Barbwired... a writer's life in the city and the country

A week in the city...

2008-10-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent the past week back in Townsville and it’s been a busy week. Apart from diving into Book #2 of my duet, which is humming along OK, I’ve given a talk to a reading book club and another to a Year Eleven English class and I’ve been to the hairdressers, the movies… coffee with a friend making the most of a week in town.

One of the readers at the book club reminded me that it’s nice for "older" (35 +) women to read romance. Her big regret about settling down into a long lasting relationship was that she wouldn’t be able to keep “falling in love”, but she’s realised that romance novels allow her to relive that experience over and over. Yay! A possible convert! ?

At the hairdresser’s, I picked up news of a new book craze (or perhaps not so new to many) sweeping through teenage girls like a pleasurable disease and gripping young women. This was verified when I went to the high school. So what’s the good oil?

The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.

I’ve started Book one and I can certainly see why these stories have created such a buzz. This is another high school girl and vampire scenario – no doubt inspired by Buffy, but the setting is interesting in a tiny, rainy town in Washington state, the characters are fabulous and the sexual tension is really well sustained – over hundreds of pages…

I guess vampires are the ultimate bad boy heroes, but their superpowers make them great saviours as well – and if they’re good vampires and they’re extraordinarily beautiful and they won’t harm you, even though they’re desperate to have you… what can a girl do, but fall in love?

Meanwhile, on a completely different note, I’m writing about a country wedding in a dear little white country church like this one we photographed in the Outback town of Chillagoe a couple of months ago. Ain’t she sweet?

She dares to dabble with Mr. Darcy

2008-10-04T16:07:00.000-07:00

I read yesterday that Colleen McCullough (of The Thorn Birds fame) has written a sequel to Pride and Prejudice. She claims she’s done it to thumb her nose at the literati and I have no problem with that.
The new books is called “The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet” and the premise sounds interesting – it’s about Mary, the neglected middle Bennet daughter and her story is set twenty years into the future, when Mary comes into her own as an interesting middle aged woman, after years of caring for her mother. Mary has a late-in-life romance. All good.

Naturally, Mary’s sisters, Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia and Kitty all get a mention. Jane and Charles Bingley are happy with a big family. Kitty has transformed herself into a rich society wife. Lydia is not quite so happy.
But of course, it is Lizzie that we all really want to know about. Or not? Do we really want to know how her life with Mr. Darcy has turned out in the fertile world of Colleen McCullough’s imagination?

Hmmmm.

Apparently Mr. Darcy, now called Fitz, has gone into politics with his eye on being Prime Minister. OK, I can cope with that. He and Lizzie have lots of daughters and a disappointing son. Fair enough. They are a powerful couple. Totally believable.
Liz is not happy.

No, Colleen, no.

You can thumb your noses at the literati, and perhaps you were not impressed by P&P in the first place, but why interfere with the dreams and enjoyment of thousands of readers who love to think of Mr. Darcy as the ultimate romantic hero?
I do understand why writers often want to rework other pieces of fiction. When I was teaching I often got my students to write additional scenes for their favourite books… it makes them think harder about the original and of course, post modern thinking assures us that “the reader owns the text”. But isn’t this latest offering, just a tad too disrespectful to all kinds of people on many levels?
Of course, I haven’t read the book and I know the focus is on Mary, so perhaps the hint that Elizabeth isn’t happy is not a drama. Perhaps I don’t want to know.
On reflection, I think it’s kinder to write prequels rather than sequels.
I loved The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, which is a forerunner to Jane Eyre. It tells the story of Mr. Rochester’s first marriage to the woman who is later mad and locked away in the attic. It’s a fascinating story in its own right and it doesn’t necessarily disrupt one’s reading of Charlotte Bronte’s original book.
I guess, at 71, Colleen McC has done it all, and she can’t resist thumbing her nose at all of us.

Mattie and Jake have left the building…

2008-10-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

They left on the last day of September, so what, you may well ask, have I been doing since then? I mean that’s two whole days and still no blog.

My dear husband threw a spanner in the works by suddenly needing to fly to Townsville for a Very Important Meeting, so Wednesday morning found us up at 4.30am and heading “down the hill” to Cairns to put him on a plane. I decided that I could spend a day in Cairns Christmas shopping – a great idea in theory, rather exhausting in reality.

The crazy thing was, all I really wanted to do was curl up somewhere with Jodi Picoult’s “The Pact” and finish it. I tried to shop conscientiously, but I kept stopping in cafes to read, and then I would get so emotionally caught up in this gripping story that I would have to stop reading, go and do some more shopping to calm down, and then find another café for my next “fix”. I finished the book, sitting under a tree on the Cairns Esplanade with tears streaming down my face.

