Capping off 2025

On the 1st November I was in Phoenix, Arizona to collect my International Impact Book Award in the Contemporary Fiction category that highlighted Social Issues and Identity. It was a wonderful extravagant evening that was worth the thirty hours of travel to be there. I’m so glad I went now after initially deciding against it. I met writers from all over the world, mingled with entrepreneurs and authors who made a living from writing. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience from the red carpet interview for ABC to nervously giving my acceptance speech to two hundred people – but I did it!
Because it was such a long distance, hubby and I made a mini holiday out of it and stayed in Phoenix for nine nights, the fifth biggest city in America. It’s a vibrant place, more so because we were there for the weekend of Halloween! We felt very safe there however, and from hopping in Waymo’s (driverless cars which were everywhere), driven around in a carriage on the back of a bike, hot air ballooning at 5AM over the desert, getting a Greyhound bus for a two hour trip to beautiful Sedona, visiting the quaint town of Scottsdale and enjoying an evening at the beautiful local theatre – we packed a lot in!

Since returning to Perth, I’ve been frantically finishing my second book, the sequel to If Wishes Were Horses which I’m pleased to announce is finally finished! The duology is done! This book continues the story of Sam, Danica, Patrick and Kate, as well as introducing new characters which I’m sure you will love. Every single loose end will be tied and there are more surprises than a box of chocolates as Forrest Gump said. So now I intend to enter some competitions; two are done – the Dorothy Hewett Award via UWA publishing, and the Penguin Random House Literary Prize. These are the major two with serious prize money, and the competition is fierce. I probably don’t stand a chance, but one has to try! Most competitions require unpublished work, so for this reason I can’t submit to a publisher yet – I have to be patient and wait. As a book takes about nine to twelve months to see the shelf once accepted by a publisher, it’s not going to be any time soon!

And now it’s nearly Christmas and there’s a lot to do! So I wish everyone who reads this, a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year. Enjoy time with your families, and stay warm in UK, and cool in Australia.

Bye for now,
xWendy

Post Views : 7