I love a feisty women, one who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and take what she wants. One who starts off a slightly timid and grows into a character with backbone makes me go all warm and fuzzy inside too. That is how I see Libby Holland, my heroine, in TAMING THE OUTBACK. Libby is a widow raising two kids with a mortgage that is getting too much and a job that is going nowhere. Out of the blue comes a letter from the solicitor. She has been left two country farms and the requirements of the will are that she live there and turn a profit within two years. Not too difficult you might think? But when you take into account the Australian outback and the harsh conditions you could be forgiven for jumping the gun. Throw into the mix Nathan Miller, her arrogant and lust worthy neighbor and you see just how much Libby has to contend with. But not one to sit and simper over what can’t be done, Libby gets her hands dirty and learns to run her farm.  The city barmaid who was used to pouring a beer now has to learn how…

One of the things I love most about the Holiday Season is the memories it brings with it. Standing with my sister on the steps of St. Paul’s cathedral, listening to the church bells ring out all over London to celebrate England’s first Christmas of peace after six long years of war. The first Christmas I spent here in the U.S., aching with home-sickness for the family and friends I’d left behind, unaware of the many happy holidays that would follow with new friends and family. My son’s first Christmas, his eyes wide with wonder at the lights on the Christmas tree. The first Christmas I spent with my husband in snowy Philadelphia. So many memories, and some of them stand out more than others. When my mother decided to open a seaside hotel, she uprooted the family from London to the southeast coast. We opened for business the following spring. The previous owners, knowing they were selling the place, hadn’t bothered to take any bookings for the summer season, so our first year wasn’t a roaring success. Just a handful of regulars were booked in, which was just as well, since none of us knew much about running a…