Wow – what a book. I don’t think I’ve ever been so emotionally invested in characters.

I bought more books (another JP, of course and a Barbara Delinsky, as well as a Bernard Cornwell for Elliot which he came home and read in one sitting. He’s an all or nothing reader – unlike me. I like to have little reads scattered through my day – little rewards for getting other things done.

Anyhow, on Wednesday, by the time I collected E at 5.30, we were too tired to drive back “up the hill” and we spent a night in Cairns. We ate at a Brazilian barbecue restaurant where a gorgeous, tall, dark and handsome Brazilian waiter brought all different kinds of meat to our tables on a sword. Yummmm… oh and the meat was nice, too.

Yesterday, however, was a wipe-out. I had a horrible headache and couldn’t drag myself to the computer. Today, I’ve planned my next book which has been filtering away in the back of my brain for some time. I’ve had an old friend drop in for a cuppa and I’ve done a little gardening. Tomorrow I must start my next book, which needs to be written fast as it’s a follow on from Jake and Mattie’s story.

The picture below is of my granddaughter Lucy and one of her kittens. This photo reminds me so much of my childhood which was filled with a procession of gorgeous kittens… Enjoy them, Lucy… they bring a special magic into your life…

Can’t you see I’m already slipping into the mood on my next heroine Amy McKentry, who’s a vet??

This is the post that should have been added last week, but... oops, I was too busy writing...

2008-10-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

Back at our little place in the country again. We only have eleven days here before we have to be back in town, so am making the most of it, although I’m on a deadline which tends to keep me indoors too much.

It’s spring and on the Tablelands that means all the bulbs are out or coming into bloom – agapanthus, hippeastrums, day lilies, crinum lilies… I’ve been madly planting bulbs to add to my collection. I like the idea of a river of blooms running down our hillside in spring.

This is very unlike the warm tropical coast, where – would you believe – many of the trees turn red and gold and lose their leaves in the spring. According to my son, they’re getting ready for the hot weather when they lose too much water through transpiration. It’s something I want to learn more about.

Went to the Yungaburra markets this morning and bought irises and dill. I know the deep blue irises will look gorgeous growing next to my red hippeastrums. And the dill will be scrumptious on potatoes or salmon. We’re eating home grown herbs with almost every meal these days.

I’m currently reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult. She’s an incredibly powerful writer. I am totally invested emotionally in the characters and I don’t want to put the book down. Pity about my looming deadline. I’m just hoping the ending isn’t quite as sad as the ending to My Sister’s Keeper.

2008-09-18T01:28:00.000-07:00

Current abode: The City

I’m finding my dual life a tad disruptive. We can’t stay in the country for as long as we’d like because of E’s work (he still has monthly meetings and invariably other things crop up that mean we stay in the city longer.)
In many ways this is great, especially as I get to see more of Lilly. Last night we had a birthday tea for her dad and E cooked chilli quail, while I made Marion Lennox’s bread and butter pudding, using the recipe in Sizzle, Seduce and Simmer. Try it – it’s divine.

Right now we’re fretting about a little grove of rainforest that we planted last week at Tarzali. Has it rained since we left? Have our poor trees wilted? It’s hard to know because Tarzali sits in a kind of radar shadow behind Mt Bartle Frere, so its rain doesn’t show up on the meteorology maps.

On the writing front, I’m in the last phase of my current story – busily trying to wrack up the tension and layer in lusciousness – wish I’d been to Barbara Samuel’s seminar at the RWA conference!

And yesterday I received a box of my next book – Blind Date with the Boss, as well as a complimentary copy of the 2009-2010 Australian Writers’ Marketplace. I’d completely forgotten that they’d asked me if they could reprint an article about category romance that I’d done for the Queensland Writers’ Centre.

I was busily hunting through the index, trying to find my article tucked away somewhere at the back when – crikey – I discovered it on … page one! Gulp. I remember before I was published I used to look on this tome as a kind of bible and now I’m in it. And here I am still struggling to think of myself as a “real writer”.

Finally

2008-09-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

Phew,
Blogger has finally let me back in. I don't know what I was doing wrong before or what I'm doing right now, but I kept being rejected by the blogger sign in. Now, at last I can post. Sorry about the silence.
For the past couple of weeks I've been taking care of my mum, who's been recovering from a knee reconstruction. I'm also writing flat strap, but now, I've found a way in, I'll soon be psting again.
Thanks to the lovely people who've written to me about Adopted: Outback Baby. It's always so wonderful to get feedback from readers.

Will be back her again soon.
Barbara xx

You learn something new every play...

