Events, News & Media

Keep up-to-date on all of Dinuka’s news, appearances and events.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2025 Events

February 22 & 23 and March 1, Crime Fiction Manuscript Appraisal & Mentorship, South Coast Writers Centre

Are you an emerging writer working on a crime fiction manuscript (mystery, thriller or suspense)? Do you have questions relating to your writing, the publishing industry, pitching to agents and publishers and more? In this manuscript appraisal session, you have the opportunity to seek feedback on the opening chapters of your crime manuscript and receive a one-on-one mentoring session with me! I will read the first 10,000 words of your work in progress, and during a one-hour (1 hour) mentoring session discuss areas for improvement, submission readiness and suggested ways forward, as well as answer any specific questions you may have.

  • Appraisal-Mentoring sessions are available on Saturday 22 February, Sunday 23 February and Saturday 1 March.
  • Each session will be one hour (1 hour) in duration and held either online or in person at the South Coast Writers Centre, Coledale.
  • Please note that feedback on your manuscript extract will be discussed verbally during the mentorship session (no written report or editorial notes will be provided).
  • Submission material (10,000 words max of initial chapters) to be emailed to the South Coast Writers Centre two weeks prior:
    • by Friday 7 February if your scheduled mentorship date is on 22-23 February.
    • by Friday 14 February if your scheduled mentorship date is on 1 March.

Places are limited. So book now through the South Coast Writers Centre.

PAST EVENTS

2024 Events

December 4, In Conversation with Benjamin Stevenson

Such a fun conversation with the fabulous Ben Stevenson about his latest Ernest Cunningham mystery, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret at Hornsby Library. Thanks to everyone who came to the session and to library staff for taking such good care of us!

November 7, Riverwood Library Author Talk

Thanks to everyone who attended my author talk at Riverwood Library! Had such a brilliant time. Huge thanks to the fab library team for hosting me.

October 26, Berry Writers Festival

Thank you Berry for a spectacular festival weekend! Huge thanks o Suzanne Leal for your generous moderation of our crime panel with Hayley Scrivenor and Michael Robothom, and to the festival organisers, bookstore and all the attendees for such an unforgettable weekend.

October 19, Headland Writers Festival

Tathra, you were absolutely magic! A huge thanks to the brilliant festival organisers, volunteers, Candelo Books and the whole team behind the incredible Headland Writers Festival. Thanks also to everyone who attended the Crafting Your Crime Novel, Writing Workshop and The Ties that Bind Panel. Had the best time!!

September 30, In Conversation with Chris Hammer, Castle Hill Library

Such a fun evening chatting with wonderful Chris Hammer about his latest crime release, The Valley at Castle Hill Library. Thanks so much to the fab library team for hosting us and to everyone who came along!!

September 12 & 14, Bad Sydney Crime Festival

Bad Sydney is always a highlight of the year and 2024 was no different. Huge thanks to the incredible festival team, all the volunteers and to everyone who came along for it making it another unforgettable festival year! Loved being part of it!

September 5, In Conversation with Petronella McGovern, Sutherland Library

Loved chatting with fabulous crime writer Petronella McGovern about her latest thriller, The Last Trace at Sutherland Library! Huge thanks to everyone who came along and to Sutherland Library for hosting us!

August 16, Central Coast Reads, Kincumber Library

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to Kincumber Library for Central Coast Reads hosted by Words on the Waves. Such a fun morning and huge thanks to Bookface Erina for selling books on the day!

August 10-11, Byron Writers Festival

BYRON!! You were spectacular! Thank you to the fab festival team, crew and army of volunteers for such a wonderful weekend. Had an absolute blast!

The Art of Writing Crime
Sat 10 Aug, 10.15am – 11.15am | Acacia
With superstar crime writers Jane Harper (Exiles) and Candice Fox (Devil’s Kitchen) moderated by Alex Adsett.

North Coast Noir
Sun 11 Aug, 12.45pm – 1.45pm | Lilly Pilly
With fabulous Bryan Brown (The Drowning) and moderated by P.A. Thomas.

August 3, Bute Noir Festival, Scotland

BUTE NOIR you were an absolute dream!! Massive thanks to the Bute Noir festival team, volunteers, Print Point Books and the incredible audiences who attended for welcoming me! It was such an honour to get to appear on a panel with incredible authors Jane Casey and Caro Ramsay. My travel to Bute Noir was assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and I am enormously grateful to the wonderful folks at Creative Australia for this support and wonderful opportunity.

July 24, Wine & Crime Panel, Woolhara Library

Such a brilliant evening hanging out with crime buddies Candice Fox and Petronella McGovern with wonderful host Claudine Tinellis at Woollahra Library, chatting all things crime writing. Thanks to everyone who came along and to Woollahra Library for hosting!

July 13, South Coast Writers Festival

Always a treat to return to the fabulous South Coast Writers Festival hosted by the South Coast Writers Centre. Had such a wonderful time unpacking The Business of Publishing with Editor Michael Earp and Collins Thirroul bookseller Amanda Isler and host Meredith Jaffé at Thirroul. Thanks to everyone who came along!

July 9, In-Conversation with Michael Brissenden

Had an absolute blast chatting with brilliant journalist and crime writer, Michael Brissenden about his latest thriller, Smoke, at Sutherland Library on Tues 9 July. Huge thanks to everyone who came along!!

June 9, Campbelltown Library, Writing Masterclass (Crime)

A huge thanks to all the lovely participants who attended the Weddeerburn Writers Retreat on Sunday, June 9. It was a pleasure hanging out with you all to discuss the craft of crime writing. Thanks to WestWords and Cambletown City Libraries for having me!

May 31 & June 1, Brisbane Writers Festival

Brisbane!! You were brilliant as always. Thank you so much to the wonderful Brisbane Writers Festival team for inviting me to another spectacular festival. What an honour to be part of it. Thanks to everyone who joined us at these sessions!

Friday 31 May, The Edge, State Library Queensland – Hard Boiled (panel) with Michael Connelly, Bryan Brown and moderator Ron Serdiuk.

Saturday 1 June, The Studio, State Library Queensland – Suspicious Circumstances (panel) with Nikki Mottram, Dennis Altman, Michelle Prak and moderator Megan McGrath.

May 28, Better Read Than Dead In Conversation with Kelli Hawkins

Had a blast chatting with wonderful crime writer Kelli Hawkins at Better Read Than Dead, Newtown about her brand new psychological suspense novel, The Miller Women. Thanks so much to Better Read for hosting us and to everyone who came along!

