Evergreen Falls

Need Help With Your Christmas Shopping List?

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 10:16:17 +0000

Need Help With Your Christmas Shopping List?

Margareta-Admin Wed, 03/12/2014 - 9:16 pm

The first week of December - my official crank up week for Christmas. Unfortunately, as I have edits due at two publishing houses for both ROSE RIVER and my new US novella, I haven't gotten into festive mode yet. Although I'd better hurry, the kids are currently counting down the days until end of school and I haven't even STARTED Christmas shopping yet!

(Breathe Margareta, breathe.)

This led me to thinking about my Christmas list. What should I buy those nearest and dearest to me this year? Which then led me to thinking about YOUR Christmas list. What are YOU going to buy your nearest and dearest with regards to reading material this year?

Need a hand? (You also might like to join me in those breathing exercises?)

There have been many, many books on my TBR (To Be Read) pile this year and whilst I'd LOVE to mention a whole swag of them, that's only going to confuse both of us, and my brain is addled enough. Instead I focused on the books I simply could not put down. The ones that came with me to the bus stop, to the kids swimming and running training, netball and even to the shed when I thought H wasn't looking. These were the novels I had to have with me just in case I got the slightest excuse to stop and read.

AND I only gave myself five choices. Gulp. Do you know how hard that was?!

After much debate, here they are, in no particular order accompanied by a suggestion as to who they might be a good present for. Although (disclaimer following), I might get it wrong, so don't blame me if your mother-in-law/father-in-law won't speak to you for weeks, okay?!

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

A no brainer choice. I simply could NOT put this book down even going so far as to read it while having cups of tea, eating breakfast & lunch. Dinner was out of bounds but I can tell you I was wishing the family would eat up fast and then do the dishes for me so I could get back to reading!

Here's the blurb:

I guess it started with the mothers.' 'It was all just a terrible misunderstanding.' 'I'll tell you exactly why it happened.' Pirriwee Public's annual school Trivia Night has ended in a shocking riot. A parent is dead. Liane Moriarty's new novel is funny and heartbreaking, challenging and compassionate. The No. 1 New York Times bestselling author turns her unique gaze on parenting and playground politics, showing us what really goes on behind closed suburban doors. 'Let me be clear. This is not a circus. This is a murder investigation.'

BIG LITTLE LIES is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, school-yard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

For the mother/grandmother/aunt/daughter who has attended play groups, parents and friend groups, in fact been involved with committees of any sort - and made it out the other side in one piece. Or not.

Hello From the Gillespies - Monica McInerney

I'll admit it. I'm a HUGE fan of Monica's work and she'd have to do many things wrong for me to hate one of her books, but I honestly did love this one. At the time I needed 'a chocolate' (sweet and engaging) read and Monica delivered ... and then some.

Here's the blurb:

For more than thirty years, Angela Gillespie has sent friends and family around the world an end-of-the-year letter titled ‘Hello from the Gillespies’. It’s always been cheery and full of good news. This year, Angela surprises herself – she tells the truth . . .

The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping poorly with retirement. Her 32-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can’t stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones.

Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when Angela is taken from them in a most unexpected manner, the Gillespies pull together – and pull themselves together – in wonderfully surprising ways . . .

For the mother/grandmother/aunt/danughter/friend who loves an easy, warm and engaging story. There will be laughter, there will be tears, but once you turn the final page you will be more than satisfied. (Hint: Wrap it up with a box of tissues.)

Evergreen Falls - Kimberley Freeman

Inspired by elements of her own grandmother's life, this gem by Kimberley Freeman has a dual narrative. A master of the historical, I loved the way Kim brought the 1926 Evergreen Spa Hotel alive in my mind, with all it's grace and rich extravagance. She then effortlessly flips to modern day and a romantic love affair that will change one young woman's life.

Passion, romance and intrigue thread this novel together using both historical and modern day storylines.

The blurb:

1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No one could have predicted what would unfold.

2014: After years of putting her sick brother's needs before her own, Lauren Beck leaves her home and takes a job at a Blue Mountains cafe, the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel's renovations. There she meets Tomas, the Danish architect who is overseeing the project, and an attraction begins to grow. In a wing of the old hotel, Lauren finds a series of passionate love letters dated back to 1926, alluding to an affair - and a shocking secret. If she can unravel this long-ago mystery, will it make Lauren brave enough to take a risk and change everything in her own life?

Inspired by elements of her grandmother's life, a rich and satisfying tale of intrigue, heartbreak and love from the author of the bestselling Lighthouse Bay and Wildflower Hill.

