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Well, this is the cover for Blue Skies! As you can see it’s fairly similar to Red Dust, but there is a reason behind that. Allen and Unwin are making it easy for you guys to know that the book is by me – you might forget my name, but you should be able recognise the cover as…
[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleurmcdonald/4113399297/[/flickrvideo] When we did the first edit for Blue Skies, we got to the part about harvest and Ali asked me to insert what a header was. Now, I’m sure most of you who jump on here to have a look know what a header is! But, just in case there are any city folk who…
Well, after a week of rumbling and grumbling, lightening and torrential rain, in a few spots, we’re off harvesting again today. We’re down in our far back paddock and this is the view from the chaser bin. I took this one of the hottest days we had this week (about 40 degrees) but you wouldn’t…
I’ve been really busy since I received the Blue Skies edit last week. Ali has done a really intensive edit that then needs me to read through and either say yes to the changes, or no. The changes can range from something as tiny as a suggestion to change a word, to wiping out whole scenes. Thankfully there’s…
I’m feeling wonderfully relieved! The Blue Skies manuscript is winging its way to Sydney, via the internet! And earlier than my deadline – which I’m really happy about! I finished the final touches and now its a waiting game to see if Louise, my publisher, likes it (that’s always really nerve wracking!), then its onto…
Well, after trawling through all the entries for the Farm name comp, we finally have a winner! But before I tell you who it is, I’ve got to thank everyone who entered. The response was enormous, with entries coming from as far away as New Zealand. The decision was actually really hard – now I…
Blue Skies is nearly complete. I have the editing to go and I’m positive that I’ll make the September 1 deadline – which is fantastic for me and Allen and Unwin, as they’ve already got the freelance editor, Ali Lavau, booked to start work on the manuscript, basically as soon as it arrives. I’ve really…
Together with That’s Life magazine, we’ve thought of a way that you can be included in helping write Blue Skies! If you head to this link you can enter the competition that we’ve got going for a farm name. You’ll have your name mentioned in the acknowledgements if I chose the name you’ve entered, plus…
I’m hoping you guys are going to be as excited about this as I am! Together with That’s Life magazine, we’re offering you a chance at an exclusive competition to be involved with the writing of my new book, Blue Skies. Keep an eye on my website and That’s Life’s website – over the next…
Our ewes lamb from April through until early August. It gives us a range of ages and therefore we’re able to send lambs off at different times of the year. It spreads the risk and cash-flow! Lambing during winter can have its downfalls ifs a particularly strong cold front come through and there are lots…
I’ve had lots of questions about whether there’s a new book in the making. Well, there is! Its been on the go for a while, but got shoved onto the back burner when Red Dust was released. However, today’s the day! With a cold northerly blowing and tomorrow being taken up with lamb marking, I’m…
Occasionally I draw a blank when it comes to ‘the plot’ thickening. That’s where friends come into it! We get together, have a couple of glasses of wine and let those crazy idea’s flow! Sometimes it’s the most crazy ones that actually take off. We were missing an important person last time we had a…
Some days I have great days with my writing. Everything flows easily, the story unfolds perfectly… and then there are the days when nothing works and my sentences look like they’ve been constructed by a six-year-old, not someone who loves to write. Today is one of those days. See the red scrawls? They indicates that…
Having just finished the last edit of Red Dust and farming, kids and just ‘life’ not allowing a lot of time for writing at home, I picked up my laptop and headed to town. Plonking down at a cafe on the Esperance Bay foreshore I started to focus heavily on Blue Skies for the first…
When I first started writing Red Dust, my main hope was to interest a publishing house. I was so lucky and privileged to be picked up by my publisher, Louise Thurtell, through her ‘Friday Pitch Day’ – I can still remember her phone call and how long I shook for after she told me she…
We live at the bottom of a huge big granite hill – well, not big compared to NSW, Vic and Tassie standards, but pretty high for around here. Most of this country is gently undulating. Anyway, back to the story. This granite hill is covered in thick native bush, poking out inbetween the granite. and…
A quick note to let you all know that the release date for Red Dust is May 1 2009 — just in time for Mother’s Day! Was supposed to be April, but Allen and Unwin think that May would be a better month and since all Mum’s need time out from their busy life, I…
After the busy day of Christmas, we decided it was time to head to the beach and work off some of that extra pavlova and wine we had! Some of my family that came for Christmas hadn’t been to Esperance before so we took off down to Thomas River in the Cape Arid National Park…
Today we are harvesting (yay!). Instead of being on the chaser bin, however, I’m on grain cleaning duty. All I have to do is clear the chute away once in a while, so it doesn’t block up — hence the shovel leaning against my office! I’m madly writing my second book, which I can excitedly…