I did have the most fabulous time, which is pretty cool when I’ve been planning this trip since 2003, but you know - I am looking forward to completing the third book in my Lyrebird Lake Trilogy - so I really must be a writer.

The first Lyrebird Lake book, THE MIDWIFE’S LITTLE MIRACLE,  comes out in January and I can’t wait, but more on that next month.

But first the trip. We started in Honolulu to

shorten the flight and isn’t Honolulu the most beautiful place.

The best thing in Hawaii is everyone is friendly and helpful, smiling and enjoying life. Those toes are mine and the gorgeous beach babe is Alsion Roberts. <G>

  It wouldn’t be the same without the orchids. Me, Trish Morey (Presents) and Alison Roberts (Medical Romance) all looking pretty pleased to be in Honolulu.

 Even the dolphins have fun. Swimming with dolphins was  Alison’s dream and as you can tell by our smiles it was amazing.

San Francisco and the RWAmerica Conference was awesome, as I’d expected, the booksigning was huge and I slipped away to have a book signed by Nora Roberts - how cool is that - and the next day at the Harlequin Giveaway signing I think I signed more than a hundred books. It was such a thrill to talk to people who read Medical Romance and wanted more.

                   The other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Then I met up with my dear friend, Medical Author, Jennifer Taylor who shared a memorable three days with me sightseeing around Paris. What a beautiful city.

 We dined at the Eiffel Tower, sunset cruised on the Seine and even ventured to the Moulin Rouge after midnight. I can’t believe I’ve actually seen the original Mona Lisa and the Louvre. Fabulous, but a little tricky to get used to so many more people in one place. Not what I’m used to in my country town. <G>

In London I met up again with the dancing Alison Roberts (she’d been to Barcelona for Ceroc !!) and we caught the train down to the Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh Festival. Now that was amazing against the backdrop of a floodlit Edinburgh Castle.  A highlight was a visit to the fairytale Argyle Castle with friends before leaving beautiful Scotland, a place I could return to time and again.

Then another quick stop in London for a ride on the London Eye in a rainstorm and tea at the Ritz. This has been a one off wish that I’d always said I’d do, so we did!

Then home to Australia for the RWAustralia conference in Melbourne on the Flying Kangaroo. Another fabulous conference weekend was enjoyed by all. I have to say “Hats Off” to the heroic conference organisers in Melbourne and in San Francisco. They do an enormous job and don’t get to enjoy the fruits of their labour like we do. Not fair!

So that’s it. Finished. 500 photos and lots of experiences that will pop up in my books forever. So watch out for that bagpipe playing, dolphin loving, Hawaiin hero in Paris because he’s in there somewhere.

Lots of love Fiona

PS To comment just press the Comment link at the top of the page.xx

Just in - a fab review from Coffee Time Romance for THE MIDWIFE’S BABY available on-line now

This story is one of desperation and the unconditional love we have for our children; a love that drives us to protect them no matter the cost. Ms. McArthur nails that feeling perfectly. Her characters are heartwarming and really endear themselves to the reader. I absolutely adore Max’s character. He is witty, fun, and a real hero to Georgia and Elsa. This is a lovely read, and well worth your time.

Lototy – 4 cups from Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

For the rest of the review see my book link to THE MIDWIFE’S BABY or www.coffeetimeromance.com 

The problem is the fact that I’m away from home for 29 nights. 29! As my husband says. You can’t pack that many clothes. But I’m gonna have fun.

Yep. Honolulu with Bronwyn Jameson (Desire), and Alison Roberts (Medical ), Trish Morey (Presents)and Kelly Hunter (Modern Extra). We should be met at the airport with a limo and champagne and a tour of the island before we check into our beachfront hotel. Or that’s what the brochure says. We’ll see.  No housework anyway.

Dolphin swimming with Alison the next day, should be awesome, and then the day after we fly off to San Francisco and the Romance Writers of America Conference at the Marriot Hotel for five nights. Huge events, The Rita’s and some Aussies to cheer for. Have bought the black dress to die for (photos next blog). A cross between Cruella DeVille and a mermaid. I LOVE IT!Then onto Paris where I’m meeting my dear friend Jennifer Taylor, who is great fun, and armed with her superior knowledge  we are going to paint the town red. Well, see Moulon Rouge, dine at the Eiffel Tower and see the city of lights as we cruise the Seine. Jennifer has threatened to walk my shoes off so that should help the previous overindulgence.

Then London, where I’m having lunch with my editor in Richmond, a visit to my favourite aunt in Ipswich and a brief holiday at Southwold, and then I’m taking myself to Bath to read Georgette Heyer and soak up the history. I love Bath.

