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Seasons of Change

Have I mentioned I love the seasons?

And that’s why they feature so prominently in my books (apart from the titles that is!)

You may have seen this first image featured on my website (the header images are random) or on my Facebook Page. To me, those autumn leaves say ‘Come home to the country’ like no other picture. Well, the other day on my morning walk I decided to take a mid-winter picture of the same touch of country.

Still amazing, bare branches tortured by cold, cold mornings, but still magnificent for a seasons lover like me.

I have a collection of my fave photos in my Bits and Bobs section.

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To doff your Akubra is to…

We all know the quintessential Aussie bloke can tip, posit, place, hang, position or even frisbee his Akubra. But did you know you can…

doff: (v.t) to put or take off, as dress. 2. to remove (the hat) in salutation

(Okay, so maybe not quite quintessential Aussie, but no one doffs an Akubra like William!)

Here are a few more ‘D’ words I’ve found a place for in my current story.

dolt: n. dull, stupid fellow, blockhead (doltish)

donnybrook: n. fight, argument, brawl (Irish)

dottle/dottel: n. the plug of half-smoked tobacco in the bottom of the pipe after smoking

 

 

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ELEVEN…I think I’m a real writer

Eleven months to go…

I’m celebrating my countdown to May 2013 with a look back at June’s 50ks in 30 Days and I’m happy. By the time you are reading this I will have hit the 50,000-word mark in book 3 of my Seasons Collection.

Given my two books (contracted to Simon & Schuster in January this year) both started as a writing challenge project, and both were at full first draft by the 50k word count, I’m confident of being on track with this story. (This achievement is despite being up to my neck in my volunteer role as Registrar for this year’s RWA Conference on the Gold Coast.)

This publishing caper is all still a bit surreal. May seems so far away. But if all goes to plan, I might just have book 3 ready around the time book 1 is released. Wouldn’t that be nice! Now if I can only keep my mojo going (and book 4 is now a kernel with potential) I think I may have overcome my fear that I’m not a real writer at all, but a one-book wonder.