When all is lost.

It’s hard to comprehend how an area of low pressure in the Gulf of Carpentaria could spawn a deluge that roared down the east coast of Australia sweeping all before it in its fury. Flying from Cairns to Melbourne today I saw the land slowly change from emerald green to muddy brown to silvery-beige and black. Continue reading


Let the Muse Take the Lead

Kicking off  my guest blogs for 2013 is Rachael Johns. Congratulations to Rach for being shortlisted for the Australian Romance Readers Awards. It’s a wonderful accolade and richly deserved. Please make her very welcome as she shares some of her writing process. Hi Helene – thank you so much for having me back on your Continue reading


A Rural Writer’s Life

Please welcome Mandy Magro to the blog today. A fellow Penguin Australia author, Mandy’s new book, JACARANDA, has hit the shelves and I’m sure it will be a roaring success as was her debut novel, Rosalee Station. Looking forward to reading it very soon! Over to you, Mandy 🙂 Hi Helene, it’s so lovely to Continue reading


Masochistic tendencies…

Why oh why do I do it…. I have an end of May deadline for my next book on top of an already busy month with two library visits and a QWC writing course to run in Mission Beach, but still I go and buy irresistible books!! (And over the next month these three lovely Continue reading


Mandy Magro’s Station

My blog guest today is debut author, Mandy Magro, who’s a fellow North Queenslander. Her novel, Rosalee Station, is published by Penguin Australia who have a strong tradition of contemporary rural stories with established authors like Rachael Treasure and Fiona Palmer. Mandy brings a younger voice to that genre. Mandy, welcome to my corner of the internet Continue reading