May 22-24, Sydney Writers Festival

Sydney Writers Festival, you were amazing. Had the best time at these events. Thanks to everyone who came along!

Wed 22 May, 6-7 pm Epping Leisure and Learning Centre (FREE!) – Benjamin Stevenson in conversation with Dinuka McKenzie about his latest smash, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect.

Thurs 24 May, 7.30-8.30 pm, Carriageworks – Aussie Crime All-Star Panel – with Sulari Gentill, Dinuka McKenzie, Benjamin Stevenson and host Alex Adsett chatting about outback noir and what makes local crime fiction unique.

Fri 25 May, 2-3 pm, Hornsby Central Library (FREE!) – Dinuka McKenzie in conversation with Amy Doak about her latest release, Tipping Point.

Fri 25 May, 6-7 pm, Bryan Brown Theater, Bankstown (FREE!) – The icon himself, Bryan Brown in conversation with Dinuka McKenzie about his second novel, The Drowning.

May 19, Lake Macquarie Write Here Festival

Had such fun discussing Crime Writing – Keeping it in the Family with BM Carroll and Kelli Hawkins at the Lake Macquarie Write Here Festival. Thanks so much to Lake Macquarie Libraries for a fab event and to everyone who came along.

May 8, Sutherland Library in conversation with Hayley Scrivenor

Loved this event so much! Chatting with writing bestie, Hayley Scrivenor, at my local library was the best. Thanks so much to Sutherland Shire Libraries and to everyone who came along.

April 23, Port Macquarie Library

Always love returning to Port Macquarie Library to chat with librarian extraordinaire, Leanne Wright. Had such a blast. Thanks so much to everyone who came along!

March 18, Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival (online)

Had such a lovely time chatting with Jacqui Horwood as part of the Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival. Thanks so much to the festival organisers and to everyone who came along to the online session!

March 13-14, Northern Rivers Libraries

Had the most wonderful time traveling to Northern Rivers Libraries. Thank you so much to my wonderful in-conversation hosts, Christine Betts and Annika Johansson, Richmond-Tweed Libraries for having me, and especially to everyone who attended the events. It was so lovely to meet you all!

Tweed Heads Library
Wed 13 Mar, 9.30 AM
RSVP: 07 5536 3672

Lennox Head Library
Wed 13 Mar, 2.00 PM
RSVP: 02 6687 6398
E: lennox@rtrl.nsw.gov.au

Alstonville Library
Thur 14 Mar, 10.30 AM
RSVP: 02 6628 5527

March 12, Helensvale Library, Gold Coast

Loved chatting all things Detective Kate Miles and Tipping Point with brilliant true crime writer, Megan Norris at Helensvale Library on the Gold Coast! Thanks so much to everyone who came along and to the library for hosting me!

March 11, Cleveland Library with Poppy Gee

Absolutely loved chatting with fellow crime writer, Poppy Gee about Tipping Point at Cleveland Library in Brisbane. So much fun and such a great conversation. A huge thank you to everyone who came along!

March 10, Avid Reader Bookshop

It’s always so special returning to Avid Reader in Brisbane! Had such a wonderful time chatting with Sally Piper about Tipping Point. Thank you to the amazing Salon readers and to the Brisbane writing and book community who came out in force!

March 9, Words Out West Festival

This was such a special regional festival. Had an absolute blast. A huge thank you to the wonderful festival team and volunteers for taking such good care of us, to emcee Claudine Tinellis for doing such a fabulous job, and to everyone who came along. Loved every minute.

March 6, Harry Hartog, Miranda, Book Launch

What a wonderful night celebrating the launch of Tipping Point with friends and family at my local super-supportive bookstore, Harry Hartog Miranda! Thank you to everyone who came along and especially to Pam Cook for the wonderful in-conversation!

March 4, Dervla McTiernan, Literary Lunch

Well this was just a delight! Thanks so much to everyone who joined us at the Four Seasons to hear Dervla McTiernan speaking about her brilliant new book What Happened to Nina. Loved chatting with Dervla!

February 20, Books in Bars with Josh Hortinela

Such a brilliant night celebrating with wonderful bookseller Josh Hortinela from Dymocks, George Street, signature cocktails and writing friends at BOOKS In BARS in East Village, Darlinghurst. Thanks so much to everyone who came along!!

February 13, Hawkesbury Library, Author Talk

Had a fantastic time visiting Hawkesbury Library on Tuesday 13 Feb for my first book event for Tipping Point, the third installment of the Kate Miles series. Thanks to everyone who came along and to Michelle Nichols for the fab in-conversation!

2023 Events

November 4, Bad Sydney Crime Festival

What a blast hanging out with crime friends Rae Cairns, Loraine Peck, Jess Kitching, and Whitney Fitzsimmons at Bad Sydney Crime Festival. Thanks, Bad Sydney for having me and to everyone who came along!

October 28-29, Terror Australis Festival, Tasmania

Had the best time in the Huon Valley, Tasmania joining a brilliant program of events and crime writers (including Ann Cleeves!!) at the 2023 Terror Australis Festival. A massive thank you to the festival team and army of volunteers for a very special weekend!

October 21, Blue Mountains Writers Festival

A huge thank you to Kate Lyons and the Blue Mountains Festival team for a wonderful in-conversation session at the gorgeous Baroque room of the Carrington Hotel, Katoomba. Such a fun afternoon. Thanks again to everyone who came along!

August 19-20, Mudgee Readers Festival

Had the best time at the Mudgee Readers Festival! What a fabulous weekend! Thank you to everyone who came along and to the whole festival team for organising such a special two days.

August 4, Roseghetto in conversation with Kirsty Jagger

It was such a delight to be in conversation with Kirtsy Jagger about her incredible debut novel Roseghetto at WestWords Centre for Writing, Parramatta. Kirsty was so generous with her insights into the issues tackled in her novel. Thank you so much to WestWords for having us and to everyone who came along, especially to all the bookstagrammers for your support.

July 30, Art of Writing, Time to Write with Lisa Clifford

It was such a treat joining Lisa Clifford – author, creative writing teacher, and mentor behind The Art of Writing Writing Retreats in Tuscany, Italy – at one of her weekly online Time To Write sessions. Loved meeting this online community and sharing some tips from my own writing journey. Thanks so much to Lisa for having me!

July 19, Five Dock Library, In-Conversation

Thanks so much to all the wonderful attendees to Five Dock Library on Wednesday 19 July. Loved chatting with you all about Taken. Thanks so much to Canada Bay Libraries for hosting me and to Sarah Wild for the wonderful in-conversation!