Then down to Scotland on the sleeper train with Alison Roberts again and we are off to the Edinburgh Tattoo and a couple of nights in Edinburgh, then Benmore to some lovely people and a place very dear to my late mother’s heart, and then back to London where Alison and I are going to have High Tea at the Ritz. This one was on my list. I booked a month ago and only just managed to secure a table. Will let you know how fab it was.

Then to Melbourne for the Romance Writers of Australia conference at the wonderful Langham. I’m presenting a workshop on

How To Love The Shrek Side Of Writing By Princess Fiona.

So 29 nights before I blog again as I can’t possibly fit my computer in with my clothes. Have slipped in a little Eeepc so I can write on the flights.

Next blog will be talking about the Lyrebird Lake Series which I’m so excited about.  

And congratulations to Sara Ball from Texas who won a copy of my The Midwife’s Baby at the end of June. Hope you enjoy the book, Sara.  New comp when I come back.

Keep well, keep happy and enjoy.

Love Fiona

I’ve just had my statements from Harlequin Mills and Boon and this time of year reminds me of books that I wrote and haven’t thought about for a while and all the people who do me the honour of buying my books and spend their time reading them.

One day I sat and added up all the copies of all of my books that had been sold, and for a lover of romance, a country midwife who loves her job, a mother and wife who loves to share that in her books, it comes to around 900,000 sold books. Not counting those borrowed from the library, or borrowed from a friend, and it’s a pretty humbling number. Of course that’s nowhere near the number out there for someone like Lillian Darcy or Marion Lennox

I guess that’s why you can’t just dash off a book. That’s why you have to live what those people in your books are living and feeling and that’s why you can’t take for granted the readers who share my journey with me. If every person who reads one of my books, smiles once, that’s 900,000 smiles. How cool is that!

Last month I showed the UK cover of THE MIDWIFE’S BABY which is out now in the UK and on-line in Australia and this month I’d to share the Australian cover with you because I think it’s beautiful too.

I’m so excited my North American version will be out for July on eharlequin.com. which makes it available at the RWAm Conference in San Francisco and RWAus in Melbourne.

I wanted to share  another sunset which you can see at the top. I’m so into sunsets. I’m thinking of adding a page to the site because I have all these different sunsets from back door and they always make me feel so glad to be alive. I’d love to share them with you. Must talk to Penny, my webmistress <G> My mum was the same. She had albums of them. Must be hereditary.

We live above a swamp, sometimes a paddock for cows to graze, sometimes a lake that stretches to the hills. Last week I kayaked over the paddocks with a friend and it was truly magical. With these two photos below, the left photo is the back fence a way from the house and the right is the front of my kayak as I’m paddling through the woods.

This view will be so different next month when I fly out to San Francisco to the Romance Writers Of America conference in August. I can’t believe the trip has come around so soon.

I’ve finished Misty and Ben’s story, Ben was such a different hero for me, and now I’ve started the third book of the Lyrebird Lake series. Already Mia has knocked Angus for six. This book is going to be such fun. I love series books because it’s really wonderful to peek at how married life goes with previous heroes and heroines. I’m off to write my Blog for the medicalromance.blogspot.com, LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE, so I’ll catch you again before I jet out on my trip. More on that next month.

Don’t forget to enter my Competition for a copy of The Midwife’s Secret on the comps page. Good luck. It’s drawn on the 30th June

Warmest regards and happy reading

Fi

So many people have written to say they missed out on my previous book, Their Special Care Baby, I thought I’d better post the news. <G> Georgia and Max’s story comes out in NA and Aus in July and will be available from eharlequin.com and eharlequin.com.au respectively as well. I love this book and hope you do too. It’s been such a fun premise because my heroine, Georgia, the bridesmaid, has her baby on the hero’s wedding day. Typical of a midwife to think of it but babies will come at the most inopportune, or was that opportune, time? This is my Maytone book, dreamed up at my first ever writers retreat and is dedicated unreservedly to my inspiring writer friends.

I’m really excited THE MIDWIFE’S BABY will be out before the Romance Writers Of America conference in August so I will have copies at the Readers For Life Literacy Autographing event on July 30th at the San Francisco Marriott from 5.30 till 7.30 pm. This is such a worthwhile cause. I remember this huge event from New York in 2003 and apparently there are 450 authors at the signing this year. Wow! Don’t be surprised if I dash off for a few minutes every now and then to see my favourite authors <G> but maybe you will forgive me as I’ll be bringing chocolate TIM TAM’s and Caramelo Koalas to share.

I’m almost finished the second of the linked ‘Midwives as Mother’s’ books from Lyrebird Lake with Misty and Ben, and up to the best part now as they struggle to surmount the reasons they should never be together. Ben’s going to have to come up with something special to make up to her. I’m soon to start Mia’s story which is percolating nicely and have found her the most scrumptious damaged hero to save. Actually I can’t wait to round out the three books with Mia’s exploits but I know I will miss them all when the end comes.

