 

I am hoping to visit lots of schools and libraries this year with my “Interactive Quizzical” after spending most of last year writing – I don’t know where the time goes, but 2009 sure went fast!

Last, but definitely not least, keep those letters coming in, I love hearing from you all!  Thanks for all your positive comments!

Until next time, happy reading!