Under normal circumstances, the June solstice would be Midwinter's Eve for me but since I had travelled halfway round the world to promote 'The Puzzle Ring', I was in England for the summer solstice.

Although there were no bonfires or dancing in the streets of London, I read in the paper that about 36,000 people gathered at Stonehenge for a night of partying and celebration. Some even got married there, continuing a tradition that has been in place for centuries.

Although I would have loved to have enjoyed the spectacle, I was very happy to celebrate in my own way – one of my dearest friends, Michelle, flew in from Zurich and we spent the afternoon walking in the sunshine and the evening eating delicious food and drinking fine wine. Happy Midsummer!

It has been a very busy few weeks for me. In early June, I flew to Chicago for the Historical Novel Society's conference in Schaumburg, Illinois. I was thrilled to meet many wonderful writers including New York Times bestselling authors Diana Gabaldon, Margaret George and Sharon Kay Penman. I love the books of all three of these writers, and it was a privilege to hear them speak with such warmth and wisdom about their inspirations and methods.

Kate with Diana Gabaldon and Margaret George

Other authors whose books I was very glad to discover were C.W Gortner (author of 'The Last Queen'), Karen Essex ('Leonardo's Swans'), Michelle Moran ('Nefertiti'), Lauren Willig ('The Secret History of the Pink Carnation'), Anne Easter Smith ('The King's Grace'), Suzanne Dunlap ('The Musician's Daughter'), Carrie Bebris ('Pride & Prescience: A Mr & Mrs Darcy Mystery) and Beverle Graves Myers ('The Iron Tongue of Midnight'). Listening to them, I learnt so much about the steep and stony path of international publishing, marketing and promotion.

I didn't just listen and learn. I was a speaker on a panel discussing 'Dialogue and Dialect' (which did get rather lively as we swapped swear words from different eras and cultures), and ended up joining a panel on Young Adult Historical Fiction, a subject I feel very passionate about. I hope none of the panelists minded me leaping up and grabbing the microphone (in my defense I was invited!)

Like most conferences, the three days were spent between the meeting rooms, the bar and my bed, and so it was lovely of my dear friend Dani and her husband John to drive a six hour round journey to spend the afternoon with me (particularly as that meant their three kids also had to endure six hours in the car!)

They took me sightseeing in Chicago – we went to Navy Pier on Lake Michigan and took a boat ride on the lake and through the city, which is built upon a wide canal. This means all the rich people have super-charged boats in the basements of their high rise apartments, which they simply drive out into the canal and then out to the lake.

Chicago is really beautiful – it actually reminded me a lot of Sydney. Because it is built on the shores of Lake Michigan, one of the largest lakes in the world, it is filled with light and seems to shine with the same blue radiance. I had a wonderful afternoon exploring Chicago – thank you, Dani & John!

I then flew to Edinburgh, where I spent a week doing a series of events for the Scottish Book Trust, plus an appearance at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose.

Kate at St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School

This is what I wrote for the Scottish Book trust's guest blog:

I love Edinburgh. It is one of my favourite cities in the world. It seems like a city out of a fairytale, with spires and towers rising high against the sky, narrow cobbled alleyways, strange stone faces on ancient fountains, grand squares and avenues with heraldic flags snapping in the wind, and towering over it all, the castle on its hill. So I was so pleased to come back to Edinburgh, at the invitation of the Scottish Book Trust, to talk about my new book, 'The Puzzle Ring' which is set in Scotland.

I have lived all my life in Australia, seventeen thousand kilometres away from Edinburgh. Yet I was brought up on the old tales of Scottish history and folklore, stories handed down through the generations from my great-great-grandmother who was born on the Black Isle in the Highlands. Stories about ghosts and curses and fairies and battles and betrayals, stories filled with adventure and danger and magic. Just the kind of stories I like to write!

I was amazed to learn that my audience had not heard many of these stories. The children were enraptured by the tale of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the bloodstain on the floor of her bedchamber that no amount of scrubbing can remove; by the story of Tam Lin and how he was saved from the Otherworld by his brave sweetheart Janet; by the account of old curses and prophecies and how they came at last to pass.