2008-08-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

Where have I been while many of my colleagues have gathered in Melbourne this past weekend? Chained to my desk. Sigh.
Actually, while I’ve missed my annual chance to catch up with wonderful writing friends, I have to say I’ve had a productive few days at the computer. And I’ve learned something about my writing process.
You know… sometimes I can get up early and have a thousand words under my belt before breakfast. Other days I can sit at the computer for eight hours and still only squeeze out a thousand words before tea time. I’ve wondered why I have these differences in output. Is it something I’ve eaten or drunk that’s made the difference? Is it my level of tiredness? Are there problems with the story?
It could be any or all of these things, I guess, but I think the main thing is that some days I don’t really give my imagination a chance.
My best writing days come when I lie in bed and picture the next scene in the book. I see it like a movie in my head. I compose complete sentences and hear lines of dialogue, and this goes on until I reach the point where I practically leap out of bed and run to the computer.
It’s when I don’t have this imaginative playtime first that I run into trouble. Sometimes lying down after lunch will help me to visualise the next section of the book.
In a way I already knew this, but now I think I understand it more fully and I know that if the story’s not happening, it could very well because I haven’t had the privacy to dream. Sometimes there’s nothing I can do about that. But now I understand it better, I might find ways to get around the problem.
And by the way, I’ve discovered a new author and I’m currently glomming her books. I like Jane Green because of the depth of her characterization. By the time I get to the end of her books, I really feel I know the main characters as if they were part of my family. And she writes a lot about living in the country and gardening and cooking and all the things I love.
Check her out!

My life in the country update...

2008-08-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

How is our life in the country progressing???

You know… I thought I was going to be such a good blogger, telling you all about our new lifestyle, but sadly, I still have deadlines…

And when I’m not writing, there are all kinds of fun things to do outside. And of course there has been the added distraction of the Olympics, so I’ve been spending very little time on the Internet. But I don’t want to lose touch with everyone, so I promise to be a better blogger.

Currently, I’m working on the first of two books in a duo (my duo) and that’s always fun. I love creating a world and peopling it with characters whose stories will last beyond 50,000 words. And when I’m not writing, we’ve been off to the farmer’s markets to buy all sorts of fresh produce, and we’ve been visiting friends, or gardening. Yesterday we made a herb garden just outside the kitchen with mint and parsley (Italian and ordinary), coriander, basil, rosemary, chives, garlic chives, Lebanese cress. Are you bored yet? Oh and there are petite marigolds and alyssum, which are supposed to keep insects at bay.

Elliot has made a tripod to support one of our cherry tomato bushes and of course I would like tripods for all of them.

As I type, a big truck is toiling up the hill to the house to deliver top soil, so we can top-dress the pad on the southern side of the house.

So life is quite different already from living in our Townsville apartment. I love hanging the washing outside and taking in the gorgeous view while I’m pegging clothes. I love waking up to that gorgeous view each morning and seeing a sky that is different every day. I love coming across a flock of guinea fowl wandering up our driveway, and I really love having a wood fire stove in the house. Who would have thought we’d need a fire in Far North Queensland?

I also love being able to fill a vase with flowers from trees that we’ve planted. Let me assure you, I’m not yet in danger of turning into a zombie. (One of my city friends is certain that’s what will happen to me if I spend too long up here). Perhaps I should have some built-in checks. This blog could be one of them. If I only ever talk about gardening and wildlife, I guess we’ll all know I’m in trouble.

cover mix up...

2008-08-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

I wonder if someone in Sydney's Harlequin office has had a moment (quite a few moments) of confusion.

Check out the pictures and the titles for the September books. Do you reckon any author get the right picture?

Am imagining all kinds of scenarios that caused this mix up. But all the books are sure to be fabulous reads!!!!

My trip away continued...

2008-08-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Above is a pic of Barbara MacMahon and me with a view of the Yosemite valley behind us. You can see how hazy with smoke the view was, but also how stunning the landscape is. (You can also see that my hair needs a good wash!!)

We did lots of walks on the valley floor and saw beautiful waterfalls. I loved the huge, towering granite cliffs and the Ponderosa pines. And I was amazed to think I was at 7,200 feet. The top of our highest mountain in Oz is nowhere near that height.

Barbara and I walked to Mirror Lake while (sprightly young) Jessica Hart climbed higher on the Misty Trail. I found the altitude prevented me from too much climbing. We also went up to the Mariposa Grove and saw the fabulous sequoia trees -- the giant redwoods (biggest in the world) for which California is famous. Found myself humming that old song... 'This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York Island, from the redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters..." I think it was by the Kingston Trio -- one of the first records my parents ever bought...

