Lily Malone's Blog, page 3

I’m surrounded by people who amaze me regularly and it got me to thinking: we can’t all be good at everything, but I think for every person on the planet, there is something they ARE good at. The trick is to find that thing that makes you shine!

One of my boys made a comment yesterday about being crap at a computer game. He lost his shit when someone shot him in the game, and then launched into a meltdown about how he should be better than that person because he’s been playing longer… and you know, he probably just needed a hug and he definitely needed dinner; but my line of reasoning was that he couldn’t be good at everything, and that if the game was making him sad he should stop doing it. Basically, I told him: ‘if it’s not fun, fuck it’.

Yes, I whispered the swear word and told him he wasn’t allowed to say it to anyone else and especially not his brother, but the cut-through of the word had the desired effect. He smiled and his eyes went wide (ooh, Mum you swore!), but he chilled out about the game, had his dinner, and was a different kid.

This happened on the type of day where I felt enormously lucky to be surrounded by people who are truly great at things. Different things. And on several occasions recently I’ve become aware of hidden talents in my friends, things I’d really never known about because they don’t shout about them… 

I’m good at writing books. I’m shit at baking. I can’t wrap Christmas presents (or any present, let’s face it); I will never be organised and I will always run late.

I have friends whose talents are out in the open… Nigel Lullfitz and Kerry Sibly for example. Both are awesome artists: Nigel with sculpture, and Kerry, well he’s incredible at lots of things, but particularly painting cows, sheep, dogs, & VWs on corrugated iron…

I have an old school friend, Sarah. She always had an amazing singing voice, and was the fastest girl in school. What I didn’t know until we reconnected on Facebook was that she can bake and decorate the most amazing cakes.

There is Kylie – who is incredible in the garden and grows vegies like you wouldn’t believe.

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There’s Carrie – pilates queen, sailor, awesome cook, and she can back her own camper-trailer! (Wonder Woman). There’s Jules who can sew, and who puts clothes together with a flair I could never match. Tanja who teaches karate and if she isn’t a black-belt, she’s all but! Bel who can spot an orchid at 50 paces and tell you its name; Dayna who works in the ER and could save your life (plus makes an awesome quiche); Beauticians Thea & Tash who spend their working days making people look good and feel better about themselves.

There’s Anita, Amy, Carol, all expressing themselves through art.

Jo and Lee who can put together incredible mosaics, outdoor furniture and home decor.

Tamara who plays in a band!

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And there are those whose talents are harder to see. They’re the ones working on studying toward a new (or the same) dream; and those who volunteer their time and skills to help others (such as Meals on Wheels or hospital visits) or animals:  RSPCA and placing rescue dogs or cats; or helping injured animals, kids or adults.

Empathy, sympathy, any ability to make people about you feel good: those are skills to be proud of!

So to my amazing friends – you are all awesome! We can’t all be great at everything, but I think everyone is great at something. Thanks for giving me something to ponder this afternoon, and please keep on being you, and being brilliant!

xx Lily

Family Malone is just returned from 10 days at Kalbarri on the stunning mid-North coast of West Australia. It’s time off from work for hubby, and it’s time away from screens for me with my writing, (and for our boys with their darn addictions to Fortnite et al,) in our campervan, with lots of long walks through stunning coast and country.

We missed the major bloom of the spring wildflower season, but there were still patches of colour here and there. The real action for us was going on in the ocean, with whales heading south for cooler waters. I love seeing the spouts of whales out in the ocean, and knowing these huge mammals are out there, doing their thing. I’m so very glad they’re now protected species in our Aussie waters. They make me feel happy just knowing they’re there.

We did a heap of walking on this trip with our two boys. 8km was the longest walk, on The Loop at Z-Bend in the Kalbarri National Park. We got a cool day with very light rain and it made for excellent walking conditions.

Last year we did the same trip at the same time of year. I remember clearly going for a walk on the ‘Bigurda’ Trail – running 8kms from the Natural Bridge to Eagle Gorge along the coast. Last year I saw whales very close to the clifftop walk, breaching, carrying-on and just exuberant as they slapped the water. I couldn’t see another person north or south of me, and it felt like these whales were showing off just for me! (Do I have a big ego or what?)

So this year I did the Bigurda trail again, late afternoon. I did see whales, but they weren’t so close in as last year, nor did they put on such a display. Not that it mattered to me. I walked an hour north from Natural Bridge and then sat on my butt on a flat rock and watched the ocean for another half-hour before walking back.

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Typical for me, my eye gets caught by wildflowers every bit as much as by whales… I have to be very careful that I don’t do this…

 

So thank you for having us, lovely Kalbarri. We hope to see you again next year

Where do I start with the day I’ve had today?

After 6 years of cyber friendship, I met in person the writerly woman who was my first Facebook friend, and has always been an amazing supporter of my writing career, Jenn J McLeod; with her partner in all things writing and life, Jeannette – also known in official circles as the ‘J’ in Jenn J McLeod.

