Category Archives: Verity Sparks

The Truth About Verity Sparks is being released in the UK any day now. Here’s a scan of the cover. You’ll notice (how could you not?) that both the cover and the title have been changed. Walker UK tell me … Continue reading →

One of the inspirations for the character of Verity Sparks was (truly) Victorian architecture. I’ve been tidying up my files and found these saved images I used when I was writing Verity into 1879 Melbourne, St Kilda and Mt Macedon. … Continue reading →

I had a two days in schools this week, talking about writing history in general, and Verity Sparks in particular, to grade 5 and 6 girls. I had a wonderful time. When we looked at this picture – The Bridesmaid … Continue reading →

I have a bit of a dental phobia, even though my dentist is the kindest, nicest dentist possible. Perhaps it all began in childhood when our evil family dentist (whose mouth full of dazzling white teeth, like a well-tended graveyard, … Continue reading →

A couple of weekends ago I drove from Castlemaine to Ocean Grove. Stacey Moore of Bookgrove  organised an event in her lovely bookshop and around 25 girls turned up to hear me talk about Verity Sparks Lost and Found. I … Continue reading →

I have been tagged with a meme. Actually, I was tagged with a meme quite a few weeks ago, but since I didn’t understand what it meant, I conveniently forgot about it, even though it was just a harmless-seeming list … Continue reading →

 “Only though freely chosen discipline can life be enjoyed and still kept within the bounds on reason.” Mihaly Csikszentmilalyi About time…why does it stretch and shrink the way it does? For most of this year, I’ve been writing the new … Continue reading →

This morning I’m off to the Steiner School in Castlemaine to talk about Verity Sparks again. Recently I’ve also given a talk to students at the Castlemaine Secondary College and at the Library. And last week Peta Anderson, a member … Continue reading →

Verity Sparks is about to have a very big adventure. She’s on the Children’s Book Council shortlist. The awards will be announced in Adelaide on August 17th, and she’s going to be there. She? I have to admit that by … Continue reading →