Western NSW Road Trip

Absolutely loved getting to head out west on 7-14 July and meet wonderful readers and staff at Cootamundra Library, Temora Library, Dubbo Library, Bathurst Library, Collins Bookstore Wagga, Collins Bookstore Orange, The Book Connection Dubbio and BooksPlus Bathurst. Thank you to everyone for dropping in to say hello and to all the amazing staff for all your work in the background and on the day for making all the events happen. So grateful for the opportunity to visit. Had the best time!!!

June 14, Society of Women Writers NSW: Writing Workshop

This was so much fun! Nothing I love more than chatting writing with other writers. Thanks so much to everyone who came along to this writing workshop on upping the ante, and especially to The Society of Women Writers for inviting me!

June 8, Inner West Libraries, Balmain

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to Balmain Library on Thursday! It was such an engaged audience with so many questions and discussions. A huge thank you to Inner West Libraries for the invite. I had such a lovely time!

June 3, Words on the Waves Festival

One of the best festival weekends. Had an absolute blast joining the incredible JP Pomare, Petronella McGovern, and Anna Downes at the Words on the Waves Festival on the Central Coast. Thank you so much to everyone who came along and to the wonderful festival organisers and volunteers for making it such a special weekend!

27 May, Sydney Writers Festival Live & Local

Loved getting to hang out with one of my favorite people, Hayley Scrivenor at the Wollongong Music Lounge as part of the Sydney Writers Festival – Live & Local series. Such a fun session and thank you to everyone who came along to ‘After the Dust Settles’.

May 23, Let’s Talk About Writing Genre Fiction in Australia, Writers Victoria (online)

Had such a lovely time joining author Grace Chan and facilitator Bianca Breen to chat all things Writing Genre Fiction in Australia for Writers Victora. Thanks to everyone who joined us online for all your fabulous questions!

May 15, Dark Mode – In Conversation with Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Sutherland Library

This was such a joy to be able to chat with my wonderful friend and brilliant writer Ashley Kalaganin Blunt on her smash hit novel, Dark Mode. Thanks so much to everyone who came along, and to Sutherland Library for being such a fantastic event host.

May 13, Brisbane Writers Festival

Such a treat to attend the Brisbane Writers Festival again and appear on a panel with the fabulous Candice Fox, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, and Nikki Mottram with panel convener Cass Moriarty. Needless to say, had the best time! Thanks to everyone who came and to Cass for doing such a brilliant job, moderating!

May 4, Sutherland Library with Anna Loder

Such a fun night at Sutherland Library chatting with the lovely and supportive Anna Loder. Thanks so much to everyone who came along! Library events are always so special and events at your local library may be the most special events of all!

April 15, Port Macquarie Library

Had so much fun heading up to Port Macquarie on Saturday 15 April to join Leanne at Port Macquarie Library to chat all things TAKEN. Thanks so much to everyone who came along, I had an absolute blast speaking with you!

March 15, Global Girls Online Book Club: Facebook Live

Thanks so much to the fabulous Jackie Claridge for having me on Global Girls Online Book Club for a Facebook Live chat on all things Detective Kate Miles. Thanks especially to everyone who joined us online and for your questions!

March 9, Brisbane Launch of Taken at Avid Reader

Such a pleasure conversing with the one-and-only Cass Moriarty at Avid Reader Bookshop for the Brisbane launch of TAKEN! Thank you to everyone who came along and to Avid Reader for making this such a special evening!

March 8, Women Who Write, International Women’s Day, Broadbeach Library, Gold Coast

It was such an honour to celebrate International Women’s Day with Holly Wainwright, Dami Im, and ABC Gold Coast’s Nicole Dyer at Broadbeach Library in the Gold Coast. What a brilliant evening conversing with these incredible women. A huge thank you to Gold Coast Library and its army of staff and volunteers for putting on such a wonderful event and to everyone who came along!

February 23, BookBites with Sandie Docker (Online)

It was so lovely joining the fabulous Sandie Docker for a chat all about *crafting series* for Bookbites on Facebook live. Thanks to everyone who came along. Catch the full recording now on Sandie’s Facebook page (or the BookwormTV Facebook page)!

February 17, The Occasional Wine Bar, Boorowa

Wine and books don’t mix, said NO ONE EVER!! Thank you so much to Jeremy and Lucy at the wonderful Occasional Wine Bar in Boorowa for hosting me and my family. What a wonderful evening of conversation, wine, and food. Thanks to everyone who came along. We had an absolute blast!!

February 11, Canberra Launch, The Book Cow, Kingston

Thank you so much to the wonderful Barbie Robinson of Living Arts Canberra and The Book Cow Bookstore, Kingston for creating such a special author event for the Canberra launch of Taken, my first-ever event in Canberra! And thank you to everyone who came along!

February 8, Ryan’s Hotel Thirroul

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to Ryans Hotel, Thirroul on Wednesday 8 Feb to hang out with me and Hayley Scrivenor as we chatted all things, Detective Kate Miles. I had such a brilliant time. Thanks so much to Collins Bookshop, Thirroul for inviting me, and to Hayley for doing such a fabulous job hosting!

February 5, Sydney Launch of Taken at Better Read Than Dead

Thank you to everyone who came along on Sunday 5 February to celebrate the launch of Taken!!! It was such a fabulous afternoon with friends, family, and so many familiar faces from the writing community. Huge thank you to the brilliant Ashley Kalagain Blunt for hosting the event and the wonderful Better Read Than Dead Bookshop, Newtown for having me!!

2022 Events

November 26, Writers SA Context Writers Festival, Adelaide

It was such a thrill to be part of the 2022 Writers SA Context Writers Festival in Adelaide, where I got to join the incredible Candice Fox and Mercedes Mercier at Adelaide City Library at the Festival Long Table Discussion – Violence for Casual Consumption. Thanks so much to Writers SA for having me! I had an absolute blast!

September 24 & 25, Northern Beaches Readers Festival

It was such a blast to be part of the inaugural Northern Beaches Readers Festival! Had so much fun appearing in the ‘Thrilling New Voices’ Panel on Sat 24 and in The Great Debate on Sun 25. A huge thank you to the amazing festival team and the army of volunteers for making the entire festival weekend an absolute pleasure to be a part of!

September 9, Melbourne Writers Festival

It was such a thrill to appear at the Melbourne Writers Festival on Friday 9 September on the Small Town Thrills panel with the fabulous J.P. Pomare along with convener Fi Wright. Thank you to everyone for coming along, to Fi Wright for her incredible job moderating, and to the amazing Festival team for having me!

