Phew! What a week! It’s taken me until today to get my feet back on the ground and life sort of back in control.
Champagne all round 🙂 Penguin Australia will be publishing my fourth book – title something like ‘Dangerous Truth’- in July next year. I’m looking forward to seeing where Ali Watts will nudge me this time as she works with me to polish the manuscript to a high gloss.
But why settle for one contract if you can have two! GW and I also have an unconditional contract on the sale of our rental property. So what? Well, that’s the first step in making our dream to live aboard a yacht a reality. It’s been fifteen years in the planning and execution, but by December GW, Zeus and I should be bobbing around in an inlet somewhere in North Queensland.
Some one still has to pay the bills so I’m looking forward to coming home from a hard day in the air to be greeted by home cooking, fresh laundry and a happy staffie 🙂
Oh wait! My mistake, I have that already? Apparently???
No seriously, it will be a life change for all of us, but an adventure at least the humans are looking forward to.
Zeus? Well, time will tell whether he’s a salty old sea dog!
Hi Helene
Just catching up with your news. Congrats on the contracts both literary and real estate. Lots of fun ahead- poor Zeus…I hope he doesn’t get too sea sick. xx
You’re so right, Brenda!!
I would imagine some of Cathy’s comments would come in handy in one (or more) of your books Helene 🙂
Thanks, Brenda, it is coming together slowly but surely!! Cathy is very funny – a quick witted fellow pilot!!
Congrats Helene, your dream is starting to come together! Wonderful! Zeus will be fine, though I also had a chuckle imagining him on your shoulder…then the ‘Dash-8’ parrot!! Funny lady, Cathy 😉
Can’t wait for ‘Dangerous Truth’….another definite winner!!
Thanks, Jo, I’m really looking forward to the end of the year with a part time work roster and a little more freedom to sail and write!!
Love it, Cathy!!
Thanks, Sandy, still smiling:-D
I’ve passed KC’s message on to Zeus and he’s looking a little happier – I think it was the lure of meeting her in person that’s done it!!
Suzanne, we’re buying a catamaran so there will always be one hull for guests! we have forward bookings already!!
Thanks, Kez:)
Congratulations Helene – fantastic news!! Well done re the new book contract, and wonderful news about the upcoming move onto the water!
Ok, so buy a parrot, you could name it “Dash 8” 🙂
WOOHOO!!!! Congratulations on the sale, Helene. Go you good thing!
From KC: Zeus I’m not that keen on the boat either, but the thing is it means going to the BEACH!!!!!! And as you already know, the beach is the best place EVER. Especially if there are fish to try and catch in the shallows. So you lucky dog, maybe you’ll get to go to the beach EVERY DAY! As you’ll be the unofficial captain, get your Mum and Dad to come down this way and I’ll show you where I get my Mum and Dad to take me. It’ll be fun!! Whisker kiss. Whisker kiss.
Living on a yacht. It sounds awesome. Will you have visitors as one cannot knock upon your door? 🙂
Another sale, Dangerous Truth. I think I like it already. lol. Congratulations. 🙂
All the best,
Suzanne
Exciting news on both fronts! Congratulations!
Jess, thank you for dropping by my blog and for spreading the word about my books!! Hopefully those empty shelves have refilled with more wonderful stories for you to read!
And I hope your writing is going well??
Thanks, Greg. I’m sure Ali would know you had a book out by now – I’ve seen Rotten Gods everywhere I fly!
Glad you’re enjoying Burning Lies and totally understand research comes first!
However clearly I need to write the next one with an even more compelling tempo so you have no choice but to finish it, to the exclusion of all else 🙂
Thanks, Cath, I’m home in Cairns, sat on the couch throwing a tennis bowl to Zeus and enjoying a quiet celebration with my boys!!
Cathy, I almost choked on my red wine reading that! For the record a 20 kg staffie would not fit on my shoulder but I do love the imagery 🙂
Congrats Helene! That’s wonderful news about your fourth book. I can’t wait to read it! Since meeting you last month and finishing all your other books, I may have hooked another four or so people on to them 🙂
Good luck with the big changes coming ahead, they sound like a lot of fun. I’m sure Zeus will come around.
That’s great news, Helene. I didn’t know Ali Watts was your publisher. She went very close to publishing one of my books 3 or 4 years ago and I thought she was really nice. I wonder if she knows I’ve got a book out.
I am a mad boatie too, so totally understand your dream of life afloat. I hope it works out for you.
Lastly, I am loving Burning Lies! Unfortunately essential non-fiction reading for research makes fiction time hard to get at the moment but I’m over half way and on fire to finish it, pun intended!!
cheers
Greg
Hugest Congrats on your next book sale, Helene. That’s super wonderful!! I can’t wait for it 🙂
And even bigger congrats on the next step towards The Dream! I hope all goes well with those steps.
Yeah! Celebrate well!
Cath
I can just see you aboard QUEEN ANNE’S REVENGE, slowmatch smoking in your hair, eyepatch, and Zeus on your shoulder………..
Lots of photos, Rach, although I think Zeus is angling for his own blog as well 🙂
What a fun adventure ahead, for the two-leggeds and the four-legged! Hopefully there will be lots of photos. 🙂
Sea change and see change, Margaret!! A whole new take on life really.
Thanks, Rach, exciting, exhilarating, scary, crazy times heading our way!
I just need a quiet hull so I can write!!
Well, that’s what I call a sea change!
Zeus? You’re on my blog complaining? You know you love nothing more than spending time in the water 🙂
But a boat, without grass, trees and fluffy white dogs to terrorise may be another matter…
WÖW – you guys have some very exciting adventures ahead. HUGE congrats on all of it Helene. So very happy for you. xo Rach!
Yeah. Whoopie! I am so excited (in case you can’t tell by my face!!!!!!) Someone really needs to tell these humans that dogs don’t have webbed feet on purpose – which kinda means they don’t like boats or water. And THAT’s the dangerous truth!!!!!!