To finish I’ve included a few pictures from life at home; we had two days at gorgeous Hat Head during the school holidays with the grandgirls and my boys; been to Bathurst for Rohan’s graduation from Uni, and Ian and I have driven over the mountains to the country music capital of Tamworth to catch up with Rory for my Mother’s Day pancakes.

This weekend I’m off to Advanced Life Support Obstetrics in Coffs Harbour to catch up with old friends and meet new ones as doctors and midwives discuss the optimum responses to those moments in medicine we need to be ready for. That’s all for now, keep well, keep happy and don’t forget to enter my new competition.

warmest regards

Fiona

The competition will be draw on the 30th of June and the winner will be announced on the website. All you need to do is contact me using my contact form and tell me a little bit about yourself.

Good luck and happy reading:)

Excerpt

The chapel floated like a snowflake against the backdrop of the lush Hunter Valley Gardens and the string quartet drifted silvery notes out over the waiting guests. Max Beresford stood tall and straight at the front of the church and realised that despite the romantic venue he’d condemned himself to the type of loveless marriage his parents had. Give me a sign, God. Am I a fool for going through with this? The procession music started. Too late. Max tilted his chin slightly as he watched the Matron of Honour walk haltingly towards him in some screechingly couture apricot material. There was something about the dogged yet vulnerable expression on the woman’s face that arrested his attention. He found himself sympathetic because he’d approached the altar with just such a halting approach. Max frowned. Was there a problem or was his new cousin-in-law to-be unbearably nervous? Nerves didn’t make sense because she looked gorgeous – fertile with her baby bump bulging beneath the shiny fabric – but gorgeous nonetheless. She paused again and seemed to suck air in through gritted teeth before she raised her chin and resumed her approach. Max knew Tayla had been reluctant to include her midwife cousin, Georgia, in the wedding party but he’d thought that due to Georgia’s unfashionable pregnancy and some vague hint that she was depressed. Maybe there were other reasons. Before he could ruminate on that thought his non-blushing bride staged her spectacular entry and the gasps from the congregation drew Max’s eyes towards his future wife. He could do nothing but stare. Feathers rippled and parted in the breeze and held Max spellbound. He blinked in disbelief. Tayla seemed to have been devoured by a white duck. Framed against the door for an extended moment, his bride’s shapely arms and legs stretched from beneath a strapless froth of feathers that only just covered her thighs at the front and fell in a frothy tail to the floor at the back. A large apricot bow around her tiny waist matched the rose in his lapel. Good grief, Max thought, and suppressed an ironic smile. He’d fallen into Swan Lake and he had never felt less like a prince. His bride floated up beside him, as did one of the feathers that had come unstuck and drifted just ahead of her in an eddy, and handed her feathered fan to the Matron of Honour who unfortunately seemed to have missed the one cue she’d been assigned to do. Cousin Georgia was not having a good day. He could see Tayla remained seriously unimpressed with her attendant. For Georgia Winton, being Matron of Honour had assumed the nightmare proportions she had hoped it wouldn’t. The first unexpected labour contraction had hit her as she entered the church at the precise moment the whole congregation had stared at her. The next contraction had grown to such intensity she almost dropped the bouquet as her cousin handed it to her. When she was able, Georgia offered an apologetic glance to bride and groom, which neither acknowledged. Tayla had tossed her head in disgust and Max had continued to stare bemused at Tayla’s dress. Georgia clutched the bouquet like the dead duck it actually looked like, and forced her shoulders to drop as the pain eased away. Distraction, distraction, distraction, she reminded herself. There was plenty of that. Max Beresford, the groom, was pretty distracting. She’d known of him, but until now, not by sight as he’d missed rehearsals because of some crisis at the hospital. The real Max was tall, broad shouldered and far too handsome for his own good but his kind eyes had surprised her with their warmth. Though younger than she’d expected, he looked every inch the new Department Head of Obstetrics for the North Coast Region of Hospitals – a position he was taking up after Tayla’s and his honeymoon – and she was surprised how much she instinctively felt that Tayla had chosen well. After Georgia’s baby was born, Max would apparently find her a midwives position in the region, so she really did hope she wouldn’t ruin his wedding. Max’s brother, Paul, who had played groom each time they’d practised the wedding service, seemed pleasant enough but not a warm person and he stood beside Max now as a paler shade of his brother. Unfortunately Paul’s eyes were fixed a little too intently on his brother’s wife-to-be. Meanwhile Tayla, gloriously aware of everyone’s attention, proceeded to lift her eyes theatrically towards the stained glass depiction of Jesus on the cross and shimmy her feathers. Georgia could see no softness or devotion or anything redeeming from her cousin despite the perfect setting and the man beside her. On the groom’s part, even the smile Max gave his fiancée seemed strained and disconnected. Georgia ached with disappointment. Weddings shouldn’t be like this. What was wrong with everybody? Except for her parents who had remained blissfully in love until their death, she had begun to despair all marriages were destined to be travesties? Tayla she could understand. Tayla had always wanted the extravagant white wedding and the rich husband, topped off by the bridal magazine shoot currently in progress. While her cousin would enjoy being married to a handsome consultant as she flew in to join Max briefly for social occasions in whatever city or town he visited, Tayla didn’t intend that her marriage would markedly change her life. Though she had said to Georgia, ‘of course she loved Max’. A tiny worry line drew Max’s thick black brows together even further and Georgia glared at him for not savouring the moment. Didn’t he realise the sacredness of marriage? What was in it for Max if he didn’t have some affection for his bride? Romantically, Georgia had hoped this wedding would restore her faith in true love. She’d hoped there would be an iridescent joy between these two as they stood before God and declared their troth. Then the third contraction gripped her belly and all else was forgotten as the searing pain snatched her breath at the peak and this time the intensity drew a stifled gasp she couldn’t contain. Even the minister looked across at her with raised eyebrows. It wasn’t fair. Labour was supposed to start with gentle regular contractions gradually increasing in intensity. She would have been supported by her midwife friends, at home, with birdsong playing. Not the Wedding March.