September 3, Writers Unleashed Festival

A huge honour to get to work behind the scenes on the 2022 Writers Unleashed Festival and bring this popular local festival back to its in-person format after two years of Covid disruptions. The biggest highlight for me was being able to chat with Yuwaalaraay storyteller, the wonderful Nardi Simpson on her multi-award-winning debut, Song of the Crocodile.

A massive thank you to the St-George Sutherland Leader for featuring the Festival in the June 22 edition of the Leader.

August 13, Book Launch – How to be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five, Hazelhurst Art Gallery

Had so much fun launching my wonderful friend and fellow local writer, Carla Fitzgerald’s brilliant middle-grade debut How To Be Prime Minister And Survive Grade Five on Saturday 13 August at Hazelhurst Gallery, Gymea. Loved this book and huge congratulations again, Carla! Also, massive thank you to the lovely folk from Harry Hartog – Miranda for having copies of THE TORRENT on sale at the event!!

July 29, Gordon Library, In-conversation with Michael Robotham

A huge thrill to have been in conversation with the Master himself, award-winning and multi-million-copy, best-selling crime fiction author, Michael Robotham about Micheal’s latest release, Lying Beside You (out now with Hachette) the third installment in the hugely popular Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series. Thank you to everyone who came along and joined us online. And a huge thank you to Gordon Library for the opportunity!

July 13, Society of Women Writers Workshop

A huge thank you to everyone who joined me at the State Library of NSW for an interactive two-hour workshop on Antagonists in crime fiction – writing believable villains. It was so much fun meeting all the participants and getting to share some tips and tricks. Thank you to the Society of Women Writers NSW for inviting me!

June 22, Vision Australia Workshop (online)

A huge honour to present a Crime Writing Workshop A Taste of Crime, as part of the Vision Australia Library writing series – Write Away: An Introduction to Writing in four genres (poetry, crime, fantasy, and romance) – in partnership with Writers Victoria. Thank you to everyone who attended the online workshop and to Vision Australia for having me. I enjoyed this session so much!

June 8, Gordon Library, Author Talk

Huge thank you to everyone who joined me at Gordon Library to chat all things The Torrent. It was such a lovely library talk complete with wine and nibbles, made extra special with the arrival of writer friends Rae Cairns (author of The Good Mother) and Shankari Chandran (author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens)!

June 7, Writers SA: Top Ten Tips With Dinuka McKenzie

Such an honour to present my first-ever writers’ workshop online and have the opportunity to share some of the lessons I have learned along the way! Thank you to all the participants who came along. I had an absolute blast chatting with you!

June 4, South Coast Writers Festival

It was such a pleasure appearing alongside crime writers Hayley Scrivenor and Andy Muir at the inaugural South Coast Writers Festival. What a brilliant festival! Thank you to the whole South Coast Writers Centre team for putting on such a special event!

May 20-21, Sydney Writers Festival

So very honoured to have had the opportunity to participate in two panels at the 2022 Sydney Writers Festival: ‘Mother of All Crimes’ with Jane Caro, Laura Elizabeth Woollett and Suzanne Leal and ‘Small Towns Big Secrets’ with Garry Disher, Hayley Scrivenor and ABC Radio National’s Kate Evans.’ What a huge thrill!! Thank you so much to the amazing team behind the festival for inviting me and for a brilliant festival week!

Sydney Writers Festival Event Details: Mother of All Crimes featuring image of Dinuka McKenzie

May 5 & 7, Brisbane Writers Festival

So honored to be invited to the Brisbane Writers Festival in 2022, my first ever writers festival!! Had an absolute blast meeting up with writer friends and readers and attending some incredible sessions. Had the huge thrill of participating in my first ever panel (Murder, Drugs & Voyeurism) with thriller author JP Pomare, convened by Ron Serdiuk of Pulp Fiction Books, as well as being in conversation with writer, Martine Kropkowski at Chermside Library. Thanks to everyone who came along and made it a dream first festival!!

Brisbane Writers Festival Event featuring JP Pomare, Bryan Brown , Dinuka McKenzie & Ron Serdiuk
Brisbane Writers Festival - Dinuka McKenzie In Your suburb

April 5, Midcoast Libraries – About A Book

About a Book Midcoast Library Event featuring The Torrent and Wild Dogs Book cover

A huge thank you to Midcoast Libraries and Kaneana May, author of The One and All We Have Is Now, for inviting me along to About A Book. Had so much fun chatting with Kaneana and crime writer, Michael Trant, author of Wild Dogs, about some of our favourite reads. If you missed our conversation the video will be available on the Midcoast Libraries website.

April 4, Sutherland Libraries, Author Talk

Thanks so much to Sutherland Shire Libraries for hosting my first-ever library talk. So very special that it was at my local library! A huge thank you to everyone who came to the event in person and who watched it online. And a massive thank you to The Best Little Bookshop In Town for selling book copies on the night.

April 1, Friday Book Bites with Sandie Docker

promo for Friday Book Bites featuring authors Sandie Docker and Dinuka McKenzie and the book covers for The Wattle Island Book Club and The Torrent.

Thanks so much to author, Sandie Docker for inviting me on Friday Book Bites. Loved chatting with you about writing The Torrent and the experience of being on the publicity trail as a debut. If you missed our chat you can see a replay of our conversation on the Sandie Docker Writer Facebook Page.

March 20, Anna’s Authors, Cronulla

A huge Thank you to the lovely Anna Loder from Anna’s Shop Around the Corner for hosting me on Sunday 20 March. It was such an author goal seeing the bunting with my name, hearing Dave play the bagpipes, and getting to sit in the big comfy chair and chat with readers. What a wonderful afternoon. Thanks to everyone who came and who watched on Livestream! You can rewatch the video on the Anna’s Shop Around the Corner Facebook page.

February 24, Bad Sydney Crime Online – In Conversation with Dani Vee

Bad Sydney Crime Online event details. Image of Dinuka McKenzie, The Torrent Book Cover and Dani Vee

A huge thank you to Dani Vee for chatting with me as part of the Bad Sydney Crime Festival online event series. We went DEEP! Thanks so much to Bad Syndey Crime for having me. If you missed out conversation, the video will be available on the Bad Sydney Crime YouTube channel.

February 17, Avid Reader In Conversation with Cass Moriarty

Promo for the Torrent Avid Reader online event showing The Torrent book cover, and images of Cass Moriarty and Dinuka McKenzie

If you missed Dinuka McKenzie in conversation with Cass Moriarty online at Avid Reader Bookshop the video will also be available on the Avid Reader YouTube Channel.

