The Secret of Spanish Bay: Some treasures are buried deeper than gold by Kasey Wincott is a book that really stood out to me as an editor because it was a real page-turner from the outset (which makes my job SO much easier – thanks, Kasey!)

As I embarked on the epic tale of Rodney, Marty, Chloe and Julie, I immediately thought of my 11-year-old niece and 13-year-old nephew, who I knew would eat up this story and soon begin to dream of their own adventures hunting for treasure and learning the amazing legends of lost Conquistadors!

What I love about this story is that it is so much more than a treasure hunt! Firstly, it is both historically and geologically fascinating, and secondly, Kasey Wincott is not afraid to tackle the sometimes-thorny issues of family relationships, which, of course, trouble most of us at some time during our teenage years, although it is not always talked about!

What is your favourite thing about writing?

Do you read your reviews? How do you handle feedback/criticism?

Yes, I’ve read reviews of my books, I’ve seen and think I read it sort of from an emotional distance, or sort of neutral. Like, hmm, that’s interesting. There’s been some reviews where people raised points either I didn’t agree with, or it was like I had a fuller viewpoint as to ‘why’ a character did this or that, and it didn’t register as negative or harsh criticism.

There was a time that wasn’t so. I have talked to and read other writers who all have had similar experiences as I have, where early on, we had school teachers or other adults criticize our writing in such a way that we stopped writing, period. For a while. And then the creative drive rises up again after years sometimes, and we try it again. If only teachers would embrace the child’s desire and drive to write creatively when it appears, and focus on the positive act of teaching how to write dialogue that seems real or a description that won’t make a reader put the book down and do housework. And focus on encouraging, not demeaning so much a child never puts pen to paper again or needs therapy to overcome.

What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing this book?

Writing makes me happy. My writing may not be classics in the making, sparkling and epic prose, but I can keep plugging away. I have completed books. They’re published. I continue to learn the mechanics of writing plot structure, POV, pacing, and my life didn’t fall apart. I feel a wholeness, that I can do all these things because writing makes me happy. It makes me think of more things I can do, write about, more ideas, more ‘what if’ plot scenarios, not less. I didn’t have to choose one or the other and pine for what I might have lost because writing makes me happy.