Welcome Paige to the Australia Day Book hop. We're so pleased to have caught you before you headed out into the paddocks again. How about we sit at the kitchen table under the air-conditioner? It must be at least 44C outside even in the shade of the old rainwater tank.
What will you do to celebrate January 26th?
Just like in past years Australia Day will be a non-event. It still hasn’t rained and I still have cattle to feed. Dad will throw a few sausages on the barbeque and as we have pretty city-boy, Tait Cavanaugh, staying I’m sure Dad will whip up one of his famous pavlovas. If I’m lucky there’ll be a piece left when I get in late.
What do you love about living in Australia?
The scent of eucalyptus after rain. The flash of pink and grey as galah's fly over head. The peace of living in the bush. Well, the peace I used to have before Tait attached himself to my side like a burr to a saddle blanket. For a man who came out here for solitude he sure goes out of his way to seek my company. I'd bet my last row of emergency chocolate there is another reason why Tait has come to the outback.
What do you think of as iconic and uniquely Australian?
My blue-heeler puppy called Bundy who is forever chewing all things, least of all Tait's shiny new boots. The Australian Cattle Dog was bred for their toughness, loyalty and herding instincts but at the moment little Bundy is too cute to round anything up.
Thanks so much Paige, I can see you're eager to head back out in the ute. Is that Tait I hear coming in from your father's shed?
Beneath Outback Skies will be released by Random House Jan 30 as a launch title for the Random Romance list.
For a chance to win a kindle ebook copy of my new Escape Publishing release, What Love Sounds Like, please leave a general blog comment. This giveaway is for both Australian and International residents. The giveaway closes Jan 28 midnight and the winner drawn Jan 29 via Random.org. Winner will be emailed Jan 29.
Outback speech pathologist, Mia Windsor, believes her morning from hell is over. Then suited-up, city-boy Kade Reid strides into her office and announces he and his wide-eyed niece are the
clients that she will be living with for the fortnight.
Kade Reid adheres to a single edict — money is as important as breathing. But when he becomes an instant father to four-year-old Tilly, he escapes to the only place he was allowed to be a
child...the family property of Berrilea.
As Mia and Kade work together to help Tilly overcome her speech delay, can they face their fears in order to give Tilly the family she so desperately needs?
To read more Australia Day blogs and to participate in the giveaways please visit the Blog Hop's fabulous hosts at:
http://bookdout.wordpress.com/
http://confessionsfromromaholics.com/
Good luck and happy Australia Day blog hopping.
Write a comment
Jennie @ Daystarz Books (Thursday, 24 January 2013 20:12)
I really like the sound of this book. Especially the character name Tilly as we have a friend by that name! Great giveaway, my giveaway is here: http://daystarz.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/australia-day-book-giveaway-blog-hop/
Rachael Johns (Thursday, 24 January 2013 21:09)
Great interview Alissa. I already have got your gorgeous book, so don't enter me in the giveaway!
Lauren @ The Australian Bookshelf (Thursday, 24 January 2013 21:13)
Lovely interview, Alissa. The start of the Aus Day weekend is already starting to heat up! I'd love to win a copy of your book- thank you!
Mary McAuliffe (Thursday, 24 January 2013 21:21)
Cute interview
Jenny Schwartz (Thursday, 24 January 2013 21:23)
Hi Alissa
You know I loved What Love Sounds like (so pls don't put me in the draw) -- but wow you've hooked me on Beneath Outback Skies. A blue heeler puppy? So cute. And the scent of the bush after rain is perhaps the best smell on earth. Better even than coffee :)
Pokarlla Kiara (Thursday, 24 January 2013 21:41)
I would so love to win a copy of your ebook. It sounds very interesting. My brother is Autistic, and did not speak until he was 4. It was wonderful to finally hear him speak.
Paul Phillips (Thursday, 24 January 2013 23:11)
This is not generally my fare but I wanted to stop in and congratulate you on your books and your giveaway. A great initiative.
