Fleur McDonald is one of Australia’s leading rural literature authors, with her books becoming best sellers almost as quickly as they hit the shelves.
Having sold over 500,000 copies of her books, she has solidified her position as one of the country’s favourite storytellers.
On the 24th of May, an ABC news report told Australia that 21 women had been killed in 21 weeks by an intimate partner. My guess is that you’d gasp and think ‘how horrible, that must be in another country.’ You’d be wrong. This is in Australia. This happened in 2020. In Australia. In February…
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‘Have you put on sun screen?’ Mum always used to ask as I headed out the door to ride my bike, or go swimming. I hated sunscreen. I always wore a hat, but greasiness of the cream, I’d do everything to avoid it. Until mum would make me stand in front of her and smeared…
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To re-read or not? That is the question! You can probably see from the creases in the spines of these books, that they’ve been handled a lot. I mean, a lot! I’m not sure how many times I’ve re-read Jillaroo, but it might be close to five. The Michael Connelly 3-in1 book, hmm, maybe six…
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Do you remember a couple of blogs ago, I was saying I had to create some new habits, one which included making more time to read. Writing two books a year, I sometimes find it hard to make sure I’m up-to-date with my reading pile. What about you? So my new habit is to read…
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Pretty excited to be heading to the Words out West Readers and Writers Festival in Dalby next month. The festival is on from the 14th to the 16th of Feb. My session is at 11:00am on Saturday the 15th. There’s a great line up of authors; I’m hoping to catch up with two old friends,…
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Guess what? On Monday, my fourteenth novel went to print. Who would have thought that eleven years after Red Dust was published, that I’d still be tapping at the key boards and playing with my imaginary friends? Red Dirt Country is the third book in the Dave Burrows series – not that you have to…
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Stephen King says: ‘if you don’t make time to read, you can’t make time to write’. Yes! Reading is nourishment for the soul, intellect and entertainment. I grew up loving to read. Although, even when I was a kid, I was never really into romance novels. While all my friends were reading the Sweet…
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You told me you’d like to read a bit of STARTING FROM NOW… Here’s the prologue and first chapter. Starting_Prologue Starting_ChapterOne If you decide yo’d like to buy a copy, then head here to do so! Buy STARTING FROM NOW. Blurb: A suspenseful novel of rural life and real country issues from our genuine Voice…
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STARTING FROM NOW doesn’t hit the shelves until October 5, but you’ve got the opportunity to get your hands on a copy, a month early! I’ve had a heap of emails from people wanting to get a signed copy of STARTING FROM NOW. Some for themselves and others are wanting Christmas presents (who organises Christmas…
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What’s the saying about never working with kids and animals? Jack usually defies that saying, but today he wasn’t acting quite the way I’d hoped he would! I was trying to capture him looking at the pages OF MY NEW BOOK (YAY!!) while I was reading to him. However as you can see, he…
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Happy Monday! Aren’t Monday’s sometimes a bit hard to get warmed up to? Hopefully this will make your day, a great day! First up, exciting news! It’s only six weeks until my new novel STARTING FROM NOW is released. You can preorder from Booktopia. I’ve got to tell you, I’m very excited (and nervous) about releasing…
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When I was on tour for WITHOUT A DOUBT, I came across this blue door (pictured on the computer screen). I was sitting in a narrow alley way, drinking coffee (because I’m a bit like Detective Dave and nothing happens in the morning until I’ve had my coffee) when I saw it. Hasn’t it got…
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Have you ever wondered what happens the morning after a novel gets finished? I finished my fourteenth novel yesterday, with the same sense of relief that I had when I finished my first one! Something between ‘oh my God, I’m so pleased that’s over’ and ‘Yay! I’ve done it again!’ I text a couple of…
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Check out this hall that I’m going to read over the next few weeks. Have you read any of them? I LOVE Kerry McGinnis’s writing so I think The Roadhouse is going to be the first one I start on. The head of publishing at Allen and Unwin, Tom, suggested I read…
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‘So, Fleur, tell me, do you write every day?’ ‘Where do you work from?’ ‘Oh, you have deadline? Really? thought you’d just write and hand it in when it was ready.’ (HA! Don’t I wish!) These are a few of questions I get asked when I do an event and I’d love to…
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I’ve been mulling an idea around for a while and I need your feedback. I’m putting together a writing course and I’d love to know what you writers out there would like to know/learn/read about. The course will run over 15 days and be delivered to your inbox daily. Only once you’ve completed…
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I’m very excited to be opening my blog up again, to other authors who have new books out. It’s great to be able to let readers know what is out and about and what authors have new books. Joy Rhoades is first cab off the rank with her beautiful new novel, THE BURNT COUNTRY.…
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It’s that exciting time of the year again, when there is a cover to show you all! If you can believe it (because it only feels like a few short weeks ago, that Without a Doubt hit the shelves) I have another book on the 5th of November. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be…
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What a great day to spend in front of the fire, editing the next book for you all. Starting from Now will be out in November and this has been an awesome fun book to write, albeit slightly controversial… It’s cold and windy outside and we’ve had a beautiful, and much needed 40mm of rain…
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It’s International Women’s Day today – Here’s to the girls! An important day in our calendar to celebrate everything women are capable of… our strengths, our ability, our uniqueness. In 2019 it’s all about #balanceforbetter and to me that means finding that ever elusive work/play balance in our own lives, along with finding it in…
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Back in 2007, when I first started writing fiction, I created a character named Detective Dave Burrows. He was my lead male character in my first published novel, Red Dust. Dave worked hard, played hard, loved the bush and his job as lead detective in the WA Rural Crime Unit. In the same year…
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