I learnt again that stories have the power to connect us all, to each other and to the past. My great-great-grandmother's stories had travelled all the way to Australia, down five generations of storytellers, and then back to the land where they began. I think she'd have been very glad!

Kate in Scotland promoting The Puzzle Ring

The Borders Book Festival in Melrose was another highlight of my tour. Melrose is the most astonishingly beautiful town in the Scottish Borders, famous for its ruined 12th century abbey where the heart of Robert the Bruce is buried. The festival was held at Harmony House, a classic Georgian mansion that was built for a local man who had made his fortune in Jamaica growing pimentos. It is set in three acres of walled gardens, and every window has a magnificent view over the abbey, the garden and the hills, including one crowned with ancient ramparts. I swear I could live there if it was not for the weather! Midsummer in Scotland was as cold as Sydney in midwinter, and much rainier!

The Abbey at Melrose, Scotland

My session was held in a marquee in the garden. As I held my audience of 100 school children rapt with old Scottish ghost stories the wind began to howl, making the canvas flap and the lights sway in a most atmospheric way. Then, as I lowered my voice and proclaimed, '…and it is said the soldier still walks the battlements, his head tucked under his arm', the wind died away and the lights came back on. It could not have been more perfect. My publicist, Camilla, says she was outside with a wobble board and a wind machine the whole time … just part of the fantastic service the publicity team at Scholastic provides.

Another highlight of the Borders Book Festival was meeting Debi Gliori, author of 'Pure Dead Magic' and other favourite books. Here is a photo of us in the front hall at Harmony House.

Kate with Deb Gliori

We went to Glasgow next, doing a series of events at schools and libraries as part of the West End Festival. Part of the challenge here was for me to understand the Glaswegian accent. Bookseller Teresa Lowe kindly stepped in to translate for me – thank you, Teresa!

Kate with Glasgow school kids

I then headed north to Kirkintilloch where I appeared on a panel with the celebrated Scottish authors Theresa Breslin and Margaret Thomson Davis, discussing the importance of Scottish history and landscape in our work. Everyone was fascinated by the inclusion of an Australian author on the panel!

Kate with Margaret Thomson Davis and Theresa Breslin

I had to head straight to the airport from that session, and fly to London where I was picked up by a car and taken down to Guildford, for a School Librarian Associations dinner at the University of Surrey. I had a wonderful night, talking about children's books and children's writers, and later in the week did a book talk for local school children at the Guildford Public Library.

Kate at Guildford Library

My final week in London was spent catching up with my lovely Scholastic editors Sarah and Polly, and my agent Rosemary, doing a book signing in Harrods (and gawking at all the mega-expensive designer clothes and planning what to buy when 'The Puzzle Ring' reaches Harry Potter-levels of popularity, which surely won't be long), and appearing as a guest on the kids' chat site Superclubsplus.com where I was asked so many questions I felt smoke was rising from my fingertips as I raced to reply! I have never typed so fast in my life.

On my final night in London, I went with the English writer Geraldine McCaughrean to see the acclaimed stage version of Michael Morpugo's 'War Horse '. It was the most extraordinary piece of theatre I have seen in years – in fact, in my whole life. The play features life-sized puppets of horses that are so sensitively manipulated that – despite the wood and gauze and wires so clearly displayed before your eyes – it seems as if they breathe and rear and gallop. The puppets were made by Handspring Puppet Company, and the play has won numerous awards and has been a sell-out smash hit for two years now. My eyes filled with tears in the very first scene, and by the end I was struggling with gut-wrenching sobs. I don't think I've seen anything that expresses the horror and futility of war in such a simple, direct and profound way. It was a wonderful end to a wonderful few weeks.

I then spent the July school holidays in Fiji, talking to Fijian school children at the Nadi and Suva International Schools, staying at the Australian High Commission in Suva, and leading a week-long writers’ retreat in beautiful Savusavu, home of the famous Fijian golden pearl. It was an amazing week, spent with six writers intent on learning their craft, surrounded by Fiji’s warmth and beauty. My family all came too, and they just loved it – the kids snorkeled in the reef, caught prawns in the creek and cooked them Fiji-style over hot coals, and learnt to climb palm trees like the natives. They didn't want to come home!

