Happy Halloween to all my myth-believing, ghost-busting, vampire-loving, witchy friends. We don't really celebrate it downunder, thank god! It's hot today, finally, after all the winter weather everyone thought would hang around for the next century, we have a hot day. Can you imagine all the face paint that would run, all the ghosties and ghoulies with sweat patches on their white sheets? The only advantage would be dressing up in one of those little witch outfits to show off my new boobs =)

But enough about that, I know my father in law gets a little uncomfortable talking about the new additions.

I've already given up on the idea of a running story for my blog. I found with all the judging, writing, critting and submitting, I just don't have the time for anything else. You should see my house. It looks like a bomb hit it!

Okay, so it's competition time in my life. A heap of Aussie comps are closing in November and a few others around the world have closed in the last few days so I've been polishing and editing and polishing again. I haven't heard back from the two agents who have my historical but I'm hoping that will be this month as well. It's all happening!

It's also wedding time. Three weeks ago was my big brother's, last weekend was Bec and Adam's and tomorrow is Casey and Bo's. It got me thinking not so much about writing or reading weddings but about your favourite television or movie wedding.

I like Millie and Adam's wedding in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Adam Ponterby went to town looking for a wife and Millie just happened to be the gal for him. The got hitched in the front parlour of the vicar's house with the man tut-tutting over their three second courtship and the three foot height difference between bride and groom making me want to giggle. Maybe you liked Shrek and Fiona's I do after Fiona is changed into a hideous, ugly ogre, right after Dragon burps from eating the crazy power-driven Lord Farquad. Or maybe your's is a series wedding. Brook and Ridge? Ridge and Taylor? Dominic and Bridget? Dominic and Brook? God, I could go on all day with these handful of names.

So tell me what your favourite wedding is and why and the best one (the one I really, really like) will win a prize! Just leave it in the comments section along with your email address. I'll decide on a winner by next Saturday when I post again.
(If your comment doesn't show up, don't stress, Weebly are having some glitches but all comments go to my email and leaving the comment on facebook doesn't count =) You have to visit here)

From next week I'm hoping to start up some Author interviews with friends of mine so stay tuned for the first one...

Now I have to go and paint my toenails a beautiful sparkly pewter colour to go with my dress for tomorrow. Have a great weekend and week, and good luck with the Trick or Treating!!

Good morning fellow humans.

Now that I finally feel human again after my surgery I started thinking about what to write next. My historical is finished and sitting with two agents. I finished the final edits on a blaze and then queried that too. Now I have the enviable position of choosing what to write next. It's a very tough decision and the wrong choice could see me struggling.

So I decided to find out what you want to read. If it's historical, do you want it dark and sexy, dark and emotional, light and fun? Do you want a virginal heroine or a courtsesan or someone entirely different? No question that the hero is going to be hot, sinful and in charge of everything and everyone. (I won't write a wussy hero).
If you like contemporary, what kind of settings do you like? Far away and exotic (depending on where you live) or just somewhere the scenery is beautiful? I can do snow country with the heroine curled up in front of the fire while the hero...

Anyway. I want to know what you want and what you like. A little mystery, a murder? A secret? Leave me a comment on the end of this blog and I'll try to accommodate you =) Well, not maybe not everyone and please try to keep it clean and above the waistline in terms of a hero.

I have plenty of idea's and the one I really want to write is only in the planning phase and already my hero lacks true motivation so I have to wait for inspiration before I can start that one. Maybe I will write a short story with everyone's suggestions intermingled and I'll post it over the next few weeks a chapter at a time. Hmm. That sounds like fun!

Okay, so off to it! I have heaps more editing to do on another Blaze but I'll keep checking back to see how our story is panning out. Have a nice day!

For weeks now I've blogged about writing and my life. Well, now it's time for a rant. I'm going to apologise in advance if I upset anyone, it's more my aim to rant about the injustice of the healthcare system.

Here goes...

Plastic surgery. It's still quite a taboo subject in Australia. When I announced I was thinking about plastic surgery all I got was, 'why would you do that', 'you can't afford it', 'what for', and my favourite lie, 'you don't need it'.

It's all crap!

Why the hell is plastic surgery so easily accessible and cheap if we weren't meant to seek it out and make ourselves feel better about the little things we can't change with diet and excersise?
If I was 150 kilos and thinking about lipo or lapbanding, everyone would be congratulating me and doing a happy dance. I say I'm getting my boobs done and it's, 'you're mad'. Well maybe I am. Maybe the fact that if I put my arms in the air down at the beach, I would be mistaken for a surf board wearing a bathing suit! Maybe it's because I did the right thing and breastfed both of my babies leaving me with nothing more than, what one person so adequately described, mosquito bites on my chest. I know this is way too much information for some people but that's just too bad. Some things just need to be ranted about.

I couldn't count on both hands and feet how many times it has been suggested that I 'put on a few more kilos'. No thankyou very much. If I can pay my bills and avoid serving up cat food for dinner why can't I do something for myself that is going to make me feel sexier and more like a woman and less like a frumpy, flat chested flamingo? (I am tall and reasonable slim). And this brings me to the real heart of my rant. Why is that the Australian government will pay for lapbanding, tummy tucks, breast lifts, and lipo for the morbidly and deathly obese, yet for someone like me who's worked hard done all the right things in life, paid my taxes, given to charity, stayed healthy and slim, I get nothing! Just because I'm not killing myself with cheeseburgers (you wouldn't know it but I'm doing my best) and chips and coke and pizza, so that means I don't qualify for a little help from Medicare? This operation is costing me close to $10,000, and yes I heard your intake of breath and a couple of swear words, but I can afford it. My partner and I work hard for a living. He works seven days a week most weeks and lately I've been working five nights a week. I deserve to be able to do something that will benefit me as a person, as a mum and most of all as a woman.

Now I sound like I'm trying to justify the cost, the unnecassary risk of having a surgery no one thinks I need. Why isn't it enough that I want it? If only my critics knew that I've gone to sleep with a smile on my face for the last three weeks. I'm happy dancing all over the place just thinking about it. Like a teenager who's dreamed of a sports car and finally the flash of red paint is in sight.

So, on Wednesday morning, I will be going to get my new chest puppies =) I'm going to enjoy them, I'm going to revel in the feeling of finally being sexy and wearing nice clothes without the three layers of tank tops and push up bras.

Now I'm going to ask for support, well wishes and if you're the praying type, I'll accept prayers. I want to say to everyone who knows me personally, I want this and I'm doing it. I don't need permission, I don't care about negative vibes but please be nice...

I can bite!



Now last of all and on a completely different and happier note. I want to throw out a good luck and congratulations to my big brother and his beautiful bride who are tying the know today in a gorgeous old church in Rose Park. I know it's going to be a great day (despite the steady drizzle that just started) and you're going to have a fantastic life together!!