Hi everyone,
I thought I'd show you our new baby playing with our older dog. Pippi is a nine year old fox terrier who has fallen totally in love with Mattias. I think she thinks he is a puppy!v She licks him constantly. We have to separate them as the poor kitten gets covered in dog slobber. Polly the poodle is not so fond of the baby. She tolerates him but feels quite affronted that she is no longer the centre of attention. Kids!
Hope you are having a great week.
All the best,
Melanie x

Hi everyone,
I finally finished. I was so pleased as I wanted to have a few days off before I started a new novel. I had a fabulous weekend at the beach house. Even though it was cool and windy it was just lovely to walk along the beach with the dogs and think. I have started my new work and feel excited about my characters.
Mattias is settling in beautifully. I promised you photos but we have lost the lead from the camera which downloads the pictures so it will be a day or two until I sort that out. Technology gets to me sometimes!
I had a lovely time last night speaking to a sub group of Rotarians in Hobart called the Innerwheel Group. They are mostly a friendship group and it was nice to be invited to speak to them about my life as a writer. I met some lovely women who were so welcoming and interested in my life. It made me feel excited about getting back to work today knowing how much my writing helps other people to escape into the fantasy world of romance.
Have a happy week and I will be back soon with photos. I promise!
Melanie x

Hi everyone,
I am finally close to finishing this book! I have had so many trips away that you would think with all the waiting around airports and hotels I would have done it by now, but I have needed more time with this one to get it just right. I am looking forward to typing those magicical two words: The End.
I had a lovely weekend in Brisbane. My husband had a trauma course he was directing up there so I had lots of time to mooch around the shops, have a swim in an outdoor pool(I loved that!) and also get some writing and unwriting done. The time to think was great too. It is the one thing a lot of writers don't have much of once they are well established. But then time is precious to everyone these days.
We have a new baby as of last night. A little kitten called Mattias. I will post photos as soon as I get some more. I have been spending too much time playing with him. The dogs love him, especially Polly. And even Mango our other cat is rather chuffed he's got a new playmate. It is all fun and games I can tell you.
Have a fabulous week.
Ciao
Melanie

Hi everyone,
I seem to have lost a post so I hope this one loads. I am on a new and smaller but more powerful laptop but I keep making typos as the keys are closer than I am used to. It is so frustrating! I hope it doesn't take me too long to adjust.
It's been a funny week for me. Not as much work done as I would have hoped but then I am always expecting far too much of myself. I set standards that are often a little too high. The thing is I usually reach them which tells you something about goalsetting. If you aim for nothing you hit it every time or so the sayiing goes.
We've had some glorious spring weather and tomorrow it is the Melbourne Cup, the biggest horse race in the Southern Hemphisphere. I love watching it and I would love to back the winner even more so!
I have a trip to Brisbane this week which will be nice. It is one of my favourite cities. I definitely plan to finish my current novel while I am away. I am going to lock myself in the hotel room until it is done!
Oh I cooked my Christmas cake and pudding on the weekend so that was a good feeling. At least I'm on schedule with that. I haven't thought about presents yet but this year we've decided on a one present rule.
Hope you are all well.
Have a great week,
Melanie

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