OK... then there was the conference. And I guess, for us, the big thing was our workshop, although I went to a few fabulous workshops by others... Susan Elizabeth Phillips was an auto-hear. Meredith Bernstein gave a fabulous take on her perspective as an agent. And I loved Susan Mallery's Arc of the Trilogy.

In our workshop... we talked about the need to have emotion in our books to give them global appeal... To connect with women from many different cultures and backgrounds, we have to find those things we have in common, those things we all care about... families, health, jobs... we made a long list...

I talked about the main ingredients of emotional tension and emotional situations. Barbara M talked about the kinds of characters we need to connect with readers' emotions and Jessica outlined her methods for plotting. Then we divided our delegates into groups.

On the power point screen (yes, we used power point, which Jessica set up v effectively) we gave them these opening words.

Max opened the office door and stopped. And stared. "Tess, what the hell is a baby doing here?'

Each group then decided what this story was. (Surprise, surprise, they all decided that Max was a boss and Tess was his secretary! I couldn't persuade anyone that Max was an Outback cattleman. :)

The groups had to describe the hero and heroine, decide what would bring them together and what (internal issues) were going to keep them apart. And... where was the emotion?

The groups then pitched their ideas to editor Lucy Gilmour, who gave them very incisive and helpful feedback on whether these ideas would work for a Harlequin Romance.

We finished up with an extensive list of dos and don'ts for writing emotion.

From the feedback we've had it was very well received, which is gratifying.

In between workshops, I did as much sightseeing (oh, yes, and socialising) as I could. I saw all the main landmarks of San Fran that I wanted to see -- Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, Nob Hill...

Below is a shot with Oz mates, Hq medical author Fiona MacArthur and Sil Desire author, Bronwyn Jameson.

Finally there was the RITA ceremony. As my roomie, Kelly Hunter, was a RITA finalist, this was a BIG DEAL. I happily threw a little soiree in our room for Kelly before the event. She looked utterly gorgeous and glamorous in sleek black and we trekked down to the auditorium -- had our photo taken before the stage... and sat with baited breath.

Above, moi with Kelly Hunter, Trish Morey (who was representing finalist Anne Gracie) and Bronwyn Jameson.

Unfortunately none of our friends came home with a golden lady, but what champions they all were to have nominations in such tough categories!

I won't bore you with the tedious details of my lo-o-o-ong journey home. Suffice it to say, I'm very glad I went. And what was the best thing about the trip? Friends.

Always.

I'm ba-a-ack!

2008-08-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Actually, I’ve been back for a few days, but between jet lag and a mountain of dirty clothes and the minor matter of a deadline, I’ve been too busy to blog.

Since I was last here, I’ve had visitors, and we took them all over the Tablelands and west to Chillagoe. On one of our rambles we came across this gorgeous Outback river, which I just had to share as I put a river or creek in nearly every one of my Outback books. This is the kind of scene I usually have in my mind…

Then I was packing my bags for San Francisco and while I was away, Lilly turned two.

On the way to SF, I over-nighted in Tokyo, but instead of exploring, I holed up in my hotel room and wrote. This might sound weird, but the muse struck, you see, and she mustn’t be disobeyed. In fact I ended up writing ten pages long hand that day and I was thrilled! Then I hopped on an overnight plane to San Francisco and over the course of the next nine hours, I time travelled back to eleven o’clock the previous morning.

At the San Francisco Marriot, I was greeted by a beaming Afro-American who said with a huge grin, ‘We have a surprise for you!’

It turned out to be a message from Jessica Hart to meet her for dinner that evening. After crawling into my bed for a wee nap, we met. (Of course Jessica didn’t recognise me because my website photo was taken ten years ago) And we headed off for dinner in Chinatown and talked non-stop, as you can imagine.

The next morning, my hotel lost power. Yes! In the middle of a modern, sophisticated city like San Francisco and I had to carry all my luggage down fifteen storeys!! Luckily a lovely Japanese girl helped me by taking my overnight bag, but my wrist was shaky for the next twenty-four hours!

Jessica and I travelled by train to meet Barbara McMahon, who then drove us to Yosemite. Barbara lives in the Sierra Nevada and knows Yosemite well, so she was a wonderful tour guide.

The disappointing thing was that the entire area was ringed by bushfires. Actually, Barbara M was more disappointed than we were, because she knows how beautiful the valley and mountains look without the obscuring smoke haze. Honestly, it didn’t stop us from being overawed by the sheer beauty and grandeur of Yosemite.

Our Yosemite View motel motel had no power. Do you detect a pattern here? The authorities, we discovered later, had turned off the power some distance away in case lines burned and fell on fire-fighters.

