Hi everyone,
Well here it is nearly August and soon we will be thinking about Christmas. I am going to both the New Zealand and Australian conference in a couple of weeks which will be fun. I am particularly delighted as my very own editor is coming.
It has been a big writing week for me as I had some revisions to do and they had a bit of a domino affect on my novel. Once I moved one thing a whole lot of other things had to go too. It was like starting from scratch but somehow I did it. Revising your work is an essential part of the writing process and I find it so helpful to have my editor cast a keen eye over my work to make sure I have not overlooked anything. It is always a stronger novel for the effort but I am not always an easy person to be around while I am going through the process! My poor brain feels a bit rung out by the end of it.
I had a fabulous bunch of attendees at my Adult Education course on the weekend. There was a nice dynamic and we all had a lof of fun.
Hope you have a great week. I am stil having trouble posting photos for some reason. I will have to do some trouble shooting when I find some time.
Cyber hugs,
Melanie x

Hi everyone,
Well I didn't quite reach my quota for the week but I had a fabulous weekend at the beach house where I wrote pages and pages. The weather was cold but calm and the long walks on the beach were so theraputic. My jumbled mind seemed to clear and as soon as I sat in front of the computer it all fell out of my fingertips. I just love that feeling!
The dogs were thrilled to be exercised off the lead, they ran and ran and Polly even dipped her toes in the water. It is about 11 degrees Celsius at this time of year so you can imagine how quickly she came out again!
I have less than a month until I go to Auckland in New Zealand for the Romance Writers of NZ conference and then the following weekend the Australian one in Melbourne. It will be a busy time so I hope to get on top of this novel so I can really get into conference mode. It is always such a thrill to mix with other writers, both published and unpublished.
I must apologise to anyone who has emailed me lately through my website. I have had to tighten up my security and some of my legitimate emails have inadvertently gone straight into the junk file. I have been a little lax in scrolling through them all as I get so many it can be quite tedious.
Hope you are all well and reading lots of romance, especially mine!
Love to all,
Melanie xx

Hi everyone,
It is very definitely winter here in Hobart. I often wonder how those of you who live in the US or Canada cope with below zero temperatures when I feel cold when it is 10 degrees celsius. We have had the occasional frost which I love but it certainly makes the roads and footways slippery.
I had a lovely time pottering in the garden yesterday, something I haven't done in ages. I love tucking the little plants into their beds and watching them grow. I used to do all of our gardening but had to give it up to make time for writing, as well as be kind to my back!
The sun is out today and the turtle doves are cooing. I have some little honeyeaters darting about in the weeping silver birch below my office window as well as sparrows and finches who love the seed bell I hang there. There is something very peaceful about a garden, even though the traffic can be heard in the distance, the garden seems like a world of its own.
This is going to be a fun week for me. I am having lunch today with the my swimming friends whom I dedicated The Marciano Love Child to. They have bought every single title of mine and support me both in and out of the swimming pool.Then I have a surgical unit dinner party to cook for on Wednesday and various other appointments on top of writing 10,000 words. That is my goal in any case as I want to reach the half-way mark by the weekend.
Wish me luck!
All the best,
Melanie x

Hi everyone,
I am back in the chair after a lovely week on Orpheus Island. I had a fabulous rest and read heaps of books. I was even forced to resort to digging into my husband's supply of books as I read all that I had taken with me. The weather was lovely, cooler at night but gorgeous during the day. We had a snorkel and a picnic on a quiet beach and enjoyed the sunsets over the sea. All in all it was a great interlude but now I am back with all guns firing, or at least that is the plan! My fingers have been fumbling over the keys this morning as if they don't know which ones to press. I will need an hour or two to warm up I guess.
The dogs were so cute when we got home. I love the way they yap and jump up and down with excitement, it makes me feel so loved.
Have a great week and I will try and have some photos for you next time.
Cheers,
Melanie x