Things I am grateful for this year...

I'm not a big one for new year celebrations. I try (!) to approach each day, and if desperate, each hour as a fresh beginning, rather than seeing the changing of years as a time to make changes. I say try, as it doesn't always work.

No matter what my day has been like, I take time each evening to reflect on things I am grateful for. I decided on New Year's Eve I should reflect on just a few of the writerly things I am grateful for in 2011.

• Generosity, laughter and support from friends and family

 

• Enthusiastic and supportive students and teachers.

•  Melbourne Writer's Festival Regional Tour

    

• Supportive & generous fellow children's and y.a. authors and bloggers.

• Talented and hardworking editors - Mab!

• New editions and new books

• Time and a place to write

  

• Inspiration 

And then there are all the incredible things in my non-professional life that I am truly grateful for...

I am a very lucky person.

Wishing you much peace, happiness and abundance in 2012.

Surely not!

Christmas 2011 was terrific for us - time with family, friends, laughs and delicious food and drink. Now I'm ready to return to writing and - ahem - less food.
In fact, so determined am I to return to a slower lifestyle, we took down our Christmas tree today.

So I guess Christmas is done and dusted for another year, which is lucky as check out what greeted me at the supermarket earlier this afternoon...

Yep - an entire display of Easter stuff.

REALLY? It's still December people!

Sigh...

A huge thank you!

Phew - the Pan's Whisper Blog Tour is done and dusted.
Enormous thanks to Jenny at Walker Books and the fabulous bloggers who have been so warm, welcoming and generous.
Claire Saxby - Let's Have Words
Emma - Bookseller's NZ
Shirely Marr - Books on Mars
Steph Bowe -Hey! Teenager of the Year
Sue Whiting - All in the Telling
Dee White - Kids' Book Capers
Michael Earl- Little Elf Man's Random Thoughts
Anna - Cherry Banana Split
I've had a fantastic time and hope you've enjoyed it too!
Merry Christmas generous bloggers and here's to a ripper 2012!

I have bird issues! My new bird for my Christmas tree.

All aboard! Last stop on the Pan's Whisper Blog Tour...

Okay, so stops.
Today I'm visiting two places at once, because I can! I'm at Cherry Banana Split and Perth YA Fans Unite where I talk about the music I listen to when I write, developing characters and a few of my favourite Australian Young Adult novels.
Thanks to the lovely Anna for her brilliant questions.
Make sure you visit Perth YA Fans Unite to find out how you can win a copy of Pan's Whisper.

And yep,I'm late in blogging about this one, but hey, they are both WA blogs, so really, it's early afternoon!

Shakespeare and a Russian Blue with Sue

Today I stop in on a friend, colleague and someone I respect and admire, Sue Whiting. We have come across each other since we started writing at about the same time. The lovely thing is we're now working together.

So drop by and visit Sue's blog, All In The Telling and see how Shakespeare and a Russian Blue Cat have influenced Pan's Whisper.

Week Two of the blog Tour...

Visiting the amazing Michael today at Little Elf Man
Had a ball answering Michael's questions and reading his responses this morning.

Thanks Michael!!

Go West...

The Pan's Whisper Blog tour stops in on the amazing Shirley Marr today. Read a review of Pan, check out Shirley's questions about the novel and enter for your chance to win a copy of Pan's Whisper!

Blog Tour - Day Three

Today I'm stopping at Kids' Book Capers where Dee White has reviewed Pan's Whisper. Thanks Dee!

Blog tour Continues...Happy Birthday Hamish!

Today on the Pan's Whisper Blog Tour, I talk characters with Emma at Booksellers New Zealand.

And it's my nephew's 6th birthday - what a day!!

Blog Tour!

Join me today at Claire Saxby's blog Let's Have Words where I answer questions about grandparents, names and stalking!

Of Launches and Blog Tours

It's all happening!
Tomorrow night we officially launch Pan's Whisper at 6pm at the Little Bookroom, Nicholson St North Carlton. Would love to see you there!
Next week I start a two week blog tour visiting fantastic blogs to talk about Pan's Whisper, the writing process, crazy notebooks and even grandparents.
Take a break from the Christmas madness and spend a few minutes at one of these fantastic blogs.

Mon Dec 12	Claire Saxby	http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/
Tues Dec 13	Emma McCleary	http://booksellersnz.wordpress.com/
Wed Dec 14	Dee White	http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
Thurs Dec15	Shirley Marr	http://shirleymarr.net/news/
Fri Dec 16	Steph Bowe	http://heyteenager.blogspot.com/
Mon Dec 19	Michael Earp	http://littleelfman.blogspot.com/
Tues Dec 20	Sue Whiting	http://www.suewhiting.blogspot.com/
Wed Dec 21	Anna Dolin	http://cherrybananasplit.blogspot.com/