Paisley is my first attempt at writing a protagonist who lives in the real world, not a fantasy one. I love her but not everyone does. She is feisty, strong-willed, and super smart. And she will need all of those skills, and a mega-dose of luck if we're to find a publisher for her.
I got the idea of Paisley when I was doing a course with the Australian Writer's Centre. Every piece of writing I presented to my course instructor was picked apart and I could tell she wasn't super impressed. So, for my very last one, I wrote a piece that came straight off the top of my head about a teenage boy who was teased mercilessly at school because his mum had invented toy unicorns that farted smells like cinnamon doughnuts and strawberry cupcakes. The course instructor really liked it to my surprise and delight.
That little bit of encouragement was all I needed to try my hand at writing a less serious story and Paisley was it. Then, after a heartbreaking writing festival in Hobart where my spirit was crushed by the stark knowledge that the publishing world probably wasn't going to open the door to me, Paisley found out that her teacher had a terrible secret and she had to discover what it was.
Later, I heard the sad stories of little penguin colonies being destroyed across the North-West coast of Tasmania and there was Paisley's most important mission - to save the disappearing little penguins from Mermaid Cove.
I have loved writing Paisley and spending time with her and when my lovely friend Amanda's lovely daughter Polly read the finished narrative and liked it, I felt that Paisley could possibly do it - become my first published book.
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