For the great-aunt, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother in your life who loves a rich tale of bygone days spliced with modern-day life and love.

Life or Death - Michael Robotham

Simply incredible. I don't normally read thrillers but my lovely website manager (told you so ... told you so ... told you so!) talked me into reading this one and I was gobsmacked. The writing is superb, the storyline intense and intricate, the situation entirely plausible. I gave it to my husband after I'd finished and he read it in a matter of days as well. One hell of a read.

Why would a man escape from prison the day before he's due to be released?

Audie Palmer has spent a decade in prison for an armed robbery in which four people died, including two of his gang. Five million dollars has never been recovered and everybody believes that Audie knows where the money is.

For ten years he has been beaten, stabbed, throttled and threatened almost daily by fellow inmates and prison guards, who all want to answer this same question, but suddenly Audie vanishes, the day before he's due to be released.

Everybody wants to find Audie, but he's not running. Instead he's trying to save a life . . . and not just his own.

A great one for the male (or female) reader in your family (and then you can pinch it back from him to read first ... or second depending on who wins the stoush :)

The Sunnyvale Girls - Fiona Palmer

Fiona Palmer has become the author of my first personal choice when it comes to rural fiction. I can see, feel and breathe her stories, which seem to roll effortlessly from a very able pen. With the added Italian POW aspect embedded into this particular story, The Sunnyvale Girls, is a polished and well rounded tale that gives you plenty to think about.

Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.

Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.

When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.

For anyone who loves a rich, well-told yarn.

There you have it. My personal picks for 2014. Of course, there are a plethora of fabulous books to pick from this year so, whatever you choose, happy reading ... oh, I mean shopping! {blush}

RURAL BOOKS CURRENTLY HITTING THE SHELF

If you love your rural books, there are a few rural authors who have novels out in time for Christmas. (Just in case you want to put them on your own Santa list! ) These include THE GREAT PLAINS by Nicole Alexander, GEMMA'S BLUFF by Karly Lane, OUTBACK GHOST by Rachael Johns, RIVERBOAT POINT by Tricia Stringer and the list goes on. Check out http://www.australianruralromance.com for more rural books available in the festive season.

CHRISTMAS BARGAINS

If you're into romance eBooks along the lines of Nora Roberts, Linda Lael Miller and Diana Palmer, over at Tule there's a great lineup of Christmas eBook novellas, with some going really cheap at the moment. Our own Alissa Callen has one called HER MISTLETOE COWBOY available for approx. $3.39. There's also a few on sale for a limited time at 0.99c (titled Christmas at Waratah Bay; Just in time for Christmas; No Rest for the Wicked).

Oh and if that's not enough for you - some special offers on Amazon for Rural Romance (both Aussie & US based) The House at the Bottom of the Hill by Jennie Jones, Promise Me, Cowboy by CJ Carmichael and Marry Me, Cowboy by Lilian Darcy.

Should be something there to keep us all occupied in that post Christmas lull!

We Have a Winner & Book Week

Margareta-Admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 23:19:18 +0000

We Have a Winner & Book Week

Margareta-Admin Fri, 05/09/2014 - 9:19 am

ROSE RIVER UPDATE

There was great excitement here on the Hill on Friday night! I finally heard back from my publisher to say she, LOVES my new book ROSE RIVER!!! The comments went like this, 'I love it! It's like Bridget Jones in the Bush! It's funny, charming and still maintains that obvious love for the country and country characters.'

WHOO HOO! I'm a happy, happy girl!

TULE PUBLISHING

This week I started a new novella which will be released in January by US Publisher Tule. I'm really excited about this project as it will be my first foray into the US. Aussie readers will be able to buy it too, so stay tuned for more information!

BOOK WEEK

Last week was that time of year which sometimes makes even the most creative mum squirm. Book Week. Two words, two syllables, enough to incite fear into every home (well, other than the word 'move' but that's another story entirely). You'd think being an author I'd get all excited, that my creative "genius" (Ha!) muse would go into overdrive. It doesn't. I put my head in my hands and wail, 'Why me?! Surely we're past all that now?' The children assure me we aren't finished until after Grade 6, which gives me another two years of 'what are we going to dress-up as, mum?' angst. Sheesh.

Thankfully this year The Farm Boy wanted to go as just that.

