I’ve signed with HQ/Harper Collins!

I’ve been bursting to tell the world this news for weeks, and now I finally can

I’ve been offered publication with HQ/Harper Collins for my first novel, Second Skin, and I’ve just signed the contract!

My selkie novel, the book that I’ve laboured and loved and cried over and poured my soul into for years, has found a home. And not only that, she’s found an incredible team who believe in her and love my characters as much as I do.

Thank you with all my heart to the wonderful Johanna Baker for giving me the ‘the call’ – a moment I’d always imagined but wasn’t sure would ever happen. To hear you talk about my characters as if you understood them too, was such a beautiful and reassuring moment. Thank you for making my most longed-for dream come true. It feels totally surreal to be writing this.

As a writer, you always have hope that someone will love your work and want to help you share it with readers, but it’s very easy to sink into self-doubt, especially in such a complicated industry. I’ve been overwhelmed by how many people have said things like, “of course they loved it!” or “well it was always going to happen.”

It’s an incredibly beautiful thing to be believed in and supported, so genuinely, so wholeheartedly, by so many, especially on the days you don’t believe in yourself. It’s one of the greatest privileges of my life

Because on this creative journey there are no guarantees, and I’ve always known that I would keep writing regardless of publication. It’s not something I can help, and I want always to remember that I write, first and foremost, for the joy of it, for me.

Thank you to those special few who have already celebrated with me, who held my shaking, shrieking self though all this delirious joy. You know who you are.

I think the first photo captures my complete and utter euphoric insanity pretty well. The one below my desire to be in the ocean and feel the salt against my skin, at any time of day.

And thank you to my lovely agent Abigail Nathan for holding my hand through the contract signing process and handling my anxious ramblings with such good grace. And to the fabulous Angela Slatter, who has been there since almost the beginning (or at least the beginning of the novel it grew into). I still can’t believe how lucky I am that you took an excited fan girl under your wing. Here’s to the start of a wild and joyous ride!

Thank you also to the ASA for shortlisting my novel and bringing it to the attention of HQ, and to Patterdale House for providing the most gorgeous place to edit my novel for four weeks over 2022 as part of a Tasmanian Residencies grant. I am beyond grateful to everyone who has helped me on my journey.