In 2017, I joined a writer's group in Melbourne with bright-eyes, high hopes and precisely no idea about the children's publishing industry. When one of those wonderful group members suggested I go along with them to the CYA Conference, I signed up - thinking it would be a fun weekend talking about books with the added bonus of a small escape to the Brisbane sun.

As it turned out, it was fun and there was certainly sun, but there was also new networks and friends, a huge amount of learning and invaluable encouragement and feedback from publishers. The feedback I received in 2017 encouraged me to turn a picture book I'd submitted into a chapter book, which was then requested by two publishers in 2018. Sadly that one didn't quite make it through BUT the year after, I met with Rowena and Georgie from Yellow Brick about a new junior fiction series I'd written, PD McPem and the Agency for Mysterious Mysteries. Luckily for me, they loved PD and I loved Yellow Brick and so PD will very shortly be making her way into the world!

I'm so grateful that I've had the opportunity to attend CYA - it's the highlight of my writing year (did I mention the fun/sun?) and I've grown so much as a writer from the experiences I've had there. Thanks Tina and the CYA team!