Louise Reynolds (Friday, 25 January 2013 01:28)
Congratulations on "Beneath Outback Skies". It sounds wonderful and can't wait for release day, Alissa.
Helene (Friday, 25 January 2013 03:17)
Love the blog interview, Alissa! No need to enter me in the comp, I've already fallen in love with "What Love Sounds Like.' Look forward to reading 'Beneath Outback Skies'!!
Happy Australia Day to you and yours.
Sally from Oz (Friday, 25 January 2013 03:34)
Oh I just love Bundy. And I love the sound of your book - my grandson is seeing a speech pathologist and she is magic!
Marg (Friday, 25 January 2013 04:03)
My Australia Day weekend is going to feature lots of reading, probably even Beneath Outback Skies!
Thanks for the chance to win your new book1
Emma Tingay (Friday, 25 January 2013 17:13)
Hi Alissa,
Cute interview with Paige. I Recently read "Beneath Outback Skies" - in fact, it was one of the first books I read on my new kindle. Your new novel sounds good too. BTW - a bit of trivia - my oldest daughter's middle name is Alissa!
Joe Jeney (Friday, 25 January 2013 19:38)
Great to see country life reestablishing itself in the Australian imagination again. Thanks for letting me enter your competition, Joe Jeney
Alissa Callen (Friday, 25 January 2013 19:50)
Thanks so much to everyone for stopping by and have a lovely Australia Day where ever you might be:)
Monique M (Friday, 25 January 2013 19:52)
I like the sound of your story - know what it's like to want a good father figure for your children.
Tash (Friday, 25 January 2013 21:28)
Love the interview with Paige, I already read Beneath Outback Skies and looking forward to read more of your stories in the near future. Thanks for taking part in the hop
Sam (Saturday, 26 January 2013 02:45)
Lovely to see speechies getting a starring role in a book! I have Beneath Outback Skies to read and I'm really looking forward to it.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Mary Preston (Saturday, 26 January 2013)
Hi,
the heat here has been replaced by torrential rain. So extreme.
I would certainly love to read WHAT LOVE SOUNDS LIKE thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Catherine (Saturday, 26 January 2013 19:03)
Ooh, I've just spent the week studying voice production with a group that was about half singers and half speech pathologists - lovely to have a speechie as main character!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Jess Fitz (Saturday, 26 January 2013 22:13)
I've been hearing alot about both of the books mentioned in this post lately - all good things I can assure you, and I'm actually looking forward to reading them in the near future.
Thankyou for the opportunity to enter this giveaway too, its such a unique idea and great fun.
bn100 (Sunday, 27 January 2013 01:44)
Very nice interview.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Alissa Callen (Sunday, 27 January 2013 01:50)
Thanks so much to everyone who has dropped by today (Sunday)! Hope you are enjoying the Australia Day long weekend:)
Natasha (Sunday, 27 January 2013 01:53)
Thanks for the chance to win!
Sounds really good!!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
Ella (Sunday, 27 January 2013 17:25)
Gorgeous interview Alissa. Like several others here, we have a lovely speechie for our daughter - so great to have less conventional occupations for strong heroines :-)
Thanks for the giveaway!
eaudr(at)hotmail(dot)com
Tracy's park is growing in legendary leaps and bounds! (Sunday, 27 January 2013 18:29)
It would not be over 40 Deg at the moment in Queensland but you would have full rain tanks. The amount of rain we have had the last few days has been over a years worth in a few days. That what I love about Australia the difference you see.
tracyt(at)epd(dot)com.au
Allison Butler (Sunday, 27 January 2013 20:01)
Hi Alissa,
Thanks for the fabulous interview with hard-working Paige. I love how she describes Tait as a 'bur to a saddle blanket' lol. Oh and Bundy is so cute:) I already own a copy of your gorgeous story so please don't put me in the draw.
HUGS xx