Red Dust
A week of wonders!
January 8, 2012
Mount Howick
Yesterday we woke to our hill being shrouded in heavy, low cloud and gentle showers pushing up from the coast. It was a beautiful way to start the day, especially after the pounding we had on Thursday evening.
It was the most incredible thunderstorm I have ever seen and we netted a whopping 46mm over a space of about three hours! It has definitely fixed our water problems for this year.
The Boss always says low dams can be fixed within a matter of minutes if you’re under the right thunderstorm. Well he was proved right!
Last week was a pretty amazing week for me. I became an aunty for the second time, a little girl named Lexy Grace, was born to my sister, Susan and her husband, Nathan.
I saw the redesigned website which will be launched in about three weeks and I’m so happy and excited with it. I can’t wait to show you all and see what you think.
The final cover for Purple Roads made it’s way into my in-box – you’ll all see shortly.
I was asked on Facebook what it was like to hold a book I’d written in my hand. It’s a difficult feeling to describe. On one hand all I want to do is run around and scream, shout and cry. On the other side it’s almost a feeling of reverence as I look at the cover and see my work bound inside a beautiful cover ready and waiting to go on the shelves.
I wrote about seeing Red Dust for the first time here and how we country authors have to go a little out of way to get our books!
Loretta Hill wrote a gorgeous blog about seeing someone buying her book, The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, when it first came out earlier this month ( http://lorettahill.com.au/?page_id=67 ). You can feel her excitement and pleasure at this. I think every author has a dream to see someone buying or reading their book in a public place like an airport – I know I have. Although it’s never happened to me, I still hope I might!
So Gaby Cumming I hope this answers your question!
What was wonderous about your week?
Voice of the Outback Gift Packs – ideal for Christmas!
December 6, 2011
Are you still searching for that perfect Christmas present?
Voice of the Outback Gift Pack by Fleur McDonald
I’ve put together this fabulous gift pack to help make your shopping easier.
The gift pack includes either Red Dust or Blue Skies – the choice is entirely yours!
You will also receive a beautiful Bush Babe of Oz 2012 Calendar that features many of Amanda’s beautiful photographs and delightful anecdotes.
And of course, you get a ‘Rural Writers Rock’ stubby holder and carry bag, my bookmark and a signed sticker to go in your book.
Order now by emailing me at giftpack@fleurmcdonald.com and I’ll send it straight away so you’ll have it in time for Christmas. I can also send it directly to the gift recipient if you run out of time!
Posted in Blue Skies, Books, Red Dust | 
Tags: Bush Babe of Oz, celebrations, Christmas, Gift Pack | 
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Red Dust into the USA
August 31, 2011
Today, despite my sadness, is quite a special day – something I never dreamed could happen. Today Red Dust is available in the USA at most bookstores.
It’s also on Independant Publishers Group website here.
Or at Amazon here.
If you are a visitor to my blog from overseas, firstly welcome, and you haven’t read my books, you can view Book Trailers on both of them here.
Book Trailers!
August 7, 2011
I’m really excited to be showing you the book trailers fro Red Dust and Blue Skies. Just click on the links and you’ll go to Youtube.
Thanks to Paul from Booktease.
Exciting happenings!
May 6, 2011
Going to Perth, for us, is mostly a big adventure. We don’t go often – the eight hour drive puts a ‘quick trip’ out of the question.
We left very early last week – 4am. My daughter needed to be in Perth for an appointment at 3:30pm – nothing like a deadline and an unfamiliar city address to add some fun to things!
Hayden was so excited as we were leaving and it reflected it what he was saying – ‘this is the most magnificent sunrise I’ve ever seen.’
Rochelle wasn’t as thrilled; she was going in for an operation on her mouth the next day.
When I put my foot to the pedal, I rarely stop until I get where I’m going, but Hayden was right in some respects – it was a beautiful sunrise and I had to stop to take the above photo.
I think it was just fate that the V8 Super cars were on at Barbagalo Race Track. Hayden is mad keen on racing and I, having only ever gone to a few country Speedway races as a teenager and someone who knows little about cars, was rather wary about taking him. But take him I did, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid with as wide a smile as he had when he saw Jamie Whincup’s car. (It’s worth having a mother who can’t stop talking and befriends the officials to find out the best spot to stand and see all the cars – I hope he remembers this, when I’m embarrassing him at age 14.)
