Sound the Trumpets – or at least, y'know, blow one of those squeaky party thingies

I’m kicking off the year with a few fun bits of news:

The first bit, is that I’m about to smash champagne bottles over metaphorical bulkheads, as I help launch two #LoveOzYA books by two (incredibly talented) writer friends into the universe. Summer Skin, by Kirsty Eagar (Raw Blue, Saltwater Vampires), is about a university-student romance, with characters who shine a light on sexual politics, love, lust and identity – it’s a gutsy book that all young men and women should read.  My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier (Liar, Razorhurst) is a sometimes-scathing, something-poignant – but always terrifying – story about a boy whose little sister has an antisocial personality disorder (she’s a sociopath, in other words).  It packs a psychological wallop, and manages to cram some incredible insight about family, faith, identity, nature and nurture, in there as well.

I would love to see you all at the Melbourne launch, which is Wednesday 10 Feb, at Readings Carlton in Lygon Street.  Justine and Kirsty are both coming from Sydney to be here, after joint- launching their books in spectacular fashion at Kinokuniya Sydney – I’m looking forward to embarrassing myself in speech, and saying hi to two women whose writing I’ve read and admired for a long time.  The celebration starts at 6pm, and you can book or get more details here at the Readings page.

And the second bit of news is… I’m in the middle of writing a new book.  I can’t give too much away about it at this stage – it’s a bit Secret Squirrel – but I can say that I’m almost a third of the way through the first draft, and it’s got a few new characters in it that I think might grow on you.*

Apart from the Summer Skin/My Sister Rosa launch tomorrow, I see a few other events on the horizon – I’m visiting Tintern schools next week, and I’ll be in Sydney in March and May.  Most definitely May, as I’m joining Will Kostakis, Melissa Keil and Gabrielle Tozer on panels at the Children’s Book Council of Australia 2016 conference.  But if I don’t see you around at events, I’ll still say hi on  Twitter, Facebook or Instagram if you drop by, or you can catch me at the #LoveOzYabookclub discussion threads on Facebook.

I hope you’re having a really excellent start to this new Monkey year, 2016 (also a leap year, something I’m sure you realised before me), and talk again soon!

XxEllie

*That is an in-joke.  To do with the book.  Which you don’t get yet.  But you will.  All will soon be revealed.