Finally, I can reveal...

...the secret project that's been keeping me so busy these past few weeks -- too busy to blog! And here it is:

Dance With Me is my first foray into self-publishing and it's a full-length women's fiction novel with romance at its heart. It's about Josh and Polly -- two characters that have been knocking around in my head for the longest time. Finally they demanded to be set free!

Here's a summary:

Polly Heatherton’s life isn’t turning out the way she thought. So, after a really, really bad day that involves losing her job and breaking up with her boyfriend, she packs her bags, leaves Australia behind and steps out on the trip of a lifetime to work out what comes next.

In Guatemala she meets incurable white knight, Josh Byrne, an American trying to hold together his fractured family. That isn't turning out so well, so he focuses his heroic tendencies on rescuing Polly.

Josh and Polly have a fling that is supposed to be short-lived. Instead it sets them on a journey that takes them through three countries, two emergency room visits, one incredible dance lesson, and a huge amount of vino tinto.

I'm so thrilled that Sarah Mayberry agreed to provide a cover quote. And one of the thrilling tasks was gathering together quotes for the inside of the book -- you know, those inside pages of glowing praise from reviewers and other authors? I've got one of those -- and it still makes my tummy go a little skwimmy every time I look at it. 

I'm also absolutely thrilled with the cover. How pretty is it?? My friend and awesome graphic designer Leanne Kingwell did a brilliant job of interpreting my brief. Especially when I gave her about a billion "I like this cover" examples, that were all totally different... ;) 

I've learned a lot, and for other authors I'm thinking I might write a couple of blog posts about some of the tricky things I've navigated on my path to self-publishing. But I've got a few things to get organised before I can get on to that! 

At this stage I'm aiming to have the book available from 15 October. Watch this space -- I'll let you know!!