Meanwhile, 'The Puzzle Ring' has been gaining rave reviews both here and overseas.

Magpies, the leading magazine on children's literature in Australia, said:

'What a pleasure to read a fantasy that ticks all the boxes: well-established and convincing characters, a perilous quest ... and a wonderful blend of contemporary realism, history and Scottish mythology.' (Magpies Volume 24, May 2009, page 40)

The Bookbag in the UK says: '(Done) so brilliantly it brings a fresh novelty to the (fantasy) blend, and with such consummate style ... this is one of those blaze-through-it-one-sitting fantasy titles for the young teen audience that I can easily recommend.'

Deb Abela reviewed 'The Puzzle Ring' on ABC Radio, saying: 'Beneath its striking cover, Kate Forsyth's new book never disappoints ... This is a richly told tale of history, magic and intrigue by a wonderful storyteller.'

Boomerang Books said: "Kate Forsyth doesn't (just) write fantasy books, she writes great books" and calls me "the undisputed queen of Australian fantasy".

The influential 'A Writer Goes On a Journey' blog gave the book a five star rating, saying: 'Kate Forsyth's imagination is majestical and this book has turned me into a blubbering fan-girl all over again.'

Stephen Davenport, writing in The Independent Weekly, says: 'Kate Forsyth's latest novel, The Puzzle Ring enchants and enthralls until the very last sentence. Every page erupts with assurance and imagination, demonstrating what marvels an author can accomplish when her head and her heart are fully engaged.'

It goes on to say: 'The Puzzle Ring is, arguably, Forsyth's best book yet; it's simply a treat for those who like good fantasy fiction ...'

Angie Schiavone, writing in The Sydney Morning Herald's 'Spectrum' said: 'The Puzzle Ring is captivating, wonderfully fantastical, tremendously insightful, and best of all, fun ... it's the kind of read that will have children up until all hours, desperate to see what will happen next.'

Aleesah Darlison, writing in The Sun-Herald, said: 'Forsyth's stories possess a richness of character, an old-worldy charm and a classic adventurism that plunge readers into other realms that are immediately convincing because they are often a small step away from our own world, yet completely fantastical.'

'The Skinny' in Glasgow said: 'A thrilling historical adventure story from the award winning and highly popular Australian writer Kate Forsyth'

'The Scotsman' listed The Puzzle Ring has one of its recommended reads, saying: 'The story zips along from one side of our world to the other before stepping into a totally different one. Readers will love its pace and humour and be sucked into the mystery and adventure.'

While the wonderful Joanne Harris wrote to me to say that she and her daughter Anouchka both loved it 'and she is usually a very stern critic.' Joanne called it 'lively, funny and fast-paced'.

In other news, I've sold 'The Gypsy Crown' into Polish and 'The Puzzle Ring' into Indonesian, bringing the countries my books are published in to twelve.

Phew! Sorry this newsletter is so long – there's been so much happening these last few months! But that's enough about me – now I'd like to talk about another Australian writer whose utterly charming book also draws upon Scottish history.

Interview with Belinda Murrell

'The Locket of Dreams' is a timeslip story that moves between present-day Sydney and Scotland in the 1850s. It begins when Sophie discovers an antique golden locket in an old box that belonged to her grandmother's grandmother. When she falls asleep wearing the locket, her spirit slips back to the time when the golden locket was first given to the young Charlotte Mackenzie, who in time will become Sophie's great-great-grandmother.

Like a ghost, Sophie has no substance or strength in the past, but she is fascinated by Charlotte and her sister Nell, and finds herself drawn into their dramatic and tragic lives. She is able to help them overcome the difficulties that beset them, and along the way learns more about herself and her own life. Beautifully told, and filled with adventure and mystery, 'The Locket of Dreams' is a perfect read for girls aged 10+.