Cold showers, cold food and candlelight became the pattern for the next couple of nights, but we were having such fun getting to know each other and exploring the beauty of Yosemite that we really didn’t mind.

But for the third night we left Yosemite and found a motel with electricity and hot showers. Bliss to wash my hair again!!! That night we stayed up past midnight rehashing and planning our workshop for the conference and on the drive back to SF next day, we “practised” the group work in the car. Believe me, the extra preparation paid off! (See how professional we were??)

I’m having trouble with blogger today. It won't let me move photos around, so I'll post more photos and tell you you more about the rest of the conference tomorrow.

See you in a fortnight...

2008-07-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry I’ve been quiet here, but I’ve been busy with house guests and I’m heading off today, flying to San Francisco for the Romance Writers of America Conference.
This will be my first overseas trip alone and my first delivery of a workshop in America, so I’m both excited and nervous!!!

First I’m meeting up with two other Harlequin Romance authors, Jessica Hart and Barbara McMahon and we’re going to Yosemite to see the beautiful Californian redwood forests. We’ll also have a chance to put a fine tune on the Emotion, Emotion, Emotion workshop we’ll be presenting with editor Lucy Gilmour.

If you’re attending the Literacy Signing on Wednesday July 30th, please come up and say hello. I’ll be giving away koalas, both of the furry and caramel chocolate variety.

in my absence...

2008-07-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

I am rather busy with house guests, but please visit Liz Fielding's blog where I have made a guest appearance and am giving away a book, and also the Pink Heart Society, where I'll be guest appearing on the weekend and again giving a book away.

Happy weekending...

Our year in the country begins...

2008-07-15T03:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog friends,

I've been quiet for the past week because we've busy completing the big shift! But we are now officially living in the country and making occasional trips back to the city, instead of the other way round.
And I am now working from a lovely new laptop in a neat little new guest bedroom/ office. And I have wireless broadband!! Yay!

We've painted the dining room and the internal wall that has no stained glass windows is now a very deep and STRONG rose pink. I took a day to get used to it, but now I love it. (After all I am a romance writer, so what other colour is there?) Photos to follow.

We've already Christened the dining room with one guest, have more coming tomorrow night (will cook my favourite casserole beef bourignon and favourite winter dessert -- caramel apples -- let me know if you'd like the recipes). And then proper house guests arrive on Thursday, so am a tad busy, fitting in writing and preparations for SF. Luckily, I like to get up early and write while it's still dark.
Today we've had mizzle, which is Tablelands for misty rain, but it's lovely writing weather and our tanks have almost filled, so I don't think I need to feel guilty about long hot showers.

Will keep in touch. Hope you're all well!
Barb

Recipe books...

2008-07-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes I watch them and see they are counting each bite to make their ice cream or chips last as long as possible, And they separate the food into groups on their plates and save, just like I did, the best for last..." from Tessa Kiros, Apples for Jam

Do you like recipe books?

I happen to love them, although I must admit I like pouring over the books more than slogging it out in the kitchen.

Some books are sensuous delights, aren't they? Full of beautiful pictures of not just food, but the landscapes and seascapes from which the food has been produced, or the markets where it is sold, as well as pictures of kitchens, cooks, cooking utensils -- and happy people gathered around kitchen or dining tables.

One of my favourite cook book authors is Tessa Kiros. I discovered her first when I bought Falling Cloudberries one Christmas, as a possible gift. Sadly, no one else received that gift -- I kept it for myself. But I have given Tessa's books as gifts since then. And a year later, my daughter Emma gave me Apples For Jam.

What I love most about Tessa's books is that while they are packed with yummy and interesting food from a wealth of ethnic backgrounds, and of course there are beautiful pictures, they are also peppered with snatches of her evocative writing. In Apples for Jam there are many nostalgic memories...

I could hardly wait to spring out of bed in the mornings, onto my two-wheeler down the drive. We played circus over Dixie's kennel and brushed Sumpi till she shone. Later were water-drinking competitions and just about anything else that came into our lush minds. Sometimes it was just such a drag to come in for a meal... we far preferred to take our plates to the shelter that the tree made into a cave for us -- or under the weeping willow. We didn't really mind if it was real parmesan -- it was the shapes and flavours that could carry us away and link arms with our fairies. I watch that same energy in my children, their days just filled with trust and newness and full of spontaneous wonder, and flowing along with whatever is happening. Sitting on hilltops and dreaming of being kings in other places.

Each recipe comes with her friendly discussion about the dish and how she came across the recipe, as if she was there with you in the kitchen chatting, while leaning on the bench and scribbling notes down on a piece of scrap paper.

