Category Archives: The Month That Was…

The Month that was…November 2023

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What a jam-packed month, November was. I’m only just recovering from my daughter’s wedding extravaganza followed by the publication and launch of my latest book, Sugar Creek.

It was all nerves and anticipation when I turned up to The Bank, Carnegie where guests freely mingled inside and out. The temperature was mild and the rain held off. Some grabbed a meal and a drink before the formal part of the evening.

AJ Collins kindly and generously gave up her time to say some glowing words to launch the book before I got up and spoke. Of course once you get me started, it’s hard to stop. When it came to question time I was surprised by the interest with questions such as how long does it take to write a book to… is there another one?

Just in case you haven’t caught up about Sugar Creek, read the blurb below.

A missing man, a stolen baby and a plot of land where nothing grows. Are they connected? One person knows.

1948: Sugar Creek seemed such a welcoming town for Ellen, a young woman keen to share the news of her pregnancy with her fiancé Billy. When Billy signs up for extra work testing topical creams at the local military base, to earn money for their wedding, Ellen is nervous. Now it seems her fears were founded. Billy has disappeared. Devastated, Ellen begins to ask questions, turning the locals against her and putting her life at risk as she desperately searches for him.


2000: Instead of beginning her career with a dream job as a GP in a suburban practice, Dana has found herself jobless and facing the hospital board for a mistake she made with a patient. Herb Hipworth, mayor of Sugar Creek, is desperate for a town doctor and makes Dana an offer she can’t refuse. But when Dana arrives in the remote tropical town, she discovers the locals are plagued with unexplained health issues. Now, as she digs for the cause, she stumbles upon a decades-long conspiracy leading to an environmental disaster.

Sugar Creek is available on Amazon

What I’ve been watching…

I’ve launched back into the second season of Julia, the series about Julia Childs and it has inspired me to do a little more cooking…if only.

What I’ve been reading…

I’ve caught up a little on my reading so watch out next month for my reviews of these interesting and heart-felt novels.

Happy reading and writing everyone as we prepare for the festive season and the end of another big year.

Until next month…

The Month that was…October 2023

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My blog is a little late but October was crazy busy.

The launch of my latest novel, Sugar Creek has been taking up a lot of my time and we have another wedding in the family in early November.

The reviews from the advance readers for Sugar Creek are coming in and the reception has been really well received. Check out some of the reviews from Goodreads.

Anne-Marie wrote, “Although this is a work of fiction, the storyline, events and characters are quite believable. I am always on the lookout for Aussie authors and am so happy to add another to my list.’

Christine wrote, “Excellent story telling. The book kept me engaged. The characters were easy to like and well developed.”

Marlene wrote, “A very good read, I finished it in only 4 days. She writes in a way that makes you really care for the characters. If you are looking for an easy read that plays with your emotions, you will enjoy Sugar Creek“

Now I’m preparing for the launch party and my daughter’s wedding all in the same month.

Sugar Creek is available now for pre-order and will be released 20 November.

What I’ve been reading…

It’s been a bit light on this month with only two books read. To be fair Bruce’s book was long and surely equal to two books. Watch out for the reviews coming shortly.

What I’ve been watching…

Like the rest of the world I watched Beckham and loved it. I was struck by the mob madness around soccer players and the mentality of striking out against Beckham as if it was his fault for their disappointment. It really gave an insight into the expectation of elite athletes by supporters. It’s not always pretty. Highly recommend this one.

Until next month, happy reading…

The Month that was…September 2023

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Well, the big news this month was the finalisation of my forthcoming novel, Sugar Creek. There is so much that goes into a book apart from the writing of course…that’s a big one. There’s the editing, proofing and of course the cover and not to mention the blurb.

In case you missed my earlier post, here’s the blurb for Sugar Creek.

A missing man, a stolen baby and a plot of land where nothing grows. Are they connected? One person knows.

1948: Sugar Creek seemed such a welcoming town for Ellen, a young woman keen to share the news of her pregnancy with her fiancé Billy. When Billy signs up for extra work testing topical creams at the local military base, to earn money for their wedding, Ellen is nervous. Now it seems her fears were founded. Billy has disappeared. Devastated, Ellen begins to ask questions, turning the locals against her and putting her life at risk as she desperately searches for him.


