Guest blogger: Mandy Magro

G’day, I’m Mandy Magro. My debut novel, Rosalee Station, has now hit the shelves and I must say I’m more than thrilled to be able to walk into a book shop and see my ‘baby’ sitting there in all its glossy goodness! It’s magnificent!

I’d love to tell you a little about myself and how my dream of writing became a reality, so here goes.

I play many roles throughout a normal day as a mother to my little girl, Chloe Rose, a wife to my loving partner Drew, a fruit farmer, and when I can sneak off to my computer … an author.

I was born in the beautiful township of Mareeba in 1975. In 1977 Mum and Dad separated and Mum and I moved to Cairns. I used to spend my school holidays up on the farm with Dad and I have very fond memories of these times.

I enjoyed the city life that Cairns offered but at twenty-three I longed to live back in the country, so I moved back to my Dad’s fruit farm in Mareeba, stored my city clothes and pulled out my farm attire.

I worked on the family fruit farm for a season, picking and packing mangos, lychees and longans. It was a carefree and enjoyable experience. At the end of the season I was offered a job out on a cattle station so without a second thought I packed my bags and moved to the heart of Australia to become a camp cook at Tobermorey station, sleeping in a swag and chasing after bulls with dust covering my every inch. It was so much fun!

There was no television, electricity or phones and a trip to the grocery store took me 12 long hours along bumpy, bull-dust roads. Talk about throwing yourself in the deep end, but I loved it! It was here I learnt just how enchanting, fascinating and magical the Australian outback was. I met some loveable Aussie larrikins along the way who taught me so much about the bush; even how to skin an ox tail for dinner … which I must admit nearly caused me to pass out!

I have a voracious passion for Australian rural fiction but found that there weren’t enough books to satisfy my endless craving for them. This led me to have a wild thought; after all my amazing and unforgettable experiences in the outback, maybe I should just write a book myself! So, I sat down at the computer and began to type and type until my fingers ached and my neck felt like it required some serious chiropractic work.

Six months later I had the finished product, a 95,000-word manuscript. I crossed my fingers and sent it off to Allen and Unwin publishers. They were keen but after two months of waiting for news of a contract, and chewing all my fingernails off, I decided to go elsewhere. I am renowned amongst my family and friends for my lack of patience! I took the plunge and sent Penguin an email, kindly asking them to pretty please read my manuscript.

Three days later I got a phone call from Penguin, offering me a contract for two novels! It was the most glorious feeling in the world. I danced around like a frog in a sock, felt dizzy with excitement, cried and laughed all at the same time. It was a bizarre and exhilarating experience and one I will never forget!

ROSALEE STATION

Sarah Clarke’s dream is to experience life in the real outback. When her boyfriend Brad offers her a job with him on Rosalee Station, she can’t believe her luck.

But within days of arriving, her relationship is in tatters, and the dream is fast losing its lustre.

Sarah stays on to prove herself in the unforgiving land, earning the admiration of Matt, the station owners’ son. Beneath the wide outback skies, the pair are irresistibly drawn to each other, until a stolen kiss leads to disaster.

Sarah leaves Rosalee, convinced she’ll never see Matt again-but fate has a way of intervening …

From the thrill of mustering cattle to the wild adrenaline of a country rodeo, this passionate love story takes you to the very heart of the Australian outback.

My second novel, Jacaranda, is now going through the meticulous process of editing. It is destined for release in May 2012. I’m now working on my third novel, Melaleuca Homestead, which is one that will certainly tug at the heart strings of my readers. I’m a third of the way through this one, even though it will not be out until 2013! My publisher keeps telling me I can slow down but to be honest I’m so obsessed with writing that I can’t image having a break from it. Writing brings me so much pleasure.

This brings me to where I am in my life right now. A place where I’m the most content and joyous I’ve ever been. I have a beautiful, loving and supportive family and a career that makes me burst with pride and enthusiasm. Writing is something I’d love to be able to do for the rest of my life. I couldn’t imagine a day without it.

Mandy Magro
http://www.mandymagro.com/