February 9, Better Reading Facebook Live

Better Reading Facebook Live Event showing The Torrent Book Cover and a headshot of Dinuka McKenzie

ICYMI – the Livestream video of Dinuka McKenzie discussing #TheTorrent is now available on the Better Reading Facebook page!

February 2, The Torrent Facebook Live Launch – Dani Vee Words and Nerds Podcast

Facebook live promo for The Torrent virtual book launch featuring images of Dinuka McKenzie, Dani Vee, Ben Hobson, Craig Sisterson and RWR McDonald

A huge thank you to Dani Vee, Ben Hobson, RWR McDonald, and Craig Sisterson for hosting the most special virtual book launch for #TheTorrent on the day of release!! It was an absolute joy! The full video is now available on the Words and Nerds Podcast Facebook Page. You can also listen to the launch as a podcast episode on the Words and Nerds Podcast.

2021 Events

August 21, Writers Unleashed Digital Festival

So excited and proud to have been part of the team behind the 2021 Writers Unleashed Digital Festival and thrilled to have got the opportunity to interview some of my favourite authors as part of this year’s program. It was a huge effort taking the entire Festival online when Sydney went into lockdown, but so glad we went ahead! A massive thank you to everyone who attended and supported us, especially our brilliant presenters, and our two Festival partners The Best Little Bookshop In Town, and the Words and Nerds Podcast!

PODCASTS

Bookstorian Podcast

Loved joining Bookstorian Podcast Host, Tegan and Bookstagramer, Lisa (serenity.of.books) to discuss our involvement in the Chapters for Change July Readathon campaign and for a spoilers-and-all deep dive into The Torrent, which was one of the Readathon’s Buddy Read picks for July. Listen to the full episode here.

Crime Time FM Podcast

Had a fantastic time joining crime writers Emma Viskic, Helen Fitzgerald, and Charity Norman to chat about our involvement in the Dark Deeds Down Under Crime and Thriller Anthology series published by Caldestine Press, with host Craig Sisterson, crime fiction reviewer and the editor of the series. Listen to the full chat here.

Sydney Mechanic’s School of Arts Interview

Had so much fun chatting with Victoria from the Sydney Mechanic’s School of Arts ahead of the 2024 Sydney Writers Festival. A huge thank you for having me. Listen to our full chat here.

The Write Way Podcast

A huge thank you to wonderful Sam Elliot for having me on the Write Way Pod. Such a pleasure to chat and deep dive into #TippingPoint with you! Listen to our conversation here.

Words and Nerds Podcast

Thanks so much to brilliant Dani Vee for having me back on the Pod to chat about #TippingPoint. A whole lot of fun and laughter was had, to say the least! Listen in now.

The Publishing Path Podcast

A huge thank you to Jo McClelland Phillips for inviting me on the Pod. I met Jo and her lovely husband (of A Readers Heaven, Lithgow) at a Library talk in Bathurst and she very kindly invited me on her podcast to chat through my publishing journey so far. Loved our conversation! Listen in here.

Australian Booklovers Podcast

Thank you so much to Veronica Strachan from the Australian Booklovers Podcast for having me on the show. This was such a wonderful chat covering so many topics. Loved our chat. You can listen to the full episode here.

KiwiCraig’s World of Crime – Dark Deeds Down Under

Had an absolute blast joining Craig Sisterson on his Words & Nerds Podcast spin-off series – KiwiCraig’s World of Crime, along with authors R WR McDonald, Katherine Kovacic, and Lee Murray. We chatted about the Dark Deeds Down Under crime-fiction anthology featuring Australian and New Zealand crime writing, released in 2022 by Clan Destine Press and edited by Craig. It was such an honour to be invited to contribute to this incredible anthology and had so much fun during this chat with these talented and generous writers. Listen to the full episode here.

Burgers, Beers and Books with Ben Hobson

This was such a fun chat. Ben and I live in different parts of Australia and when we finally worked out that we’ll be in the same place on the same day, we took the opportunity to record a podcast episode (isn’t that what everyone does??). The recording was for Ben’s fabulous Burgers, Beers, and Books spin-off series on the lovely Dani Vee’s Works and Nerd Podcast! We chatted about lots of things including one of my favorite reads – Home Fire by the incredible writer Kamila Shamsie. Listen to the episode here.

Talking Aussie Books: Taken

It was such a pleasure being back on the Talking Aussie Books Podcast with the wonderful Claudine Tinellis. Always love speaking with Claudine and this chat was one of my favourites. Catch the full episode here.

Green backgorund with text saying: Talking Aussie Books - a podcast by Claudine Tinellis

Words and Nerds Podcast: Taken

Such a joy to be speaking with the legend herself, Dani Vee about TAKEN and Det Kate Miles. Dani is such a huge supporter of writers and the industry. Plus Dani had her own second book (the first picture book in her MY EPIC DAD series) coming out on the same day as TAKEN! We had a lot to chat about! Listen to the episode now.

Read A Book Podcast with Anna Loder

So much fun speaking with the lovely Anna Loder about TAKEN. Anna is such a huge supporter of local writers. Had an absolute ball speaking with her. Listen to the episode now.

So You Want to Be A Writer: Taken

A huge thank you to Valerie Khoo and the Australian Writers Centre for inviting me back on the podcast to speak about TAKEN and what I’ve learned during my first year as a published writer. Had so much fun speaking with you, Valerie!! Thanks so much for having me on again! You can listen to the episode here.

Writers off the Page Podcast

Such a treat to get to chat with the lovely Chenee Marrapodi on the Writers off the Page Podcast about all things TAKEN and the writing process behind the book. Thanks so much for having me Chenee, this was such a fun chat! Listen to the episode now.

Words and Nerds Podcast Takeover: Veronica Lando

Had so much fun chatting with the 2021 Banjo Prize Winner, Veronica Lando about her cracking debut The Whispering on a takeover episode of the Words and Nerds Podcast. Huge thank you to Dani Vee, for letting us run amok on the pod! You can listen to the episode here.

Killer Content Podcast

Huge thank you to the fabulous Emily Webb for having me on the Killer Content Podcast to chat all things The Torrent. Had an absolute blast. You can listen to the episode now!

Writes4Women Podcast

So much fun hanging out with the fabulous Rae Cairns, author of The Good Mother, on the convo couch on the Writes4Women Podcast. Thanks so much to lovely Pamela Cook for inviting me on. Had the best time chatting with Rae about our writing and publishing experiences, imposter syndrome, writing strong female characters, and so much more! Listen in here.

