Derina’s bustling career in national cultural institutions in Australia and her years spent on a UNESCO Committee have led her to treasure the time she now dedicates to writing and gardening. Derina has earned accolades for scriptwriting in Canada and the UK. Her debut book, The Brumby of Summerhill Park, received the Charlotte Waring Barton Mentorship Award from the Children’s Book Council of Australia NSW Branch. She continues to craft children’s stories that immerse them in a world of horsey challenges, providing an escape and a role as a judge in horse shows. Earlier in her career, she delivered science radio talks for ABC Radio and served as the publications manager at the National Archives of Australia, overseeing the production of history books and a history magazine. While contributing to the Community Heritage grants with the National Library of Australia, Derina seized the opportunity to advocate for the preservation of gardening archives. This endeavour sparked her research into the lives of those who pioneered horticulture in Australia, including the protagonist in her latest novel, The Lure of Eden.