Well, what a year, huh?

Oh my gosh! So many questions as to whether there is going to be a sequel to Red Dirt Country!

I've always told my kids that "if we don't share our stories, then how can we help people?"

I've got quite a personal post today. A post about anxiety, heartache, discovery and in the end, immense satisfaction.

I love the 'new feels' of starting a new book. It's exciting, fun, and the possibilities are endless. Trouble is, those feelings don't always hang around.

I'm really excited that my 15th novel is coming out in early November. I know I say this often, but if you'd told me 11 years ago that I would write one novel, let alone 15, I'm not sure I would have ever believed you!

When I was a kid, I used to spend recess and lunch in the library.

I guess there are a few of you who think that's a bit geeky and boring; for me, it was anything but.

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.

'Have you put on sunscreen?' Mum always used to ask as I headed out the door to ride my bike or go swimming.

I hated sunscreen.

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!

Do you remember a couple of blogs ago, I was saying I had to create some new habits, one of which included making more time to read.

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 11:00 am on Saturday, the 15th.

Guess what? On Monday, my fourteenth novel went to print. Who would have thought that eleven years after Red Dust was published, I'd still be tapping at the keyboards and playing with my imaginary friends?

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.

You told me you'd like to read a bit of STARTING FROM NOW...

Here's the prologue and first chapter.

• Prologue

• Chapter One

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!

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!

Happy Monday!

Aren't Mondays 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.

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 alleyway, 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.

Have you ever wondered what happens the morning after a novel gets finished?

Screenshot of a laptop that has words on it, the end of a manuscript says THE END.