Here is one of my favourite Tessa Kiros recipes:

CYPRIOT BAKED LAMB & POTATOES WITH CUMIN AND TOMATOES

Serves 6

2 RED ONIONS, roughly chopped
1.2 kg (2 lb. 12 ozs) POTATOES, cut into large chunks
1 kg (2lb. 4ozs) LAMB, cut into chunks
4 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FLATLEAF(ITALIAN) PARSLEY
3 HEAPED TEASPOONS CUMIN SEEDS
125 ml (1/2 cup) OLIVE OIL
4 or 5 ripe tomatoes, CUT INTO THICK SLICES
50g (1 3/4 oz) BUTTER

This is so simple. It's a very typical Cypriot all-in-one meal -- you just need time to prepare the lamb and vegetables, then you can fling them in the oven, go out for a (Greek) coffee and come home to a ready meal. You could use lamb chops and leave them whole instead of cutting them into chunks, which makes it even simpler. And it doesn't need much by way of accompaniments -- perhaps a salad or some simply steamed vegetables.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 F Gas 4). Put onion, potato and lamb into a 5 litre (20 cup) casserole dish or a deep baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, cumin and olive oil and mix through very well with your hands. put the tomato slices on top in a single layer and season lightly with salt. Dot with butter over the top and pour 125 ml (1/2 cup) water around the sides of the dish. Cover with foiland bake for two hours, tilting the dish from side to side a couple of times and spooning some of the pan juices over the top. the lamb should be very tender and the potatoes soft.

Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 200 c and cook for another 45 minutes or so, turning the lamb halfway through, or until the meat and potatoes are a little browned and the liquid has reduced. Serve hot or at room temperature.

N.B.: I don't actually use quite as much oil as Tessa does and my oven tends to be rather hotter than most, so I reduce the times. And if we have a glut of cherry tomatoes, I use them unsliced. The flavours in the dish are wonderful -- winter or summer.

What are your favourite recipe books?

which way is up?

2008-07-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

I come from a land downunder...

Or do I?

You know… Australians and Kiwis don’t actually go around thinking about themselves as living at the bottom of the world. The whole idea originated with the first mapmakers, who lived in the northern hemisphere and automatically thought of themselves as “right way up” and therefore “on top.”

Some Aussie mapmakers have decided to produce “corrected” maps…

I mean, who said north is UP? We don't walk around on our heads, do we? :)

July...

2008-06-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Crikey, it's July already and we've tipped over into the second half of 2008. How did that happen? It seems just a blink ago that I was celebrating New Year!

I know what this means -- I'm getting old and I'm too busy. Oh, well c'est la vie! What it also means in this little slice of blogland is that Adopted: Outback Baby goes on sale in the UK and North America and is also available online in Australia.

I'm going to a tad busy this month. We're hoping to move house next week to begin our year in the country! I'm also going to San Francisco and have to finish my workshop notes; I'm blogging on Liz Fielding's blog and at the Pink Heart Society. Oh, and I have a new book to start. So instead of teling you too much more about Nell and Jacob's story, I thought I'd share with you this review, which a kind friend alerted me to. It was written by an eharlequin reader, Vince. Thanks so much, Vince!!

Great Outback Story With A Difference!

I’m a big fan of Outback stories and reading “Adopted: Outback Baby” is like getting a double bonus.

"Adopted: Outback Baby”, is especially interesting because the hero and heroine are the 39-year old grandparents of the child they are trying to adopt. They are not married but were lovers twenty years before, but have not seen each other since. This theme is so unusual that the author was not sure the publisher would approve of it. I’m glad “Adopted: Outback Baby” was approved, because Barbara Hannay makes the story work while keeping everything very interesting every stop of the way.

I found the plot always interesting and believable. The character’s actions were honorable and there is something wonderful about getting a second chance at love when you were wrongfully denied your first chance. There was an injustice in “Adopted: Outback Baby” that feels so good to see rectified. This is a very good feeling book. The action takes place both in the Outback and at a beautiful seaside cottage. The beautiful locations are a real plus in this book.

The hero and heroine are perfect for each other and the HEA is doubled by the well executed Epilogue. I really appreciate an author who expands the envelop and takes chances. “Adopted: Outback Baby” really works.

Challenging Grandparent Hero and Heroine Theme – A Big Winner!

A makeover...

2008-06-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've had a face-lift... well, actually, my website has had a face-lift. It's beautiful and fresh and young again, thanks to the skills of the multi-tasking Ally Blake -- author, new mother and website guru. Check it out!!

Meanwhile, I've been reading a very interesting book -- A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong, which examines the way human beings have been making meaning of their lives through stories since Palaeolithic times.