Jenn is the author of the ‘Seasons Collection‘ plus her new book A Place To Remember.

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When I first ‘cyber met’ Jenn, it was through common links and goals in our writing, and a very similar sense of humour, plus I think a love of red wine clinched the deal…

We’ve been writing mates since, but our paths haven’t crossed in person in all this time, and today I got to meet the ‘nomadic novelist’ on her journey to WA. Jenn is here for several special events, including being writer in residence at Serenity Press’s upcoming Writing Retreat near Busselton in October, plus a signing author at West Coast Fiction Festival in Perth (where I’ll be too) on November 3. She’s also visiting various libraries across the South West, and whenever she’s resting, she’ll be writing in her mobile home, affectionately known as ‘Myrtle, the Turtle.’

So, to throw in a few twists to my day (because let’s face it, what is a typical Lily Malone day without twists??) it was my eldest boy’s 11th birthday today, and the day began with a visit to the dentist to repair a chipped front tooth!

Meanwhile, Jenn and Jeannette were traversing the town of Cowaramup, waiting for me to let them know I was back from said dentist visit before we could hook up. On the way back through town to deliver my newly-re-toothed boy to school, I spied the famous #WriteRoundOz vehicle, with the even more famous magnetic strips on the side… my first clue that the Double JJs were officially in town…

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I decided to stalk them and see if I could track them down in Cowtown… (for those not in the know, Cowaramup is the size of… well, kind of a postage stamp. My task should not prove too difficult!)

[image error]Me in stalker mode…

My first stop was the post office, where I got my second official clue. Mail delivered to my address on behalf of Jenn J McLeod… Yes, she is bookish royalty, quite obviously, we all wait on her hand and foot. (Any more parcels to come, my-Lady?)[image error]

Next thing there are hoots and hollers across the highway, and lo and behold, I see these two ladies waving at me! [image error]

Well, much hilarity and a good few hours of coffee, toasted sandwiches, muffins (yes I baked!!) and conversation ensued… plus more photographs and a visit to Ellensbrook to see the sea.

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Tomorrow, it happens to be Jenn J McLeod’s birthday! Yes, the day after my son’s, which feels doubly kismet & special. We have the day planned, and poor Jenn and Jeannette get the dubious honour of being invited to dinner with me, whereby I will set my mad baking skills to work for her! Bwahahahaa…

Lovely to see you, Jenn J & Jeannette. Welcome to Cowaramup and WA. I hope your visit is every bit of extra special awesome!

 

xx

Lily

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you’ll know I’m a big fan of our South West Western Australia orchids in spring time… and it’s orchid season now. It’s actually just a little bit early for the ones that I know best, but thanks to a local friend, Belinda, I’m learning more about orchids that come in late winter, early spring.

I had some time to kill today before my team play a big footy final tonight, so I figured a bushwalk would be just the thing, and I’d see if I could find some of these new varieties I’ve been hearing so much about.[image error]

I parked at a place where I could get my car off the road and go exploring.

And explore I did!

I didn’t worry about getting lost, or about snakes, or anything like that. I have a reasonable sense of direction in the bush, but the good part is I was walking in a place where I could always hear the sound of cars at the nearby road. Even if I’d got terribly lost I would have known which way to walk.

So, there I am, wandering through the bush… and lo and behold I came across this sign:

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Now I know this family well… in fact, I really should have called ’em up and asked ’em to put the kettle on! So along Jolliffe’s Track I strolled, getting further from my car… till I started to think, you know, I really have been away from home for a while now, and I (stupidly) didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Actually, I told them I was going somewhere else entirely and then changed my mind as I was driving. So if I’d never returned home, not only would the Jolliffe’s have had a guest for dinner… my family would have been sending out the search party on Juniper Road…

I ventured off into the bush, happy that I could find Jolliffe’s Track again any time I liked, and it would lead me back to the car.

About then, I found this:

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Now I’m pretty sure it’s a duck orchid (thanks to my learned friend Belinda) and I have never seen one of these before! I spent some time flat on my stomach taking photographs and this one has come up well. See why they call it a duck orchid? It’s that bill! How cool!

Eventually, I brushed myself off and headed back toward Jolliffe’s Track… lo and behold, I came across this sign instead:

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Butcher’s Track!! Whatever happened to Jolliffe’s Track???

Never fear. I’m sure it’s a great sign of civilisation if I just keep walking. I can’t be far from my car…

About then, I found this!

[image error]It’s another newish one for me – a jug orchid. Isn’t it cool!

Hmm… you know what? It’s a while since I heard the sound of a car… I wonder which direction my car is? And as the sky gets a bit grey and a few drops of rain fall… I can’t help the little voice in my head that says: “I hope the Butcher’s of the Butcher’s Track are nice people… and not like ‘The Butcher of Wolf Creek’…

Then I saw this:

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and I’m thinking, well, they sound marginally friendlier than the Butcher’s… and I saw this and this:

and finally, I saw this:

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and then, this!

