While I am eagerly awaiting the cover for my debut novel ‘In the Deluge’ I’ve had some exciting news – I was the winner of the Romance Writers of New Zealand Pacific Hearts Award for my unpublished manuscript ‘Girls of the USO’, and although I set my alarm to get up early to watch the winner announced at the AGM I slept through it! No matter, the beautiful trophy and certificate came through this week – and it’s an absolute stunner of a prize. But not only that, my winning manuscript gets a full assessment from an editor, which I’m pleased as punch about because I think it definitely needs some eyes to help tighten it and make it the best book it can be.

In other news I’ve arranged a book launch – to be held at Payneham Library on Sunday afternoon January 21, my wonderful mentor (and award-winning author), Victoria Purman, will be in conversation with me about the book and about my writing process! My good friends Jo Kent and Sarah Robinson are putting on an old-fashioned Country Women’s Association afternoon tea with scones, cake and maybe a cheeky glass of champers to celebrate, I can’t wait!

November is coming up and you know what that means! Preparation for National Novel Writing Month has begun – this year I’ll be writing a sequel to ‘In the Deluge’ focusing on side character Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Guilford. Plotting is done, now some brainstorming on individual scenes has begun. It’s gonna be a busy few months leading up until Christmas!