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Ancient Mayans and human sacrifice

4/8/2018

I’m so excited to have a new book coming out. So it's the perfect time to share the inspiration behind the scenes in my new Maximum Exposure series. This series has three stand-alone, heart-thumping, romantic suspense novels all set in a wonderful remote location that I’ve visited.

The first book - Out of Reach, is set in Mexico’s Yucatán jungle. I've been to Mexico five times and in 2015, I went to Chichén Itzá, which is a UNESCO World Heritage listed, 1400-year-old complex of Mayan ruins in the middle of the Mexican jungle. Chichén Itzá was one of the largest mythical Mayan cities and I found it hard to believe something so magnificent was abandoned and left to be swamped by the relentless creep of the voracious vegetation. But it was.

My visit to the temple, was just one of approximately 1.4 million people who visit the ancient site each year. And whilst the bucket-list experience was truly incredible, it had me pondering how wonderful it would be to be the first to discover an ancient temple. Can you imagine that? Well, that was the initial thought that inspired Out of Reach.

Anyway, back to the ruins. They were remarkably well preserved despite the centuries of abandonment and the robust vegetation that’d made the ruins their home. Consequently, archaeologists were able to piece together a fascinating history from over a thousand years ago.

An immense step pyramid, known as the Temple of Kukulcan, overlooks the ancient city, and is probably the most photographed of all the ancient Mayan temples. Here I am with the Temple of Kukulcan in 2015.

The step pyramid contains 365 steps, one for each day of the year. The ancient Mayan's were very talented stone masons and one incredible feature on this temple is the illusion of a snake body that only shows up when the late afternoon sun strikes at the Spring and Fall equinoxes. How they did that is beyond me.

Oh, and how’s this for amazing, at the top of one of the ancient buildings was three windows. Each one has been positioned perfectly for viewing other planets like Venus.

Rows and rows of carved columns lead to The Temple of Warriors.

Check out these rows of intricately carved columns depicting warriors and astronomical signs. They once supported a roof that led to a broad stairway at the The Temple of Warriors where human hearts were once offered to the Gods. I love this stuff, don't you?

The Sacred Cenotes. Major source of water and site for human sacrifices. Looks yummy!

The demise of this ancient city is yet to be truly established, although one theory had me fascinated. The Yucatán Peninsula is pockmarked with natural sinkholes called cenotes and the Sacred Cenotes at Chichén Itzá is an impressive 70 feet deep and 200 feet wide well. It was the major water source for the city inhabitants. But, during a time of severe drought, the King ordered human sacrifices to convince the Gods to bring the rain. Archaeologists found the skeletal remains of dozens of children and six-foot warriors at the bottom of the Cenotes. Trouble was, by tossing the sacrificial humans into the well, the silly buggers were also poisoning their only water source. Woops.

So there you go. I hope this travel blog has inspired you to visit this incredible New Seven Wonder of the World. Hopefully you’re also interested in reading my new book.

Out of Reach

When an ancient lost Mayan temple is discovered by a team of archaeologists deep in the Mexican jungle, Liliana Bennett is given her first clue to a family mystery that’s taunted her since her father’s sudden death.

Click here for more details.

Please also check out more of my travel blogs and stories that inspired my books. Next time, I’ll take you deeper into the Mexican jungle where only ATV’s and crazy people like me go.

Oh and hey, I love hearing from you, so drop in a comment below and I'll get right back to you. Cheers and happy reading.

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Pompeii - The Lost City

6/15/2015

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Another travel experience that influenced my stories. Enjoy.

The city of Pompeii, once a thriving metropolis, was nestled nice and close to Mount Vesuvius, the very volcano that killed the city’s occupants and buried it beneath tons of ash in 79AD.

Dean and I explore Pompeii 1989. Back then there was very few restrictions of what we could or couldn't touch.

