A Land of Sweeping Plains and Flooding Rains (Part 4)

During the course of this journey I had so far not been all that successful in my attempts at whale watching. Would the next few days unfold better luck? The flooding rains had finally departed (for now) but there were still plenty of sweeping plains to navigate. After leaving the Head of the Bite we were truly crossing the Nullabor Plain. No trees in sight for as far as the eye could see. To my surprise I did find my first whale, all be it a sculpture, does that count? We were literally in the middle of no where! An area of sweeping plains that seemed far from any coastline. The whale took pride of place in front of the Nullabor Roadhouse. I guessed it was a sign I was on the right track. The roadhouse also had the original petrol station as a museum, a memory from times when the road was dirt and rarely travelled. It was good to see it all sealed these days, and frequently used. Although the one thing worse than being stuck behind a massive road train is being stuck behind a road train and a caravan! The road is single lane each way, and although reasonably straight, it surprisingly rises and falls quite frequently making it difficult to see to overtake. I was grateful we installed a CB radio into our car before we left home which enabled us to talk to the truckies and caravan drivers. I must say, they were all very polite and helpful letting you know when it is safe to pass.

We reached the other end of the Bite at sunset, a perfect time for photos as the sun hit the side of the cliffs. Still couldn't see any whales. 

Just when we thought we were reaching the other side of the Nullabor we came across this sign - Australia's longest straight road, 90 Mile Straight (146.6km). Finally we arrived at another roadhouse, a welcome rest stop after a long stretch of nothing and to our surprise this one held the museum for Skylab. Skylab was an American owned space station sent into orbit by NASA in 1973 and crashed to Earth in 1979 spreading debris across the Nullabor Plain and Western Australian goldfields. It made widespread news not only in Australia but worldwide. I was in my teens at the the time and remember watching the events unfold with fascination, so to visit the museum and read the history was amazing. To my delight I found and read a newspaper article that depicted our typical Australian sense of humour, On arrival to retrieve the debris, officers from NASA were handed a $400.00 fine for littering the Shire of Esperance with space junk. This fine has not been paid to this day, not that it was ever expected to be paid.

Three days after leaving Ceduna on the South Australian coast, we arrived in Esperance at the bottom of the Western Australian coast. Beautiful white sandy beaches, aqua blue clear oceans, rugged rocky outcrops, a picturesque coastline with a road that wound around providing magnificent scenic views, including a windmill in a rather unique spot. We stood in almost gale force winds while watching the surf  and rain roll in, then yes, my first real sighting of whales! A mother and calf were sheltering in the bay.  It was wonderful to watch them breach the water, here were the planting of seeds for my short story "A Whale of a Christmas Time."

My wish to see whales satiated for the time being it was time to settle into our B&B for the afternoon to watch Sharks. It was the NRL Grand Final, and our local Shire team, the Cronulla Sharks, were playing. It was a game not to be missed. In the history of 50 years in the competition the Sharks had never won a grand final. This was our year! I was already ticking things off my bucket list on this holiday and now to watch our team finally win was the icing on the cake we had all been waiting for. The Shire celebrated for weeks after the game, I admit there were moments where I would have liked to have been home. I phoned my mum at the end of the game. she was in tears with exhilaration. We made calls to other friends too that night, the excitement is a memory that will last a long time in our hearts.

What about you, do you have a memory that was so exciting the feeling will last a lifetime? Winning a Grand Final football match may seem  inconsequential to the birth of children or your wedding, but when you have followed a team all your life, your parents and grandparents also followed the same team, to see them finally win for the first time in history is an emotional  unforgettable experience.

Next week : Another unusual discovery, a whaling museum and wildflowers.

If you missed parts 1,2 and 3 and would like to catch up on the journey so far, here are the links -

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/a-land-of-sweeping-plains-and-flooding-rains-part-3/

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/a-land-of-sweeping-plains-and-flooding-rains-part-2/

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/a-land-of-sweeping-plains-and-flooding-rains-part-1/

A Land of Sweeping Plains and Flooding Rains (Part 3)

Do you have a bucket list? Have you managed to tick anything off that list?