Thankfully this year The Farm Boy wanted to go as just that. A farmer with his working dog from the book he is currently reading WORKING DOG STORIES by Angela Goode and Mike Hayes. The lad pressure washed his old pedal John Deere tractor, removed the home made forks, clamped on the home-made bull bar, stuck his border collie puppet on the exhaust pipe, pulled on his ordinary farm clothes, slapped on his matching JD cap and he was set to go. Tick.

The Princess on the other hand, dithered between Dorothy from Oz (last years costume) and Milly from my book MOUNTAIN ASH. As we had a big MOVE (that other word which, if mentioned, is enough to have me cowering under the table) earlier in the year, the Dorothy costume could not be found anywhere in a shed still piled high with boxes and bags. Sigh. Milly it was. A flying trip to town unearthed an irridescent frog to take on the role of Ribbit (Milly's amphibious pet), which we sewed to an old shirt. A soft dog toy called Spot played Milly's dog 'Floss'. The lass donned her farm clothes, hauled on her new Ariat boots (anything to get them an outing {smiley} slapped on her Akubra and we were set to go. Tick

The Princess on the other hand, dithered between Dorothy from Oz (last years costume) and Milly from my book MOUNTAIN ASH.

Two words. Two ticks. And only two years to go ... YAY!

INJURIES

I managed to fall flat on my face and do a little bit of damage to my knee. Fortunately I was able to drive home although H and the eldest lad had to help me out of the LandCruiser and inside. Then they proceeded to slap a bag of Potato Gems on my poor, swollen leg saying, 'Well, Mum/Hon at least you won't go hungry.'

I managed to fall flat on my face and do a little bit of damage to my knee

MANSFIELD BOOK TALK

I also had a flying trip to Mansfield for a book talk at the local library with three of my writing buddies, Kate Belle, Jennifer Scoullar and Kathryn Ledson. Librarian Justine and her wonderful helpers made us feel so welcome!

Mansfield Panel

FARMING UP ON THE HILL

The chickens have arrived! We are the proud step-parents of 4 little yellow fluff balls! The kids are SO excited. Mother chook, not so much. She's still trying to work out why the other 6 eggs weren't going to hatch. Unfortunately they were infertile so they have now been taken away

(siteadmin / chook breeder - referred to in these parts as bomb disposal duty ... handle with care!) ... but at least we have four cheeping little chicks!

(siteadmin / chook breeder - utterly gorgeous Margareta - can't wait to see what they look like when they grow up!)

FATHER'S DAY

We spent the day with as much of my family that could make it (football grand finals notwithstanding - which, by the way, they WON! Go Will Osborn & mates!) at the family beach house. It was great fun and meant some time dangling some body parts in the freezing cold water. Me? My little finger. My daughter? Her whole self. Brrrrrr ...

WHAT I'M READING

The new Jack Reacher novel, PERSONAL, finally hit its straps about a third of the way in and I really enjoyed the rest of the book. I have now handed it onto H, who will read it once he's finished reading the manuscript of ROSE RIVER! (He's such a good husband {wink|} )

After dithering over which to read next, EVERGREEN FALLS by Kimberley Freeman or BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty (I forgot I had that one!) I went with Liane's first. The reason? I met Liane's sister, Nicola Moriarty, also an author with Random House, in Sydney recently and we were discussing this book which Nicole Kidman has optioned for a movie. I had to read it.

And speaking of books to read, are you the winner of Kylie Ladd's new novel MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS?

I'd like to congratulate LAUREN McPHEE. Contact me ~here~ and I'll send your book out to you!

Until next time,

I'd just like to say Happy Father's Day to my Dad, because without him, I couldn't say this ...

Margareta x

Spring has sprung ...

Margareta-Admin — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 04:23:51 +0000

Spring has sprung ...

Margareta-Admin Mon, 01/09/2014 - 2:23 pm

SPRING

Spring is here! As we have spent the last few months planting bare rooted deciduous trees on the property and roses in the garden, I am really looking forward to seeing our new plants bloom. So much so that I'm daily checking the buds on the plants, literally willing them to explode into flower. I really, really REALLY want to see what these new roses look like in real life rather than just a picture in the Treloars roses catalogue!

NEW BOOK - ROSE RIVER

And speaking of roses, I'm very, very pleased (and just a tad relieved) to also let you know I've handed in Novel number 5, ROSE RIVER (don't you just LOVE that title!). The Princess pressed SEND on Friday morning (it is physically impossible for me to do this) so the manuscript could cyber-wing it's way to my publisher in Sydney and the kids and I high fived each other. I then put the children on the school bus and came home to wander around and ponder if 8am was too early for a celebratory wine!