[image error]Hooray! It’s that very rare thing known as a ‘car orchid!’

And I was home… with a lovely story to tell of my wandering day. And it was almost time for the footy.

Go Eagles!

xx

Ta-da! Without further ado, I give you Book 2 in the Chalk Hill series, and more specifically the heroine: Taylor Woods

I saw this cool thing last week when checking out Amazon Aus rankings for one of my stories, The Goodbye Ride.

I call it a #BrideLayerCake

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Not to be confused with the #AbSandwich

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Sometimes I crack myself up.

xx Lily

A sneak peek at my hometown of #Cowaramup during the recent DejaMoo – Udderly Legendairy Country Fair. It’s the only place you can wear a cow onesie or a milk carton and feel totally at home!

[image error]As usual when there is a Fair going on in the local hall, I take out a stand to support the Cowaramup Retailers Association and sell my books and have a chat about books to anyone interested in reading. I always have an awesome time and meet some great people, and this year I had a new book to launch!

It’s WHO KILLED THE MOVIE STAR? Butterfly House Book 2

— the sequel to WHO KILLED THE BRIDE? —

[image error]Pic by Nicky Lefebvre.

My Butterfly House books are set in Cowaramup and I describe them as: ‘Like Bridget Jones meets the Cowaramup cows…’ They’re mad-cap fun, great for a giggle, a wonderful souvenir of our town and gorgeous hand-crafted gift for you or the reader in your life.

Who Killed The Movie Star follows the tale of Cally Minter and her best friend Sienna Devereux who we met in Book 1 where they’re trialling their new tourism venture in Cowaramup:  Murder Mystery at Butterfly House.

Who Killed The Movie Star starts the day after events of Who Killed The Bride, and so I’d definitely recommend you read Book 1 first, or you’ll be lost!

Available at:

Mukau Giftware & Gallery in Cowaramup

Just Add Passion, in Stoneville (Mundaring, near Perth)

Or personally from me, signed and comes with a bookmark. For pricing and order details please send me an email to [email protected]

 

My little pink book got a purple playmate.

I’m expecting stock by the first weekend in July, just in time for the local Cowaramup DejaMoo Fair. I’ll have a stand in the Cowaramup Hall and it would be all the awesome if you’d pop in and say hello (you know, if you’re in the area and all that).

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If you can’t get to DejaMoo, drop me a line at [email protected] and I’ll run you through how to order. Copies are $19.95 including postage in Australia.

Lily

xx

How cool is it to have a book series called Butterfly House, and to be able to show the metamorphosis of a book cover… just like a butterfly!

If you scroll through the photos, you’ll see the unveiling of my latest Butterfly House cover, version by version, once again designed by the ever-talented Kerry Sibly.

[image error]Version 1: Kerry started with pink in the background, like my original Butterfly House Who Killed The Bride? … but I want something different from pink, so the first alteration was easy.
[image error]Version 2: Right from the get-go I love this purple through gold. The Butterfly House Book 2 line on cover and spine are hard to read… they need to be white… and there is a lot going on with ‘Marilyn figure’ ‘actor bloke’ ‘cow’ and ‘camera’… I’m thinking, we need to simplify. Let’s make ‘Marilyn’ bigger and lose the bloke.
[image error]Version 3: Now we’re cooking with gas! I’m loving this… but because it’s ‘movie star’ I’d like to see some twinkle twinkle little stars on there… stay tuned!
[image error]Version 4: Ask for stars and ye shall receive!!!
[image error]Version 5: More stars! Too many?
[image error]Version 6: Subtle stars… I’m loving this! Now we’ve just got the back cover blurb to update and a new barcode to add, and we’re done. Here’s our Beautiful new Butterfly!

 

So there you have it folks! Can you see the progression? Isn’t it beautiful? It’s got all the quirk and character of Cowaramup, and it’s so very original and pretty!

[image error]Water Under The Bridge has been out in bookstores and cyberspace for three months now, and I figure as she’s a little more mature, it’s a good time to reflect. It’s been 3 months of firsts for me, with lots of positive news.

For the first time, I had a print book receive a ‘top up’ print, ie, a second print run. This means that there was enough demand for the book from bookstores to encourage my publisher to print additional copies to make sure those orders could be met. Super news!
I made a list! Water Under The Bridge was the 7th highest-selling romance in Australia for the month of March, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald.
I made a hashtag… what began as a bit of fun with a writing mate, Holden Sheppard, has turned into one of my favourite things to check on Amazon rankings. I give you, the #AbSandwich (meaning Ella is sandwiched between a couple of hefty bookish chests)… Amazon in its wisdom put my ex-nearly-olympic swimmer lady Ella in Water Under The Bridge in the category of ‘sports romance’, as well as ‘small towns and rural’, and this has led to many photo opps with err, ripped torso book covers like these below