Details of the latest episode of the Writes4Women podcast featuring authors Rae Cairns and Dinuka McKenzie.

So You Want To Be A Writer Podcast

Huge thank you to Valerie Koo and the Australian Writers Centre for inviting me on the So You Want To Be A Writer Podcast. Having listened to the podcast on my afternoon walks for years, it blows my mind that I get to now be a guest on the pod! Listen to the episode here. The episode is now also available on the Australian Writers Centre YouTube Channel.

Talking Aussie Books Podcast

Thanks so much to the lovely, Claudine Tinellis for having me on the Talking Aussie Books Podcast. Claudine is such a supportive part of the writing community and I had so much fun chatting with her about the journey to publication for The Torrent. Listen to our chat here.

Green backgorund with text saying: Talking Aussie Books - a podcast by Claudine Tinellis

Better Reading Podcast with Cheryl Akle

Huge thanks to Cheryl Akle of Better Reading for having me on the Better Reading Podcast. We went deep! A conversation that traversed everything from our migrant heritage, how I got into writing, and about submitting crappy first drafts into writing competitions! Listen along here.

Read-a-Pod with Anna Loder

Thank you so much to the very lovely Anna Loder for having me on the Read-a-Pod podcast. Listen to our conversation here and yes, there were definitely a lot of giggles.

Read A Pod Promo showing a bookworm reading a book with headphones

Words and Nerds Podcast

The Torrent Livestream launch is now a podcast episode on the Words and Nerds Podcast. The biggest thank you to Dani Vee, Ben Hobson, RWR McDonald, and Craig Sisterson for hosting!!

Promo for The Torrent Virtual launch podcast episode featuring images of Dinuka McKenzie, dani Vee, Ben Hobson, Craig Sisterson and RWR McDonald

The Booktopia Podcast – Tell Me What to Read

A huge thank you to Ben Hunter and Nick Wasiliev for having me on the Booktopia Podcast for A Date With A Debut! Had so much fun answering some very unique questions!!

James & Ashley Stay At Home

Catch the very first interview I ever did for The Torrent with James and Ashely on episode 51 of their fabulous podcast focusing on creativity and health. Listen in here.

Promo image of James & Ashley Stay At Home Podcast

Burgers, Beers & Books Podcast with Ben Hobson

This was so much fun! Had a blast chatting with fellow writers Ben Hobson, Adam Byatt, and Alex Dook on What Makes You a Writer? Listen to the episode now on the Words and Nerds Podcast! Thanks for having me on guys!

Burgers, Beers and Books Podcast Image showing an illustration of author Ben Hobson holding a beer, next to burger on a pile of books plus photos of writers Dinuka McKenzie, adam Byatt and Alex Dook

Words & Nerds Summer Series Takeover

A huge thank you to Dani Vee and R.W.R. McDonald (author of The Nancys and Nancy Business) for having me on the Words & Nerds Podcast. Had an absolute blast! Listen along here!

Words & Nerds Summer Series Takeover publicity image featuring headshots of RWR McDonald and Dinuka McKenzie.

NEWS & MEDIA

Crime Fiction Lover Article

A huge thank you to Craig Sisterson, crime fiction reviewer extraordinaire and one of the biggest supporters of Aus/ NZ crime fiction, for including me in this article on new crime authors to try from Australia and New Zealand. So thrilled to find myself in this spectacular company! Read the full article here.

The Sunday Telegraph: Sunday Book Club

A huge thank you to The Sunday Telegraph for the opportunity to write a piece about what draws me to writing (and reading) crime fiction in today’s edition of the Sunday Book Club.

The Torrent Shortlisted for the 2023 Danger Awards

So excited to find The Torrent shortlisted amongst such excellent company in the 2023 Danger Awards for Fiction. A huge thank you to the Bad Sydney crime judges for this honour! Read the full announcement here.

The Torrent Shortlisted for the 2023 Davitt Awards

So chuffed to find The Torrent in the shortlist for the 2023 Davitt Awards in such fabulous company!! Thank you Sisters in Crime Australia!! It means the world to get to hang out with these titles! And massive congratulations to everyone on the list.

Kate Miles is heading to the UK!

So thrilled to announce that Det. Kate Miles is heading TO THE UK! The Kate Miles series will be published in the UK by Canelo Crime in a three-book deal put together by my incredible agent Alex Adsett Literary and the Bill Goodall Literary Agency in the UK. The Torrent will be released in the UK in September 2023, Taken in early 2024, and Book 3 later in 2024. Read the full announcement below!

Sisters in Crime: Murder Mondays

Thank you so much to Sisters in Crime Australia for having me on Murder Mondays! Loved getting to chat about Detective Kate Miles with the wonderful Jacq Ellem. Listen to the interview now available on the Sisters in Crime website.

Sunday Telegraph: Mother of All Femme Fetales

A huge, huge thank you to the Sunday Telegraph for the opportunity to write about Kate Miles, a different type of detective heroine! The article appears in the Feb 26th, 2023 edition of the paper.

ABC News: The Best New Books Released This Summer

Absolutely blown away to find TAKEN picked in this incredible list of summer reading by the fabulous Claire Nichols from ABC RN’s The Book Show. Thank you so much Claire for this incredible review and for including TAKEN in this article.

Better Reading: Mothers in Crime Fiction

Thanks so much to Better Reading for the opportunity to write a piece on mother characters in crime fiction, featuring some of my favourite authors and novels! Read the full article here.

ABC Radio National: The Book Show

A huge thank you to Claire Nichols for having me on the ABC Radio National, The Book Show in such fine company with Inga Simpson and Meg Howrey. It was such a pleasure to be able to speak to you about TAKEN. A huge honour to be on the show! Listen to the episode now.

Truly Aus: Aussie Crime Writers Heed Call of the Wild

Thanks so much to Claire Delahunty for the opportunity to chat about rural noir, landscape, and crime fiction, alongside incredible company with Chris Hammer and Shelley Burr. Read the full article here.

Living Arts Canberra – Interview

Thank you so much to Barbie Robinson from Living Arts Canberra for a fabulous wide-ranging interview on TAKEN, covering motherhood, writing crime fiction, and crafting characters, Thank you so much for such a lovely conversation. You can listen to the full interview here.

2SER 107.3 Radio

Thank you so much to Irene Diakanastasis from 2SER 107.3 Radio for a fabulous and wide-ranging chat about TAKEN. Really enjoyed our conversation. Thanks so much for inviting me on the program! You can listen to our full chat here!