I have been fortunate in my life, so far I can tick off a number of dreams from my list. In no particular order they are -

1. Sipped a glass of champagne while taking in the view of Paris from the top of the Eiffel tower.

2. Ridden a camel at sunset along Cable Beach in Broome, WA. 

3. Swum under a waterfall in more than one outback Australian waterhole.

4. Strolled around Monet's magnificent gardens in Giverny, France.

5. Slept in a haunted castle in Ireland.

I could go on but then this list would be far too long.

This journey,  was another memorable bucket list experience I was excited to finally achieve.

So far we had crossed through the wine and fruit growing regions of NSW, during massive floods (Part 1), the wheat belt of country Victoria and South Australia and had now reached the beginning of the Great Australian Bite. The Nullabor was in reach.(part 2.)

After leaving Ceduna we were amazed at the size of each wheat farm that stretched for kilometres.  Our first stop was Penong Windmill Museum, located in the tiny town of Penong on the edge of the Nullabor. The museum was officially opened only a week before we arrived, so it was all brand new. The towns folk were rather excited about their new exhibition. Since solar pumps are beginning to replace windmills across the Australian landscape, this community decided to salvage some of the most iconic windmills, restore them and place them altogether in an outdoor museum as a tribute to the way things once were. We had a wonderful time walking around and reading the information about them all. I was surprised at the difference in sizes of them. Included in the collection is the largest windmill in Australia that spans over 35 foot.

Just around the corner and across the road, we played our first golf hole. Yes folks, before leaving Ceduna we had paid a visit to the Information centre to pay our golf fees to play the Nullabor Links. Friends had told us about this and it seemed a great idea. The Nullabor Links comprises of 18 holes of golf that span from Ceduna all the way across the Nullabor with the final hole to be completed in the old gold mining town of Kalgoorlie,  situated in Western Australia, 1,388 km from Ceduna in South Australia. That would have to be the world's longest golf course! It is a brilliant idea to make tourists take a break along the long straight stretches of road. You will find a golf hole at each roadhouse, caravan park or town along the way. Most of them are pretty rough, dry, with a lot of dirt and overgrown scrub, but that makes it all the more fun as you tackle the unique obstacles that arise. A fair warning to those who decide to give it a go, while we had a lot of fun, be careful. I teed off at one hole and as I walked up towards my ball for my second stroke, a brown snake slithered across my path and attempted to take my golf ball. For my overseas readers, an Australian Brown Snake is one of our deadliest snakes, it will strike if it feels threatened. We decided that was enough golf for that particular hole. The snake won that particular hole that day!

How anyone can say the drive across the Nullabor is boring, I'll never know. We found it fascinating! There was so much more to stop and see than I could have ever imagined.  The word Nullabor comes from the Latin derivatives of Nullus - no and arbor - tree. It is a flat open ancient seabed with almost no trees to be seen for miles. That being said, on leaving Penong, we detoured along Point Sinclair Rd, across Lake Macdonnell all the way to Point LeHunt to find another long jetty ideal for whale watching, disappointingly, there were no whales in sight that day. There was however a great picnic spot with a shelter and wall covered in clever mosaic art pieces. I took photos of them all to show my neighbour as she is in the middle of a long term mosaic project, I hoped these might inspire her. 

On return to the Eyre Highway we continued our drive until we reached the next detour that took us to the Head of the Bite and the Great Australian Bite Marine Park for that first glimpse of whale watching. Due to the massive storms that had been through the area in recent days, the seas were churned up and it was rather muddy near the coastline. This meant the whales were further out to sea than normal. We did manage to spot one or two, but it was difficult. The boardwalk was well set up with several vantage spots to look for whales, including some sheltered areas from the inevitable biting winds and rain. That day though, my quest for whales was not satisfied. Undaunted, the search continued. 

Do you have a bucket list?

Have you ticked anything off it yet?

Be sure to add your list in the comments below. :) 

Next week : More discoveries along the Nullabor and we finally make it to Esperance, but do we find whales?

A Land of Sweeping Plains and Flooding Rains (Part 2)

Have you ever dreamt of driving across Australia? Seeing her vast open plains, massive wheat fields that spread as far as the eye can see over the horizon. Watching kangaroos hopping iconically alongside your car as you whizz along the highway.

