When I was 13 my family took a trip to Apollo Bay for a couple of days. At the time, I knew my favourite author of three years lived in the area, and a few months beforehand I had received after a year of waiting and searching, my favourite book. "Alyzon Whitestarr" (now out of print! 😮) I remember taking the largest handbag I had at that time, taking everything but my purse out of it, and carrying that book with me everywhere. "Alyzon" went the beach, the 12 Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge. I slept with it at my beside (common with all books), read it on the long car trip, and devoured it twice within the four months I had it. My biggest wish back then was that I could thank her, for getting me through Grade 6, and the confusion and loneliness I felt at starting year 7. When I started Year 11 & 12 and was feeling many of those emotions and more again (frustration and anxiety above all!) I picked it back up once more, and felt that same desire again. This year I started my first year of Uni. By now, "Alyzon Whitestarr" has been passed through many hands, and is as battered, bruised, torn, post-it noted, loved and well dressed as I am today (thank goodness for hardy hardcovers!) I am now 19, and I had the absolute HONOUR (and joy!) of meeting the woman who wrote something that gave me so much solace. I cannot thank her enough for giving me Alyzon, and just as importantly, Obernewtyn. And hey, little 13 year old me who carried that book everywhere with her? Isobelle signed it!!! #longcaption #yes #ijustwrotea #deepandmeaningful #oninstagram #sosueme #imstillinshock #andjoy24HOURSlater #books #bookworm #ya #penguinaustralia #penguinteen #isobellecarmody #alyzonwhitestarr #obernewtynchronicles #dymocks #dymocksmelbourne #theressomanypeopletothank (at Dymocks Melbourne)