As the dust settles from launch week for The Book Of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1), I finally have time to reflect and share some of the highlights! On Saturday, I …
Writing For Kids: The 10 Keys To A Great Story
I’m over visiting Scarlet Paolicchi at Family Focus blog this week, talking about writing for kids, and the 10 keys to writing a great story. This post is based on …
The Book Of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1) is out now!
When I was busy writing manuscripts in the middle of the night, dreaming of one day being a published author, I would try to imagine what it would be like …
Should I start a podcast?
I’m over visiting the wonderful Anne R. Allen today, guest posting all about podcasting. If you’re a writer and you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the …
Some lessons I’ve learned from writing for kids
I’m over at The Creative Penn today, with a guest post about what writing for kids has taught me about writing. Joanna Penn is a New York Times bestselling author …
Update: #writeabookwithal, one month on
Well, here we are. The first day of spring. The start of a new season. The Book Of Secrets is out this month (go here for your invite to my …
WIN: Signed books plus money-can’t-buy Mapmaker cap
With just weeks to go before the release of The Book Of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1) on 12 September, I’m pacing nervously getting excited. So excited, in fact, that I’m …
Writing for kids: How to write comics
One of the things I love most about all of the various things I do is meeting other writers. Through the podcast, the blog, social media and the Your Kid’s …
Simple Book Week ideas (from Australian authors)
Last year, in the grips of Book Week Fever, I wrote about my love/hate relationship with this most special time of the school calendar. In summary, as an author, I …
The #writeabookwithAl August 2017 version is about to kick off!
Are you writing a novel, for children or for adults? Or would you like to be writing one? Why not do it with me? Despite the fact that I thought …
COVER REVEAL: The Book Of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1)
The day is finally here when I can reveal the cover for the first book in my new series! I have to say that from an author’s perspective, this never …
What publishers really want (in their own words)
As Valerie Khoo and I head rapidly towards 200 episodes of our So You Want To Be A Writer podcast, our backlist of fabulous – and by that I mean …
News and events update
The school holidays are underway, which means less headspace for writing but more time to get my house in order. As a work-at-home mum, I usually find the best way …
Industry Insider: How to research historical fiction
This week, I’ve passed over the Industry Insider reins to Kirsty Manning, debut Australian author of The Midsummer Garden. With a background in journalism and book publishing, and a …
10 of my favourite book dedications
If you received my newsletter last week, you’ll know that I shared a sneak peek of one of my very favourite pages of The Book Of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1) …
You can now buy The Mapmaker Chronicles (1-3) in the US and Canada!
Well, it’s happening. The first three books in The Mapmaker Chronicles series are on sale in the USA and Canada, through publisher Kane Miller. You can buy the books via …
Proof! The Book of Secrets (Ateban Cipher #1) is coming soon!
Look what arrived in the post this morning! This is an honest-to-goodness, bonafide proof copy of The Book Of Secrets, book #1 in my new Ateban Cipher series (and, yes, …
What teaching kids about writing has taught me about writing
There’s nothing like getting up in front of 100+ grade-five boys to talk about writing to … clarify the mind. As you look out across the endlessly wiggling room, the …
6 more Aussie author Instagram accounts I love
Well, it seems that y’all are looking for authors to love on Instagram, given my 5 Australian Author Instagram Accounts I Love post is consistently one of my most popular …
6 tips for getting back into the swing with your writing
My, but my blogging muscles feel a bit creaky. I’ve been submerged in school holidays for what feels like the last year (really a matter of weeks) – just long enough …