Hi Everyone

Well, what a year it was in 2021, and we are now zooming along into 2022.  Already we have three books in the final stages of production, and two more completed for private release. 2022 seems like it will be a busier year than ever.

We had great joy at the end of last year in putting together a children's picture book for budding young artists at the South Bunbury Primary School when they illustrated Jenny Ward's poem 'The Blowfly on Grandma's Apple Pie' and what a thrill it was to be on stage helping to present each artist with a copy of their book at the book launch. I love to see upcoming artists and authors taking centre stage. Check out the book on the internet - it is a hoot, and a great example of how teachers (Nyree Kavanagh and Paula Tuene in this case) can be inspirational in children's lives and personal growth. I loved working on this book.

And of course, every book we published was a joy to work on and see to fruition.

I was thrilled towards the latter part of the year when my crime novel 'Dark Secrets' made the long list in the Sister in Crime annual Davitt Awards, hence I am back working on completing a novel I started many years ago and am in the final rewrite. I hope to release it by the end of this year - though I did say that last year and became busy releasing 34 titles.

I will be out and about again this year running courses in Crime Writing, Novel Writing, Writing Children's Picture Books, Writing Your Life Story, and conducting Editing workshops. With commitments as Chairperson of the Society of Women Writers WA, and Vice-Chair of the Friends of Rockingham Arts Centre, it is going to be a very busy year, and the boys in the office are preparing to work some weekends so we stay ahead of production.

Keep writing, and keep reading.

Helen