February 2020 - the fires are out and the grass is green. THANKFULNESS

After almost three years without good rain, our little 100 acre farm is green again. As you probably know, Australia has suffered dreadfully from extremes these past few years with droughts and fires, and these big east coast lows have put out all the fires and brought relief to many. We still haven't had enough to run the two creeks on our farm, but at least it is green again and that is beautiful on the eyes.

A photo of one of the storm clouds - no filters, it really did look just like this. I imagined faces in the cloud looking down on us. The first one was before the full colour of sunset, the second was a few minutes later. I took the photos from our veranda looking west towards Laidley. The storm was about 80kms away.

I published Star Writer last month. I didn't do a launch - just put it out there and moved on. I hope someone likes it - I'm reading it for the umpteenth time for enjoyment (and still finding a comma in the wrong place and fixing it) and I like the whole cast of characters. I know books are usually about the main characters, but I fall in love with the background people who shine - we are all made up of pieces of those around us.

I'm finishing the fifth in The Outback Riders series - Horses Of The Spirit - which is three different stories in the one novel: 1. Matty's illness; 2. Amy's trip to Colombia with Polo to look for the man who might be her father; and 3. Lani, Dane, and Brandon go looking for the mysterious music that can be heard in the early mornings from the Sunhaven Hills.  I think there is only one more to write - the riders grown up and at their various international competitions...but if readers want to continue following them, I'll happily write some more as they compete around the world.

My action/suspense trilogy about two Australian women who take on a group of right wing extremists after the men kidnap the daughter of  one is well underway. I won't release until all books are complete. These women are amazing - an outback Queenslander fighting for her daughter, and her friend from their university days, an IT genius and lethal killer who will do anything to save her friend and her daughter. It's fast, filled with action, and I hope readers will adore these funny, feisty, lethal women as they break all expectations as the powerful men make their most common mistake - they underestimate women.

If anyone reads this - and I don't think anyone does - I hope you are well and that you are able to remain positive no matter what life throws at you. Remember - it's always better on this side of the grass, and while there is life, there is hope. Look after yourself, and be kind to all.

Leanne XXOO