One sister texted me at the hospital, “Think how interesting your next blog post will be!” Another sister texted, “Did they let you keep the piece of chicken as a memento?” A friend called, who I was meant to be meeting for lunch that day. “Oh God,” she said. “You poor thing.” She paused. “You [...]
Last week I wrote ‘the end’ on my new novel, tentatively called THE HUSBAND’S SECRET. I’m waiting now for the editing, so I’m in that funny time where I do my tax, pay my bills and write apologetic emails to all the people I’ve been neglecting. I’ve also been reading a new novel by a first-time [...]
Thirty-one years ago, in the middle of a dark, stormy night, my father woke me up with the words, “It’s time.” Well, he probably didn’t say, “It’s time”, who knows what he said? It was thirty-one years ago! June, 1981. We had really bad haircuts but proper music Also, my mother has just confirmed that [...]
Over the next couple of weeks I will be speaking about my new novel THE HYPNOTIST’S LOVE STORY at the following venues in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. If you live nearby, please come along and say hello. Mention that you read this Blog and I will discreetly hand you a FREE RED FROG. Seriously. I [...]
I’m not a morning person. I’d be fine if a maid glided in with my breakfast on a tray, drew back the curtains and asked if there was anything else madam required. Then I could gently ease myself into each new day, rather than having it slammed against my forehead with all its bright, shiny [...]
So, I didn’t blog for about six months, but all that time ideas for blog entries kept drifting across my mind, like clouds flitting across the sky, or some other punchier, less sappy metaphor; I’ve got a cold. A summer cold, sent home from preschool, carefully passed on via dozens of sticky little fingers. I [...]
Look, I have something to say to the truck driver who was behind me as we headed into the Lane Cove Tunnel the other day. Yes, I understand you were angry, because I should have moved into the left hand lane FASTER! MUCH FASTER! Because you were in a hurry! And I was only doing [...]
Thank you to everyone who entered my competition for UK readers – all nine of you! I was frightened I wouldn’t get any entries at all and I’d look like someone at a party earnestly suggesting a game of charades, so I was truly thrilled to see every single one of your lovely comments. Alice [...]
I never really understand it when people say they don’t have time to read. To me, it’s like saying: I don’t have time to breathe. Although, actually, people say that as well, don’t they? Anyway, my point is that books are as important to me as oxygen. I read, read, read. That means I always [...]
During my gym class on Saturday morning the teacher shouted, “This class is all about ordinary people doing extraordinary things!” Which, I don’t know, really? We all sort of blinked at her. It was an 11.30am class. We didn’t even have to get out of bed that early to be there. And it was a [...]