I have several projects on the go at the moment.

First up is my Our Australian Girl, Poppy series which will come out in November next year in a beautiful new hardback omnibus of all four stories in one volume. What is really lovely is that it will have a magnetic clasp – something that I would have adored as a young girl. Actually I still do.

I am working on a new chapter for this edition. The narrative will begin two years after the final book, Poppy Comes Home finished. There will also be a short paragraph of what happens to Poppy when she grows up.

So the first thing I need to do is reread all four books. As soon as I do that, ideas will appear.

Hushing Wood

I have just signed and delivered the contract for my latest novel, Hushing Wood – a story about a girl who has reoccurring dreams that she will drown on her twelfth birthday.

Although the novel is written, there is still a long way to go. First thing is to change the story from third person subjective to first person and from past tense to present tense. I put it away for about three months and upon rereading saw that it needed to be more immediate. I felt that Ziggy’s thoughts needed to be more deeply expressed and that’s what first person point of view does. As for changing the tense, I don’t want the reader to know what happens to Ziggy in the end. Does she drown? Is she saved? What is her fate? So present tense is a perfect device for that.

I will also be putting in Ziggy’s drawings throughout the text and designing and illustrating the front cover.

I am very excited to be heading to Massachusetts in the US in May to do some research. I will be living on the edge of the woods. I do hope to see lots of wild animals, especially a bear. That would be the best.

Approximate date of publication for Hushing Wood is February 2017.

Picture Book

I have wanted to write and illustrate a picture book for a long time. At last I think I have a story. Now I have to find the space.

I hope all your endeavours are working out for you.

I hope the year to come will be filled with peace, brilliance and love.

Gabi xx