Dear readers, a ditty is all I have time for right now as I complete the final editing phase of my next memoir on multiple sclerosis, friendship and an unruly rescue dog. But feeling the creative juices flowing in this stunning crisp spring air prompted me to pen a note of encouragement to my future self…

This morning, I walk into the family room and stop dead. There’s a kookaburra perched on the wingback armchair. I’ve had birds inside before – a king parrot sometimes goes for my muesli if I leave the table, or a confused noisy miner might wander in. But never a kookaburra. Instead of flying out when it sees me, it fluffs its multi-tone taupe feathers and fixes me with a stare.

It’s a year until my next memoir, Bounty, will be released by Vine Leaves Press. This might seem like a strange date to mark, but all of a sudden it feels real. Save the date for May 26, 2026! Since signing the book contract with Vine Leaves and being admitted to their author group, I’ve learned so much from other authors about what goes into launching a book into the world these days…