2017

Good News Week

Margareta-Admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 02:50:29 +0000

Good News Week

Margareta-Admin Tue, 17/01/2017 - 1:50 pm

And so, this week I need to share with you all, the most fabulous array of news.

After many early mornings (and more than a few late nights), my edits on LAKE HILL are done and dusted! Now, to the typesetters for this baby (and that would be baby number 10 if you count five print/ebook novels, two novellas and three kids :) … WHOO HOO!

Thanks to all you fabulous, amazing and incredibly supportive people, I have made it into the FINALS of Booktopia’s search for Australia’s Favourite Author!!! YA HOO! They are on the countdown to find the Top 50.

Family Celebrations :)

The finals are up on the Booktopia blog all week and there is an huge diversity of superb authors to choose from. If you’d like to cast your final vote for me <wink> … or any of the other incredibly talented authors listed (you can choose as many as you like!) and at the same time go in the draw to win $1000 worth of books (OMG, who wouldn’t love, love, love to win that?!)

Here’s the link: http://blog.booktopia.com.au/australias-favourite-author-vote/ (poll closes on Friday the 20th January)

This week I’ve also somehow managed to buy a new ‘secondhand’ car, which, has - the ultimate coupe de grace in my eyes – a working air conditioner, and heated seats! I know, slightly opposite ends of the temperature spectrum these two, but up here in the foothills both are necessary items I currently haven’t got! But more on that next week, so stay tuned ...

And, tomorrow, we are leaving the farm in very good hands and going on … wait for it … a HOLIDAY! As in a dinky di, you beaut, “sit by the water and do nothing if you want” vacation! So be prepared to be photo bombed (if you’re on Facebook or Instagram with me) by glorious water views, water skiing on glassy lakes, thongs, toe-rings, drinks, and boats, boats and more boats and maybe even the odd shot of the ocean. (I promise you faithfully there will not be a photo of me in my bathers. Whew! For you that is, for you.)

AND … for the above said holiday, I have an absolute PILE of books to read … and read … and read (and they are not my own). Bliss.

SO, seeing it’s celebration time and the thermometer is hitting 40+ degrees outside, and my husband informed me he was heading down into Heyfield for parts, I made my request for a bottle of my very favourite Pimm's and lemonade. Because, (deep breath and stay with me here …) it’s after midday and I mean, you don’t send off the final edits for a book (BABY NUMBER TEN, no less :) every day. Or get in the finals of one of Australia’s most favourite author polls alongside incredible authors like Liane Moriaty, Kate Forsyth, Monica McInerney and Tim Winton. Or buy a car with “essential/awesome gadget things” that actually work. Or be on the countdown to a much longed for holiday actually doing nothing? Do you?

And the books people, all those lovely BOOKS!

Love

Margareta

Hello 2017

Margareta-Admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 23:43:49 +0000

Hello 2017

Margareta-Admin Mon, 09/01/2017 - 10:43 am

Hello 2017! I hope your Christmas was wonderful and not too jam packed to sit, relax and read a book which hopefully someone stashed in your Santa sack. I scooped the pool with a few great novels. Two crime books by David Baldacci (The John Puller series) and The Birdman’s Wife by Melissa Ashley – the story of artist Elizabeth Gould. (I would’ve bought this novel myself simply based on the stunning cover alone!)

To 2016, I will have to admit, I am glad to say goodbye. I know one shouldn’t blame a year in particular for the dastardly things that happened but I am human and as humans we tend to want to lay blame. So. When a friend explained to me that the tumultuous events of the past year could be explained by the cosmos being in upheaval due to the super moon, I went, ‘Hell yeah, I can go with that. It’s all the super moon’s fault!’

The past two years in fact, have been spent, on a personal level, lurching from one crisis to the next. But focusing on 2016, this year was taken up with writing a book as hard and fast as I could, along with the usual stuff a family experiences – highs, lows and the mundane - and with caring for my ailing great aunt. It was the latter which meant 2016 was a particularly intense time. My great aunt was an incredible woman, one whom I admired and loved very much. And despite being nearly half a century older than me, she was one of my best friends. Two Great Wars, the Depression, the change of numerous eras, she'd seen it all. Her stories were endless, her stoicism, courage and strength of spirit extraordinary. Along with some lovely cousins we worked hard to keep her in the home she adored for as long as we could and we managed it until near the end of the year.

Lake Hill

As I said amidst all this I was trying to write LAKE HILL, and in some infinitesimal way this book has aligned itself with my great aunt. It’s been a battle all the way to look after my family, my aunt and write a cracking novel (the farm in its entirety was consigned to my poor husband for the duration), thus the reason publication of LAKE HILL was delayed from Christmas 2016 to Mother’s Day, 2017.

I realised in September, I. Just. Couldn’t. Do. It. All.

I am not super woman.

My, was that a shock to this little black duck.

So I put family first. And my agent and publishers understood, which was wonderful. You all understood which was even better, and why I am SO grateful to have such a wonderful bunch of gorgeous readers out there who patiently wait for my books.

On Wednesday, November 30, I had flown home for a shower and change of clothes, having spent the previous night at the hospital with my aunt. I bolted down a cup of tea, and before racing back to the hospital, pressed send on the edits for the manuscript of LAKE HILL. Five hours later my aunt left us too.

I miss her so much.

It's only now that I see the poignancy. Both things I had intensively worked with throughout the year of 2016 went on the same day. There’s got to be some symbolism in there.

So, I sit here today, going through the editing process on LAKE HILL once again, and have written this blog, so you know - despite the plot being absolutely nothing to do with my great aunt, behind LAKE HILL there is an incredible lady who supported my writing and me in the most loving way. She was so proud of my books, read every word (even BELLA’S RUN which did shock!) and to everyone from the gardener to the nurse on duty two days before she died she said, ‘This is my niece, she’s a famous author, you know. She’s written SO many lovely books’. I would always wish the floor would open and swallow me whole due to embarrassment, but now I would give anything to hear those words again.

And so, for 2017, my words of wisdom are:

Treasure every moment.
Live in the now.
Slow down.
And put family and friends first.

I hope your 2017 is wonderful.

LAKE HILL will be on a bookshelf near you by May 1, 2017, just in time for Mother’s Day. I hope you like the cover. The girl is a perfect depiction of our new heroine, Julia Gunn. You can read a more about Julia's and Rick's story on the Penguin / Random House website now.

Book Release Tour: Interview - 2DU AM Radio

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 02:12:48 +0000

Book Release Tour: Interview - 2DU AM Radio

Margareta-Admin Wed, 04/03/2015 - 1:12 pm

Date & Time

Wed, 04/03/2015 - 9:00 am

Catch me on 2DU Radio at 9.10am this morning 4th March at 9.10am

2017

Good News Week

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Book Release Tour: Interview - 2DU AM Radio

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