Ready for an escape to the country? Get your hands on a copy of Magpie's Bend, Bottlebrush Creek and Wildflower Ridge today.

Australia Reads 2021

Did you make a date with a good book on September 14? As an Australia Reads Ambassador, with the children home for yet another lockdown, we turned our little event into something special. Fairy bread, chocolate, chips and good books were the order of the day. My girls and I snuggled up on the couch for an hour of uninterrupted reading. I also had the pleasure of joining in a Zoom event that evening with the Northern Beachers Readers Festival, speaking with my favourite books with fellow authors and booklovers across the country.

The great carrot cake debate

I have two well-loved carrot cake recipes, and after my recent social media post, where the recipe was in hot demand, I faced the dilemma of choosing favourites. My solution? A controlled carrot cake bake-off, complete with blind judging from four very willing helpers. I also baked a third carrot cake, with a slight variation, for my middle child’s birthday, just to ensure there was a variation to suit all tastes. Head over here for the recipes and the winning verdict.

October author spotlight

I’ve long been a fan of Australian crime, and the novels just keep getting better and better. This month, thanks to Allen & Unwin, we have four novels to win. Two winners will each score a copy of The Housemate, a dark and gripping new thriller from Melbourne’s Sarah Bailey, along with Treasure & Dirt, an outback whodunnit from Sydney journalist turned author, Chris Hammer. Head across to my blog for the inside scoop on Sarah and get a sneak peek into the first chapter of Chris’s book here. I couldn’t put either book down and I’m sure you’ll race through these twisting, turning stories just as quickly.

After you've finished reading, head over to my website for your chance to win a copy.

From the newsroom

This month I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Sydney author and former celebrity journalist, Vanessa McCausland, for the Words & Nerds podcast. You can catch our interview here. And if you were listening to ABC Radio, Western Victoria earlier in the month, you may have caught my chat with Gavin McGrath from the morning show. I also jumped on the other side of the interview desk, quizzing Susannah Hardy about her debut rom-com Loving Lizzie March for my regular column with Romance Writers Australia.

Writing updates - 2022 & 2023 novels

Words wise, I’ve hit 26,000 words on the first draft of book five (for 2023 release), which feels like a big win with school holidays and repeat lockdowns. Now that I have a sense of my characters and their journey, it’s quite a good time to put the story aside to work on structural edits for Rosella Hill (my 2022 book). This is where my publisher alerts me to big picture issues, like character behaviour and pace. If you’ve received my newsletters for a while now, you’ll know I’m always guilty of throwing too many plot threads into my first and second drafts. Now is the time I painstakingly pare the story back, wish me luck!

Now, I know I’m not the only one juggling school holidays and the constant yo-yo lockdown/online learning, but if your attention span is as skittish as mine ATM, you might like to try this app. ‘Self Control’ is free and easy to use on a desktop/laptop. You nominate the websites you want to block for a set time. It’s been a big help for me, let me know if you find it useful too.

And what a treat it was to zip up to the Grampians for an overnighter last week and feast my eyes again on the main setting for my novels. The kids saw snow for the first time (only a tiny amount, but enough for a mini snowman each), and the change of scenery was just what we needed after a tough few months. On this note, thanks also to everyone who reached out after the last newsletter. Dad has since started cancer treatment and I’ve finally received a permit to cross the border next weekend (as long as we don’t go into lockdown beforehand). Crossing fingers and toes.

Winners are grinners!

Thanks to Emily (above) for sending in a photo of her prize from a previous newsletter and letting me share her words. Emily says ‘Having a passion for reading has been such a blessing during these lockdowns! Nothing better than getting lost in a good book.’ I agree Emily, hope you have fun with The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison. There’s also a neat photo from Marg McColl in NSW (below). Marg won a copy of Paige Toon’s new novel. Looks like a great set up, doesn’t it? And how about the beautiful 12-egg sponge cake Jodi made, using my go-to recipe for when the chickens are laying. Yummo!

Around the property...

Our little orphaned lambs, Hitchcock and Amy, aren’t so little anymore. Finally weaned, they are now with the big sheep, helping mow a neighbour’s paddock. They’re also snacking on damaged tubers from my dahlia patch as I lift and divide hundreds of dahlias ready for summer. The sheep enjoy the broken tubers, friends and family get the extras, and I can’t resist extending garden beds to accommodate the overflow, as they multiply each year.

If you have a north-facing window, you might like to start some seeds too. I’ve planted out the first batch of seedlings I raised in the lounge window and have since started more tomato, zucchini, chilli, eggplant and flower seeds, so they’ll be ready to plant later this month. It's also a great time to add manure into the soil, get on top of weeding and ward off the hungry snails. As it turns out, the biggest threat to my irises (who are budding up perfectly for their spring display) is my husband Jase, who is trying to sell me on the idea of replacing my biggest iris patch with more lavendar. Gah! He'll have to wait until after flowering before I'd even consider such a crazy move.

We've also had a mix of sunshine, rain, hail and gale-force winds, which is typical weather for this time of year in SW Vic. No snake sightings yet, but our neighbour had already seen a tiger and a copperhead on our shared boundary, so I’ll be extra careful when I’m in the garden from now onwards.

What I’m reading this weekend…

I adore the family dynamics and friendships within Tricia Stringer’s novels, and last night I started her latest release, Birds of a Feather. Bath, rosé and a new book – my kind of bliss! Set in coastal South Australia, the story promises to be another fabulous read. Out now in all good book shops.

Word of mouth is such a help!

Did you know word-of-mouth recommendations are the number one way you can help an author without spending a cent? If you loved Magpie’s Bend, I’d be so thrilled if you mentioned it next time you’re talking books with your friends!

And big thanks to everyone who has already done so, bought the book for themselves or as a gift, asked their local book store or library to order it in, mentioned it in book forums and on social media, and added reviews to Good Reads. Readers like you help keep the Aussie book industry afloat. Mwah! And how cute is this little reader below? I have it on good authority she's a keen bookworm, just like her mum Alanna in NSW!

A few fun things to finish on...

To watch: This funny family-friendly Netflix movie Going in Style about retirees & a bank heist

To listen to: This 80s music mix has been perfect for backyard workouts

To pamper: Run a bath, throw on some clean bed sheets or pick some flowers for your bedside table. These simple pleasures bring me joy every time!

That’s it from me, friends. Have a lovely October! I’ll be back next month with a bunch of festive recommendations and giveaways you won’t want to miss. x Maya

Until next month...