2000: Instead of beginning her career with a dream job as a GP in a suburban practice, Dana has found herself jobless and facing the hospital board for a mistake she made with a patient. Herb Hipworth, mayor of Sugar Creek, is desperate for a town doctor and makes Dana an offer she can’t refuse. But when Dana arrives in the remote tropical town, she discovers the locals are plagued with unexplained health issues. Now, as she digs for the cause, she stumbles upon a decades-long conspiracy leading to an environmental disaster.

Sugar Creek will be out 20 November, 2023. You can pre-order here

What I’ve been reading.

What I’ve been watching.

I simply loved this series. Having read the book, I don’t always like the movie or TV adaption. I was not disappointed with this one. The acting was very strong, the scenery spectacular and the story magnificent. Don’t miss out on this one.

The Bear is a drama-comedy series about a world renowned chef who is forced to come home to take over his brother’s sandwich shop after he tragically passes away. It’s funny yet tragic and the acting is terrific. It’s one to check out.

Until next month…

The Month that was…August 2023

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Following on from last month’s blog about our road trip, we left Airlie Beach and travelled south and was lucky enough to visit some spectacular places. Here’s a few pics to give you an idea. We travelled to Yeppoon then onto Agnes Beach, popped into Maryborough and Gladstone, toured K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) and stayed on spectacular North Stradbroke Island, where we watched the whales. Truly a stunning trip.

I’ve been back home from our road trip for a couple of weeks now and whilst I loved travelling it is nice to be back. Of course, waiting for me was a list of things I’ve been putting off for the last couple of months. I’m busy now ticking them all off, one by one.

The biggest news is that my new novel is just about ready and will be out towards the end of November. Stay tuned for updates during September and October.

What I’ve been reading.

As ever I’ve still tried to keep up my reading but have also enjoyed a couple of audio books while travelling. Watch out for my thoughts about these ones in the coming weeks.

Until next month…

The Month that was… July 2023

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Road Trip

We set off for warmer places and drove 2400 kilometres to reach Airlie Beach. It took us fourteen days with a bit of adventure on the side.

The highlight for me was a tour of a seventy-two thousand acre beef cattle station near Carnarvon Gorge where we explored ancient aboriginal cave paintings, saw ancient cycads and peered up at colourful sandstone cliff-faces. The second highlight was prospecting for sapphires in the gemfields near Emerald. I can fully admit that I was seized with gem-stone fever as I uncovered a spectacular green sapphire.

What I’ve been reading.

It’s hard to know what books to pack for a road trip. Should I pack a suitcase?

Instead I packed just one hard copy, The Marriage Portrait and the rest were ebooks. This is what I picked.

Reviews will come out soon.

We are still travelling so until next month…happy reading.

The Month that was… June 2023

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We’re in the thick of winter now and yet the roses are still blooming. How can that be?

Despite the cold there is still plenty to get excited about.

Two restaurant recommendations which I’ve loved are Yan in South Yarra, where the speciality is smoked food. Delicious. The second is Grazia in Glen Iris, an Italian restaurant. Try them out.

What I’ve been watching…

I headed off to the theatre this month to see Is God Is a play about twin sisters seeking justice for their long lost mother. It’s a quirky yet dark and disturbing story so much so that there was long list of trigger warnings before the start of the play. It was enthralling and gripping with sharp acting and well worth seeing.

If you live in Melbourne, try to see it before it ends July 15.

What I’ve been reading…

Another good month of reading… reviews to follow shortly.

It’s time to seek a warmer climate so we’re going to hit the road next month. Watch out for updates via Instagram posts.

Until next month…

The Month that was…May 2023

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What I’m watching…

A month at home enjoying the last of the falling autumn leaves and summer’s heat. But I did manage to take in a play, Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days starring the incredible Judith Lucy. Ms Lucy, best known for her comedic abilities, shone in this virtually one woman show. The play itself left me scratching my head and required a lot of thought and analysis which enlightened with reflection. It’s on in Melbourne until June 10th.

We also took in the Monet & Friends at The Lume, Melbourne where the digital screen of art comes alive one walls and floors. It truly is an immersive and magical experience Highly recommended but hurry as I believe it ends in early June.

What I’m reading…

Watch out for my upcoming reviews but here are the ones for The Fancies and The Sea of Tranquility

Until next month…