My special guest today is Australian, Suzanne Brandyn. She is visiting today to tell us about her new release Heat in the Outback as well as a little bit about outback Australia. Over to Suzanne…
Hi Shelley,
The Australian Outback intrigues many. It is a land of vast red plains, miles and miles of dry heat, and little or few faces. I call it the red dust country. The outback begins and ends in different places according to many people. It is the remote and semi-arid interior of Australia. The term outback can cover any land outside of the main urban areas, but it generally refers to places that are more remote than what one calls the bush. Some people even say it starts at Nyngan in NSW. I believe if it is beyond large cities and if you travel long stretches of land with endless flat terrain, and it takes some time to get there then you’re definitely in the outback.
I lived on a wheat, sheep and cattle station in the outback for some time. The summers were scorching hot, the winters freezing cold. Red dust got into everything, even tinting our white clothes. I soon learned not to wear white. A windmill, missing a tooth pumped up bore water, although not drinkable, it kept a few flowering plants alive. I had to use rainwater for washing my hair (that’s when we had some) as the bore water was so hard, and it’s a problem for lathering any type of soap or shampoo.
I was driving back to the property late at night, and I had to go through at least four gates. These gates had to be closed otherwise stock would get out. I opened the fourth gate and heard a noise behind me. When I turned around, I got the fright of my life. Through the darkness, a red kangaroo stood probably two metres away. I moved my head up slowly, and kept moving it up. He was so tall and so big, talk about almost die. Lol. I bolted to my car and slammed the door. I never closed the gate. Kangaroos can grow very big, and they have been known to attack. Their long toenails are sharp weapons. They say the red Kangaroo is adapted the big open plains covering the dry interior. The one that silhouetted against the darkness behind me seemed to like a few trees.
Apart from running into red, belly black snakes, foxes, and kangaroos, I had many experiences with the wildlife. The outback holds a quiet beauty, a glorious place on earth where nature is truly remarkable. After a few years of excellent wheat crops, we left when the first big drought hit the area.
‘Heat in the Outback ‘is based in the area I used to live. I’ve used the homestead, the river and surrounding areas to make it authentic.
If your readers would like to find out more about my novels, or where to purchase them you can find it at, http://www.suzannebrandyn.com or http://suzanne-brandyn.blogpsot.com I’m also on face book, Suzanne Brandyn.
Thank you for having me Shelley. You’re very welcome, Suzanne!
:grin: Suzanne
Blurb: Heat in the Outback
The soaring temperature in the Outback is not the only heat Sarah Munro faces when she returns home for her father’s funeral. She wants to settle his affairs, sell the family’s homestead, Munro Cattle Station, and return to Sydney, and her fiancé, as quickly as possible. Sarah doesn’t want anyone to find out what she’d done in the past. She wants to close this chapter of her life for good. Then there will never be a reason to return to this dusty one horse town. She is wrong!
Ethan Wade, her first love is at the homestead. Ethan claims he owns half of Munro Station. Sarah wants him out! As they try to settle their differences, a raging attraction ignites.
Will Sarah and Ethan find each other again as their past explodes before them?
Excerpt: Heat in the Outback
“Red alert, red alert! Hot babe soon to materialize on Main Street.”
Almost the entire town’s population of hot-blooded males received the text message on their mobile phones. They dashed for closer observation of the strange silver convertible crawling through town.
Jack was at the bowser. Pete strummed a spanner in his hand, as his mechanic Dylan peered over his shoulder. Dan from the bakery took an admiring glimpse through his window and Sam leant on the edge of the architrave of the local real estate agent. Many more enthusiasts partook of the pleasurable sight.
Summer sun reflected off honey blonde hair, swaying in the breeze of the open top convertible.
“Sure is a hot one. Where in the hell did she come from?” Pete said, his mouth easing into a grin.
“The text message was from Bill,” Dylan stated. “Guess he’s hallin’ hay to Tamworth. Sure has city written all over her.”
The convertible disappeared, leaving mouths gaping, and eyes widening with disbelief.
“What’s everyone so hell-bent about? Looks like you’re all in overload.”
“That’s right Ethan, you wouldn’t have got one.”
“Got one what?” Ethan came to a standstill and leant on the bowser.
“A text from Bill alerting us of the major babe attack.”
“Where, what?”
“Too late; she’s already gone. You know you should invest in a mobile phone. It’ll keep you up to date.”
“Waste of time, talkin’ and textin’. I like the good old-fashioned telephone, one anchored to a wall…was the woman alone?”
“Yeah, she looked like that Sarah Munro girl. You know the one that got engaged to that actor guy, the big time model on the television. She was all polished up like one of those gals on our calendars. You wouldn’t understand, Ethan.” He let out a roar. “She gave us a smile that had our hearts stoppin’, I can tell you that.”
Ethan understood all right, more than he was willing to admit.
Visit Suzanne Brandyn’s website.
Purchase Heat in the Outback from Eternal Press
HI Shelly
Thank you for having me here, but are you a day early, or am I a day late. lol… It really doesn’t matter as these time zones have been a bit of a challenge lately. Talk to you tomorrow, US time, 15th…I think. lol. :)
Hi Suzanne! Great visual take on the outback. And I loved your excerpt. The end certainly made me want to find out what Ethan was really thinking! Nice hook.
Congrats and good luck with Heat in the Outback!
Hi Suzanne- Congrats on the release- the excerpt was very good…Thanks!
Thank you Kaye, :)
Thank you for stopping by Maria,
Glad you enjoyed the excerpt. :)
Suzanne – Welcome! My blog works on an American calendar with my post going live in the early minutes of the new day. It’s the 15th in America. :grin:
I can relate to that red dust. When we traveled through Africa anyone who had white underwear didn’t have it for long. It turned a horrid color after being in the savannah plains and then the jungle.
Oh, and I meant to say all the best with your new release.
Hi Shelly
Thank you. :) I took it for granted that your time zone would be NZ.
Yes, the red dust does create a bit of a problem. Most people learn to live with it. Thankfully I don’t have that problem now. :)
Australian always does fascinate. We still think of it as very wild.
Thanks for the information about life in the outback. Your book sounds very interesting.
[email protected]
Loved the excerpt, and the book sounds great.
Thank you Nessa for stopping by.
Australia is not as wild as people may imagine. :)
Thank you for calling in Andrea, :)
Hi Andrea,
I’m glad you liked the excerpt. The book is much better. :)
Thank you for your comment.
cant wait to read the whole thing, suz.
good luck
kez
Thank you Kez for dropping by.
You wont be disappointed. :)
Interesting…
Suzanne, you tell a great story just in a post. The book looks fantastic.
Hello Amy,
Thank you for running past. :) I’m happy that you found it interesting.
Hi Alice,
Your website is amazing. Thank you for you kind comment and thank you for stopping by.
I was always told I was a story teller, the stories just keep getting better, so they tell me. :)
Hi Shelly,
Thanks again for having me. :)
Suzanne :)
Excerpt was awesome another book and author I need to add to my list. I would love to travel to Autralia some day but can we leave out the snakes yuck!!
LOL – Desiree – Whenever I visit Australia I look out for snakes, but I’ve only ever seen one. I was acting as caddy for my husband on Lindeman Island and just about stepped on a snake in the middle of the fairway. It scared the bejeepers out of me!
Suzanne – you’re very welcome! All the best with your book.
Hi Desiree,
lol snakes are rarely found in the cities. Although while living in Newcastle, down south, a brown snake decided to pay me a visit. I’ll leave out the gory stuff, but I cut it in half with a bread knife. lol..
If you want to know more my email is on my website.
Thank you for stopping by…
Suzanne :)