We had some wonderful entries for the Aussie Author Month giveaway where we asked you to tell us about your favourite characters in my book. After a lot of trouble, a huge amount of trouble, picking, finally - our winner is:

Madeline McCluskey

Madeline, I'll be in touch via email to sort out getting your prize to you.

Now, because that was so much fun ... and because I've now got my new beautiful, glossy, luxurious looking 'complete with gorgeous tassel' bookmarks (can you tell I   them), lets do another giveaway. And this time you don't have to do anything except enter!

Please wander over and stick your hat in the ring (or at least a comment):

Mothers Day Giveaway

As part of the celebration for the release of THE YEARNING - I'm lucky enough to be giving away a signed copy (check down the bottom for details).

Hi Margareta, thanks for having me. Umm, don’t suppose you have a rag or something – I seemed to have stepped in something soft and brown on my way in. My boots are covered in it. It doesn’t smell too good either.

‘Oh crap (hee…hee…), you poor darling. You have to watch your step around here.’

I’ve bought something sweet and sexy for morning tea. Or was it Smoko? I didn’t know you smoked. Oh! Sorry. Sometimes these country sayings baffle me. I grew up in the country but it’s been a long time. Bit afraid I might be too citified nowadays. Guess we’ll find out.

Katie, you and I both know you can take the girl to the city but you can never completely citify her... 

I’d love a cuppa. Fire up the espresso maker!

‘Expresso?’

You know, coffee beans, grind, force hot water through....?

‘Argh … nope. How about Nescafe? With real milk?’

What? Straight from a cow? Might have a cup of tea if that’s okay. Thanks.

(Oh damn. It was the milk. I know it. Should I suggest we ditch the cuppa idea? Try a champagne or wine instead?) 

Or just get down to business and pretend the whole city / country thing isn't real .... 

THE YEARNING by Kate Belle

First love. Forbidden love. “I want to reveal myself to you… I need your eyes to see, your hands to touch, your spirit to acknowledge that which I hold most deeply and secretly in my heart. My yearning for you.” 

It’s 1978 in a country town and a dreamy fifteen year old girl’s world is turned upside down by the arrival of the substitute English teacher. Solomon Andrews is beautiful, inspiring and she wants him like nothing else she’s wanted in her short life. 

What's your favourite cake/slice/bickies/dip for morning smoko?

I tortured Jenn McLeod with Nigella’s Chocolate Cherry Trifle and she’s still trying to work off the calories, so maybe we’ll go something a little simpler this time. Chocolate coated strawberries. Easy to make with an ice cube tray. Just fill it with melted chocolate and dip the strawberries in. Wha-la! And espresso coffee is a must. Can’t function without it. Oh, sorry. (I keep putting my foot in it) Except when I’m here with you. I’m sure I can function perfectly well with tea.

(Or champagne … wine? ~ OMG! Look at that plate of decadence! Strawberries and chocolate … together… sigh.)

‘Katie? On second thoughts maybe my Dad has an expresso machine?
I can just drive over to his property and see?’

‘No need for that much trouble. Country brewed tea will do, good and strong, like my men.’ (I wonder if she’s got any champagne in the fridge?)

Latte or Billy Tea?

C’mon Margareta. Latte. Daily. (Although a billy tea goes down a treat when camping.) 

(I’d better get in the LandCruiser and drive to Dads farm. I hope he’s got a coffee machine hidden away in the old pantry.)

Country or City?

Urban fringe? Not the Noddy-town part – the leafy, spread out part. Best of both worlds. The country scares me a bit these days. Fires, snakes, soft brown stuff in driveways.

(Fires? Agree. Snakes?! Double Agree. Brown stuff?!! You get used to it, believe me.)

Sea or Trees? 

Tough pick because I love a tree, but it has to be the sea – it’s less scratchy.

(Lol. But what about all that salt. It’s sticky stuff when it dries.)

Morning or Evenings?

6am starts are tough but are SO worth it. I love watching the world wake up with a quiet cuppa (ooops – latte) warming my hands.

(6am? Katie, are you crazy?! 5.30am works so much better … cough…cough …)

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn?

Spring makes me sneeze. Summer makes your undies sweaty. Winter is just plain uncomfortable. Has to be Autumn..

(Laughing …  sweaty undies huh? Has that got something to do
with writing erotic fiction?)

Swags or Room Service?

Geez, M, do I have to choose? Stars for a ceiling or 5 star comfort? Aren’t they the same thing? Although I DO like the idea of being waited on. As long has he’s dark and handsome. And has good hands.

