30th August 2010

Had to share my news, I have a release date for The Don’t Panic Guide To Birth, from Penguin Australia. This book pregnancy has lasted exactly a year from when the simple birth guide idea first surfaced - to when I’ll see my book on the shelves. How cool is that.

I’ve had such amazing support from friends and colleagues in the birthing profession, midwives, doctors,  new and experienced mums as well as my writing mates with input, suggestions, and read throughs. So this baby has lots of input from aunts and uncles who care about birthing women. 

So now I’m on the Penguin Page, see link below, and have smiled over the ‘almost ready’ cover which I love and will share with you as soon as it’s set. Penguin have made the birth guide small enough to fit in your handbag, or maybe even a very generous jean pocket (maybe not but we’ll see), and I think the format is great. It’s retailing at $14.95, so it’s very affordable, a big thing we all worked towards, and makes it great for giving as a last minute hug to that nervous pregnant friend or relative. 

So watch this space, I’ll post my new cover as soon as it’s available.

warmest wishes

Fiona

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Uluru and Kings Canyon

 

I’m off to the middle of Australia on Friday. Alice Springs here I come andI can’t wait.

It’s ALSO time again, that’s Advanced Life Support Obstetrics, and I’ll be attending conference with other midwives and doctors for the weekend in Alice. ALSO is a great initiative for health care workers associated with birthing women to update skills and share validated responses if an obstetric emergency happens. Everyone sits the same exams and we all go home inspired and invigorated by meeting knew people and stretching our brains. I feel very privileged to be a small part of such a wonderful team.

After ALSO, I’m off for a week of sightseeing around central Australia, both camping off-road through Kings Canyon, Glen Helen, and a little more luxuriously, in a resort at Uluru (Ayers Rock). Then there’s the Olgas and the deserts, the night sky and stars that stretch forever. There’s been a good downfall of rain as well so we’ll be extra lucky to see the lushness that’s rare in the red centre. Can’t wait.

So watch out for my photos next month and for a book or two set in Central Australia next year. What a job.

Saffron W. has won my webpage celebration book prize. I’ll post Midwife In A Million and The Midwife’s New-Found Family out to you, Saffron.

xx Fi

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Fancy a room with a view?

I

There with my writing friends, from rt. Amy Andrews, HMB Medicals Romance; Kelly Hunter, Harlequin Modern Extra; and me. You can just see Hat Head in the distance but what a beach. Can you see the chair to the left? Think sunset and a glass of bubbles.

The most amazing thing was at night we sat directly under the lighthouse above the sea and the beams swung out over the waves. When you leaned back and looked up, the lighthouse roof looked like a space ship with rotating beams, three beams, 3 seconds, three beams, 3 seconds, you get the picture.

We’re all dressed up here because my husband has dropped in to take us out to dinner at Geppy’s, an Italian restaurant that overlooks the beach and boulders at South West Rocks. A fabulous evening with fabulous food. Then he dropped us home again and left us to it. What a hero!

The B&B is decked out with beautiful four poster beds and authentic furnishings as well as lots of lighthouse memorabillia. And the home cooked breakfast, with tropical fruit and yoghurt is to die for. Sound like an advertisement. I can’t help myself. They have about forty weddings a year here and I can see why. It’s already in one book but I can see more lighthouses to come.

And to finish off I’ve added a piccie from Valentine’s Day at Port Macquarie. This photo taken my my husband, Ian, from the balcony of our room. It was such a romantic place to be on Valentine’s. We made up a lovely platter of cold meat and cheese and lots of fresh fruit and just enjoyed it from our room.

That’s all for this week. It’s turned chilly today, the second day of autumn down-under, and I’ve the first cardigan of the year on. So keep warm, keep dry and if in doubt snuggle up with a book. By the way, MIDWIFE IN A  MILLION, is out now. The first of my Kimberleys of Western Australia, books, and I can’t wait to hear what you think. Warmest regards and happy reading

xx Fi

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The DON’T Panic Guide To Birth

Lovely to see the ebook of Don’t Panic Guide To Birth up on KOBO and Amazon.com.

Now thats what I call instant Dont Panic. xx Fi

http://kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Dont-Panic-Guide-To/book-TDrsl6JpIEa59Hx21X1wsA/page1.html

And the print version can be ordered from

http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-don-t-panic-guide-to-birth/prod9780143204527.html

If you’re having trouble finding one I can direct you. Drop me a mail fiona@fionamcarthur.com with Buy Book in subject line.

I’m very excited about my  DON’T PANIC GUIDE TO BIRTH, because I think it will help.

A midwife for twenty five years, I’ve always been passionate about sharing the insights I’ve gained about birth with women and their families.

When a mother-to-be walks into an antenatal class she has some questions she wants to ask first. One of them is “How will I know if I’m in labour?”and there’s heaps of answers after that. This book starts there. If you want an easy to read, last minute guide to those burning questions, I can’t wait to share.

wishing you a wonderful birth

xxFi

I had a beautiful letter from one of our hospital emergency doctors who has left while his wife has their baby. I’d love to share it with you…

To Fiona

Thank you very much for the Don’t Panic Guide To Birth. It’s great!

I’d like to say I read it without putting it down, but I didn’t. The passages on the newborn girl nuzzling her mother got me quite misty eyed: must be the air conditioning here.

It’s so lovely to read of the joy of childbirth, and for a normal part of life to be presented so positively. I will heartily recommend your fabulous book.

Sandra loves your book, and found it a welcome breath of fresh air after struggling through the usual ‘big fat’ pregnancy books.

Thank you

Dean

…..

And my first Review.

From Kate Cuthbert
Editor
Booktopia Romance Buzz

Gentle Readers,
It’s a buyer’s market out there this month – especially if you like paranormals and historicals . Both sub-genres have bumper crops of top picks out this month for your reading pleasure.

This month, I’ve been focusing on a more specific area of reading for my own research – all the pregnancy books I can get my hands on. Our first child is due at the beginning of November. So what does a romance reader read when planning for her own epilogue? My favourite book – and the one both my husband and I have found the most useful and the least scary (and that’s a big deal!) – is this one from Australian midwife and Harlequin Medical Author Fiona McArthur. The Don’t Panic Guide to Birth is fantastic – written in short, 5-minute chapters with all the information and none of the judgement. It’s been a great asset in my house, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking at their own epilogue, or as a useful gift for showers.

Until next month, happy reading!
Kate Cuthbert,  (new mum)

Congratulations on your new baby, Kate!!!!!!!!! Fionaxxxxx

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Happy Valentine’s Day

J

I received a lovely early Valentines Day pressy this morning, and it’s even red. My first lovely cataromance reviewers Award for The Midwife’s New-Found Family. The award goes to Misty and Ben’s story from my Lyrebird Lake series of books. Thank you so much to Cataromance for the honour.

And tomorrow my handsome Valentine and I are going to stay in a swish hotel, overlooking the river, with bubbles and chocolates to celebrate. Considering its been a hectic week at work with the joy of catching three babies in the last week as well as some classic moments of unusual interest, the late checkout is appreciated. We don’t give gifts for valentine’s but I have written him a love poem. What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? Whatever you do, smile, and the world smiles with you. I wish you much fun and frivolity and a lotta love. Watch this space because my new webpage is coming (excuse the teething but it will be worth it) and there’ll be plenty to celebrate.

Warm and fuzzies and Happy Valentines from me

xx Fiona

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