Murder Is Everywhere Blog Spot

Thanks so much to reviewer extraordinaire, Craig Sisterson for recommending TAKEN in an Australian dozen of incredible crime fiction writers including Sulari Gentil, Benjamin Stevenson, Emma Viskic, and Michael Robotom, Absolutely honored to appear on this list !!! Read the full article here.

Canberra Weekly – Taken Review

Thanks so much to Jeff Popple of the Canberra Weekly for this fab review of TAKEN in the Jan 26 2003 edition of the Canberra Weekly.

Booktopia 2022 FAB Awards

So bloody delighted to find THE TORRENT chosen to be in the running for Booktopia’s Favourite Australian Book award. Thank you to the wonderful folks at Booktopia for picking THE TORRENT in their fiction longlist for 2022. If you enjoyed reading The Torrent, you can vote it into the shortlist by heading over to the Booktopia FAB Awards website.

Murder Mayhem and Long Dogs: Crime Novels that I am Looking Forward to Reading in 2023

Huge thank you to crime fiction reviewer, Jeff Popple of Murder, Mayhem and Long Dogs for picking Taken as one of the crime fiction books he is most looking forward to reading in 2023, amongst crime luminaries such as Harlan Coben. It’s such a thrill to find Taken listed in such incredible company. Read the full article below.

SMH: Standout Titles for 2023

Huge thank you to Jane Sullivan of the Sydney Morning Herald for including TAKEN in its list of crime and thriller titles to look out for in 2023. So chuffed to be included amongst titles from Crime Fiction authors including Dervla McTiernan, Candice Fix, and Loraine Peck!

Saturday Telegraph: Top 50 Summer Reads

Thanks to the Daily Telegraph for the chance to wax lyrical about some of my all-time fave crime and thriller reads. Narrowing it down to five was definitely not an easy task! Check out all the recommended titles in the full article.

15 Book Reviews of 2022 That Garnered 5 Stars

Thanks so much to the wonderful folk at Arts Hub for including THE TORRENT in their 2022 wrap-up of books that garnered 5-star reviews. So delighted to be featured and in some truly brilliant company, too!

Murder Mayhem and Long Dogs: Best Debut Crime Fiction of 2022

Thank you to crime fiction reviewer, Jeff Popple of Murder, Mayhem, and Long Dogs for choosing THE TORRENT as his pick of the best debut crime fiction for 2022!! So blown away! And in the very best company too! If you’re a crime fiction fan, Jeff’s blog is a great place to discover your next favourite read!!

Readings: Must-Read Australian Debut Fiction From 2022

A huge thanks to Readings Bookstore for including THE TORRENT in its list of Must read Australian debut fiction for 2022, amongst some spectacular companies. Read the full list and review here.

Booktopia: Best Crime & Thriller Books of 2022

A massive thank you to Booktopia for including THE TORRENT in its Best Crime & Thriller Books of 2022 amongst some truly brilliant Australian and international crime fiction titles. Check out the full list here.

ABC RN: The Bookshelf

A huge honour to be invited as a guest reviewer on ABC RN The Bookshelf to discuss Better The Blood by Michael Bennett (which is a brilliant, brilliant read)! A massive thank you to hosts Cassie McCullagh and Jonathan Green and producers Michaela Kalowski and Sarah Corbett for inviting me on, and to sound engineer Sean Doyle for the tech! Absolute pinch me a moment to get to be on The Bookshelf alongside author and musician Holly Throsby. You can listen to the episode here and check out the show notes for the full list of books discussed including the incredible Robbie Arnott’s Limberlost, Donal Ryan’s The Queen of Dirt Island, as well as book recommendations Denizen by James McKenzie Watson, and The Boy in the Dress by Jonathan Butler.

The Age: So you want to write a book?

Thank you to John Mangan, for the opportunity to share some thoughts and tips on writing crime fiction as part of The Age (M-Magazine) feature! Read the full article.

BaM at Melbourne Internation Film Festival (MIFF)

So excited to find THE TORRENT chosen to be pitched in front of screen producers as part of the Books to MIFF (BaM) panel at the Melbourne Internation Film Festival! Huge honour to be one of the books picked by the festival’s reading panel from over 130 submissions to participate at BaM and a massive thank you to my agent, lovely Alex Adsett from Alex Adsett Literary for taking on the pitch along with a representative from Jungle Entertainment! Read more about all the books that were pitched at BaM 2022 here.

The Year’s Best So Far – Murder Mayhem and Long Dogs

Huge thank you to Jeff Popple from Murder, Mayhem and Long Dogs for including THE TORRENT in this incredible list of crime fiction reads for 2022. Read the full article here – The year’s best so far: a dozen crime novels and thrillers that have caught my attention in 2022.

Sisters in Crime Blog

Huge thank you to Sisters in Crime Aus for the opportunity to write a blog piece on what attracts me to writing crime fiction! I so enjoyed writing this. You can read the piece here.

Murder & Mayhem: Five Thrilling New Australian Crime Books

Thank you so much to Murder & Mayhem for including #TheTorrent in its list of Five Thrilling New Australian Crime Books, amongst some stellar company!

Openbook, State Library of New South Wales

Such a thrill to contribute a self-portrait to the Winter 2022 issue of Openbook Magazine by the State Library of NSW South Wales. This edition includes work by James Bradley and Thuy On amongst many other brilliant writers, illustrators, and artists. Thank you to Phillipa McGuinness for the opportunity and for your generous editorial support. Grab your copy here.

RM Williams Outback Magazine

Huge thrill to find The Torrent reviewed in the 26 May 2022 issue of the RM Willams Outback Magazine! So grateful for this thoughtful and generous review.

Dreaming Inside Voices from Junee Correctional Centre, Vol 10

A huge honour to have contributed a piece to the Dreaming Inside: Voices from Junee Correctional Centre anthology, Volume 10.

Dreaming Inside: Voices from the Junee Correctional Centre is an annual anthology published by the Ngana Barangarai (Black Wallaby) project, overseen by project leader Aunty Barbara Nicholson in partnership with the South Coast Writers Centre and Wollongong University. Now in its tenth year, the anthology features writing and artwork from First Nations inmates at Junee Correctional Centre with the aim of assisting inmates to improve their literacy skills, self-esteem, and cultural awareness.

In 2022, the ten year anniversary of the project, a number of ‘outsiders’ were invited by the project to contribute pieces to Volume 10 of the anthology, writing about their connection (big or small) with the Ngana Barangarai (Black Wallaby) project. It was a huge honour to be invited to contribute a small piece to the 2022 anthology.

