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The craziest thing happened…I got married

After 35 years together, we finally did it!

Like all brides, we kept our outfits a surprise, but I reckon the jeans were pretty-much expected!

 

The sun shone (but, oh, that Barmoya breeze!!)

 

Those special people we missed having with us on the day were remembered — they were with us in spirit and in picture frames!

(And my sister and dad gave us the roses (coz they knew we’d be too cheap to buy flowers!) and the Willow Tree figurines – two ladies, their hands actually grasp each other’s. Love them!)

Shannon Garner is far too gorgeous to be a bridesmaid, but she is also far too special to not be, so we did our best to also look 38!!

Shannon looked after our wedding bands, did a beautiful reading about dragonflies (so fitting) and she also came in handy doing nails.

We got to have our cake and eat our cake, too! Not only was the cake a surprise (thanks to our super, multi-talented celebrant, Cheryl Steele), it was a Red Velvet cake that not only matched our outfits, it was yum! And I’d always wanted to try a red velvet cake, too.)

 

The 4th generation Barretts (David and Marie) were our witnesses and there is Mount Hedlow in the background (which I mention in A Place to Remember).

And of course there were Henderson Park cows!

 

Henderson Park is, of course, the inspiring landscape where I camped in a paddock while writing A Place to Remember. (And I did drop a big hint in Chapter 32!!)

 

Thank you Gina (L) and Annika (R) (the 5th generation Barretts and #6 is pretty in pink, too!)

Henderson Park Farm Retreat shone, as always — and it will always be A Place to Remember.

Henderson Park Farm Retreat pic
Ava’s cooks’ cottage (Henderson Park Farm Retreat)
Blair’s marquee (Henderson Park Farm Retreat pic)
And we danced!

So, there you go. If you voted “yes’ last year, thank you!

PS: I think I might have found my next book cover. Thank you Shannon and Iron Pot Hill for being so beautiful on the day and being my muse for another story!!

Want more? J&J Get Married (in 3 minutes) You Tube

Now read the book inspired by the landscape and Henderson Park. (and that Chapter 32!)

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Imagine a movie that reunites the McLeod’s Daughters cast!

I have! A girl can dream, can’t she?

Dreaming was what Liane Moriarty did when struggling to conceptualise the right character for her Little Big Lies #2. (More on that later.)

I also had a huge, impossible dream to be published and in 2013 House for all Seasons was #5 top-selling debut novel. So it’s fitting to have my BOOK #5 released on the same day as my debut. TODAY – March 1. (The ebook of my 5th novel, A Place to Remember, is ready to read.)

So, the message is…“Imagine and it will come.”

That’s my motto and with ‘producer Posie’s’ blessing, I’m going to share my movie version starring the McLeod’s cast. (See Posie’s note below.)

Here comes HOUSE FOR ALL SEASONS – THE MOVIE, starring…

I’m not sure why I didn’t think about this before now, unless it’s because, lately, I’ve been bingeing on my favourite TV series and wondering where the cast members of McLeod’s Daughters are these days, or maybe because I just watched Aaron Jeffery’s portrayal of Chopper Reed (creepy, but a Logie contender, for sure) and wished I could watch more TV shows with ex-McLeod’s cast members. (I think I spotted Brett Tucker in a US TV show the other day.)

So, I Googled the McLeod’s cast and when I saw how they’d aged – beautifully (haven’t we all?) – I thought . . .

Hang on a minute! Those actors are at the perfect age to play my four characters out of House for all Seasons – a story about . . .

Four women,
Four lives unravelled.
And the truth that binds them forever.

Bequeathed a century-old house, four estranged friends return to their hometown, Calingarry Crossing, where each must stay for a season at the Dandelion House to fulfil the wishes of their benefactor, Gypsy. But coming home to the country stirs shameful memories of the past, including the tragic end-of-school muck up day accident twenty years earlier.

At the Dandelion House, the women all discover something about themselves and a secret that ties all four to each other and to the house – forever.
***

Now, forgive me for saying so, but with House for all Seasons having a reunion theme, the idea of reuniting old cast members from a much-loved show is a bit of a no-brainer.

What do you think?

Can you imagine an ensemble cast that might play the four characters?

I have . . . (and feel free to give me your thoughts in a comment).

