Tuesday 13 October 2015

I've been visiting Townsville in Far North Queensland. Some photos and chit chat for you...

Hello there!

Thank you for the great response to my IWSG post re beta readers and critiquers last week. I've taken on board the advice to leave my ms in the drawer for awhile then take control of it myself. Meanwhile, I'm about ready to self-publish my first novella! Yay! I started this paranormal romance in 2010 and picked it up recently with the intention of publishing it for Halloween. I'm running out of time, but I intend to make it. Wish me well getting it on Amazon this week!

If you think I've been slack with blog visits, it's because I've been away travelling again, but this time I've remained in my home state, Queensland. It was school holidays, so I travelled to the Far North to visit my daughter in Townsville. If ever the north seceded from the south (and there is always talk of this), Townsville would be the capital city. 

This was an exciting time to visit Townsville. It was the Rugby League Grand Final, and this year it was between two Queensland teams, the Brisbane Broncos and the Townsville Cowboys. Whoa! And didn't Townsville get into the swing of it. As soon as I entered the airport, I was met with banners.

Jonothan Thurston on right, the best rugby player in the world. 
Townsville has many wonderful eateries. Maybe not as slick as Brisbane's, but in the last few years the eateries have gone gang busters. Enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at a new establishment, the Cat's Meow. Inside there was something different. The owner had sourced little Golden Books and turned them into menus. So cute.




The food was amazing too.

And the owner also sells antiques. I picked up this beautiful Italian pink art glass which will go so well in my new writing room when it's done.


Walking along The Strand is always refreshing. It was very windy so the stretch of water between Townsville and Magnetic Island was a little grey instead of the usual pristine blue, but as you see, the sky had nothing to apologise for.


And each time I visit my daughter, I read A House in Fez by Australian author, Suzanna Clarke.


Finally finished it this visit. No way would I restore a riad in the Fez medina in Morocco, but it made excellent reading. What satisfaction to go from this--


To this--

Made me homesick for Morocco. Here we are in Morocco in 2012.


Back home again. Walking around our street last night, I picked some spring blossoms which were everywhere! So pretty!


I know it's autumn in the northern hemisphere, but it's spring Down Under, but it feels like summer. Here is a whacky art sculpture at the beach on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.



I hope you enjoyed your brush with Queensland culture.

By the way, the Townsville Cowboys won the Grand Final for the first time ever! In the last half minute, Jonothan Thurston, dubbed the best rugby player in the world, kicked a field goal. The poor Broncos! They thought they  had it won!

  • What have you been up to the last couple of weeks?
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Thanks for visiting!

49 comments:

Michael Di Gesu said...

PHEW....

Glad to read all is well with the Novella! HOW GORGEOUS.... LOVED your pics.... Boy those pics of the remodel hit HOME for me. MY loft is a 'dead' ringer for the before shot of that fez.... hopefully my loft will be equally as gorgeous when it's done.... I have a sneaking suspicion it will. LOL....

Those flowers are LOVELY. I wish we were going back into spring and summer again. UGH... WINDS are insane in CHICAGO. Almost got blown away! I did find a fabulous find, just like you did on your hunt... a beautiful watercolor painting by a RENOWNED ARTIST.... if it's an original, and I think it is, it's worth a small fortune. If it's a lithograph... no worries, it's still lovely and it's still worth what I paid for it....

Also found another stunning antique which I plan to use in my new kitchen remodel... Will post pics of the BEFORE very soon.... maybe even tomorrow. LOL.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hope you make it by Halloween! Let me know so I can feature your book.

Denise Covey said...

Thank you Alex. You rock!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I have just finished another Halloween book -- hey, the holiday is right up my genre alley! :-)

I love that beautiful Italian art glass and those blossoms seemed so real I almost reached out to touch them. I hope you get lots of sales for your book. Mine seem to be wearing leper bells, Oh, well. I guess Halloween is all trick for me this season. :-(

Sandra Cox said...

I love those menus!
Glad you got to visit with your daughter and congrats on your novella coming out. Woot!

Christine Rains said...

Great pictures! And I really love those menus too. What a nifty idea. :) Congratulations!

Denise Covey said...

Selling books seems a hit and miss affair Roland. I feel for you, but we must keep on keeping on!

Denise Covey said...

I should have posted more remodel pics, Michael. I had more. The process took years, so I hope yours doesn't take that long!

Congrats on the painting. I hope it is an original, but even if it isn't it seems you can cope!

Looking forward to your pics!

Denise Covey said...

Aren't they cute! Never seen it before!
Thanks for the congrats. I really hope I make it. It's the cover holding me up. A rather necessary part of the process!

Denise Covey said...

Glad you like the menus. I think they're precious!

The Armchair Squid said...

I like the menus, too. The pink glass is lovely, too. My wife has an impressive colored glass collection, though she favors cobalt blue.

D.G. Hudson said...

That was an enjoyable tour via your photos, Denise! Good luck with your novella. Is that the one set in Paris? Or is it something else? See you about WEP time. . .not long now.