I had such fun writing this book. The Midwife’s Baby is my Maytone book, conceived at my first ever writer’s retreat, and I’ve dedicated it to the Maytone Girls, friends indeed, who inspire me. I really hope you enjoy it too!

The blurb says it all…

“Eight months pregnant and a bridesmaid, isn’t midwife Georgia Winton’s ideal situation - and it’s just got worse! When her contractions begin during the ceremony, the only person who can save her and her baby is the groom - gorgeous and dedicated consultant Max Beresford. Together they save the life of little baby Elsa, and neither could be more thrilled. What will Max do now?”

See the books page for the rest and the except.
As I said - it was fun.

I’ve had a busy month preparing for two midwifery trips away to lovely Grafton, famous for the beautiful Jacaranda trees that line the streets in purple flowers in October and November. The B&B we stayed at was absolutely gorgeous and right on the river but the people we met were also fascinating. I love conferences.

But I am writing as well. I’m having a wonderful time with the second book in the Lyrebird Lake Series. Montana’s book comes out in January and now Misty has to show Ben that there is a whole world of women having babies without “an obstetrician” anywhere in sight. More fun! It’s amazing how life provides new learning opportunities that snuggle into my books magically.

Don’t forget to enter the competition to win a copy of The Midwife’s Baby.
Just a note to congratulate Lynne Welch of Ohio, who said she had a lovely start to her Monday when she found out she’d won a copy of Their Special Care Baby. I really hope you enjoy the book, Lynne.

I’ve had some lovely feedback from readers of Their Special Care Baby, especially from those who have experienced a prem baby of their own. Thank you again for that because your comments mean a lot.

warmest regards

Fiona.

I never cease to be thrilled to hold a new book baby in my hand. THE MIDWIFE’S BABY hardcover is here, and I can’t wait to see the new paperbacks when they arrive. THE MIDWIFE’S BABY comes out in the UK in June and North America in July. That will be just in time for the Romance Writers of America conference in San Franscisco early August which I’m so excited about attending.

I’ll have to keep you in suspense showing off my new cover, as my scanner is AWOL at the moment, and instead I’ll show you a photo of this midwife’s baby. The photos are of me at work, and a gorgeous baby I was fortunate enough to meet on her birthday. Being a midwife is wonderfully complimented by being a writer and I’m so lucky to be able to do two jobs I love.

Please don’t forget to enter the competition to win a copy of Their Special Care Baby on the comps page as it ends in a few days.

Happy Autumn to all those on my side of the world and happy Spring on the other. I hear it’s snowing in London and I went for a swim yesterday. It’s a wonderful world.
warmest regards

Fiona

Here is a photo of Rory giving the fish a kiss, before he let it go, out on the beach near Smokey Cape Lighthouse. We took the 4×4 out for a run on the sand and that background is in the opening scene from my new book. Nobody is going to kiss a fish though. But then again, maybe they could!

The ocean is wonderful to swim in and the wallabies

 are out under the trees at Arakoon.

I’m off for a few days writing and will say hello next weekend. Don’t forget to enter my competition to be drawn at the end of this month. Have a great week

warmest regards

Fiona

Competition Closed

WINNER - Lynne Welch of OHIO, said she had a lovely start to her Monday when she found out she’d won a copy of Their Special Care Baby. I really hope you enjoy the book, Lynne.

To celebrate my new web presence I’d like to send out a copy of my latest book, THEIR SPECIAL CARE BABY, to be drawn on 31st March. If you’d like copy of this book, and the surprise extra, then Contact Me using my contact form.

Have a great month and watch this site for more news and posts.