2022 was so much better than I thought it would be, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I’m of course ecstatic that my science fantasy YA adventure ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ was signed by MidnightSun Publishing. It’s scheduled for release in May 2023 and I can’t wait! Woo hoo! I don’t…
For those of you who follow me on social media (as @ZenaShapter), you may have noticed a few videos happening lately! It all started at a recent writing retreat, after I photographed some beautiful Australian flowers during my morning walk. I posted them online, then thought they might have made…
This Halloween has been a lot of fun! Not only did I enjoy my favourite chocolates while watching ‘House of the Dragon’ with my gorgeous family, but my horror flash fiction ‘Ocean Wolf’ was published in the glorious Etherea Magazine. Just check out this horrific cover! Plus, it’s only $5…
What do the following books have in common? ‘Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus’ by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ‘Deception Point’ by Dan Brown ‘Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow’ by Peter Høeg ‘Burial Rites’ by Hannah Kent ‘Into the Wild’ by Jon Krakauer ‘Towards White’ by me! The answer is: they’re the…
I’m absolutely delighted to announce my YA novel ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ has been signed by publishing rockstars MidnightSun Publishing. Here’s a rough idea of what you can expect… “Giant water-ants hunt anything that moves on the lake. Immense wyann trees search the shallows to spear passing prey with their…
What does it take for a short story to win a writing competition? A lot. Not only does a story have to be incredibly well written, but the judge has to connect with it, and it has to be so memorable that they feel unable to turn away and award…
This year, the CBCA’s Book Week theme was ‘Dreaming With Eyes Open’, celebrated with the rich illustrations of Jasmine Seymour. When asked about her engagement with the theme, Jasmine said it was based on how dreaming can be “now, then, and always”. This resonated with me, so when a local…
