FEBRUARY, The month of love

Hello everyone,

I know it’s been quite a while between blogs, but sometimes life throws a curve ball at you and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t dodge it. 2023 was a huge curve ball, a real mixed bag for me. Good news, bad news scenarios were my constant companions.  I was thrilled when I scored a contract with the Blueridge agency. I worked well with my gorgeous editor, and life rolled on. I also had some deep personal family issues that took my time, but the agency was supportive and encouraged me to just get on the best I could. When I was at final read through, we at the Blueridge agency, lost our fearless leader. Dawn Dawdle passed away unexpectedly in November. All the writers attached to the agency were gutted. Some of them had been with Dawn for years. It was a horrible time. Blueridge was like my writing family. We supported each other in all areas of our careers. Dawn organized Skype calls so we could discuss any issues that we had. This marvelous woman would put up a weekly schedule for us, so we knew what she was up to. We all knew she was available to us any time we needed her. As I said earlier, we were gutted. Lost. A few of the senior editors did their best to help us through this distressing time. And I, for one, am forever grateful.  Dawn had heaps of contacts in the writing world. On hearing of her passing, and the closing of the agency, there were offers from other agents, for contracted authors, to contact them. Many of Dawn's authors now have new agents.  My book was about to be submitted to publishers. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. But on a positive, one of the few in 23, I have a list of agents to contact, and a how to write a professional submission letter. I am forever grateful to Leslie, Laura, and especially Dawn for believing enough in my writing to have signed me to her beloved agency. 

By the end of 2023, I completed my novel, tentatively titled, Street Doctor Protector. Now all I need to do is pull up my big girl panties and send it.

A positive in 2023, I got the rights of my first book, Never Surrender, returned to me, and republished it. I’m very grateful to Lynne Lloyd for helping me achieve this goal and to the amazingly talented Helen from helzkatdesigns.com  for the fantastic new cover. Helen is an amazing person to work with. She is patient; she had to be working with me; she listened to my wants. And produced this amazing cover.  I’ll attach it at the end. I much prefer this to the original.  

If you haven’t had the chance to read my Ruby award-winning novel, it’s available through Amazon as an eBook. I also have hard copies for sale. If you would like to purchase a hard copy, email me on rosie@rosiemiles.com.au and I will contact you to arrange a signed copy Payment will be through PayPal or bank transfer.  Please note that some online bookstores are still showing the old cover. Please don’t use it. Use the cover I’ve shown here.

2024 has started well. I went on a cruise with my forever man and a great bunch of friends to Tasmania. What a truly beautiful spot in the world Tassie is. Cruising is a real holiday. For ten days, I didn’t cook a meal, wash a dish, make a bed. Magic. Most of the sailing was easy, but with a few rough seas, just to keep life interesting. We sailed down the east coast, stopping at Sydney for a day, and a visit to Taronga Park Zoo. It was a hot, humid day, with most of the animals hiding, but I took a few photos.

Then onto a town named Eden, a part of the Sapphire Coast, stunning. Simply stunning. 

Next stop, Port Arthur loved it. All that history. 

Then into Hobart for a great family catch up. We went to Nelson's Point signal house for lunch. We shared a seafood platter. The food was as heavenly as the view.

We left Hobart and headed back up the coast. We travelled through yet another magical spot and glimpsed Wineglass Bay, which is in the Freycinet National Park near Coles Bay, from our balcony. Cape Tourville Lighthouse was tiny in the distance. We’ve walked that circuit many times, so it was lovely looking at it from another vantage point.

Burnie was our last stop, another old town. We visited the museum where they had painstakingly recreated how town looked in the early years of settlement. Loved it. It really makes you think how far we’ve come in the last few hundred years. Unfortunately, these photos didn’t work out. 

Then home. Back to reality.  

I’ve attached photos for you all to admire and oooh over, 

Until next time, remember, life is for living. Go live yours.

Love. Rosie.