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Be-Cause I Can

Because I can, I’m lending my voice to a number of good causes and I thought you might be interested to know about them. (If you’re an aspiring writer you might be REALLY interested to know about one in particular!)

Myrtle the Turtle and I have been meandering around the eastern states over the last few years, so I thought it was time we headed west. When an opportunity arose to attend the inaugural West Coast Fiction Festival in November, knowing my involvement would be supporting a good cause (Share The Dignity) it was decided to drive Myrtle the Turtle the 4,452 kilometres to Perth from the NSW east coast.

It’s a big drive, but along the way, while passing all those beautiful WA trucks carting hay bales to drought-stricken farmers in the east, I decided I wanted to do something more to help. So, I joined forces with author mate, Josephine Moon, as well as some publishing industry heavyweights, like Allen & Unwin’s Annette Barlow, to do our bit. We’ll be raising money to buy bales for farmers by auctioning ourselves off! That’s right! Writers with manuscripts will be able to bid for our services, raising money for a good cause in the process. This is an incredible opportunity to have YOUR work get the attention it deserves!

Taking part (and there are even more, I’m told) is: Annette Barlow (Allen & Unwin), Ali Watts (Penguin Random House) and Sophie Green/Sophie Hamley (Hachette), Lousie Allan, Lisa Ireland, Annie Seaton, Jenn J McLeod, Michael Trant, Melinda Tognini, Katie Rowney.

The manuscript assessment/mentoring opportunities will be auctioned off via eBay, starting on 15 October, auctioned in three rounds: Round 1: 15 October; Round 2: 17 October; Round 3: 19 October.

Okay… There’s another mission, of course. I’ve been doing it for a while now.

 You all know how much I enjoy visiting small country towns to talk to local book lovers. Well, my Paddock to Print campaign, which is about encouraging Australian readers to support home-grown storytellers by choosing Australian-made stories, is going gangbusters. Check out all the places I’ve been, so far.

What is the campaign about?

For years we’ve been hearing the manufacturing sector – clothing and food – tell us to buy Australian-made. I thought, why not encourage people to buy or borrow home-grown stories over the imported, big-name author books? It really is as simple as asking your library or books shop for suggestions.  If you enjoy big-name overseas authors, your local librarian or bookseller will be able to recommend a local/Aussie writer whose novels are just as compelling and well-written. So, please help spread the word and buy Australian made fiction. Here I am spreading the book love at Donnybrook, WA.

And here I am on the west coast – finally – in the lovely Margaret River region (for research purposes, of course).

If you’d like to know more about the #BuyABale Fundraiser, check out Josephine Moon’s website.

If you are in Perth, I’d love to see you. Prior to the Perth event in November, readers and aspiring writers will catch me at events in Busselton (Busselton Library, 2pm October 12) and in Kwinana at the Kooliny Arts Centre’s Stories on Stage (7pm, October 31) with the lovely, Monique Mulligan.

 

And somewhere in the middle I’m Writer-in-Residence at the Serenity Press Writers’ Retreat in Capel.

So, it’s all happening in the west. Then, come December, Myrtle and I will be making the trek back home to Coffs Harbour.

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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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Bittersweet Bucket List

This #RovingWriter finally got to be Miss Philadelphia. (You know the one… Nancy Cato’s All The Rivers Run. Sigrid Thornton played the character in the 1980’s mini series of the same name.) It’s been a dream of mine to visit Echuca, to traverse that ancient wharf, to board the same wood-fired steamer, and to travel the Mighty Murray to the pulse of paddles and the huffing and puffing of pistons.

Two years ago, I heard about P.S. Pevensey (that it was the steamer used in the mini series) and if that was not exciting enough, I was told EVERY, yes EVERY, passenger gets a ticket – even the fur-kids. So, I made a promise to the one-eyed Dude dog at that time. I told her we’d take a boat trip together along the Murray.

Sadly, it’s taken two years to get to Echuca (on the NSW/Vic border) and as you may know, we lost the bravest dog in the world last year. So it was with sad hearts that we decided to go ahead and take a trip on the dog-friendly P.S. Pevensey anyway.

After telling our sad story to the lovely lady in the Discovery Centre, she gave us a canine ticket for our dearly departed ‘dog in a box’.

Canine Tickets for special passengers

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the lady took the time to write the date on the ticket, we realised the significance. While not planned, May 10 is one year – to the day – that we said goodbye to the Dude dog after 14 years with us. Suddenly, the much-anticipated trip turned bittersweet.

The one-eyed Dude dog, Daiquiri

Feeling miserable, what did we see? Bella.

What a joy. Here she is aboard and with Mum, Leanne. (I was itching for a puppy cuddle. I even had a sneaky cry.)

Once we disembarked, Bella’s family stopped with us at the Star Hotel for lunch – and some water from a wine goblet!

 

I’ve always believed some people come into our lives for a season and some for a reason. A  massive thank you to Keith and Leanne and Bella for sharing the trip and the pizza afterwards. I believe we were meant to meet today. Safe travels!

ABOUT THE BOOK: If you are interested in Nancy Cato’s novel – Booktopia has All The Rivers Run.

BEFORE YOU GO: It’s time we took back some control. Don’t leave it to Facebook (and the like) to decide what information you see and when you see it. I have book news coming soon and if, like me, you distrust social media’s filtering of information, join my New Release Reminder Service and I will email you my news direct to your inbox. (Just look top right on this page!) Leave your email (which I’ll protect with my life) and I’ll send you a reminder. This is NOT a monthly newsletter full of stuff you probably don’t want to know. I only send New Release Reminders when I have a new book out (or if my books go on sale online – and who doesn’t love a bargain book?)