Today Mandy Magro is here to tell us about her journey writing Flame Tree Hill. Cancer is something we are all well aware of and it has also, no doubt, touched each of us through family and friends at some point. So tackling this subject in her next book wouldn’t have been an easy task. Especially when based on your close friend. (Shares in Kleenex, I’m thinking ) Writing Through the Tears G’day Fee, Thanks for inviting me onto your blog today. I’m thrilled to be sharing the inspiration behind my third novel, Flame Tree Hill. Flame Tree Hill is of course, fictional, but it is also heavily based on my best mate’s, Joanne Jackson’s, breast cancer journey. Jo has battled breast cancer not once, but twice!!, and has survived. She is an amazing woman with an inspiration story that needed telling. So, with her approval, I delved into her world through her diaries that

Today my guest is rural Penguin author Mandy Magro. It’s seems fitting as just yesterday I recieved a signed copy of Jacaranda in the mail. (It went to Karlgarin, another town up the road even though it was addressed for Pingaring but none the less I now have it in my hot little hand and will be reading it after I finish The Lavender Keeper) Jacaranda is OUT NOW! Congratulations, Mandy! So a huge thank you for my special signed copy and thanks so much for blogging with me today. Thanks for inviting me over to your blog, Fee. I’m so thrilled to be here! The time has finally come-Jacaranda has hit the shelves. This is the second time I have experienced the euphoria of releasing a book and it’s wonderful! I count my lucky stars each and every day that I’m a published author and I continually find the support from book shops, the media,

Okay, I’m back again with the next round of author’s and their special places.   I was hoping to get this up on Friday but I had to work at the shop. But now I have the whole weekend to put this one together.  This time we’ll start with Cathryn Hein. You would have seen her new book Promises doing the rounds in the papers and displayed in the shops. I was lucky to meet this wonderful lady in person at the RWA conference. (Yes, I met lots of amazing authors there…and i’ll be going again next year lol) Cathryn: “One of my best writing investments has been this work station and chair. I used to work on an overcrowded old square desk with a cheap office chair but found it too uncomfortable. This set-up allows me to have all my notes spread out and within swivel distance, and being under the window means there’s plenty of light.

Today I have Mandy Magro, a fellow Penguin author and rural writer, here to answer a few questions about her new book. Thanks Mandy for being my guest blogger today.  I’m thrilled about your new book Rosalee Station. I can excitedly brag that I’ve already read it and really loved how you brought Rosalee station to life and the rodeo.  Hi Fiona, thanks for having me. I’m guessing you’ve been to both before, can you tell us a bit about both those experiences? I’ve been going to the Mareeba Rodeo since I was a young whipper snapper, only missing it the years I was overseas and I was devastated about not being able to go! I’m passionate about the bull riding and respect the courage and strength that the men need to attempt such a wild and untamed sport. I’ve also had a little bit to do with the bulls behind the chutes and find