Current Projects

UPDATED 28 OCTOBER ‘09

At the moment I have a number of projects on the go:

1. Toby & Captain Reality – This is the first in what I hope will be an 8-book series for mid-upper primary school kids on optimistic thinking skills. I’m hopeful that I’ve managed to walk that very fine, precarious line between teaching a concept and yet not preaching. Toby learns through his encounters with Captain Reality (a very daggy super-hero who I suspect has a British accent) that he can control some of his thought processes and in doing so, can influence his emotional state. I’m editing this one right now and if my publisher likes it, then the other 7 books might just have a home… I’ve finished the first book in the series but along the way I’ve discovered that it is a little too didactic to be presented as a regular novel so instead I’m working towards getting it published as part of a teaching kit on optimism. I have a good relationship with a company that produces kits just like this around optimism and they are very interested.

2. Operation: Raspberry – I wrote this one for Penguin’s Aussie Chomps series, but alas, it was rejected – albeit with a lovely letter telling me how ‘promising’ my writing was. Sally Odgers from Affordable Manuscript Assessments has completed an appraisal and had lots of great things to say about it. She thoroughly enjoyed it and with a few minor adjustments, I think it’s ready to go. I love the characters so much that I want to start a whole series around good ol’ Jack & Benny. Just think of the potential for catchy titles: Operation Billy Cart, Operation Skate Park, Operation Lightning Speed… Yes. I’ve just decided. It’s the first of a series I’ve rewritten this one and it’s currently sitting in various slush piles around the place waiting to be discovered. Fingers crossed…

3. The Tower – This is my first ‘real’ attempt at writing a full-length novel…although I haven’t quite got to the end yet. It’s a futuristic yet realistic Christian novel about what might just happen if God said, “Enough!” A query for this novel and the first 3 chapters are currently sitting at Pacific Press in the States. I’m hoping they like it. I finished The Tower in May and almost did cartwheels. It’s still in a very rough first draft form but it is complete. After NaNoWriMo this year I’m planning on tackling the mammoth task of editing.

4. God Didn’t Make Monsters – I’ve just sent this picture book off to my publisher in the UK. I’m waiting to hear whether the reading committee has given it the thumbs up. I hope so! It’s a great story and could be very useful for parents everywhere, I believe. I must check on the status on this one… I haven’t heard back from my UK publisher but she did sound very positive about it.

5. Aussie Rescue Series – My publisher in the UK want me to write an interesting series for middle school kids that highlight character development and morals. I’ve sketched out the rough concept and have started planning my first one in the series. The series will focus on a young boy (or twins? Haven’t decided yet…) and his family who are wildlife carers. Through looking after Australian animals he will also discover a lot about himself and what makes people tick. My planning on this series hasn’t progressed much further, mainly because I need to do some research into wildlife care. I’m hoping I can find someone local who would be happy for me to watch them at work for a day or so. This one has been put on the backburner simply because it’s hard for me to find a whole day without the kids, but it’s still simmering away in my mind.

6. The Orange Balloon – This picture book is all about the power of empathy. I think it’s almost ready to be sent to my publisher here in Australia, but I need to clarify with them whether they’re interested or not. I’ve sent a lot of picture book manuscripts to them and I probably need to find out if they actually want any of them (apart from the one they’ve said ‘yes’ to) before I send any more. I sent a reminder email to my publisher yesterday about this one. I’ve tweaked it a little more and I still really, really like it. If they say no I’ll start shopping it around again.

7. It’s All In Your Mind: The life-changing power of optimistic thinking skills for mums – This is a book I’ve been wanting to write for a while. I am passionate about the importance and benefits of learning how to think optimistically and can honestly say that nothing has impacted my parenting more. I want to share my techniques for overcoming those fears, doubts and self-defeating thoughts we all have and how it can lead to being a healthier, happier, more empowered mum. This will probably be published as part of the Mother’s Toolkit series through Wombat Books, a small boutique publisher here in Brisbane. I’m currently working on the outline and developing the structure. It’s going to include a lot of anecdotes from my own chaotic life as well as common negative thought patterns that mums experience. I’m hoping it can be a helpful tool for new mums, particularly. I have written the first 4 or 5 chapters of this one but then my fiction projects came to the fore and I haven’t touched it in a few months. I will get back to it, however.

8. Benjamin Buster Barnaby Bill – this my favourite, favourite picture book right now (then again, my latest projects are usually my favourites…until I write something new!). It’s the story of four neighbours and four dogs…or is it? I won’t give away the twist at the end, but it’s based on the real-life shenanigans of our Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Ruby. I’ve had some very positive feedback on a publisher on this one but she said it wasn’t quite strong enough. I’m still waiting to hear back from two other publishers. If they both say no I’ll have to re-evaluate and see how I can strengthen it more. I’ve also submitted a query to a US agent on this ms so I’m hoping they might like the concept enough to request the full manuscript.

9. Emma Delaney – I’m doing NaNoWriMo again this year but this time I’m writing a YA novel. Emma is a 15-year-old student who wants nothing more than to be left in peace and to live her own life. She hates being involved in other people’s messes and is quietly confident, self-assured and comfortable in her own skin. But then the trees start talking to her again, and this time they tell her other people’s secrets. She is torn over her desire to stay out of other people’s lives and the knowledge that she may be the only one who can help. I’ve planned this one thoroughly so come November 1 I’ll be writing flat out. I’m hoping to not just write 50,000 words and ‘win’ NaNo again, but actually get to the end of the manuscript.

10. Slow Down Stanley – This is a picture book for all those little boys who can’t possibly sit still. Instead of walking they insist on skipping or running or jumping or twirling. Stanley has exactly the same problem until one day the admonition of, “Slow down, Stanley!” is replaced by, “Run, Stanley, run!” I’m waiting to hear back from a publisher on this one before I send it out to a few others.

11. Possum’s Heart – I wrote this picture book to help explain to our 4-year-old son why he needed open heart surgery (he had it in September and all is well, praise God!) and what was going to happen to him. I’m currently talking with HeartKids, the charity that supports families with kids with heart problems about trying to get this one published as a fund-raiser for them. They are very interested but as always, it’s a matter of coming up with the capital to finance it.

12. The Gate – I love this manuscript. It’s a picture book with very few words; in fact, the illustrations will convey more than the text. I’m waiting to hear back from a publisher on this one too. I think it will be picked up because it’s quite poetic and leaves lots of room for the reader to interpret the text. It’s aimed at older children.

13. Soccer Socks – This is a humorous picture book in rhyming text about one boy’s dream to be a soccer star. The only problem is, he’s not that good at soccer. And when his soccer socks go missing he is forced to borrow a substitute from his sister, brother and mum, all with hilarious results. I’ve submitted this to three publishers and am waiting to hear back from two. As much as I think the rhyming text is tight and well-written, there does seem to be a lack of willingness on behalf of publishers to produce picture books that rhyme. Apparently, they don’t sell well. I find that really hard to fathom as I know so many kids (and adults) who love reading and listening to rhyming text.

14. Bertie  – I’m in the process of rewriting this manuscript from first person to third. It’s for younger children (aged 3-5) who want nothing more than to be in charge of something or someone, but everyone tells them they’re too little. This one will take a bit more tweaking before it’s ready to send out.