I find it very helpful, every so often, to dip into theory. So much of what we do as writers is instinctive. We, like those storytellers who sat around fires in caves, often don't know why we feel compelled to tell the stories we tell. And although that doesn't matter... I find it also doesn't hurt to reflect and analyze from time to time.

I haven't finished the book yet, but this quote about heroes got me thinking.

"All cultures have developed similar mythology about the heroic quest. The hero feels there is something missing in his own life or in society. The old ideas that have nourished his community for generations no longer speak to him. So he leaves home, endures death-defying adventures. He fights monsters, climbs inaccessible mountains, traverses dark forests, and in the process, dies to his old self, and gains new insight or skill which he brings back to his people."

Of course, in romances, particularly the Romance line, we focus mostly on the heroine's story. Her monsters and inaccessible mountains are the personal problems she has to face and at best they become a source of tension between her and the hero. The knowledge or skill that she learns is often about herself and she brings this enlightenment to their romantic relationship.

I guess the point I'm making is -- if you're a beginning writer, don't be afraid to give your characters difficulties and big problems. It makes the romantic happy ending so much more powerful!

Postmortem

2008-06-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Well, the Tuesday Book Club has come and gone and it was a little disappointing -- not that Anne Gracie didn't do a brilliant job. How she kept smiling and being gracious to those panelists, who clearly knew nothing about romance books and didn't want to know anything about romance books is beyond me. Only one panelist admitted to ever having read a Mills and Boon and he was eight at the time and it wasn't his cup of tea. All M&Bs were dismissed on the basis of that one experience and on reactions to their covers -- although the discussion of the covers was edited out -- thank goodness.

The program was entitled Sex and Romance, but it was really only about sex and there was an underlying assumption that romance is only about sex, when we all know it encompasses so much more.

So without rattling on for too long, the result was that as far as academics and literary snobs are concerned, Romance in Australia is still a bad smell. Nothing new there...

First Tuesday Book Club

2008-06-23T16:49:00.001-07:00

Tonight on the ABC, Anne Gracie, our very own president of Romance Writers of Australia, will be talking with other authors about sex and romance on Jennifer Byrne's First Tuesday Book Club. Yaaay!! Go, Anne!!! Don't miss it!!!!

The power and magic and mystery of art...

2008-06-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

The other day I saw a painting on Fiona Harper's blog and immediately, in my imagination, I was back in my childhood, pouring over a book of works of art.
When I was growing up in Brisbane, there was a smallish art gallery, which we visited quite regularly. I can only really remember one Picasso -- La Hollandaise. I believe my fascination with art came from one book, which was part of a collection, and which my family simply called The Red Books. The official name for these books was The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls and how I loved them - a set of twelve - I would be here all day if tried to tell you about them all.

Possibly my favourite was the one filled with famous paintings -- no doubt chosen for children because they tell a story.

I don't have that book anymore (it resides at Lilly's house) but many of those paintings will stand out in my memory for ever and I'm sure that in some small way (maybe a huge way) they've shaped the person I've become. I wanted to share them with you.

First is "The Song of the Lark" by Jules Breton. I loved the simplicity of this painting. I was immediately transported to this flat field, where the woman pauses on her way home from her day's work. I love the way he's captured the time of day, the sturdy, rustic beauty of the woman and the concentration on her face as she listens to a sound we cannot here. Something earthy and 'right' about this painting has always filled me with huge satisfaction. (And I loved the woman's broad feet!!!!)

And then there was "The Princes in the Tower". I don't know who painted this, but oh, my it captured my girlish imagination. The young Princes, Edward and Richard, were supposed to have been locked away by their wicked uncle, Richard the third, and later murdered. I was horrified, of course, and I guess I was also in love with them. I mean, Will and Harry weren't around when I was a girl, but just imagine if something like this had happened to them...

Much later, I read Josephine Tey's fabulous book 'Daughter of Time' which gives a revisionist view, suggesting that Richard did not commit this crime. Riveting read. But that's no help to the boys, of course.

Then there's "Listening to the Sphinx" by Elihu Vedder. I love how the majestic size and the cold blankness of the sphinx contrasts so strongly with the intense concentration in the body of the listener. And of course, there's the mystery... what question did he ask? What was the answer?

Next, there's the painting that Fiona Harper showed -- which is "Carnation Lily, Lily Rose" by American artist John Singer Sargent. Has any picture ever been designed to entrance a girl? The beautiful flowers, the white dresses and the glowing lanterns... the gathering dusk and the sense of a party about to begin... simply, utterly enchanting...

And now the painting that affected me most -- "The Doctor" by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes.