I was born and raised in Sydney (on the east coast) and now live on the outskirts of Canberra, but my son and his wife live in Perth, (on the west coast). We have flown over to visit many times. The flight takes about 5 hours, but to have the opportunity to take the time to drive across was a dream come true. To drive across comfortably, you need to prepare for at least a week. Last week I began the story of our journey across this magnificent vast country of ours. If you missed it, here is the link to catch up -

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/a-land-of-sweeping-plains-and-flooding-rains-part-1/

We had just left the clear blue skies over Mildura and were headed directly towards South Australia and the biggest storm they had faced in decades! Of cause, I didn't believe it. That is, until the clouds inevitably rolled in across the plains. It grew darker by the minute. Eventually the rain hit. Thunder and lightning struck. The rain became so torrential it was almost impossible to continue to drive.  We did manage to drive through some gorgeous old country mining and wine growing towns, their architecture dating back to the early settlers of the 1800's. Not old in terms of most overseas countries I know, but great to see here. The plains and grazing lands gave way to rolling hills and winding roads.

Eventually the weather appeared to calm down and we came unexpectedly across an incredible find. In the middle of a farmers field was a natural wonder! A rock formation aptly named 'The Haystacks." Visitors were invited to walk around them after leaving a gold coin donation in the box at the gate. Mind you, we could still see more storm clouds on the horizon, so decided upon a brisk walk rather than a meander. The wind howled and buffeted our path but we had fun among the natural standing stones non-the-less. Then it was a race back to the car as the rain began to pelt down once again. I did make a quick stop on the way back to purchase a jar of the farmer's honey by leaving $5.00 in the box in place of the jar. I love the honour system of doing business in the country.

On reaching Port Augusta, our destination for the night, we discovered that the entire state was now in blackout! 'Don't worry" the hotel manager assured us. "it will be back on in a couple of hours. In the meantime we have the restaurant still open for dinner for our guests only." On the menu for the evening was curry and rice or curry and rice. They were only able to cook one dish on the gas burner. At least it was a romantic candle lit dinner for two.

By morning, still no power. a candle lit breakfast for two of bacon and eggs or bacon and eggs. Not even any cereal as they could not provide fresh milk, which also meant black tea or coffee! What a start to the day! Then the realisation hit, no power statewide, meant no petrol station open. Fortunately we were in our 4WD with two petrol tanks. Hubby assured me we had enough to make it to our next pre-booked destination. It was a bit of a gamble but we decided to give it a go!

We made a quick detour into the old mining town of Iron Knob. Very remote! Population of less than 200. It seemed like the entire town (6 people) were holding a meeting about the lack of power, in the General store. Couldn't offer us any hot food or petrol, (and it was rather cold, so a hot cuppa would have been nice.) Even the local museum was closed due to lack of power. We were offered a free tour on our return visit. Thank you very much, but I think we'll give it a miss!

A bit further down the road we encountered the tiny town of Kyancutta. To say the local business owner was not happy is an understatement. In fact, he pretty much summed up the feelings of most South Australians at the time. It is amazing how a power blackout after a storm can bring an entire state to its knees.

Fortunately we did find a small country town where the service station had a generator, so as long as you could pay with cash, he had a working petrol pump. He was doing a roaring trade. Cars, trucks and caravans were lined up the length of the street. The local bakery was also doing great sales, probably the best they had done in years. They were rushed off their feet unable to keep up with the demand. No sooner were meat pies out of the ovens they were all sold. It's amazing how successful a business can be if it has a backup power system and word of mouth.

Finally, we reached the coast and made our first sighting of one of many long jetty's that appeared at every coastal town along the bottom of South and Western Australia. Streaky Bay was a really pretty spot, very well looked after, obviously quite a holiday destination for South Australians. I'd be happy to have a quiet holiday there one day. It would be easy to fill the day with fishing, walking, reading and of course a bit of writing. 

We made it into Ceduna that evening to once again stay in the only hotel with power. Our room directly overlooked the jetty, which was amazing! Fortunately, South Australia awoke to electricity the next morning so it was back to business as usual. After topping up the petrol tank once again, and a visit to the visitors information centre we were finally on our way heading across the Nullabor.

Have you ever dreamt of driving across the Nullabor?

Or have you managed to fulfil a lifelong dream like this?

Please leave a comment in the box below, I'd love to hear about your experience or dream.

Next week : - an unusual museum, golf on the Nullabor? and in search of whales at last!

