No, this isn’t a reference to the Great Virginity Debate.  It was a new year’s resolution of sorts, and so far it’s bearing fascinating fruit.

Chess Nuts! is my tenth publication in ten years.  Last year I was overwhelmed by the dayjob and other projects, and I was frustrated at all the writing-related things I had to say no to.  So this year, prompted by a comment by a friend (thanks Danae!), I decided, wherever possible, to say Yes to writing-related activities, whatever they were.  No matter how scary-looking.  And look what has since cropped up:

• the first chapter for The Age MS Readathon (which, to be frank, scared the pants off me – but I did it!)
• a column on public education for the Education Department’s magazine, School Matters
• a cover endorsement for the wonderful Carole Wilkinson‘s YA novel, Sugar Sugar
• Perth Writers Festival gigs
• lecturing and workshopping at Bunbury ECU
• Chess Nuts! has been taken by Australian Standing Orders
• writing with Delphine Jamet (even if it is slower than we both would like!) – joint authorship being a first for both of us
• script editing for Tawdry Heartburn
• touring Melbourne for Children’s Book Week

And, most wonderfully, the virginity novel is going be published – more detail on that later.

I am famously skeptical about the magic of wishing, but maybe – just maybe – there’s something in it.