Copies of all volumes of the Dreaming Inside anthology are available to purchase from the South Coast Writers Centre website with all proceeds going to the Ngana Barangarai (Black Wallaby) project.

Australian Writers Centre: Graduate Success Story

Thank you so much to the Australian Writers Center for this wonderful profile piece and the opportunity to film a ‘graduate success story’! Read the full article and view the video here.

Title and image  from the Australian Writres Centre profile piece showing Dinuka McKenzie smiling in a black flora top. the article title reads: AWC alumna Dinuka McKenzie becomes an award-winning published author with her book ‘The Torrent’.

2SER 107.3 Radio: Death of the Reader

A huge thank you to Flex and Herd for having me on Death of a Reader to chat about The Torrent. Had so much fun chatting with Herd and really appreciate the deep dive into the issues and themes in the book. Catch all of the episodes where Flex and Herd break down your favourite crime fiction reads.

2SSR Sutherland Shire Radio

A huge thank you to Ann Warren from 2SSR Sutherland Shire Radio for having me on Arts and Soul to chat about The Torrent. So enjoyed chatting with you. If you missed the interview, you can listen in here!

WestWords: The Readings Series

A huge thank you to WestWords for inviting me to do a short reading of The Torrent as part of their The Readings Series. Check out the back catalogue of authors reading from their books on the WestWords YouTube Channel. Also visit their website to discover all the amazing work being done by WestWords supporting literature and writers in Western Sydney.

Good Reading Magazine

Huge thrill to find a review of The Torrent in the April issue of Good Reading Magazine!! A huge thank you to Craig Sisterson for these very kind words.

Good Reading Magazine Page featuring review of The Torrent by Dinuka McKenzie and The Heretic by Liam McIlvanney

Shelley Gardner: Author Stalker

Thank you so much to the wonderful, Shelley Gardner for having me on her fabulous blog: The Author Stalker. Loved getting stalked by you, Shelley! You are such a fantastic supporter of writers. Thanks for allowing me to appear on your gorgeous blog!

Redland City Bulletin

Redland City Newspaper Article with the words The Torrent is a mighty first novel by Linda Muller

“The Torrent is a mighty first novel.” A huge thank you to Linda Muller, of the Redland City Bulletin for your very kind review of The Torrent. It was a pleasure speaking with you and I am so happy you enjoyed the book! Read the full article here.

Paperbark Words Blog

Thanks so much, Joy Lawn for having me on the Paperbark Words blog and for your thoughtful questions regarding the themes and writing process for The Torrent. I am so glad you enjoyed reading!

Booktopia: Best Books We Read in February 2022

Thank you to Booktopia for including The Torrent in the best books you read in February. A huge thrill to appear amongst such an epic list of books. Read the full blog post and review here.

Image of books placed side to side

NZ Listner & Weekend Australian

A huge thrill to see The Torrent getting a shoutout and reviewed in The NZ Listener Magazine (February 2022) and The Weekend Australian (19 February 2022).

Just Published Blog Series

Thank you so much to Jodi Gibson author for highlighting The Torrent on the Just Published Blog series and supporting 2022 new release books. I loved being on the blog and answering questions on my writing process and path to publication for my debut! Thanks for having me.

Writers in the Attic: Just an Everyday Woman

Thank you so much to Louise Allan, author for inviting me to write a piece for Writers in the Attic exploring the lead character of my debut novel The Torrent (Detective Kate Miles), who is an everyday relatable woman and in being such, goes against many of the entrenched tropes in crime-fiction! Read my piece Just an Everyday Woman and browse through the many brilliant blog posts on writing and publishing by authors including Fiona Robertson, Irma Gold, Karen Herbert, Josephine Taylor, and more!

Booktopia Ten Terrifying Questions!

I was asked by Booktopia to answer ten terrifying questions and I did!! What could possibly go wrong? Read my answers on the Booktopia Blog.

The Louie Award for Flash Fiction in Crime Writing

So chuffed to find out that my short fiction piece In the Mirror was highly commended in the inaugural Australian Crime Writers Association Louie Award. Huge congrats to the winner, the super talented Haley Young, and fellow highly commended writer Stephen Hickman. You can read all three of our stories on the Australian Crime Writers Association website.

On Winning the Banjo and the Weight of Expectation

Read my article on the flip side of winning the Banjo Prize and grappling with the weight of expectation on the HarperCollins Blog.

SMH 2022 Most Antcipated Books!

Well this is a wild and wonderful surprise! The Torrent getting a mention amonst some pretty incredible company in the SMH Most Anticipated Books of 2022!

2021 New England Thunderbolt Prize

Congrats to all the winners and commended writers of the 2021 Thunderbolt Prize! It was a huge honour to be able to judge this year’s fiction entries. A huge thank you to the New England Writers’ Centre for the invite! The standard of entries was incredibly high and it was such a treat to read through the entries. The full list of winners is available on the NEWC website.

From Pitching to Publication

Monochrome collage image of authors Michael trant, Shelley Burr and Dinuka McKenzie.

In 2020, I attended an online ACT Writers pitching course with Alex Adsett Literary where I met writers Michael Trant and Shelley Burr. Now, all three of us have books coming out in 2022!! We wrote about our experience & you can read the article on the ACT Writers website.

The Experience of Winning the Banjo Prize (and why you should enter!)

Suffice to say this competition changed my life! For any writer who has completed a commercial fiction manuscript, the Banjo Prize is the perfect opportunity. Read my blog post on why you should enter here, and HUGE congrats to Veronica Lando – the 2021 Banjo Prize Winner! Can’t wait to read The Whispering set in Far North Queensland in 2022!!

When All Your Writing Dreams Come True: Winning the 2020 Banjo Prize!

2020 Banjo Prize Media Release

Australian Writers’ Centre Blog – Banjo Prize

Books and Publishing Banjo Prize

2020 Richell Prize Longlist!

What a huge honour to be longlisted amongst these incredibly talented writers. Congratulations to everyone on the longlist, especially to Aisling Smith, the 2020 Richell Prize winner!

2020 Richell Prize Longlist Media Release

Australian Writers’ Centre Blog Richell Prize

Affirm Press Mentorship

The 2018 Affirm Press Perfect Crime Competition – where it all began! Thank you to the editors of Affirm Press for your incredible generosity. Your feedback at the very early stages of my manuscript development was exactly what I needed to make something of this manuscript! I will always be grateful for your advice and support.