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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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Do you believe in Fate?

FATE is a theme that runs through my next novel and I must confess that book #5 – A Place to Remember – was a difficult manuscript to be writing in a year when not a lot seemed to be going to plan.
(But that’s life on the road – and life for an author).

I’m certain that positivity train I boarded some time ago helped turn things around and now 2018 is shaping up to be absolutely brilliant. I did get a heads-up that my “present plans are going to succeed” on a whip up the highway to Sydney (from Victoria, as you do) where I had the good fortune to meet some of the folk from Head of Zeus and HarperCollins who will be bringing the next Jenn J McLeod story to life and delivering it to a bookshop near you.

To celebrate, we had a good ol’ Chinese feast. And through this Chinese restaurant’s version of Romper Room’s Magic Mirror I saw big, exciting things ahead. (And yes, thank goodness the Fried Ice Cream Balls were still on the menu. Do you love them? Those balls of yumminess are the only reason I go Chinese!) 

Fate sometimes requires you to take the bull by the horns (as the character in my next book says) and make things happen.

But I have not been on this journey alone. According to The J’s fortune cookie, she’s busy talking to anyone ‘up there’ who will listen (including the One-eyed Dude dog who was with me on the research trip I did for my next release. Miss you, Lil’ Dude.)

So, I am working hard right now. But…

… HOWLONG will I make you wait? Just long enough to make sure my 5th novel (one close to my heart) is THE BEST. (Oh, and it’s bound to be given the super wonderful editor I’m working with.)

FYI – I now have a New Release Reminder Service, which is basically me sending you an email directly to your inbox so you are the first to hear the news (as I no longer trust social media.) There’s a box to your right to add your email. No, not that one… The one at the top on the right!!

Or you might like to meet some new authors on my blog series: AUTHOR PORTRAITS. And yes, there will be author portraits along with a fun Q&A. (You can subscribe to that in the OTHER box on the right.