Category: GENERAL

Yes – happy birthday to me tomorrow. Do you like my celebratory wine glass?????

September 19 is the beginning of my 5th decade of living, loving and embracing a second chance. (In case you don’t recognise those words, they are my mantra, my tag-line, my writing platform on which my novels are based.)

I have no idea what the coming 50th year will bring, but I do know it will be MY year. Don’t ask me how I know. Let’s just say I can feel it in my water! (Unless that’s just one of those what-do-you-expect-now-you’re-fifty problems!)

Is my dream of publication going to come true? I sure do have everything crossed. (Which is probably also something to do with that 50 year-old bladder issue above!)

It’s said a picture paints a thousand words.
Today (my last as a 49 year old) I took a break from the computer and hit the highway. Our little road trip took in the charming towns of Ulmarra and Brushgrove, where I took photos (my inspiration for my fictional town of Calingarry Crossing). I’ll have pics of the town next time.

For now though, in anticipation of this being MY year, I found some lovely locations to play around with some promo shots (getting in practice for that professional author picture!)

Tell me which one you like (ie which one makes me look NOT yet 50!) Be kind LOL

Pardon the cliche, but there is no better way to describe my Coffs Harbour Rotary Bookfest experience this morning. Thousands and thousands of pre-loved books on every conceivable topic.

With my four-step strategy, it was get outta my way everyone:

Step 1. Head to educational reference books and grab anything on writing craft.

Disappointment supreme when there is no Donald Maas, Val Parv et. al. Heart & Craft, Strunk & White LOL. Still did well with a POV book, an ancient grammar book for all those things I should have learned when I was at school, and the lovely man threw in a free Writers Marketplace 2007!!!!!

Step 2. Head to the area sign-posted ROMANCE where boxes of M&B books were on sale 10 for $1.00. I know it’s not good for royalties, but my excuse is, Rotary is a good cause and I have a very poor book budget!!!! (I also stood there with my friend saying VERY LOUDLY, “I know this author. And this one. Oooh, and this one!” LOL.)  Check out the picture for some familiar names: Robyn Grady, Fiona Lowe, Paula Roe, Annie West AND the right on top, centre stage, 1987 Valarie Parv – Man Shy. What a find!

Step 3. Head for alphabet signs: P – for Bron Parry (wishful thinking), W – Janet Woods (damn!), T – Rachel Treasure (double damn!), H – Lisa Heidke (triple dam!) Did manage to find Jennifer Cruise, Erica James, Maeve Binchy and Nicholas Sparks.

Step 4. Give in to allowing some of my book budget to go to Jeannette who drove me to the BookFest and waited patiently as I ploughed through every table – twice!

Okay, so I now know that Step one next year needs to be get there befroe everyone else!
But $50.00 later (well it would have been $50 if I hadn’t gone back in after the Rotary sausage sizzle) I’m a happy camper.

I also learned something about cover design – but that’s for another blog.