In June I tried an experiment: After speaking to the John Wanless Book Club about Torn from Troy, I distributed copies of my second manuscript, The Sea God's Curse, and asked them for feedback. It was tremendously useful! Thank you to all of you who helped. Because in these insecure times people are concerned about getting their names published on the web, I can't thank anyone in person, but to all of the John Wanless Grade 5 reading club, thank you! You spotted a number of issues in the second book that I had totally missed, and the book will be better because of your input.

I had promised to send it to my publisher at the end of May, and here it is mid-July and he, er, still doesn't have it. He's a patient man but I expect to start getting queries any day now. Fortunately it's very nearly ready!