Forty-one-year-old Carla Salmon is an accomplished energetic mother of two teens, a wife, a Lead teacher at Brisbane Grammar School, holds two degrees and has now added published author to her credentials.
The dynamic Gympie born woman has been signed for a two book deal to powerhouse publishing company Pan Macmillan who have authors the calibre of Liane Moriarty, David Baldacci, Ann Cleeves and Nagi Maehashi in their stable.
Her debut novel, ‘We Saw What You Started’ is now available for pre order with a release date of 1 July 2025.
Ms Salmon said the book is a teen crime read for 11-to-15-year-olds that introduces kids to Young Adult fiction with themes packaged in age-appropriate content and language.
As a teacher, she noticed a demand for realistic fiction and adventure stories reminiscent of our own childhood favourites like the Famous Five, but with modern concepts relevant to young teens today.
She said, “I think parents of this age group are often looking for exciting books that spark discussion and hold their children’s attention, but sometimes it’s difficult to know if the book is also safe for our kids to enjoy independently. I wanted to create a story that parents and teachers could confidently recommend.”
The result is a fiery whodunit; a thriller of surf and sea, with plenty of suspenseful action to keep kids hooked to the final page.
But the story is also a joyous exploration of loyalty, family and friendship set amongst the surf lifesaving community in an idyllic beachside location.
“I wanted to showcase the strong sense of belonging offered by the surf lifesaving community in a celebration of mateship and teamwork.”
“The story follows good kids who make bad choices, but with community support and positive role models, there is always hope.”
Carla’s characters lead action-packed lives with plenty of heart and humour inspired by her country coastal childhood based between Gympie, the Sunshine Coast and Rainbow Beach.
Carla excelled at school winning a scholarship to Bond University after senior where she completed a Marketing Degree in two years.
She worked for the university in their marketing department before leaving to obtain her Bachelor of Education while raising her two children Gemma and Billy with husband Joel.
Now, she combines her industry experience in communication and education sectors as a Young Adult author.
Carla’s book is like her; witty, delightful, real, raw and very likeable and should be compulsory on school book lists.
‘We Saw What You Started’ will be a book that returns parents and children to the joy of reading, which makes us better humans and more interesting individuals, connecting us to ideas, challenges and adventures far beyond our individual experiences.
Ms Salmon said, “Stories broaden our understanding of what it means to be human, transcending boundaries between generations, cultures and time. But most importantly, stories allow us to escape our limited perspectives with joy, hope and courage. By reading, we learn to listen to others, share ideas with the freedom of wonder and awe, and create bravely. Reading allows us to dream big.”
WE SAW WHAT YOU STARTED by Carla Salmon is a suspenseful exploration of loyalty, family and friendship for 11+ readers.
For further information and all enquiries, please visit Carla’s website www.carlasalmonbooks.com
