That Boy, Jack launch

Oh, what a feeling!

After months of planning, my children's, historical novel is officially launched. That Boy, Jack (Walker Books) has taken over 10 years to get published. Now it's out there. Happy reading, everyone. 

It was a happy day!

Such a stunning cover. Thanks Walker Books!

Wonderful music by The Celtic Daughters opened the event.

Ex-student and now family friend, James Quigley, was the perfect MC.

Award-winning author, friend and fellow-Cornish descendent, Rosanne Hawke, launched the book with grace, warmth and humour.

With the book at last!

Jack took a liking to the Cornish pasties!

Friend, Wendy Johnson, reading out winning ticket of the door prize.

Members of the Adelaide Cornish Choir singing traditional songs.

Book buying!

The crowd in the great Function Centre at Immanuel College, Novar Gardens, SA.

A great day.

Happily signing away.

Members of The Celtic Daughters plus Isabel, who also played her debut performance.

Mike Lucas of Shakespeare's Bookshop, Pt Noarlunga.

Daughter, Cass and grandson, Liam.

Baby grandson, Saxon.

Daughter, Nat, and baby Saxon.

Sister, Jo and cousin, Sue. (Left to Right)

My husband, Jon, son-in-law, Nick and friend, Peter. (from Left to Right)

Threes in writing

I love threes in writing.

Threes in lists. Threes as an action builder. Threes to mount suspense.

It’s all so satisfying.

First the set-up. Then the body. Then the climax.

Here’s a set up of threes from my latest ms, called What a Mouthful!

‘And courage and guts is also what it takes to stand up in front of hundreds of kids who have to sit and listen to you. From up on stage, you can hear their razor-like minds sharpening for the kill. Their elbows hovering to nudge each other. Their mouths bent, ready to guffaw into their chests.’

And here a three photos, with no apparent connection, apart from the fact that they are part of my writing and reading world.

How could I promote my passion of adults reading to kids?

Easy. Have a sticker made for the back windscreen of my car! Apart from promoting my website, it states Please read to your children every day!

Here’s Rosanne Hawke and myself in Port Augusta, South Australia. I launched her latest book, Taj and the Great Camel Trek, and because we’ve both written a number of camel books, we’re now known asThe Cameladies!

This dapper chap was snapped at the Kernewek Lowender, a festival in Yorke Peninsular, South Australia, celebrating the culture of early Cornish miners, who left Cornwall in the 1800’s to work in the copper mines. Notice the papier mache ‘hard-hat’ and the candle for light in the tunnels. I have researched and written a novel called Mined-Out (or Arthur Underground)about this period. It’s out at publishers at the moment.