(And he goes by the name of Ramon…obviously?)

Horse or Motor Bike?

Nothing like the feeling of pure power between your legs. Either will do.

(Can you call a horse Ramon....?)
.

Books or Shoes?

Books. I’m an author – go figure. My shoes are always in a shocking state (worse than usual at the moment). I’m a hopeless shoe shopper. They never fit the way they did in the store. I’d rather go barefoot.

(And here I was thinking you would’ve been a boot girl.
The long black shiny leather ones.)

Jim Craig, Hugh Jackman or Simon Baker (?All of them)?

Umm… where’s my Johnny (Depp)? I’ll betray him for no one.
(Had to look the last one up. Did you mean the US ice hockey player? Who’s he when he’s at home?)

(Katie, Katie, Katie … you ARE a city girl. Ever heard of
The Man from Snowy River? Jim Craig is THE MAN ~ as she throws her hands in the air and collapses in disgust.)

(siteadmin - M - I keep telling you... you're the only person with this thing for Jim ....  )

I am not! Karly Lane & Fleur McDonald, where are you?!!!

Rodeo or Dinner Party?

EEEK! Rodeo? Bloody hell. Give me a civilized dinner party any day. (Damn I’m sounding awfully girly now. Although there are all those broad shouldered cowboys… but they just don’t smell very nice. And I’m not too keen on their dress sense either.)

(I’m speechless. Smelly cowboys? Woeful dress sense?
Good Lord, Katie, you need to get to more rodeos.
At least you got the nice broad shoulders right..)

Dairy / Cropping / Beef / Sheep?

???? (Ahem – should I tell her I’m a vegetarian? Might just keep that to myself.)

(... Let's go with cropping )
 

Which Tractor - Green, Blue or Red?

I like bikes. The kind with pedals. Any colour will do. As long as it’s got a little basket on the front.

(Katie … I asked about a tractor not a bike! … (Although I must say, I am rather partial to those little baskets myself.))

Holden or Ford?

TOYOTA CAMRY! (why did I feel the need to shout?) Can’t break those window seals no matter how old they are.

(And oh Lord, can she yell. She’s bit touchy about her car.
Maybe she got cow poo in it one day? )

Cats or Dogs?

Meet Belle the adopted Greyhound princess and Bear the rescued Wonderdog. They take it in turns to sit behind my rolling desk chair and be crushed when I get up. Here’s my daughter reading them Harry Potter. (Very intellectual dogs, they are.)

(Ahhh …how lovely...)

Why Writing?

There is nothing  - NOTHING you hear - else. It’s my drug of addiction. Somebody pass me a pen, I’m getting withdrawals. (Oops, sorry, I just wrote on your kitchen table…how embarrassing. Got a receipt or something I can scribble on?)

(Oh, don’t worry. It’ll just join all the other
homework indentations in the soft Baltic pine.
Oh look, you’ve written your next erotic novella right
beside my son’s Sunday school homework )

Writer's Cave or Kitchen Table?

In the dark, dank space at the back of the house sits a dark, dank author hunched over her keyboard. I think I’ve become a troglodyte (there’s a new word for you!)

(Word of the day, people. Troglodyte.)

Book(s) That Changed Your Life?

Sadly, Jonathon Livingston Seagull (hey – I’m a 70’s child). I discovered it when I was about eight years old and read it and re-read it over and over throughout my childhood and adolescence. No wonder I have dreams of flying.

(A flying red head? Are you sure you aren’t a witch
camouflaged as an erotic fiction writer?)

Event That Changed Your Life?

Which one? Don’t they all? My life changed my life – I think????

(How about meeting me all those years ago? Lol…
I reckon that phone call you received to tell of your impending publishing contract would also be right up there. I know I cried when you told me! )

‘Well if you’d asked me which person changed my life…then it would have had to have been you!’ X

(Awww… aint she just lovely … cow poo aversion forgiven completely!)

Now that THE YEARNING, BREAKING THE RULES and BLOOM are out, are you working on anything now? (What's next?)

This is the really exciting bit. I’ve just signed another contract with Simon and Schuster for a second novel, Saint. And I also have an erotic story (well – it’s pure smut really) included an e-book anthology titled Edible Delights coming out through Secret Cravings Publishing in a couple of months. What a great year it is for me. Think I’ll pop the cork on another champagne. Pull out your best mugs, M, forget the stupid tea, let’s have a toast and get thoroughly drunk. It goes better with the chocolate coated strawberries anyway.

YES! Champagne! (I knew she’d come round.)(Busy, busy, busy!)