Denise Covey said...

No, D.G. Sadly, this vampirish tale has sucked me away from my Paris story. Back to that later...yes, WEP next week! Great!!

Nilanjana Bose said...

Congrats on the novella, Denise!

Glad your skies had nothing to apologise for...may they always remain that way. Loved the photos and the glass art.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Nila. Yes, may we always have blue skies, metaphorically.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I love those Golden Book menus!

We have the Denver Broncos and the Dallas Cowboys. My husband is from near Dallas, but he's a Broncos fan, so he and his brother are always in competition.

Congratulations on the novella!

Mary Kirkland said...

That Italian pink art glass is beautiful. I hope your novella does great.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Denise - well you packed lots in. The book-menus are a clever idea .. what fun and then selling antiques too ... keeps the eaters looking out for more finds! Gorgeous blossoms and your pink vase is just lovely ...

The Novella sounds fun - good luck with getting it up by Halloween. I could do with Spring - but the seasons make life interesting ...

So pleased you had a happy time up with your daughter ... I love seeing the photos and checking up geographically where each place is. The flight must be quite short?

Cheers Hilary

DEZMOND said...

it is interesting how in most countries the North wants to separate from the South!
Love Morocco especially their Lalla Salma :)

Denise Covey said...

Yes, under 2 hours Hilary. But a very long trip by car. Don't do that any more. Was lovely to spend time with Candice.

Denise Covey said...

I'm with you Dezi. Morocco is very special. Yes. With centralised government, the north misses out...too far from the tower of power. And Townsville is very rich and would no doubt like to see more return for their taxes...wouldn't we all?

Denise Covey said...

Thanks so much Mary!

Denise Covey said...

Yes, I realise the names must have been stolen from American, lol! Isn't everything? But the US sucks at rugby league big time.

Pat Hatt said...

That is really neat with the book menus. Can learn a lot from traveling.

mshatch said...

Love the book menus, very clever! And if you liked that art glass you'd love the shop I work at. I especially love those pretty pink flowers. So pretty!

Denise Covey said...

Ooh. What shop is that?

Denise Covey said...

Sure can Pat!

Denise Covey said...

Cobalt blue is gorgeous too, but I'm a pink girl.

Yolanda Renée said...

I'm a sucker for pink glass! So lovely! Looks like a fabulous trip, and I know you'll make your deadline! Glad you're not putting Fiji away for good! You've got it!
Okay, off to pack for my trip - hubby has his hands on his hips! :)

H. R. Sinclair said...

Best of luck getting the novella out in time without problems!

I love those pink flowers. The are pretty and cool looking.

Chrys Fey said...

I lose fuzzy pink flowers. They would look great in that pink vase. :)

Book menus are super clever. That looks like a neat place to visit.

Chrys Fey said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bijoux said...

Those Golden Book menus are so sweet.

Suzanne Furness said...

I love coloured glass, your new vase looks gorgeous. Glad you've had a nice time travelling around.

Murees Dupè said...

Congratulations and good-luck with the publication of your novella! Super exciting times. Sorry I haven't been visiting your blog regularly, For some reason your blog doesn't show up in my blog roll, even though I follow it. I will rectify that immediately. Have an awesome week.

desk49 said...

Thanks for dropping by
+++
A lot of things to wrap
around my mind
from sand whacky jugs
to fountains divine
from hubby to flowers
and tall plum trees
A see through vase with
A duck swimming free
last but not least Rugby
that’s foreign to me

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for dropping by, desk49!

Denise Covey said...

Thank you Murees. I have a new blog address and therefore my old link needs to be updated!

Denise Covey said...

Thank you Suzanne. I love it!

Denise Covey said...

Well, that's a good start, Yolanda! You have a nice time while I struggle with a Table of Contents!! Grr!!

Denise Covey said...

Thank you! It's very frustrating at times.

Denise Covey said...

Nothing's going in my pink vase, Chrys! Purely aesthetic pleasure!

Kittie Howard said...

I traveled vicariously with you every step of the way. What fun adventures! Loved that riad transformation -- OMG, the work involved! Waiting to purchase your book. Just let me know when!!! Know it's gonna be super!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Kittie! I'll be popping over to read your latest adventures soon!

dolorah said...

Oh nice; what an awesome vacation in your home state. Gotta reacquaint yourself with the territory once in a while.

Glad things are working out with the novella, and wishing you much luck on the self-pub front. I'm still trying to get to the beta you sent me - had to work the last couple weeks, which means lots of traveling myself, and haven't even got my IWSG story worked on. Nice to see someone is getting it all done :)

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

Good luck on much success with your novella; I look forward to seeing it on Amazon. What a clever idea, turning little golden book covers into menus. I sounds like you had a great visit.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Elizabeth! It's up!

Denise Covey said...

Travelling slows down the writing that's for sure! No doubt you'll get to my story! It's now live!

The Armchair Squid said...

It's a great piece.