A Land of Sweeping Plains and Flooding Rains (Part 1)

These last couple of weeks I have been concentrating on writing my short story for the Creative Kids Tales Anthology due to be released in time for Christmas this year. The story is about a young selfish boy who through rallying his small country community together in order to save a pod of whales, comes to realise the importance of helping others. My inspiration for this story came from the wonders of whale watching along our amazing coastline during our drive across Australia last year. In December 2015 my husband and I drove the incredible dry hot outback from Darwin to Canberra, of which I wrote about in my blog "We Drove a Sunburnt Country, " parts 1, 2 and 3.

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/we-drove-a-sunburnt-courntry-part-one/

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/we-drove-a-sunburnt-country-part-two/

http://www.sandrabennettauthor.com/we-drove-a-sunburnt-country-part-three/

Last September- October 2016, we drove across from Canberra to Perth and back. It was a dream come true, to drive across the Nullabor had been on my "bucket-list" for years. This at last, is my story of that amazing journey. To continue my quote from Dorothea MacKeller's famous poem "My Country,", we certainly discovered Australia really is a land of contrasts, "A land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains." During this journey we  experienced it all!

First stop was only an hour from home, the country town of Yass, their information Centre was waiting on a delivery of my books. Not a bad way to start a holiday, and a great sign for the opportunities that were to come.

This is where the adventure really began as we drove further west across NSW into the Riverina district. Before departing home it had been raining pretty much non-stop for weeks, particularly in this farm region. I knew there was more rain predicted, so this was our only window of opportunity to cross before major flooding set in. Sure enough roads were only just re-opened as we drove through and closed again within the next few days. It must be so difficult to make a living on the land, if our country is not in severe drought, it's in major flood, there's never a compromise. Not sure which is harsher,  seeing first hand starving cattle and sheep, even kangaroos, desperate for a blade of grass along the side of the road in outback Queensland, or fruit and wheat crops that farmers were ready to harvest (and desperate for payment to feed their families) all destroyed by massive floods. My heart and thoughts go out to the many people in townships suffering after the aftermath of cyclone Debbie in all the current flooded regions of northern NSW and Queensland.

We made it into Hay after dark, lesson learnt, never drive across the wheat plains at dusk. We live in a rural community, so are aware and always cautious of kangaroo hopping across the roads at dusk, but nothing prepared us for the amount of bugs!  Hubby used so much windscreen water to clear the vision that we ran out of water. We could barely see the turn-off on arrival into Hay through the amount of bugs smeared on the car's screen in front of us. First stop in the morning consequently was a car wash.

Hay is in the western part of the Riverina district of western NSW, with the surrounding farm regions being either vegetable, cotton and rice crops or sheep and cattle. It is the home of "Shear Outback," a museum dedicated to the history of our wool industry. It is definitely worth a visit to learn all about the history behind the saying that Australia is known to have 'grown up on a sheeps back!" Get to read about some of the characters that were shearers, their lifestyle, and their tools of the trade. Learn all about the early pioneers, their present day shearing counterparts and into the future. If you have never seen a sheep being sheared, then watching a sheep shearing demonstration is an opportunity not to be missed. The shearer is very informative and handles the sheep with the utmost  care. The coffee shop is great for a snack or lunch and of course there is a gift shop with plenty of choices for woollen apparel. Thanks to the manager, Kathy, Shear Outback gift shop now also stocks 'Emma the Eager Emu' and 'Frazzled Freya' too. We enjoyed spending time at Shear Outback so much that we only made it as far as Mildura (just inside the top of Victoria,) that day.

The next morning we woke to beautiful clear blue skies, but were assured all that was about to change in a big hurry. A massive storm was approaching from South Australia, exactly where we were headed next.

Have you ever driven across Australia? Share your experiences below. 

Is the drive across this magnificent country on your bucket-list? Why or why not? Share your comments below.

Next week :- The havoc of the storm, a surprising find and much more!

A Cute New Story for the Little Ones

I am a huge advocate for reading from birth. There is nothing like the value of words in stories and reading from as early as possible to develop not only an awesome reader but provide the opportunity for your little ones to grow a huge vocabulary and comprehension skills. Not to mention it is an awesome time to spend together bonding and creating memories. This week I was asked if I would read and review "Where Can I have the Party" just released by Deb Hockenberry. To my delight it is a perfect read aloud picture book for you and your little ones. It is an ideal story for engaging toddlers and preschoolers in basic concepts like empathy and co-operation as well as simple problem solving strategies.

