Tag Archives: middle grade

The travel itinerary of a debut middle-grade book manuscript: from Brisbane to Vancouver and back

If you take a peek at my Instagram, you’ll see me sipping hot cocoa, warming myself by the fireplace, and squirrel-spotting in the maple leaf-strewn streets of Vancouver and Toronto. These are not my usual end-of-year activities. November marked more than sightseeing in Canada as part of my ‘day job’ work trip. I was alsoContinue reading “The travel itinerary of a debut middle-grade book manuscript: from Brisbane to Vancouver and back”

Cover Reveal: The Feathers of Farwood – The Gripps Curse by Jayne McIntyre

I’m so excited to finally share the cover reveal for my debut middle-grade fantasy, The Feathers of Farwood – & The Gripps Curse! This beautiful cover was illustrated by the incredibly talented Tamlyn Teow, and it perfectly captures the heart of the story — lush Australian forests and landscapes, a hint of magic, and oneContinue reading “Cover Reveal: The Feathers of Farwood – The Gripps Curse by Jayne McIntyre”

Top Spooky Reads for Kids This October

From haunted houses to ghostly sidekicks, daring detectives, and eerie seaside towns, these stories prove spooky doesn’t have to mean nightmare-inducing. Middle-Grade & Junior Fiction Spooky (but not too scary) reads 1. Lockwood & Co. series – Jonathan StroudJoin a ragtag team of teenage ghost-hunters as they tackle Britain’s most chilling hauntings. Fast-paced action, wittyContinue reading “Top Spooky Reads for Kids This October”

Things About Being a Children’s Author That Just Make Sense

From chocolate stashes to animal trivia, here’s what fuels the middle-grade magic. Being a children’s author is a little bit like living in a storybook yourself. It involves imagination, a dash of magic, and more notebooks than anyone really needs (but buys anyway). Whether you’re writing about owls, wild adventures, or mysterious forests, there areContinue reading “Things About Being a Children’s Author That Just Make Sense”

The book deal! My debut series announced

Ever since I was eight years old, I’ve dreamed of this moment. Now, after years of perseverance and plenty of detours and learnings, it’s happening—I’m going to be a published author! As announced in Books + Publishing, Riveted Press has acquired the worldwide rights to my three-book magical middle-grade series, titled The Feathers of Farwood.Continue reading “The book deal! My debut series announced”

Unlocking your creative potential: top reasons to go on a writing residency

For one productive (and very blissful!) week in October, I had the pleasure of staying at Varuna The Writers’ House in Katoomba, Blue Mountains. This was part of a Residency Callout Program for authors to work on their project of choice. I was in the company of some fantastic writers from right across Australia, allContinue reading “Unlocking your creative potential: top reasons to go on a writing residency”

What inspires my writing: mystery & magic for middle-grade readers

Emerging voices, new voices, fresh voices… What do these things actually mean when it comes to book writing? Many authors talk about honing their voice and finding their voice; making their story stand out from the various others on the shelf. In this instance, I’m talking about the author voice, not the character voice orContinue reading “What inspires my writing: mystery & magic for middle-grade readers”

School holidays at the library – programs, free activity packs, and story seat adventures

It’s that time again – school holidays! Not only do I write middle-grade books (and love reading them) but I have two primary school-aged children. Needless to say, school holiday programs at the library are the first thing on my list when I hear the dreaded: “I’m bored – there’s nothing to do!” (Yes, we’dContinue reading “School holidays at the library – programs, free activity packs, and story seat adventures”