Researching the extreme

I’m busy working away on my next story which has an opening scene set in Antarctica. I’ve had so much fun looking through the photos and watching the videos we shot on our 26 day journey to McMurdo Sound. But just to prove I go the extra mile getting the research right here’s a photo Continue reading


Beach treasures

I’ve always been a bit of a beachcomber. Since I know I won’t have room for all my little treasures on the yacht I’ve started collecting photos of things that catch my eye. This is a cuttle fish on a clump of seaweed washed up on Four Mile beach at Port Douglas. Found anything interesting Continue reading


The Next Big Thing

It’s my turn today.  Last week Karly Lane, author of the fabulous  ‘Bridie’s Choice’ tagged me in her post so make sure you drop by and check out her blog. So what’s it all about? The Next Big Thing is a blog series that’s been revolving around the internet for the last couple of months. Continue reading


Babinda magic

The heat shimmers on the road as I drive south. The sugar cane in the fields is all newly planted and the stacks at the sugar mills stand silent guard over their domains. The sky’s turned pale blue as though the light is too bright for it.  Summer has arrived. In North Queensland the razorback Continue reading


Coming or going…

It’s been a strange old week, starting with some highs, working its way through some deep lows, and ending somewhere in between. On Monday I submitted the completed structural edit for Half Moon Bay after a frantic couple of weeks, including house-guests, solar eclipses, and a hectic flying schedule. I’m happy with the extra depth Continue reading


Fame at any cost? How far would you go?

Well roll me over and tickle my tummy! (It’s Zeus here, just in case you thought Helene was getting kinky in her middle age 😉 ) The things you find on the internet… I’ve always prided myself on staying aloof from the paparazzi and that whole celebrity media thing. (Who wants to be caught in Continue reading


Perfecting the pitch?

Sadly my singing voice is definitely in retirement and my flute is unlikely to ever be pitch perfect again so I’m not talking ‘perfecting the pitch’ in a musical sense… Today I’m over at the Romance Writers of Australia blog talking about my journey from pitch to publication. RWA is running a series of interviews Continue reading


Where do writers write?

At the Queensland Writers Centre in the Queensland State Library of course! After the shock of landing from Cairns to find the temperature was 17 degrees on Friday, with a wind chill factor taking it even lower, I have to give Brisbane credit for turning on a glorious spring day yesterday. As I walked over Continue reading


Featured in The Weekend Australian

Cold War thriller sparks novel approach BY:MY FAVOURITE NOVEL – HELENE YOUNG From:The Australian October 06, 2012 12:00AM John Le Carre’s classic novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. CHOOSE one favourite book? That’s too difficult. I’ve lost count of my favourites across the years.   I can however, share a book that changed Continue reading