Free On-Line serial starts on the 12th September
D There's an excerpt over on my Womens Fiction page if you'd like a taste. Here's the UK cover and we made Book Of The Month over there. How cool is that. There’s a great discussion happening at http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/book-buzz/fiona-mcarthur-writing-survival-guide-dating-your-boss-single-free-and-fabulous-syd so maybe you could drop in if you have a moment. There’s even another happening at eharlequin.com in the US at http://harlequinblog.com/2011/09/the-single-free-and-fabulous-life-in-coogee-beach/ but you might have to cut and paste that one. Hope you can drop in and comment. Will post the link as soon as it’s up. xx Fi 
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And I have a free on-line serial
starting September 12 on eharlequin.com
New chapter every day for twenty
days that’s a lead in to the series.
Romance Writers Australia Cocktail Party. A work in progress with smiles
&
nbsp;
- Marion Lennox, Alison Roberts and me post cocktail party
lost something? Can you tell we had fun?-
Anne Gracie, Trish Morey, Carol Marinelli, Alison Roberts and me
Flappers unite
Always wanted to meet Charlie Chaplin. How amazing is Maggie Mundy as CC!
Harry’s excerpt and a review.
I I enjoyed my presentation on birth emergencies to regional ambulance officers in Port Macquarie. Such a great group of people, ambos, and I so admire their dedication and skill, and of course I love talking about birth - you might have guessed. Interestingly, then had a couple of days unable to get home from the local floods because our highway was blocked for 6 days, so marooned in Port Macquarie. While away my husband had to let the cattle up to the house yard because the rest of the farm went under, really easy to kayak over the fences again, and the cows loved my garden! The silver lining there I caught up with an old friend I’ve really missed, and another friend gave me her ‘Breast Wishes’ tickets, a witty and wise live show obviously suited to people like midwives who are ‘breast orientated’ but with an important message of self care for women. Had wanted to see a show at the Glasshouse for ages so how cool was that. Must be the month for delays because the ash clouds shaved 4 days of my 7 day trip to Christchurch trip to follow my son’s school rugby trip, but still amazed by the beauty of the South Island of New Zealand. I stayed with medical author Alison Roberts and Mollie, and we saw whales, rugby, and lots of snow covered mountains. And that’s about it for this time, take care, hope the world smiles for you, and happy reading xx Fi 
Beautiful Bali and a Big Rock
I
can’t believe it was a year ago this month I left for Bali so it seemed a good time to revisit. Actually this blog is so I don’t get guilty I spent so much time flicking through photos. Actually as I browse and reminisce I wonder what stands out the most. You know, I think it’s the smiles of the Balinese people. But then there’s the smells of the coriander in the cooking and the lushness of the
jungle and rice paddys that make me sit back and sigh.
Maybe it’s seeing volcanoes and villages clinging to cliffs. Then again, could be the never ending and tooting traffic that’s so fluid and polite and crazy with the motor bikes carrying huge bags, or tables, or pigs or even a whole family including the baby.
We saw cheeky monkeys my girlfriend that terrified her, and cooking class that terrified me, bike rides and bargaining, it’s all there along with markets and colourful clothes and sunlight on waves and tables on beaches to watch stunning sunsets as you eat.
Ohhh. I just remembered my fake tattoo of the gecko on my shoulder.
It’s really no wonder I wanted to set a book there. Next month (or now in some places) my book Harry St Claire; Doctor or Rogue comes out. If you want to read more about Bali it’s in there – And you can tell I loved it.
So this is my Bali book. And my Uluru (Ayers Rock) book.
I found both destinations amazing and wonderful, and places I could revisit time and time again but I especially hope I’ve conveyed the strong sense of family, serenity and heritage I saw in the beautiful people of Bali.
Then again I love Uluru too but I might revsit that later too, except what I most remember is I did not expect the power of the place yet some of that magic went into the book because the story of Harry and Bonnie just happened. (And how cool is it my new grandson is Harry too.) I really enjoyed reading the real book when it arrived.
For those who’re wondering about the story line, Harry’s a gorgeous but footloose rogue in Bali, and Bonnie McKenzie is a very sensible, motivated midwife who doesn’t want a holiday fling. That’s why our wounded Harry doesn’t know if he ‘s coming or going but he does know that clarity may return if he follows Bonnie to the last place he wants to be – central Australia – the place his wife and child died – and maybe the healing power of the majestic and mighty Rock along with love of a strong woman will be his salvation.
As I said in the Dear Reader letter, I dedicated this to the three different girlfriends I travelled to Bali with over the years and my son, Andrew, who shared the rock experience with me and allowed me to write while he changed that flat tyre in the red desert. And of course, my own rock, my dearest Ian.
That’s all from me, but thanks for letting me ramble on about it all. And if you pick up the book, I sincerely hope you enjoy Bonnie and Harry’s journey as much as I enjoyed visiting those fabulous places. Perhaps I can inspire you to visit or revisit Bali and Uluru one day.