ROSE RIVER is a full length novel based on the No. 1 Australian best selling ebook A BUSH CHRISTMAS which, incidentally, has just sold into Germany in a digital only first for Random House Australia (YAY!). So for those of you who messaged, emailed, facebooked and in person, begged and cajouled me to write a full-length book of this delightfully sweet, hysterically funny and hopelessly romantic tale, ROSE RIVER is it. I hope you love reading about the continuing romantic and comedic adventures of Jaime and Stirling, as much as I adored writing them. And for those of you who haven't read the ebook novella, you get the whole tale in the one print (and digital) book. A win win situation for all!

Rose River is on its way

FARMING UP ON THE HILL

The children and I are very impatiently awaiting the arrival of some new chickens up here on the farm. The kids are busy visiting "the nursery" twice, sometimes three times a day to check on progress and I am repeatly being told 'Mum, I can't hear any cheeping yet' which is highly likely because the chickens aren't due to hatch until next Saturday! (I did mention impatience ...) Our little flock of hens are mostly Plymouth Rocks but as I have fallen in love with the Buff Sussex (they're so cute!), we were able to procure some of these eggs to pop under our clucky Plymouth Rock hen. I'm not sure what she's going to think when she sees brownish chicks rather than black and white.

We've also had some new lambs arrive. These little fella's are a Dorper / Damara cross and are speckled black and white. In fact, two appear as though they've been half dipped in black ink. Very unusual markings for our flock. These arrived just in time to replace the last lot which were butchered recently and thus we have some yummy chops, cutlets and seriously delicious legs of lamb in the big freezer, the whole reason why we stock sheep.

The cows have also been calving which is keeping my father busy. He's calving them down at his place before they come 'up into the hills' to eat out our block in time for summer and its recurrent bushfire threat. With a few paddocks scattered across the district between us, it takes a bit of keeping up with what stock is where!

Dorper / Damara Cross lambs

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING - WIN A BOOK

I've recently just finished Kylie Ladd's new novel MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS. I'm a huge fan of Kylie's work as her books really make you think, and she also has a beautiful way with prose. I enjoyed MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS, which is a novel about a group of mothers who met via Mother's Group (as quite a few of us do - I know our mother's group still meets sporadically) and their relationships with their daughters and each other. It is slow in pace, set in the most beautiful place (Cape Leveque in W.A.) and it encourages you to ponder the differing personalities in our own friendship circles. It's well worth a read. I also loved heading back (in my mind) to this beautiful part of the world (just north of Broome) because it was here where my gorgeous husband proposed to me - right on the red cliffs of the Cape. With an Argyle diamond in hand, no less {smiley}.

I have one copy of MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS by Kylie Ladd to GIVE AWAY (courtesy of Allen & Unwin). Everyone subscribed to 'staying connected with me', will go in the draw to win. I'll announce the lucky recipient next week!

I've also just started Lee Child's new Jack Reacher novel, PERSONAL. Despite being an avid Jack Reacher fan (I was SO disappointed when Tom Cruise cast himself as Jack. As if. {wink}), I will have to admit I am finding it very hard to get into this novel. As H and I usually fight it out for the first go to read Child's books (I won this round), I think I'm acutally going to hand this one over without a murmur if it doesn't improve shortly.

... which will then give me the opportunity to read Kimberley Freeman's newbie, EVERGREEN FALLS. I'm hanging out for a trip to Sale to buy this one!

UNTIL NEXT WEEK ...

You might like to try my LUMBERJACK CAKE RECIPE. Seriously decadent, with apples and dates galore, you could even argue it's healthy!

Margareta xo

Evergreen Falls

Need Help With Your Christmas Shopping List?

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

Hello From the Gillespies - Monica McInerney

Evergreen Falls - Kimberley Freeman

Life or Death - Michael Robotham

The Sunnyvale Girls - Fiona Palmer

RURAL BOOKS CURRENTLY HITTING THE SHELF

CHRISTMAS BARGAINS

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We Have a Winner & Book Week

ROSE RIVER UPDATE

TULE PUBLISHING

BOOK WEEK

INJURIES

MANSFIELD BOOK TALK

FARMING UP ON THE HILL

FATHER'S DAY

WHAT I'M READING

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Spring has sprung ...

SPRING

NEW BOOK - ROSE RIVER

FARMING UP ON THE HILL

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING - WIN A BOOK

UNTIL NEXT WEEK ...

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