As a parent, it comes as no surprise to me that the most popular posts on my entire website by a country mile are these two: 21 tried-and-tested books for …
12 often-overlooked children’s classics
For many years, my friend Allison Rushby has been a ‘go-to’ source for me for ‘classic’ children’s stories. The woman has read everything, particularly if there’s a green and pleasant …
10 (more) Australian children’s/YA authors talk about writing
About 200 episodes of So You Want To Be A Writer podcast ago, I created this lovely little round-up of insightful interviews with Australian children’s and YA authors. I have …
Writing outside my comfort zone
Action. Adventure. History. Mystery. When you think of an A.L. Tait story, are these the kinds of words that come to mind? They are for me. Hilarious? Rib-cracking? Not so …
NEWS: New novel on the way
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve signed a contract with Penguin Random House Australia for a new novel. Frustratingly, that’s as much information as I can give you right now! …
So You Want To Be A Writer podcast celebrates 300 episodes – and YOU can WIN 30 books!
So You Want To Be A Writer, my top-rating podcast with the wonderful Valerie Khoo, is celebrating 300 episodes this week and we have this Great Big Book Pack to …
The 6 Cs of writing a novel
In case you missed it, the latest round of #writeabookwithal is over and I have finished the first draft of my latest manuscript. It is, brace yourselves, the 15th first …
10 fiction books to help kids develop growth mindset
There would be few parents who haven’t, over the past few years, heard the term ‘growth mindset’. It’s one of those phrases that seems to have blasted its way across …
News, reviews + interviews (August 2019)
You might need a cup of tea for this one… August has been a crazy-busy month, featuring planes, trains and automobiles, Book Week, the MS Readathon, the first Your Kid’s …
[NEWS] Your Kid’s Next Read Live Book Week Event
It’s the first of August, which means that Book Week is almost upon us! Every children’s author I know is taking their vitamins and limbering up for what is now, for …
10+ GGSD (Girls Getting Stuff Done) Middle-Grade Reads
“Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it.” Anne Lamott’s quote has always resonated with me for two reasons. One is that you don’t really …
News, reviews + interviews (July 2019)
I confess the heading for this post may be misleading – this month, it’s mostly about the news! News Writers love writers’ festivals. We love them. They’re busy and tiring …
12 writing books for teen writers
Last week I found myself compiling a list of books about writing for a young writer I know. She’s 15, enthusiastic, stymied by the parameters of writing for school assignments, …
Write What You Don’t Know (Yet)
One of the joys of the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook group is the opportunity to ‘meet’ other children’s authors. Occasionally, I like to put a spotlight on one of …
News, reviews + interviews [June]
I used to blog every day. Can you believe that? I can’t. I find it particularly difficult to imagine in months like this, where weeks fly by like hours and …
Industry Insider: 10 steps for writing Teachers’ Notes
Being presented with the teachers’ notes for your novel is one of the great joys of being a children’s author. Teachers’ notes are a curriculum-linked resource for a novel, offering …
Meet ‘So You Want To Be A Writer’ the BOOK
It’s been a big year for the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast team! Not only have we screamed past the ONE MILLION download mark (you’ll find my …
Writing tips for kids: 3 short videos
As part of my plan for be An Organised Writer this year, I’m working through all of the content I have across various platforms and making sure that I bring …
Industry Insider: Pitching your manuscript overseas
Kristyn M. Levis and I have been connected via blogging and social media for a very long time. Kristyn is based in Australia, where she is the co-owner of a …
Small island voices: 10+ books for kids by Tasmanian authors
Kate Gordon grew up in a small town by the sea in Tasmania. The author of six books for children, from picture books to YA, with a slew of others …