Purple Roads edits make it to the mailbox in Perth

I’ve had a trip to Perth recently and I took advantage of not having any ‘distractions’ such as kids, husband or farm, to finish the edits for Purple Roads. I worked until late on Tuesday night and although I will never say I’m ‘happy’ with it – that’s just not in my nature; I am more relaxed about the book now. It was lovely to have many hours just thinking about the story line, Matt, Anna and all the other characters without interruptions.

On Wednesday morning, about 7:30, in desperate need of a coffee, after my midnight bedtime (I’m usually in bed by 8:30pm most nights on the farm and I still wake at 4:30am no matter what time I go to bed!) I wandered off in search of caffeine and a mailbox. (I took the express post bag containing the manuscript and edits with me.)

After calling into The Dome, I knew the next job had to be done. I quickly stuffed the parcel through the mailbox before I could change my mind, took another sip of coffee. Refusing to think about it any more, I took off down the street before someone reported a mad woman trying to break into a mailbox in the centre of Perth.

Wednesday was busy and once my appointments started, I hardly had time to remember I had posted Purple Roads off, let alone think about it.

As I had stood in front of the mailbox, the previous day, working out when it had to be in the box by to make it to my editors desk by the 1^st of December, I had read that collection times were 3:30pm, everyday.

Purple Roads by Fleur McDonald is mailed in Perth

After a full on day, that afternoon, I needed to escape the confines of the hotel room and took off for a walk down Adelaide Terrace, only to see the mail man and his van parked next to the box that contained the Purple Roads package… Unaware that he was being watched, the mailman emptied the mailbox and drove off in his van. I stood there and followed his path, wondering what the future was for that little manuscript that he was carrying.