Hi Everyone! I’ve had so many emails about the next Marianne Delacourt book (Tara Sharp #4) that I thought you should know where things are at. Allen and Unwin won’t be publishing it, so if I don’t have a new publisher by the end of the year (I am in talks with a great indie press – fingers crossed!), I PROMISE I will self-publish it in December in time for your Xmas stockings!! It will most likely be in e-book format only, but I will explore paperback options as well.

I’ve changed the title from Too Sharp to Sharp Edge, and you can see the mock up of the potential cover here.

The next novel is set back in Perth and your favourite bikie, Bon Ames, gets Tara into deep, dangerous trouble! Things are also hotting up between Nick Tozzi and Ed.

In other news, my original SF screenplay – STALKING DAYLIGHT –  has been through nearly two drafts and I’m starting to look for opportunities to further hone it. It’s currently in an AWG competition to get further script editing. I’ve just had some very positive feedback on it, so I hope it has legs.

Book 2 of the PEACEMAKER series (SF, western, crime, urban fantasy) will be out in October 2015. The name will change (currently DEALBREAKER), and a cover will be ready shortly. I’ll share as soon as I can. Can’t wait to see what Joey HiFi does this time! In book 2 Virgin is working for GJIC – global intelligence – and the Mythos action is hotting up. She’s nursing some very hurt feelings about Heart’s betrayal, Hamish is acting weird, and Caro has some bad news. A lot is happening in the Western Quarter!! Not to mention that Sixkiller is his usual infuriating self.

The SF novella I’m writing for my MPhil is underway and is literary SF. That will be finished next year.

There are also two short stories on the horizon. One SF far future set in the Sentients of Orion universe and based on a dream I had – nearly finished. The other is a newly finished YA story that is very dark.

Those of you following my FB and Twitter feeds know that I had a really enjoyable time in Cairns. I was kindly picked up at the airport by Hettie Ashwin and taken to Rydges Tradewinds.

Friday night was the launch cocktail party where I met some of the Tropical Writers, and then headed off to dinner with my friend Bernadette who I haven’t seen in five or so years. Hip little cafe and good food.

Saturday was a very full day; a three hour workshop (and they were an interesting, lively bunch), a panel on writing for young adults and children, launching Hettie’s book The Mask of Deceit and attending the literary dinner. Matt Reilly made a great keynote speech about retaining passion for what you do and afterwards I stumbled into bed.

Sunday was less hectic. The Big Book Club panel was very stimulating – we discussed Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, Cold Grave by Kathryn Fox and Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Green. I have to say that Salvage the Bones was like reading something by Margo Lanagan – the use of language and the deeply personal insights. A truly splendid book. We also agreed that Kathryn Fox was doing a great job raising awareness of social issues and that Green’s novel will make a touching movie.

Collins booksellers did a fab job (had all my books) and all the organising committee were very helpful throughout.

Once my offical duties were finished I got to sit and talk stories, TV, comedy and the revolution with Tim Ferguson – definitely one of the weekend’s highlights for me. Hettie then deposited me back at the airport (thanks Hettie!), and I got to watch five epsidoes of Big Bang Theory on the flight home on the swishy new Qantas jet.

Thanks for having me Tropical Writers!

The book blogging community is quite special; switched on, communicative and quite powerful. I didn’t quite realise that until I started writing YA fiction.  Out there in YA-land they’re talking and loving books – and they are respectful of each others’ tastes. I suppose it’s a generational thing, and that younger readers (say 35 and under) are using the social networking platforms that they’ve grown up with, to share their passion. It makes me wish I was younger! How less isolating it would have been for me growing up. How amazing to have been part of such a wide and thriving community. Life would have been so much better.

Anyway, today is a big shout out to Lyndsey at Strangemore who has just begun a campaign to bring Burn Bright (The Night Creatures trilogy) to the US. To all those lovely readers who’ve emailed me asking where they can get the book – CHECK IT OUT!

A second shout out to Krista at Cubicle Blindness who has been single handedly campaigning for the same thing  for a while. You’re not on your own anymore!

And also to ALL those wonderful bloggers who’ve run interviews with me and giveaways of Burn Bright – especially those who have taken it upon themselves to send Burn Bright on a book tour (Nomes at Inkcrush) around the world, so that others may enjoy it. You know who you are!

Lastly, to Braiden at Book Probe, who hosted a blogger kafee klatsch for myself and Alison Goodman and made my YouTube site look pretty.

Image borrowed from A Readers Record.