Hi everyone,
Well I had a fabulous week in Noosa in Queensland. We went up for a friend's wedding and everything was perfect. The weather was great, the bride looked beautiful and the groom madly in love. Perfect research for me! They were married on a beach with the waves pounding on the shore. They even had to change the wedding time because of the tide!
The rest of the week we spent dining out, walking in the National Park and swimming. I found myself winding down as the week went on. I was full of energy until after the wedding on Thursday and then just like a toy with a run down battery I started to find it hard to get going in the morning. I just wanted to lie in bed and listen to the birds singing. I am hungry now to get back to my current book. I have about 15,000 words to go so it will be fun tying things up. My hero is gorgeous and I can't wait for him to claim his bride. Maybe I'll have them get married on the beach!
Hope you all had a nice week too.
Happy reading and writing to those who are keen.
Melanie xx

Hi everyone,
I have had the most fabulous weekend away. My husband had a surgical conference in the Yarra Valley at a health spa. The Heritage Golf and Country Club is a five star resort set in the picturesque Yarra Valley, the lovely wine district of Victoria. The resort has a huge golf complex and lovely walks, including a wetlands area. The rolling hills and natural vegetation interspersed with European trees is truly spectacular. I have had the most blissful time. It's like my dream day each day! A gorgeous healthy breakfast, then a long walk around the grounds and then a long swim in the 20 metre infinity pool. Back to the room to work for a few hours before I had a hot stone massage. Then the next day instead of the massage I had a facial. The dinners have been wonderful and last night we were taken to the Rochford Estate for a superb meal in the vineyard restuarant. I have got so much work done that I think I will try and come here at least once a year to recharge. What a place!
I feel really in holiday mode as we head to Queensland tomorrow for a dear friend's wedding. It will be a great follow up to this weekend.
Thanks for the lovely emails and messages. It truly makes my job so much more satisfying when I hear from happy readers.
Cyber hugs,
Melanie xx

Hi everyone,
I have been hard at work on book 32. It's been a busy week as I had a talk for a Seniors' Group in Hobart which was fun, plus my elderly father is back from Sydney. He has been madly gardening and keeping himself busy. He really enjoys the cooler weather. Sydney can be quite hot even in Spring.
I went for a lovely bush walk yesterday with the dogs. It was wonderful listening to the bird life and hearing the sound of the rivulet flowing. The last of the snow is melting on the mountain so winter looks like it's over. We usually get showery weather up until late October and just this morning the rain was almost horizontal, driven by the gusty wind. It is bright as anything now however which is typical of this time of year.
I have had some lovely emails from fans this week. Hi to you all and thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Happy reading!
Melanie x

Hi everyone,
Well this past week saw me finish the revisions on book number 31 so I am feeling rather chuffed. I lost count there for a while but now I have a typed up list so I can remind myself. It feels great to see those titles build up.
We are having our usual Spring weather, a bit of a mixed bag of showers, sun, cold and wind. I made the most of a quiet weekend with a reading fest. It was so restorative after a busy week. Yesterday I didn't even leave the house! That is unusual for me. My husband took the dogs out so I could stay engrossed in my book.
I think it is important as women to take time for ourselves, although we are nearly always last on the list. There are so many things to do that seem to be things only we can do. Not so. I am learning to let go a bit. It's hard as I'm a bit of a control freak but it is important to let others around you experience some of the tasks you have to do in your day otherwise they will never understand how time consuming or mentally taxing they are! It's not just one or two jobs though is it? It's all of them strapped together that take up so much time.
Well, I hope this week you can get some space for yourself to think, recharge or read or relax.
All the best,
Melanie xx