For a month I had a competition running on Goodreads giving readers the chance to win 10 signed copies of The Sunburnt Country.  The competition has now ended and I’ve been sent the list of 10 winners.  Congrats to the following people: Lee-ann Lewis Roz Groves Scott Mann Rupa Bale Emma Franke Gisele Wright Julie Hughes-Owen Eugenia A Clare Morton Sarah Jefferyes   Today I am sending you your signed copy. It may take a few weeks as postage from rural WA to the rest of Australia can take a while. But know it is on its way. Thank you to all that entered and to all those who have left reivews and comments about The Sunburnt Country. There are some great ones, so thank you for making my day.  

How I made my ‘House’ a Home – Part Two. Back in February I was on Helene Young’s blog talking about how a house is not a home without an animal or two (or three). Well, a small town story is not a small town story without a feathered or furry friend. While my human characters in House for all Seasons are fictional, my animals are usually inspired by real-life versions (which is fine because they can’t read, therefore they can’t sue me or not talk to me when I get them wrong!) My host today, Fiona Palmer, is a sucker for an animal too, so I thought I’d share the inspiration behind my House for all Seasons menagerie – the Part 2 – and the important roles they play. Part 1 – is my canine characters (and those that think they’re a dog!) Now for Part 2 – The menagerie…. Name: Muddy The Award-Winning

As promised here is the next chance for you to win a copy of The Sunburnt Country. Today I got my first copy in the mail. Always such a great feeling, to hold your words in your hand and admire the cover. They have compacted this book, with the words smaller on the page. I don’t like it when they spaced it all out as if trying to make the book look bigger than it is. And on the plus side it will be lighter to post this way lol. So for your chance to go in the draw to win a signed copy of this book, all you have to do is watch the book trailer here, and then comment and tell me which picture you think was taken in WA. Every comment will go into the draw, regardless if wrong or right. It will be drawn on Friday the 15th. x Also a

The power is back on and the generator is stashed away. (Although I just found the long extension cord chewed to bits by the dog. Not impressed!!) So I have for you today the first chapter of The Sunburnt Country. I hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget to read how to enter the competition to win a signed copy of my new book at the bottom. Enjoy and have a happy Australia Day! (I’m a proud Aussie) Hot westerly winds rattled the old tin roof and blew a small eddy of dust into the workshop. Jonelle put down the container of coolant and reached for the radiator cap that was resting on the car’s motor. She should have been more careful but it was too late: her dusky-pink nail polish chipped on contact with the motor. ‘Oh, crap. Nae’s gonna kill me,’ she mumbled. Her nails were hardly worth doing, always kept short out of

This photo is an unlikely setting for a book but that is exactly where my guest Loretta Hill set her books and I can tell you it was a perfect choice. Loretta’s first hand experience turns her books into a charming, engaging read with likeable characters with the red dirt backdrop. She’s here today talking about her fabulous characters from her new book The Girl in the Hard Hat. Welcome Loretta.                         Dear Fiona, How are you? I’m great! Thanks for having me on your blog today to talk about my latest release, The Girl in the Hard Hat due to hit shelves this month. I’m so excited about this book. More excited than I was for the first one! I think it’s because of everything I went through to get it done. The manuscript was due on my publisher’s desk by August this

Today I have the wonderful Karly Lane over for a chat. Her new book Bridies Choice is out now (and on its way to me in the post. Hurry up Mr Postman). I can’t wait to see what Karly has cooked up for us again. I’m sure there will be plenty of laugh out loud moments. Thanks for being my first guest blogger for 2013, Karly! It’s so good to be back here on Fee’s blog, it’s been a while. Life gets so hectic and time flies; before we know it another year’s gone just like that! (I couldn’t agree more!) But it got me thinking about my journey so far and I have to say it’s really great to take a minute and look back at how far we’ve come. I remember buying Fiona’s first book, The Family Farm, along with Fleur McDonalds Red Dust and loving that finally there was some rural fiction

The Sunburnt Country will be out early March and I don’t have a cover to show you yet, but I do have the blurb. Hope you like the sound of it. Jonelle Baxter is a young woman in a man’s world – a tough, hardworking motor mechanic from an idyllic country family. But lately things in her perfect life have been changing, and her workshop isn’t the only local business that’s struggling. Daniel Tyler is new in town, posted from the city to manage the community bank. As he tries to rein in the spiralling debts of Bundara, he uncovers all sorts of personal dramas and challenges. The last thing Jonny and Dan need is an unwanted attraction to each other. It’s going to take more than a good drop of rain to break the drought and to keep this small but very colourful community thriving. From the bestselling author of The Road Home comes

I’m excited to have fourth generation grazier and bestselling author Nicole Alexander here today to share her inspiration. Nicole’s new book, Absolution Creek is out now, and a fine addition to her growing colletion of rural books. When you read Nicole’s section below you can see why her books are written so beautifully and just how easily she takes us into her world visually. Thanks for stopping by Nicole! Inspiration Many things inspire me through the course of a day; a flock of birds winding their way to a waterhole at sunset, clouds drifting against a duck-egg blue sky and the caress of the wind on my skin. Although as a grazier I’m particularly aware of the elements and the landscape around me, there is something about spring that makes me both joyous and curious about life in all its many forms. Spring is about renewal and birth, and to an extent, determination. I imagine the myriad plants which

Now I don’t get around to doing many reviews on books. I hardly find time to read them let alone write a review. But because it is the National Year of Reading I decided I’d tell you a bit about Julie Garwood and her book I just finished called The Ideal Man. In case you are wondering I was given this book as a Christmas present.  When I opened it and saw it was a Julie Garwood book I was rather excited because many, many, years ago I fell in love with one of her books called Ransom. “In Ransom, New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood returns to her beloved Highlands and the dark days of the despotic rule of King John to reacquaint readers with Scottish chieftain Brodick Buchanan, first introduced in The Secret. Brodick finds himself playing protector to Gillian, an exquisite English beauty, who is desperate to find her long-lost sister and

I get emails from people asking to buy signed books. This is not a problem. I love the fact that you want my books, and I’m honoured that you would like them personally signed. I have just set up an ebay account so if you prefer to buy them that way, just search for the books or here are the links to their pages. The Family Farm           Heart of Gold           I will have The Road Home up, close to its release date. Alternatively you can send me an email requesting a book and providing me with your address. I will then get back to you with costs, including postage and my bank details. Once payment has come through I will post your book/s straight off. Although don’t expect a speedy delivery. To Perth sometimes can only a few days but over east could take up to two weeks.  Snail mail