My new book...

It's always a thrill for an author to see the cover their publisher has proposed for their new work. So much effort goes into the writing over many months and to see that effort encapsulated in a graphic image is quite momentous.

I'm pleased to say I'm almost always pleasantly surprised and never more so than recently, when I opened an email to discover this...

I love the beautiful blue of the water and the eye-catching splash of red on this cover. And I love that the figure in the foreground  is dressed elegantly in black and is a little mysterious. I think it perfectly matches the title, The Summer of Secrets, don't you?

I'm pleased to report as well that the beautiful lakes on the Atherton Tablelands where I live do play a role in this story.

And here's the back cover blurb.

Sydney journalist Chloe Brown is painfully aware that her biological clock isn't just ticking, it's booming. When her long term boyfriend finally admits he never wants children, Chloe is devastated. Impulsively, she moves as far from disappointment as she can – to a job on a small country newspaper in Queensland's far north.

The little town seems idyllic, a cosy nest, and Chloe plans to regroup and, possibly, to embark on single motherhood via IVF. But she soon realises that no place is free from trouble or heartache. The grouchy news editor, Finn Latimer, is a former foreign correspondent who has retreated after a family tragedy. Emily, the paper's elegant, sixty-something owner, is battling with her husband's desertion. Meanwhile, the whole town is worried when their popular young baker disappears.

As lives across generations become more deeply entwined, the lessons are clear. Secrets and silence harbour pain, while honesty and openness bring healing and hope. And love. 

All that's needed now is courage...

This story has been nagging at me for years, actually. For ages now, I've been wanting to write about a city journalist who finds herself working on a small country newspaper - part of a dying breed. But my muse can be a tricky creature. While she dangles carrots before my nose, she holds back on details, so I could never quite find the whole story.

While I was writing The Country Wedding, however, the character of Finn Latimer, editor of the Burralea Bugle took shape. I could see him quite clearly - tall, with shaggy dark hair and a lone wolf vibe - and by the time I finished that book, I was already a little smitten by him. I knew I had to find the rest of his story - and the characters who would join him. When a writer mate recently asked me about my new book, expressing hope that I'd given that sexy journo a run, I knew I'd made a good choice.

I'm so looking forward to sharing Chloe and Finn and the rest of this new cast with you. In the weeks to come, I'll come back here to blog in more detail about my inspiration for this story, about some of the research it involved and I'll give you a deleted scene or two, as well as extracts from the finished work. So check back, won't you? Or better still follow the blog by email.

The Summer of Secrets will be released on July 30th, but you can preorder it from Penguin Australia, Booktopia or Angus & Robertson

Ebooks will be released on July 25th, but you can also pre-order.
amazon; iTunes; Kobo

Oh, and a reminder that my short stories Meet Me at the Teahouse and Coming Home are both FREE at all ebook stores. These links will take you to amazon.au but they are at iTunes and Kobo as well and they're just the right length for reading while you put your feet up with a cuppa.

And on a side note, if you're looking for foodie inspiration, I love this blog Cookie and Kate. I'm not even vegetarian, but Kate's recipes completely inspire me to create all kinds of delicious salads and soups and dishes with lentils etc. Just gorgeous. Even my carnivore hubby is impressed.