Bridie Carter or Jess Napier can play Sara – a breast cancer survivor afraid to fall in love; (Aaron Jeffery MUST play Will, ex-footy hero and love interest! Must, must, must!)

Zoe Naylor or Jess Napier would make a great Poppy – a tough, ambitious journo still craving her father’s approval;

Rachel Carpani would be great as Amber – a spoilt socialite addicted to painkillers and cosmetic procedures;

But I think Lisa Chappell is the only person who could play Caitlin. She’s perfect to play a doctor frustrated by a controlling family and her flat-lining life. (And the character who is, helped by hunky vet, played by Myles Pollard or Brett Tucker, who solves the mystery).

(and let’s not forget Sonya Todd (Meg), who would be a great ‘Cheryl’.

***

Of course, I’m dreaming, right?  As if that will ever happen! But it’s what we writers do. We use our imaginations all the time, in different ways, includes picturing our stories on the big screen. More recently, I fantasised about The Thorn Birds cast reunion as I wrote A Place to Remember. And I’ll let you in on a secret:  Rachel Ward and Matilda Brown inspired my characters as I wrote Ava, and her daughter Nina. Imagine THAT? Rachel, Bryan and Matilda Brown all playing together in the movie version.

Ah, yes, a girl can dream.

But you know what?

Publishing a book was a dream once, so I know they do come true.

And about Liane Moriarty stryggling to conceptualise a character

It was Liane’s sister, Jaclyn, who suggested she try imagining an actress in the role to help her get inside the character’s head. Liane imagined Meryl Streep and, yep, you guessed it, Meryl heard about it and signed on for the role!

So keep dreaming, people (and keep hoping these amazing actors come back to our screens one way or another.

***

*GIVEAWAY CLOSED – WINNER ADVISED* – More books to win coming soon for newsletter subscribers.

To celebrate the anniversary of House for all Seasons, I’m giving the ENTIRE SEASONS COLLECTION away to anyone who signs-up to my newsletter BEFORE 4/3/18. 

(Those already signed up will automatically go into thE draw.)

(*Aust. postal addresses only, sorry*)

And no…

Sadly there will be no more discussions re a McLeod’s Daughters return. A message from Posie, herself (via Facebook Fan Page.)

P.S. Posie, thank you for letting me have a little McLeod’s fun. 

Meeting you in 2012 was a dream come true, too!

Respectfully yours, Jenn J McLeod (The Lost McLeod Daughter!!)

A Place to Remember – set on a central QLD cattle station over three decades is now available – in ebook. See my Book Room for where to get it.

“The author encapsulates both the Australian way of life and landscape perfectly, crafting an authentic, heartwarming, and rugged saga (that is) reminiscent of master storyteller, Judy Nunn.”  AusRom Today

CLICK for various BUY links
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The Story Behind The Book Cover

Crowned the UK’s Independent Publisher of the Year, 2017, Head of Zeus are a powerhouse and as my book nears that magic moment – release day – I can stop and take a breath and reflect on the joy of working directly with the team from very early on in the book creation process.

For a start, I got to work on edits with advice for the publisher, Rosie de Courcy. With the time zone differences, I would wake up in the morning, turn on the computer, and find encouraging feedback on my manuscript waiting among my emails. One of those emails arrived and I had to read it twice. In fact, I’ve saved it in my ‘Happy File’ because it started with the words: “Jenn, you’re so like Maeve. When I was working on her novels she would do the same ……….”

For the first time in four books I also got to liaise directly with in-house Art Director, Jessie Price. (Speaking of treasures…!!!) Mindful that HofZ is in the UK and my novel is set on a cattle station in Queensland, I decided to send a couple of pictures to show a typical Queenslander house. I’d found one ages ago, by artist John Newman (based in Noosa at the time). The painting, titled ‘Rockhampton House’ had inspired my ‘Ivy-May Homestead’ as I wrote.

‘Rockhampton Queenslander’ by John Newman

What a surprise to see, among the various cover choices I received, one had the very same image. I LOVED it! So HofZ acquired the rights so we could include it on on the cover.

Do check out John’s many Australian-inspired works. They are all beautiful.

I am also loving the ‘first book feeling’ and working so closely with Head of Zeus on this, my fifth novel, and can’t wait for March 19. (April 5 in the UK).

You can pre-order now. (All the links you need are on my Book Page or to Head of Zeus direct.)