But, for the moment, I’m wondering where’s the last place you visited? And did it make you vow to return.
Keep well and happy ’till next month
xx Fi
THE TWO HARRY’s
Nana with Harry
So it’s all pretty exciting to have a new baby in the family. Rohan and Jodie are fabulous parents to little Harry, and he’s such a delight. I was even at work when they had him (though looking after the mum next door 
and as you can imagine had lots of cuddles that night and the next day. Big bonus to being a midwife.
Then the very next day I discovered the title of my new book to come
out next month …
HARRY ST CLAIRE: ROGUE OR DOCTOR?
which I though serendipitous as I’d no idea my new grandson’s name was going to be Harrison. How cool is that!
This book was such fun to write
and has so many wonderful memories because
it’s set in two places very dear to my heart -
BEAUTIFUL BALI and the MAGNIFICENT ULURU – or AYERS ROCK in central Australia.
I really hope you enjoy Harry and Bonnie’s long distance journey to happiness.
Further to my ‘THE DON”T PANIC GUIDE TO BIRTH’ by Penguin Australia, apart from buying the print book from
http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-don-t-panic-guide-to-birth/prod9780143204527.html
It’s now out in ebook.
http://kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Dont-Panic-Guide-To/book-TDrsl6JpIEa59Hx21X1wsA/page1.html
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
………………………………………………….
How lovely is that! And to go to the effort of mailing it – I really appreciated the effort and can’t wait to see how their baby’s first day went.
That’s all for now
with warmest wishes to all
xx Fi
Read MoreHarry’s here
It’s HARRY month. No doubt about it. My beautiful grandson to top off the most amazing month just a few days ago.
It has been the busiest couple of weeks since
last I blogged.
Where do I start? Well I managed to go to my first
Opera, CARMEN, at the Sydney Opera House, with my dear friend Bronwyn Jameson, and
absolutely loved it. Anyone an opera lover? What’s your favourite because
I want to see more and even thinking of going when Alison Roberts and I hit
Rome in October.
I attended a fab weekend workshop with American
Screenwriting Guru Michael Haugh in March. My aim is to write one script this
year.
Then Sydney and attended the Romance Readers
Association of Australia Conference in Bondi. Wow. Talk about well organised. I
met the happiest and kindest bunch of
ladies with no agenda except to shout to the rooftops they love reading romance.
Such a fun weekend with people who know how to party. If anyone is coming over
to Oz from the states, have look at ARRA and see if they have any conferences
on. Brilliant. It was lovely to meet the awesome Cindy Gerard as plenary
speaker, too.
ARRA was followed by five days writing and retreating
with dear friends in Coogee, the setting
for our Young Nurses Series which starts in September.
Then a weekend at Bellingen Writers Conference with
my 4POINTS writing buddies and my husband is starting to look a little forlorn.
So he came to the ALSO obstetric conference that was on the Gold Coast the
following weekend.
But the best, most awesome, fabulous personal news is the safe and serene
arrival of my first grandson, Harrison Bailey Ian, 8lb 7oz on the 14th April.
When my webpage will let me post piccies..!!! I will. We do have some GORGEOUS ones. Thankfully
I was home long enough to greet him.
Huge
congrats to Jodie and Rohan who knew how to have the best shot at the kind of
labour they wanted. Can I tell you about it? You know how I love a good birth
story.
They
did five, two and half hour lessons with
my dear friend Vicki who is a Calmbirth® instructor, after
work (they both worked full time until 3 weeks before) and attended the six
evening sessions at my hospital antenatal classes and… not sure if they felt
obliged to or they wanted it – cause then they both read my Don’t Panic Guide
To Birth.
I do believe I was feeling more pressure than them
that everything was going to work out well.
But it was a dream labour. First baby, and Jodie
stated contractions at five in the
morning, didn’t stress, just squeezed her little stress ball all the way
till 1pm at home, walking and resting, then they came into the hospital. They
went straight to the bathroom where they stayed together with very little
interference until they buzzed, and
Harry was born in the shower at 4:48 that evening. How cool is that.
I even got to be there at the last minute, as the
other midwife on, through the good graces of the lady I was looking after next
door who luckily waited to have her baby a cool half hour later. What a fabulous
shift.
Then my editor phoned to say the title of my next
book was “Harry St Clair: Rogue or Doctor?” How cool is that. The book opens in beautiful Bali and closes at
the magnificent Uluru (or Ayers Rock) in central Australia and Harry really is
a menace. I had such fun researching this book. Shame it’s too late to dedicate
to my new little man in my life but hey, there’s always the next one.
So are you tired. Too much and too many places to
think about? My husband feels like that. I feel a little like that sometimes
but the rest of the time I’m grinning ‘cause it’s a beautiful day, I’ve
had a great morning getting words down,
it’s Good Friday tomorrow and I’m working so may even get to catch an Easter
baby. I’m staying home this month. Really I am
Hugs xx Fi
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