So I found out yesterday that How Not To Acquire A Castle has been shortlisted for the ACT Publishing Awards for 2020 for Best Fiction? How exciting!! Apparently I only have until Friday to wait for the results, so that’s also much excite.
In other things-which-are-exciting, I think I neglected to mention here that I was selected as a judge for the Aurealis Awards this year? I’m one of the panel members for the fantasy novella division, which means I have a huge stack of shiny fantasy novellas to read through over the Dec/Jan break. So much reading!
Another thing which is exciting? OMG school is nearly over for the year. SO. NEARLY. DONE. It’s actually been a pretty good year at school for me (being part time has made a WORLD of difference to both my sanity and my enjoyment of teaching), but I’m exhausted still and really ready for the break. (And on the other hand, I’m already missing my Year 10 class and they haven’t even left yet, boo.)
Also-also, since this is apparently going to just be a list of random excitement, I’m over halfway done on the book I’m working on. I wasn’t sure when I started it exactly what it would be, whether I was working on the sequel to A Fox Of Storms And Starlight or a novella set in that world, but apparently it *is* a novella that I’m working on, and it’s set a couple of weeks before the events of Fox, and somewhat frustratingly, even though it’s set in the same world and people who enjoyed Fox will enjoy it, it’s technically not actually the same genre, because it’s a straight contemporary romance. Like, WHOA, I have never written a whole entire book before with neither magic nor futuristic technology that might as well be magic o.O But my mum STILL can’t read this new book,* because there’s way too much swearing in it, ha ha. Hmm, let’s see if I can blurb it for you on the fly…
Sunny longs to use her voice – to speak up, to speak out, to make herself heard. But despite her longing, her fear still rules her decisions, both inside the classroom and out.
Kevin cares little for a school that appreciates neither his culture nor his personality – but he might just care about Sunny. Maybe. He admits to nothing… Yet.
Both driven by their fears and torn by their longing, two teens from very different walks of life must decide how much to risk in this head-over-heels sweet romance, set in the Storm Foxes world.
IDK that’s not the best blurb in the world, but you get the idea 😀 And anyway, I love the book, I love the characters, my friend who’s reading along as alpha reader is delighted, and I know you’re going to have your heart melt for Sunny and Kevin too. Coming to a bookstore near you in… IDK, April or June next year, depending on another Thing that I’m waiting on in the background 🙂
Okay, I think that’s it for today. I made myself be brave on the weekend and film a video update of the garden for you, so once I can convince the file to load onto the computer I’ll post it here – hopefully tomorrow. Horrifying Australian Spiders ensue.
In the meantime, stay safe, stay calm, and remember you are loved <3
A