The heart behind my writing (and why I’m just getting started)

If you’ve found your way here, welcome.

I’m Leanne Shea Langdown children’s book author, a long-forgotten Aussie blogger and now adult fiction and non-fiction writer.

I've spent the better part of my life doing one thing with absolute joy: cheering people on.

For many years I travelled around Australia meeting thousands of bright, brave, brilliant kids through my Cheer Chick Charlie™ series.

I watched them grow, glow, stumble, try again, and discover their own courage. I signed books at cheerleading events, listened to their stories, hugged nervous little readers, and celebrated every tiny victory with them.

Some of those kids are adults now. And honestly? That blows my mind in the best possible way. Because as they’ve grown, so have I.

My writing has always had one heartbeat: lifting people up.

• Cheer Chick Charlie™ was about cheering on children.

• The Champagne Cartel is about cheering for women as they navigate life, friendship, and the messy, beautiful bits in between.

• 18 Ways to Get Your Children Excited About Reading is about cheering on parents who want to make books part of their family’s world.

• Waggabottoms and Sir Nibbles cheer on the quirky, the brave, the unexpected heroes.

And now, as I step boldly outside of Cheer Chick Charlie and into other genres, I’m cheering on you: the grown‑ups who still crave connection, courage, laughter, escape, and stories that remind us we’re all doing our best.

This isn’t a departure from who I’ve been. It’s an expansion. A continuation. A natural evolution of a life spent encouraging others to believe in themselves, to try again, to find joy, to keep going.

Many of the kids who once lined up for Cheer Chick Charlie signings are now in their late teens and early twenties. They’re studying, working, travelling, falling in love, falling apart, rebuilding, and figuring out who they want to be. And they deserve stories that continue to cheer them on.

So do you.

My adult fiction is where I get to explore my humour, some deeper emotions, more complex relationships, and the kind of characters who feel like people you’ve known forever. The ones you root for, cry for, laugh with, get annoyed at and carry with you long after the last page.

I hope my books will feel like a hand on your shoulder. A friend saying, “You’re not alone.” A reminder that we're all living in the chaos of being human.

Just as I once connected with kids at cheer comps (chatting, laughing, swapping stories, celebrating their wins) I'd love to build that same sense of community here.

I’d love to engage with you through:

• Behind‑the‑scenes updates: the messy, honest, creative process;

• Conversations about characters: what you love, what surprised you, what you want more of;

• Reader questions: about writing, publishing, creativity, or life;

• Book discussions: your interpretations, favourite moments, and emotional reactions;

• Community cheerleading: celebrating your wins, big or small.

I'd love this space to feel like a warm corner of the internet where you can exhale, settle in, and feel seen.

If you’ve been with me since the Cheer Chick Charlie days, thank you. Watching you grow has been one of the greatest privileges of my creative life.

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m so glad you’ve arrived.

And if you’re somewhere in between, maybe you once read Charlie aloud to your kids and you're discovering my adult fiction now, I hope you’ll stay for the stories, the connection, and the gentle cheerleading woven through everything I write.

Because no matter your age, your chapter, or your journey…

I’m still cheering you on. Always.

Hit the "Contact" button and send me a message. Keep an eye out for the Leanne Shea Langdown - Author Facebook page and book club groups soon!

Looking for Cheer Chick Charlie! She's still here and she's just as cheerful and encouraging as she's always been. She's looking forward to meeting the next generation!