One highlight of the trip for me was catching up with fellow Twitter-ers and writers, Sara Foster , Sarah Pietrzak from http://www.ahthepossibilities.com/ and Anna Hill, a freelance writer. As you can see from the photos, we rarely had our mouths shut, we had so much to talk about!
I also managed to catch up with Fiona Palmer for tea, which was a great night.
One thing I noticed on the way to and from Perth is how desperately our country is in need of a good drink. There are ewes lambing onto nothing but dirt, (not a blade of green grass), empty dams, and the seeding that is happening is sending up huge plumes of dust. I can only hope that this year will provide much needed run-off rain for the dams and that the rain soaks in to give a very wet subsoil structure. Every farmer I know is carrying the burden of three (more in some areas) very average years and for their sanity a soaking rain is needed, very soon.
And the other very exciting piece of news is that as of September, Red Dust and Blue Skies will be distributed in the USA and therefore will be available on the Amazon website.
Another chance to win Red Dust!
February 11, 2010
The Big Book Club are giving you the chance to win a signed copy of Red Dust – just head to their Facebook for the details.
Shifting a mob
February 8, 2010
Today there is a catastrophic fire danger for the South coast of WA. It’s gonna be a stinker of a day and we’re just about to have another meeting to see if the Bushfire Brigade are going to issue a Movement of Vehicles in paddocks ban.
There’s a smoke haze from a fire to the north of us and the wind is a strong northerly that’s sending shivers up my spine. Today is not a day for a fire.
But first up, we had a mob of 1,700 sheep that we had to shift. We had bought them from our neighbours and it was time for them to see their new home!
We started at about 5am with two dogs, Anthony, the two kids, a mate and his daughter and me.
We had to push them across a main road and then down a side road to where we had laid down a fence to let them into our paddock.
The kids did an amazing job of being sheep shepard’s and we brought the sheep down the road without any problems! They’re now in their new home, awaiting some animal husbandry work that we’ll be doing on Monday.
On a Red Dust note, I found out yesterday from my publisher that it was the highest selling novel, across all of the Australian publishers, for 2009, from a debut author. I’d just really like to thank all of you who bought copies. You’re the only reason this happened.
Also, the winner of Sharyn Munro’s book, Woman on the Mountain, was Alison, who has been notified, although I’m just waiting for her to get back to me with an address so we can send it off.
Our guest blog next month is Helene Young, who will be giving away a copy of her new book, Border Watch.
**PS! It’s now nearly the end of the day and I think we had about seven fires across the Esperance shire. Some close to home. Right now I’m listening to the wonderful sound of rain on a tin roof, knowing that all the fires should be under control. Some spots have had terrential down pours and other areas have had a steady rain, that is just enough to dampen the fires and our worry. We are so thankful for rain on days like today.
Posted in Country Life, Farm animals, Photos, Red Dust, The Farmer's Life, The Writer's Life | 2 Comments »
Five Winners!
December 6, 2009
I hope that the five copies that I’ve given away will make lovely Christmas presents for all who get them!
As you can see from the photo we resorted to the old fashioned method of ‘draw the name out of a hat’! Hayden stood on the chair and held the hat up and Rochelle drew five names out of it!
The people who won are: Regina, Mandykate, Anita, Chantelle Smith & Laura. I’ve been in contact with these ladies and will be posting their books on Monday.
Thanks to all who entered – and please do come back, I’ll be giving a way copies of Blue Skies, very soon!
Dust Storms
September 29, 2009
Dusting up a storm
September 1, 2009
‘Fleur dusts up a storm’ – according to RRR Network News!
A while ago I was asked to write a piece, for the RRR Network News, about how Red Dust came into being.
RRR stands for Rural, Remote and Regional Women. It’s a wonderful magazine that connects rural women together, finds women who are doing amazing things and tells the rest of WA about them
If you follow this link, you’ll be able to read the piece and find out a little more about Red Dust!
Click here for the RRR web site.
