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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Unexpected Can Be Good by Fiona Lowe

Life can change in a heartbeat and so it happened in my family last Tuesday at 5pm when my eldest son, who was enrolled and ready to start at university today, got an unexpected offer from another university, in  another state; Tasmania. For those of you who don't know, Tasmania is Australia's island state and the only way to get there is to fly or go by boat.  The other big thing in the email was, "if you accept this offer, lectures start in six days."

His initial reaction was, "No", because his brain was in gear for the university two hours away by train and bus. He could come home every couple of weekends, easy peasy.  But this offer of a double degree in Medicine and research was really was too good an opportunity to pass up so by Wednesday at noon we were suddenly gearing up to not only change universities but to move him "out of state."

It is AMAZING how much you can achieve in 48 hours if you give up the day job of trying to write a book. I tried to set aside my panic about my deadline and set about organising to put the car on the Spirit of Tasmania, booking flights for my husband and son and organising accommodation for him while he un-enrolled in the university he thought he was going to be attending.

I headed off with a fully loaded car including a full size electric piano...The Lad can't study without a piano...a  roof rack filled with bedding and books, and at the back of the vehicle, his push bike. Everything a boy needs for his first year at university or what my US mates call, "college."

Lucky for me, the writing community is global and my dear friend, Melanie Milburne, lives in Hobart, Tasmania. She was such a fabulous resource.

The Lad is living in a residential college and he has a million dollar view! I think I would like to live there. He is going to keep really fit because the road up to the residences is very, very steep!

So a week today I didn't know he was even going to be attending the University of Tasmania ..it's been a huge six days but he is installed, settling in and has attended his first lectures. I have just got home and am feeling a bit wobbly after I find my land legs after nine hours at sea.



After a good sleep or two, life needs to return to normal as I have to get back to writing 'Runaway Groom' the third book in my Wedding Fever trilogy.  Have you ever had to drop everything and make something good happen in a really short space of time? I'd love to hear about it.

Saved by the Bride, the first book in the trilogy is available for pre-order now at the discounted price of $2.99 at Nook & Kindle

I am thrilled with the cover. What do you think?


Fiona Lowe is a RITA® and R*BY award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. You can find her at her websitefacebookTwitter and Goodreads.







12 comments:

girlygirlhoosier52 said...

Wow!! I admire your 'get it done' attitude! I hope you gave your son instructions on how to do his own laundry!! That's the one thing that most of my friends relate to me -- kids returning regularly with dirty clothes!!

Mary Kirkland said...

It's amazing what we can get done when we really need to. I love the cover, it's gorgeous.

Pat Cochran said...

Nothing so huge or drastic! Good luck
with Runaway Groom!

Pat C.

Connie said...

The cover is really sweet and the book sounds wonderful! Looking forward to reading it.

Fiona Lowe said...

LOL, yes, he got instructions on how to do his laundry. The residences have washers and dryers and I left him with Sard Wonder stick...the GREAT stain remover and cuff and collar spray. I wonder if they will get used.....

Fiona Lowe said...

It is amazing however I am cross with my body. During a 'crisis' (granted this wasn't a bad crisis but it was a shock) I am in control and organised. When it is over, I fall in a heap as I have today!
Thanks, I love the cover too! It looks just like Annika who is blond.

Fiona Lowe said...

Thanks, Pat. I am doing copy edits for Picture Perfect Wedding at the moment and then I can get back into RunAway Groom.

Fiona Lowe said...

Glad you love the cover, Connie!

Mary Preston said...

I fondly remember the ferry ride over to Tasmania & back. My sister & I roamed the ship all night drinking hot chocolates from the vending machines. My brother was deemed too young by my Mother - he was furious. I would have been 15 I think.

It is a lovely cover.

Nicki said...

I don't think I've had to, but if I do I hope I can take it like you! I know I would have went insane within those 48 hours :)

Fiona Lowe said...

Mary, the only other time I had taken the ship was many moons ago when you sat up all night and it was such a rough crossing I was surrounded by people throwing up! Thrilled to say it wasn't rough this time.

Isn't it wonderful how we remember the times as a kid we were allowed to 'roam'. OUr kids today miss out on that a bit, I think.

Fiona Lowe said...

Nicki, I would never have survived without lists upon lists!