Children of this young age group adore animals, and Deb Hockenberry has used this to her advantage to tell a wonderful little story that any child can relate to, through the eyes of animals in the jungle.

It is chimpanzees birthday and her lovely friend giraffe, wants to give her a party, but she is concerned about finding the best, most suitable place to hold it. After helpful suggestions from elephant, monkey and snake, giraffe finally makes a wise decision so that all the friends can join in all the fun of a great party.

It is a simple, sweet tale that is fun for all the family. The illustrations by Emily Dimov-Gottshall are adorable watercolours that lend themselves to the jungle party atmosphere.

I believe this young children's book would be a delight to add to any bed-time or kindergarten collection.

Read it tonight to your little monkey's. I give it 5 bananas, and so will they. I'm sure they will want to read it over and over again!

https://www.amazon.com/Where-Can-We-Have-Party/dp/1537077120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490322336&sr=8-1&keywords=where+can+we+have+the+party

In Honour of all Things Green on St Patrick's Day!

Green has never been my choice of colour to wear, it has never really suited me but I do love the Emerald Isle, shamrocks, Leprechauns, Fairies and rainbows. So on this day, March 17, I thought I would celebrate St Patrick's Day by sharing a few of my wonderful memories of this special place that is close to my heart. Those that have known me for a long time, also know my maiden name is "Branigan" so even though I am proudly Australian, there is no denying my also proud Irish heritage. In 2010 my husband and I spent part of an amazing 5 week holiday in the UK, on a road trip experiencing some of the delights of my (and his, he is Scottish) "home" country. 

I discovered the delightful architecture around Dublin via the open air double-decker bus. In so doing  also discovered that Dublin is probably the coldest place on Earth in October! We wondered why we were the only silly people sitting "up top" until I was so frozen I couldn't move! The Trinity College Library was the highlight of Dublin for me. It felt like entering another magical world filled with inspiration, dreams and so much knowledge! My mother-in-law had always talked about the Book of Kells, on seeing it I understood the grandeur and magnificence of this gospel book written and illustrated so delicately and intricately by Monks over 1200 years ago. I was in awe of this library and could have spent hours just sitting soaking up the ambience.

The Ring of Kerry filled me with wonder and creative writing ideas. As we walked through bush tracks to the lake I had visions of fairies and Leprechauns dancing at every turn. My dream is to return one day and spend time there completing longer walks and writing more stories. I have already built my fairy house for our garden and have story ideas in various planning stages. As for the Leprechauns, they are coming too. More on them in my alien adventure series in books 3, 4 and 5 still to be released. I do feel a trip back to Ireland may just be what I need to finish this series. We didn't spend near enough time in this gorgeous corner of Ireland, it did rain most of the time we were there making it difficult to walk and see things. Next time I plan to go more prepared with raincoat and gumboots.

We explored ancient castle ruins and stayed in renovated castles that were filled with history, Medieval  ornaments, (including complete Knight armour) and beautiful portraits. We met some fabulous Irish folk that made us feel welcome and right at home. So much so, one night we stayed up talking to 4:00 am with one amazing couple. We had the bar all to ourselves, no waiter or bartender, just us to help ourselves and leave the money on the bar when we left.

I tried to find out where "Branigan's" hail from? It appears they were fairly wide spread throughout the Isle. I was given answers from Dublin, south to Killarney or Kilkenny  as well as north to Kilkeel and beyond. They certainly seemed to get around, no wonder the name is said to be synonymous with Ireland.

In true "Bennett" style, we spontaneously decided to head north into Northern Ireland even though this was unplanned. Meant changing return flights to be able to stay a few extra days, but was so worth it. We drove up to County Antrim to explore the Giant's Causeway Coast. In a word...stunning! The Giant's Causeway was amazing, Dunluce Castle hauntingly spectacular and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge terrifying yet awesome. We walked till we dropped most days, there was so much picturesque scenery to see.

Sadly all good things must come to an end and so we caught the ferry from Larne across the North Channel to Scotland. I leave you with this warning - be sure to catch the ferry not the fairy, for if you catch the fairy across, upon arrival in Scotland your bags will be checked for Leprechauns. The Scots do not want uninvited guests.

These are a few of my special memories of Ireland. What are some of yours? Happy St Patrick's Day and may the luck of the Irish be with you.

An Enchanting Underwater Adventure!

