Bio
I found my way to writing books quite late in life, it seems, and I do blame a mid life crisis on the sudden shift in careers from the travel industry into becoming a full time author. But while it’s been a zig-zag path to writing, I think I’ve always been headed toward it and now feel I’ve found my place.
I was very fortunate that my first attempt to write a novel got me noticed by the biggest publisher of the fantasy genre in Australia. Voyager offered me a three book deal and I am still writing fantasy novels for HarperCollins and that I’m delighted say sell worldwide. I read crime through choice and so it seemed the logical place to turn when I was looking to diversify. And then children’s fantasy was always going to happen for me.
The catalyst that made this whole writing thing happen was Bryce Courtenay and his summer fiction writing course that he held in Hobart every two years. And so it seems fitting that the novel I have always wanted to write but until recently haven’t felt equipped to do so is a big family style saga along the lines that Bryce is known for. The result is that in 2010 my first saga – historical fiction set in the 1920s – will be released by Penguin. I think the floodgates have opened…now I want to write more of these big books.
The plan now is to juggle all of these genres. I say if you like my fantasy, you’ll probably enjoy the saga novels equally, and when you need a break from the epic stories of fantasy and historical saga, there is no better indulgence than a good crime.
I am traveling constantly for books these days, so my life really has come full circle as my globetrotting days are as active as ever. When I’m not on the move I live at home with my very patient husband, Ian, and my twin sons, Will and Jack. Sharing our life are Buddy – a fox terrier and Jessie – a border collie, who really only answer to their nicknames of Boo and Baby.
I won’t even begin to discuss my chocolate addiction…but I am getting help for it!