Most of you will know, of course, that Belinda Murrell is my own sister, and that it was pure coincidence that we both decided to write books set in Scotland and involving time travel or time slippage. Belinda actually began her Scottish book some years before me, but put it aside to write her fantasy trilogy, 'Quest for the Sun Gem'. We only realized when both of us were some way into the writing of our respective books, and we made a pact not to read each other works until they were finished. We did have a lot of conversations that went along the lines of:

'I bags selkies!'

'No, I want selkies!'

'Well, you can't have them, I've already used them.'

'Well, I get kelpies then.'

Of course, it is not really a coincidence that we are drawn to the same type of stories since we were born from the same genetic pool, and brought up on the same family lore, the same books, and the same imaginative games. And the books are actually very different.

Here is Belinda to explain some of her own preoccupations and influences:

Are you a daydreamer too?
Absolutely – daydreaming is such an important part of the writing process. One moment I am walking the dog along the beach, the next moment I am in another world, another time. It can be a real wrench to come back to reality.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have always loved writing for as long as I can remember. Yet I also wanted to be a vet for many years – a shame I'm completely hopeless at maths and science!

Where do you write?
At home, I have my own office where I write, but over the last two years I have written in many beautiful and wild places – in the Kimberley in far north Western Australia, in the Scottish highlands, on the verandah of a friend's cattle farm, on outback stations, in Margaret River...

What is your favourite part of writing?
I love all aspects of writing – discovering the seed of an idea, discovering how it unfurls, writing and refining it - but I have to say that the greatest joy comes from children, especially my own, enjoying my work.

One day I saw a boy walking along the pavement with his head buried in The Quest for the Sun Gem and he was so engrossed in the book he nearly bumped into a lightpost. That was one of the best moments of my life. I also love meeting and talking to children about books. It is such a thrill when children talk to me about the book and tell me their favourite parts or how much they loved it. I love sharing the books with my own children – they give me ideas and ask me questions about why I have written things.

What do you do when you get blocked?
Make a cup of tea, ignore everything, sit at my computer and just keep writing. It will be hard work for a while but then the blockage crumbles and the words begin to flow again.

How do you keep your well of inspiration full?
From everywhere around me – from my children, from my own travel adventures, from incidents that happened to me as a child, from stories people tell me, movies I see or information I read. Anything can spark the seed of an idea, which my imagination then grows into a story.

Some of the adventures are based on experiences I have had during my own life. For example, in Voyage of the Owl there is a terrible storm and the ship is nearly lost when a rope gets caught around the rudder. One of the characters has to jump into the wild ocean, dive under the ship and cut the rope free. When I was a teenager I sailed with my father from Queensland to Sydney and we experienced a ferocious storm where this happened. My father left me alone on deck and dived under the yacht. He was gone so long I thought he was dead but he managed to free the rope and the yacht was saved.

Do you have any rituals that help you to write?
Walking my dog along the beachfront helps me to clear my mind and think about the story and the characters. I scribble notes in my notebook as they come to me. A hot cup of tea at my elbow at my computer.

Who are ten of your favourite writers?
Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, John Fowles, A.S. Byatt, C.S Lewis, Tolkein, Joanne Harris, Isabel Allende, Sebastian Faulkes, Ian McEwan.

What do you consider to be good writing?
Engaging and rich characters. Good storytelling. Prose which is crisp, clear and beautiful.

What is your advice for someone dreaming of being a writer too?
The best advice I can give an aspiring writer is to write, write, write. Write every day. Write a journal so you practise recording impressions, descriptions, scenes and conversations. Write interesting letters.

Keep a notebook with you at all times so you can jot down ideas, descriptions, interesting names and quirky thoughts.

Write what you love and write the very best you can. Good writing depends on passion.

Finally read lots of books, because all fantastic writers were fantastic readers first.

What are you working on now?
The Ruby Talisman, a time travel adventure for girls aged 8 to 12, set in contemporary Australia and the dazzling court of Queen Marie-Antoinette during the French Revolution.

My apologies that this newsletter is so late, but its been a very busy month!

My very best wishes

www.kateforsyth.com.au