Kids love magic and sea creatures! Put them together and you have "The Magical Aquarium" by Cat Michaels.  An enchanting underwater magical sea adventure that is delightful, imaginative and inspiring.

I was lucky to win a copy of this wonderful ebook during a giveaway Cat ran during the launch of this latest short chapter book.

I don't want to give too much away, suffice to say, the characters are charming, the story telling is perfect for the intended age group and the illustrations are rather cute.

My first impression was this was a story that only girls would find interesting. So I decided to test my theory. I tutor a neighbour's  ten year old son after school and asked him to read the first chapter to gauge his opinion. After all, the best reviews always come direct from a child. He enjoyed that first chapter but no surprise, agreed he thought it was more suitable for the girls in his class, so I didn't press him to read further. The following week when given the choice to go back to "Zac Power, Frozen Fear" by H. I. Larry or continue with the "Magical Aquarium," to my surprise he chose .....drum roll please...... (you guessed it!) "The Magical Aquarium!" A second chapter in, we wrote a couple of sentences about the story so far, then he asked if he could download it himself so that he could finish it this week. He didn't want to wait until I returned next week with my tablet to be able to continue reading. You can't get a better reaction than that! I was very impressed. Cat's story had drawn my reader into her imaginative world and piqued his curiosity.

My theory fell flat. This is a book for all kids. They will love meeting the sea creatures in it. Some are a bit quirky, there's a vegetarian shark and a sea turtle with an itchy nose that needs to be scratched. Kids learn all about touch tanks where they can have the hands-on experience of feeling unusual creatures and walk through underwater tunnels to view all kinds of amazing underwater friends. Of course there is something quite magical that happens while the children visit this particular aquarium, but you are going to have to read the story to find out. No spoilers here!

You can tell Cat Michaels is a former school teacher like myself, at the end of the book she has included  a glossary of what she terms "Challenge Words" for young readers to check their understanding of meaning. Included with these are gorgeous photographs to further visually demonstrate comprehension. This is a perfect conclusion to a magical underwater adventure.

My only concern is that Cat has a stingray in the touch tank. I know they are generally considered docile animals and will only attack when frightened, mainly when stepped on in shallow waters when they are skimming through sand unseen. However, I think as an Australian, seeing them lurking off our shores quite frequently, I am a little more wary. The "Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin taught us an invaluable lesson about how dangerous a stingray can actually be if we are not careful. If you read this enchanting book with your children, maybe it is worthwhile having the discussion, a touch tank where children can feel animals under supervision is one thing, but some things are best left alone when discovered in their natural environment.

That being said, I still believe this book is worthy of 5 star(fish) for it's imagination, creativity and environmental awareness. A great way to start a discussion with the kids at home or in your classroom about looking after the world's oceans.

https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Aquarium-Cat-Michaels-ebook/dp/B01MY98FX2

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-magical-aquarium/id1173085945?ls=1&mt=11

My Favourite Books for all ages.

February has been all about spreading the love of books. Did you enter our Giveaway? A HUGE thank you to everyone that did. The response was amazing!

Congratulations Mary and Stephanie who both won a copy of Emma the Eager Emu. I hope she has arrived safely on your doorstep.

I thought I would continue the love of books for one last blog, (even though most of my posts are about books in one way or another).

Below are my all time favourite books that I have loved to read and share. They are all well worth considering adding to your collection if you don't already own them.

Picture Books

I can't go past the "Diary of a Wombat" series by Jackie French. I know I've said it many times before but these are simply adorable and can be read to all ages, from birth to adults! I have used them in the classroom from Kindergarten to year 6. Everyone loves them!  Packed full of fun, mischief and a massive dose of cuteness!

Diary of a Wombat

Baby Wombat's Week

Christmas Wombat

The Secret World of Wombats

Chapter Books for Middle Grade and Tweens.

Harry Potter. What can I say, I am a huge fan! J.K. Rowling brought reading  (and magic) back to a whole new generation when she released these. They will always be popular, in the classroom as well as on my shelf at home. I loved reading these aloud each night as my boys and I snuggled in bed together. They were so keen to hear the next absorbing chapter (or three).

The Philosopher's Stone   

The Chamber of Secrets

The Prisoner of Azkaban

The Goblet of Fire

The Order of the Phoenex

The Half-Blood Prince

The Deathly Hallows

Adult Books

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. It took a couple of years to read through this marvelous series. Gotta love a Highlander in a kilt! Add history and romance and you have an unputdownable series. When I finished the final book it was like saying goodbye to two well known friends. I missed Jamie and Claire Fraser. It took me sometime to feel I could enjoy another series as much.