Words to Live By?

‘You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.’ Mae West

Thanks for having smoko with me. Hiccup… hiccup …

Oh, is it time to go already? But we haven’t finished the bottle, and I’ve got another in boot. We can chuck it in the freezer if you like. Kids? Of course, how stupid of me. This always happens when I’m let off the leash. Can’t help but turn a bit feral. Well, put the spare bottle in the fridge and I’ll come over tonight when they’re in bed and we’ll finish it. (Hope I haven’t outstayed my welcome??)

Ciao Bella!

Nope. You’ll never out-stay your welcome here, Katie girl. You might jusssst drink me under the table though. How about I get H to go get that swanky coffee machine thingamabob from Dad’s now? Think we might need it in the mornin’ (as she falls off the chair into the strawberries. Damn they taste good.)

You can win you own signed copy of THE YEARNING by commenting below - tell us about your favourite teenage obsession.

Mrs Poynton, who just LOVED Bella's Run and came to buy Hope's Road.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised, what with the girls behaving badly bits... but she did love it.

She had me in tears.

The most beautiful lady. 

Picture it - two women generally very practical in mind and nature - except when it comes to motors.

Particularly European motors.

And we're on a six hour and four minute (according to GPS Kate) trek from Dubbo to Cooma.

In a Peugeot.

A European car.

I'd had my poor driver and very patient friend Andrea stopping here there and everywhere so I could take photo's of the 'designer bikes' along the Dubbo to Cumnock road.

When we eventually got into Cumnock proper, there in the main street was an old garage. The type you don't see anymore. It reminded me of the one Rebcca Gibney worked in on the tele-series The Flying Doctors (and how I loved that show!). I say to Andrea, 'STOP. I need a photo!' (The same thing I'd been saying for the previous 30km or so)

She stops (muttering under her breath, 'What time are we getting to Cooma, exactly?!) I take the photo. Jump back in the car. I'm greeted with 'Well, we might be here for a while girl.'

The car was overheating. We didn't panic (tick for us), even though we weren't exactly sure where the radiator cap was (cross for us) and both our husbands - the mechanics - were 12 hours away (big tick for them they'd be thinking).

Enter my 'Flying Doctors' garage.

We sneak the car over the road. Pull up out in front. Walk on in the door. There's a ute in the 'fix it' bay and noises coming from the back. It looked like a garage. It smelt like a garage.

'Hellooooo?'

From the back 'Helloooo!'

A bloke appears wiping his hands on a rag. All was looking like we'd found our man. And we had. The only thing was, after he'd opened the bonnet, pushed a few things around generally looking like he knew what he was doing, he tells me he's actually a fencing contractor who'd bought the garage for a song because the council were set to push it down. We didn't feel so bad then when he asked for the car's manual to check his suspicions as to where the radiator cap was. (Damn European cars!)

The local copper drove by (I suspect just to give our hero a hard time), followed by another mate. All obviously wondering what Les was doing chatting up these two unknown sheila's (or they could have been wondering what he was doing looking for a radiator cap on a European car...).

Les helped us sort out the car helped by a 'phone a friend' call to a mechanic in Gippsland.

And while he was checking what needed to be checked to ensure our car was good for the road, we were asking him more about his shed. Found out that he collects old oil tins and boxes.

Has a passion for spanners, the older the better.

He took us on a tour and let us take photo's. 

We even saw an amazing old cast iron combustion stove of the like neither of us had seen before.

Les told us the story behind the bikes we'd seen and said how the town was planning to build the biggest bike in the world. The local footy club is called the stallions and the town had bought a horse made from old bile tools and implements which would 'ride the bike'. He showed us the photo of this incredible looking sculpture that would ride Cumnock into the history books. Les was so passionate about his shed, his town and their project, we were enthralled. We asked him if he read books.  He told us "I love anything Australian!"

And he was saying this to an Australian rural fiction author. Andrea and I looked at each other and came to the same silent conclusion.

We explained where we'd been, what we'd been doing and reached for the car boot. We hauled out a copy of HOPE'S ROAD, which I signed and handed over with smile. Les was rapt. He even let us take his photo  

We all said goodbye, promising to return to Cumnock ('Come knock on our door', said Les) with our husbands. We were sure they'd love his shed as much as we did.

So if you're ever heading to Dubbo, perhaps it's time to take 'the back way' via Cumnock. The hospitality is fabulous, the bikes enthralling and you might even drop in and say Gidday to Les. If he's not out on some station fencing, he'll be in his shed with his spanners.