Talk about emotional punch!!!

Apparently, Fildes painted this after his own son died, as an expression of admiration for the doctor who attended his child. Luckily, I didn't know this. I found enough pathos in the picture without knowing the background. I was fascinated by the child's bed, made up on two chairs, and by the gentle concern on the doctor's face. But, oh, what got to me most was the poor mother, lost in despair in the background and the silent, brave and suffering father, standing with his hand on her shoulder.

Perhaps it's my need for a happy ending, but I always imagined that this child recovered.
He did, didn't he?

Colour me emotional

2008-06-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

Lately, I’ve been painting…

No, nothing artistic, I’m afraid.

Now that the work at Tarzali is almost complete (emphasis on almost – electrician and plumber still have things to do!), we have a lot of bare surfaces that need to be protected with paint.

E was all for hiring a professional painter. He found an ad in the Millaa Millaa Times for a painter with a brilliant name like Heinrich Schicklgruber and he wanted to dine out on stories of Heinrich’s painting prowess. But I was hit by boring scruples and talked about saving…. after all I’m swanning off to San Francisco next month.

I had fuzzy but happy memories of our first home, which we bought here in Townsville just after the destruction of Cyclone Althea.

It was a dooer-upperer, if ever there was one, and we painted and wall-papered and laid tiles happily and inexpertly, thrilled with our first little nest.

This time, E did not join me in my enthusiasm. Nevertheless, I won and we’ve been painting – lovely rich full gloss cream on the French doors to my new office/guest bedroom, lots of clear Estapol on timber walls and door frames, and Sikkens on outside frames exposed to weather. And putty – oh, the “fun” we’ve had with putty – filling a thousand tiny nail holes. Did you know putty comes in all sorts of colours – including pine?

Eventually the dining room will have a rose tinted feature wall and the kitchen will be leafy green. Eventually…

We didn’t get anywhere near finished when we had to come home because I have to prepare my Emotion, Emotion, Emotion presentation for San Francisco…

I know… I could have written it up there, but somehow all those paint smells and the sight of bare walls awaiting my brush blocked my thought processes.

So now I’m back, writing and thinking… in the depths of emotion…

At not quite two...

2008-06-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

Lilly enters society...

as a flower girl...

Last weekend...

2008-06-12T03:56:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we went to Brisbane for a significant birthday celebration for my daughter, Victoria. Vicki used to be a dancer and she worked with a contemporary company called Dance North. As a dancer she has travelled all over Australia, as well as to Scotland, China, Korea and Japan. But a few years back, she went skiing in the French Alps and a knee injury caused her to rethink her career. After a couple of years drifting, she decided to study Occupational Therapy and now she is just one semester away from graduating with Honours. Needless to say we're very proud of her.
And our weekend was fabulous, because I also have another daughter, two sisters, two grandchildren, assorted spouses of same, as well as nephews, nieces and a Mum in the Brisbane region.
Here are a few pics of how our family spent a completely non-writing weekend...

Vick throwing a frisbee with my granddaughter, Lucy.

With her boyfriend, Matt -- barbecuing sausages.

And here's just one small glimpse of my mum's five acre garden.

Andrew doesn't like this shot, but I love it -- of my younger daughter and younger son in another part of my mum's garden. Who would know she's just been through ten years of drought?
One disappointment -- I missed seeing Jane Austen's Persuasion on TV on Sunday night. Must see if I can track it down.

Dreams...

2008-06-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Saw a crazy, creative and quite fabulous film French film about dreams and sleep last night. It was called The Science of Sleep and the characters had trouble distinguishing between dreams and reality, but there was also a sweet romance with plenty of tension about whether the boy would actually get the girl.

Came home to dream that I had fifteen minutes left before closing time in the shops and I had to buy about ten birthday presents. I spent the entire time trying to organize others into who would buy what, with all of them complaining and nothing being bought.

Not surprisingly, I have to drag myself out of my writing cave to go shopping today. Off to Brisbane tomorrow for – you guessed it – family birthday celebrations.

There was also another truly beautiful film called Conversations with my Gardener, which I loved -- about a renewed friendship between two men who were friends in primary school and haven't met since. One is a Parisian artist , the other a rural railway worker. When the artist's marriage is on the rocks, he goes back to the place in the country where he grew up and hires his old friend as his gardener. One character is sophisticated and worldly and open to new ideas; the other is simple, rustic and un-malleable as rock. Each, in his own way, helps the other. So simple, but so powerful. These foreign films are wonderfully refreshing.

BTW, who saw Jane Austen's Emma on ABC TV last Sunday night? I thought Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley was just fabulous. That dignified bearing. Those eyes!!!!