Outlander     

Dragonfly in Amber

Voyager

Drums of Autumn

The Fiery Cross

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

An Echo in the Bone

Written in my Own Hearts Blood

Then I stumbled across a local Australian Author, Liane Moriarty. Her novels are contemporary mysteries set in the northern suburbs of Sydney. Since I grew up Sydney, I  really enjoyed reading these as the scenes are very familiar. They depict everyday suburban life with a twist. My favourite was Big Little Lies, (I couldn't predict the ending it was a real wow moment for me!) I wrote a review on it, if you are interested the link is here -

Great characters amazing plot fabulous setting

By the way it is now being shown as a mini series on Foxtel. My only disappointment is they made it in California not Sydney, however having seen the first episode, I'd say, so far, so good.

Liane has also written children's books however they are still on my "to read" list.

The Last Anniversary    

What Alice Forgot

The Hypnotist's Love Story

The Husband's Secret

Three Wishes

Big Little Lies

Truely Madly Guilty

Before I go, one last recommendation, if you like a story with environmental issues along with adventure and romance in a unique Australian setting Annie Seaton has it all in her recent series with -

Kakadu Sunset      

Daintree

My review for Kakadu Sunset is here -

Hold onto your akubra and take a wild ride around the top end

Some books mentioned are missing from my photos, I have leant them to friends and family.

I could of course, mention many others, but then we would be here for a very long time. I enjoy reading many genres including autobiographies.

Anh Do's "The Happiest Refugee" was particularly moving, insightful and funny. He takes you on a  memorable journey from war torn Vietnam, escaping in a leaking boat to be raised in the Western suburbs of Sydney and finally becoming a successful comedian. I have now just started "Mao's Last Dancer" by Li Cunxin. It is a memoir I have wanted to read for a long time. My husband and I saw one of his productions of The Nutcracker over Christmas by the Queensland Ballet Company. Li was sitting only a few seats in front of us. The ballet was superb! I was even more determined then to read his life story.

What are you reading at the moment? What would be on your all time favourite list of suggestions? I am always looking for more books to read and welcome any ideas.

Love is in the Air! - International Book Day Blog Hop

"Love is in the air everywhere I look around  Love is in the air every sight and every sound And I don't know if I'm being foolish Don't know if I'm being wise But it's something that I must believe in And it's there when I look in your eyes"

Sorry I'm not about to break out into John Paul Young's song, Have you started singing it in your head yet?

I'm not about to start ballroom dancing either, even though I loved "Strictly Ballroom" (maybe I'll watch that again tonight)!

Now that I have your attention!  Valentines Day is just around the corner, a day to remember our loved ones. Valentines Day is also International Book Giving Day!  Why is International Book Day held the same day? It is a day devoted to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children and providing access to books for children in need. For this reason I decided this year as a special treat I would focus on my love of reading and sharing that love with children.  

How am I doing that? In case you haven't heard by now, I have joined a group of fantastic Indie Authors to help spread the love in a Blog Hop  devoted to the love of books and a giveaway of some of their 's (and my) awesome children's books. More on that later, for now, please read and enjoy, then read the other #gr8blogs listed below for more fun loving book inspiration. Don't forget when you finish reading to be sure to enter the rafflecopter competition for your chance to win one of 14 amazing picture books and ebooks so that you too, can help share and spread the love of books with children everywhere!

Reading - How do I love thee, let me count the ways - 

1. I love the smell of opening the pages of a freshly printed new book.
2. I love snuggling with a child and sharing the wonder and surprise of what they find inside the story.
3. I love that stories can take you on adventures to far off places and unknown worlds of discovery and imagination.
4. I love that books are filled with endless opportunities to learn.
5. I love that you can escape everyday reality for awhile inside the pages of a fantasy, mystery or adventure.
6. I love the fact that sharing a book with a child is time well spent, a bonding time and memory building time.
7. I love reading a book to an eager class of wide eyes, and watching the anticipation on their faces as I reach the climax.
8. I love reading a book that inspires a child to write their own imaginative story or draw a wondrous illustration.
9. I love hearing a child ask to hear a favourite bedtime story read aloud "just one more time!"
10. I love it when they fall asleep clutching their favourite story and you know they are dreaming of that special world.

