A change of scene

It’s been a busy year for me. Fractured was published in Australia at the end of February, and since then I’ve been busy promoting it as well as finishing off my second novel, which is now with the editors at Hachette.

As many of you know, I also have three young children, and I’ve been trying to juggle childrearing with work as a writer while my husband has been travelling for work. And now, it’s time for us to spend some time together as a family. This weekend, we are all boarding a flight to go and spend almost three months in Capetown, South Africa.

Cape Town waterfront by Andreas Tusche

I’d like to say it’s a holiday, but my husband will be working there, and so will I. On the 6th January, I’ll begin an intensive two-week structural edit of my second novel. But while it won’t be a holiday in the traditional sense, I’m very excited about the change of scenery. It’s a chance for me – and my children – to experience life in another country, to explore and learn about someone else’s history and culture. I’ll be finishing off one novel, and hopefully starting to write another, my third. As well as visiting the usual tourist destinations, I plan to wander in South African bookshops, find books by their own local authors and read lots of African literature.

In late January, we’ll return to Perth and settle back into our routine. The proofs of the book will be printed in February, then there’ll be more editing and final touches before publication in July 2014.

I may be quiet over the next few months, but I’ll still be writing. It’s what I love about this profession: I can write anywhere, and I know that experiences from South Africa will seep into my work.