Earlier this year we had the honour and pleasure of meeting highly acclaimed Australian author Robert Drewe and his delightful partner Tracy at the All Saints Storylines Festival for secondary schools in Western Australia where Robert and many other authors were presenting, as was Jay.

Author of Shark Net, The Bodysurfers, Fortune, Grace and many other books, Robert Drewe became a favourite author of Jay's long before he thought he might write and an inspiration when he did. To recently hear back that he enjoyed reading Into the Sea is very much a highlight of the novel's journey to date. We’d like to share his comments….

I enjoyed "Into the Sea" very much. It was so evocative I felt I was there with Riley and Billie. It brims with true experience and descriptive energy. A great first novel and I look forward to reading Jay’s next offering. Best wishes, Rob.

Thank you Rob, your thoughts are very valued.

Most enjoyable spending time with students from Mt Lawley High School last week and from Christ Church Grammar a little longer ago to share thoughts and ideas about writing, inspirations for Into the Sea, discuss the novel's storyline and more subtle themes, travel and general living. The abundance of questions and enthusiasm for the novel will be very memorable.

Great to see so many faces today at the Storylines Festival at All Saints College in Bull Creek, Perth www.storylinesfestival.or.au

Look forward to seeing many more students, teachers and fellow writers tomorrow!

Jay is thrilled to be part of such a terrific line up including Robert Drewe, Jon Doust, Hannie Rayson and Jackie French.

And....

Into the Sea is also now being studied by students as a class book at Wesley College!

Looking forward to a great night under the stars listening to Matt Gresham and watching surf movies on the grass at the North Beach Film Festival tonight. Into the Sea will be there as well! See you in a few hours.

West Australian Newspaper 23 November 2013, William Yeoman, Books Editor & Senior Arts Writer

We're in Byron Bay! It's been a little while. Love it over here.

Excited to be heading along to the BB Surf Festival from the 25th to 27th Oct and talking a little about Into the Sea

 http://www.byronbaysurffestival.com/surflit-lounge/

Here's a surf report for today: small waves on the beaches, clean first thing this morning, wind in a bit now (but light by WA standards!). Dramatic tide changes. Water - beautiful.

Ootong & Lincoln is a great cafe in Fremantle (258 South Tce) & so are the people there! We're heading down at 10am on Sat 31 Aug (day before Father's Day) to hang out. Come along and say Gday. Jay will be happy to talk writing, the ocean, anything and sign copies of Into the Sea for anyone in the zone!

Mark Boskell from earthy, super cool website Elements Margaret River got together with author Jay in Gracetown to talk about Into the Sea recently:

http://elementsmargaretriver.com.au/jay-laurie-into-the-sea/

Check out their website for other stories and moments and beautiful images of people and places of the South West WA region.

Into the Sea's lovely publicist, Phoebe, has just finished a whirlwind tour of Sydney's beaches, meeting many fantastic people and stores all the way from Maroubra and Bondi to the south of Sydney to Manly, Dee Why and Palm Beach in the north. Spreading its wings from its roots in Western Australia, the novel can now be found at many cool seaside shops on the Sydney coast as well as in a small number of places so far in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland (all listed on the website as well as online retailers). We will keep going to make it available at as many other suitable stores all over the place as possible.

Also here is ABC South West's radio interview with Jay!

The Margaret River Writers Festival is on today and this weekend at the Cultural Centre in town.

There's interviews with writers, workshops and readings (including from Into the Sea on Sunday at 2.15pm!).

We hope to see you there.