Can you think of any other reasons to love reading? I'm sure there are plenty more. Leave a comment below, I would love to know what you think.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing a bit of the reading love of International Book Giving Day. Don't forget to read these other #gr8t blogs from my fab author friends.  It's not too late to join our Rafflecopter competition either. Entries close 15th Feb so you still have time to share in the love of our book giveaway. While you're reading these blogs check out these authors awesome books you might like a chance to win!

Cat Michaels, Cat’s Corner - goo.gl/QctwSl   

Julie Gorges, Baby-Boomer Bliss -http://babyboomerbliss.net/celebrating-international-book-giving-day-free-book-giveaway/

Carmela Dutra, A Blog for your Thoughts - http://bit.ly/2kUcH1F

JD Holiday: JD's Writers Blog http://jdswritersblog.blogspot.com/...

Corrina Holyoake, http://corrinaholyoake.blogspot.co.uk/...

James Milson - http://wp.me/p3RsfU-151

Tracy Bryan - http://tracybryan.com/blog/valentin...

Rosie Russell - http://booksbyrose.com/kidlit-blog-...

Terms and conditions: There is NO purchase necessary to enter or win. Eight winners (still to be determined exact amount) will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget within 48 hours and notified by email once the giveaway ends. The winners will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner(s) do not respond within 72 hours, a new winner(s) will be chosen. This giveaway is open to all who live in and outside of the US. However, as there are several sponsors of this giveaway who live both domestic and international. Print books are available only for domestic country of author origin; ebooks offered outside author's country of origin at their discretion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

International Book Giving Day Coming Soon!

It's almost here! International Book Giving Day is the same day as Valentines Day, Feb 14! 

What does this mean?

Spreading the love of books to children everywhere!

It's such a wonderful idea I decided to jump onboard and join in the giveaways this year.

I'm trying a lot of new things this year. I started my email list, (finally), now have to start writing my first newsletter. So exciting. :)

I even joined the scary world of the twittersphere. (Wish me luck on that one, I'm a bit nervous about that).

One thing I am really excited about though is joining my author friends from all over the world to bring to you the chance to win free copies of all our gorgeous children's books. This is your chance to get books into the hands of children you love and read aloud with them some fabulous new stories. Sharing the love of books and reading on Valentines Day, has to be a great idea, don't you agree?

International Book Giving Day is a day devoted to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children and providing access to books for children in need. It falls each year on Valentines Day and what better way to say I love you than by giving your loved ones something they can enjoy reading over and over again. What better way to tell our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews we love them than with the gift of a book!

Books are a small gift that can last a lifetime and make a huge impact! You could inspire a future author, a journalist, a scientist, the possibilities are endless. Never underestimate the power of giving a book, you never know where the imagination and creativity may lead.

So, now you know what Book Giving Day is all about and you love the idea too! What do you do next?

• You can take a loved one to the library and share a book with them.
• Read aloud at home with a special someone, maybe even a neighbour's child
• Donate a much loved old children's book to a family, charity or hospital in need.
• Visit a bookstore and buy a book for someone you love.
• or you can join our giveaway.

I am so pleased and excited to be sharing in my first giveaway with some of my special author friends in this Book Giveaway Extravaganza! In total there will be 14 signed copies of our books as well as ebooks all ready to giveaway with love especially to you. The Giveaway starts Wednesday 1st February and runs through to 15th February 2017.

Marianne Dubuc – creator of the 2017’s official poster – has also created these beautiful bookmarks. Print one out and add to your book when you give it to someone you love. Don't forget to write a few special words of love in the inside front cover. The receiver will love and treasure it.

Join the Giveaway - entries open 1st Feb 17

For more information on how to enter for your chance to win see the details below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions: There is NO purchase necessary to enter or win. Winners will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget within 48 hours and notified by email once the giveaway ends. The winners will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner(s) do not respond within 72 hours, a new winner(s) will be chosen. This giveaway is open to all who live in and outside of the US. However, as there are several sponsors of this giveaway who live both domestic and international. Print books are available only for domestic country of author origin; ebooks offered outside author's country of origin at their discretion.

Now you know how I plan to spread the love on Valentines Day, how about you?

Let me know in the comments below.