The Well of Youth is LIVE!!

It didn’t dawn on me until I was sitting at the launch, the display out for everyone, that I felt like I could be excited! The local Mayor was coming to give a speech, my Dad flew down from the NSW coast unexpectedly, but I didn’t feel until that moment that I’d really done it.

As people started turning up it started to pass in a blur, but I got so many pictures, and I am pleased to say this is one of the few I took alone (the rest are with the many loved ones standing next to the banner with me – or without me, I’m looking at you David);

There was cake too! – Ok, so it doesn’t look like it, but that big fat book is really a big fat chocolate cake that was delicious, thank you Vaye!

I got to catch up with so many old friends, and people I didn’t expect who made the afternoon wonderful! It felt less about showing off what I’d done, and more being grateful to all the people there.

To Scott who spent so much time helping me with it.

To Nushie, who couldn’t be there, but gave me such beautiful artwork, breathing life into my stories.

To Kate for making me look so pretty.

To Caroline for making me not feel awkward when she took pictures.

To Lorna for being my aid that day, unquestioningly making it go smoothly.

And to Emily who cracked jokes when I was nervous.

To Dee who gave such a… moving speech. It was very hard to do my speech afterward!

All the friends who came from far and wide, and it felt far less like I was talking to a bunch of strangers about my self spoken importance, and more about how far I’d come, and that they’d all had a part of it.

To my husband’s family who was there to support me – it meant so much and they have always made me feel so included in their family, even if I was a little odd.

To my Dad… who didn’t just come, he helped inspire all of this. I still got through the speech but it wasn’t easy!

I spent the evening hanging out with old uni friends who hadn’t seen each other in years and eating pizza while we reminisced. And then I went home and tired as I was I couldn’t sleep!

The next day should have been about follow up but instead I was at the Allcan Events Fundraiser for Breast Cancer, giving a speech, not about my stories or that I was an author, but about my very brave aunt who fought off cancer for nearly twenty years.

A beautiful event hosted by a work collegue and friend, Gigi, I was honoured, not just that she took the time out of a busy prep Saturday for her fundraiser to come to my book launch, but she also asked me to speak at her luncheon.

Its been a few days coming but I am glad to see the books finally online everywhere and now the hard part of marketing.

I couldn’t have done any of it without the love and support of my husband to whom I am truly grateful. He probably won’t read that but its OK, I do tell him, every day. And intend to keep doing so even with all the books that are to come.

Thank you all of you who were there on the day, and those of you who couldn’t make it I still got your wonderful messages of love and support and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. Thank you all!

October 18, 2017 1

Birthday Book Launch!

Its coming, its so close and I am so excited to start talking about it!

SIX WEEKS TO GO until The Well of Youth will be officially released and available for purchase! To celebrate this culmination of years of hard work and passionate creativity, I will be hosting a launch event in my home town of Trentham.

I invite you to join me to celebrate not only the release of the first book in the Last Prophecy series, but also, my birthday!

The launch will take place at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in TRENTHAM, VICTORIA (21 High Street, Trentham) on Saturday, 14 October, from 4-7pm (AEST).

I will be speaking on the day – as will some invited guests – and I expect that the local, intimate nature of the event will provide plenty of opportunity for you to grill me about what you can expect as we continue through the Last Prophecy stories!

Now, I am very aware that Trentham is a bit of a hike – even for those of you based in Victoria – so I have decided that the event will also be live recorded on my Facebook page. This will mean that the prizes (yes, there will be prizes) will be on offer to my wonderful supporters and network all over the world. Stay tuned as the event approaches for more details!

So get out your bookmarks and save the date – Saturday 14 October, 4-7pm – and come along and join me in toasting the release of my new book, The Well of Youth.

September 2, 2017 0

Ups, Downs, and Roller Coasting Around

This very late post was relegated to being on a my first available free day because there have been so many ups and downs lately, as there usually is at this time of the year, that I haven’t had time to sit down and write, let alone play games or do any of my normal activities.

Why?

Well there is exciting news.

The Last Prophecy was released on Halloween and has done tremendously well! I have been so happy to get this book out, as the story needed so much work, mostly because it is completely integral to the series going on, and as such had to be perfect, but also because it brought a whole lot of challenges and learning experiences I can only thank my editor for. His tireless work is how I got this book out and I couldn’t be more grateful to him for his immense help.

Its also been encouraging because of some of my feedback. I have to share the first words I got back from a friend/fan, I am now calling a frand. (Why not?);

“I hate you.”

Sounds awful doesn’t it? I couldn’t have been more pleased. It was a text sent at midnight during the week for someone who works hard and gets up early. So what had it meant? He stayed up reading it until it was done, got to the end and…wanted more.

Wanting more is the biggest compliment I think an author can get, and I am very flattered by that, regardless of the words used to convey it.

I can also finally show you the first piece of commissioned work for the promo video coming out next year. That is if you aren’t following me on FB where it’s been adored!

Done by the artist Nushie, ( http://nushie.com/), we are collaborating to make a few of these, but I’m going to be cruel and only show you this one until the video comes out.

Hey, if Mr. Martin can torture his fans why can’t I?

Ok, so I’ll probably fold and show you the next one in my excitement but at least let’s pretend I can hold out.

Then there are downs.

When someone you love is terminally ill it’s infuriating that life doesn’t, can’t and won’t stop. The helplessness, frustration and inevitability of it has left me breathless, so full of emotion I didn’t know how to express; there simply hasn’t been enough tears I can cry.

But you get up and carry on, even if a part of you won’t let go and is never the same.

If only it were as easy as those words.

I am simply grateful for the loved ones around me who support me through both; the good and the very bad. In both instances they have made the moments that more memorable, knowing I have such family and friends coming together during such a chaotic and emotional time.

November 11, 2016 0