In 1989 my husband and I visited the extraordinary excavation site. Despite visiting Pompeii more than 25 years ago I still have vivid memories of exploring the remains of that ancient city. The lack of air and moisture created by the mountain of ash that fell upon the city ensured the objects that lay beneath it were preserved in extraordinary condition. What we saw was fascinating and macabre at the same time. It was an incredible reminder of the power of nature.

Ancient Pompeii is believed to have been founded in approximately 6th century BC. When it was destroyed, some 160 years later, it was reported to be nearing a population of 11,000 people. During excavation, archaeologists used plaster to fill in the empty spaces that once contained bodies. This ensured they could recreate the exact position of the person when they died. They found men, women, children, babies, dogs, cats, monkeys and numerous other species that died within minutes of that fateful volcanic eruption.

It's hard to believe this Pompeii street was built nearly 2000 years ago.

This ancient Roman city was forgotten for over 1500 years. Wiped clean by the hand of God. It was discovered by accident in 1599 when digging commenced to divert the Sarno river.

However, the architect, Domenico Fontana, found the nature of the fresco’s he discovered too promiscuous and promptly covered them over again. It wasn’t until 1738 that the ruins of Pompeii were rediscovered and finally excavation began.

The volcano is said to have erupted for 6 hours, spewing some 25 metres of ash and rock onto the city. What they have recovered is simply extraordinary and allowed archaeologists to piece together a story of the city that once was.

The House of the Faun. Remains of Pompeii.

I feel completely blessed to have shared this wonderful experience with my husband, I only wish we'd had more than one day exploring this amazing piece of history.

Whether its modern day or ancient, I find history fascinating. I swear I must've been an archaeologist in another life. It's amazes me how these experiences influence my writing. I love going back there with my stories and I hope my readers enjoy the journey too. Treasured Secrets is an action adventure story based on a missing 13th Century treasure. Download your copy today.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed another one of my travel experiences. Follow my blogs and come escape with me. Here's my previous travel blog if you're interested.

Treasured Secrets

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Sunken Treasure. Sharks. Shipwrecks. Sex. Evil bad guys and delicious food. What more could you want in an action adventure novel. Grab your copy of Treasured Secrets today. http://amzn.to/1OLqzSW.

Download now.

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Solomon Islands and Iron Bottom Sound - treasure troves for scuba divers.

4/21/2015

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Here's another travel experience that heavily influenced my current Treasured series of action adventure books. Enjoy.

The Solomon Islands consist of more than 900 islands and divers claims there are just as many wrecks to explore too. This is what attracted me to the sovereign country that lies northwest of Vanuatu.

The Solomon Islands experienced some of the most intensive fighting of World War II. The most notable operation was launched in August 1942 when the Allied Forces conducted simultaneous naval bombardments and amphibious landings to fight Japanese Imperial Forces. This important and bloody Battle of Guadalcanal signified the beginning of the Allies repelling the Japanese.

Between 1941 and 1945, the island of Guadalcanal saw almost daily fighting between American and Japanese forces. Today however, this area now known as Iron Bottom Sound, is a scuba diving mecca. It’s the final resting place for dozens and dozens of wrecks including fighter planes and tanks, cargo ships and destroyers. It’s a glorious underwater museum for anyone willing to make the long journey to get there. In 2010 we did.

My boys were just 14 and 12 years old at the time and this was their first scuba diving holiday. During World War II the Japanese built an airstrip that was successfully concealed by rows of coconut palms suspended by cables. This was the very same airstrip we landed on and the first grass landing strip I’ve ever experienced. It was hair-raising to say the least.

My two favourite dives of the week were to explore two very different WWII wrecks. The first, The Kasi Maru was a Japanese freighter that was hit with a bouncing bomb while it was anchored at shore to offload cargo. Because it lies in just 15 metres of water and remains almost upright, this makes the Kasi Maru perfect for both snorkelers and divers. We penetrated the hull and were treated to a treasure hunters dream with an abundance of artefacts scattered throughout the ship. Items such as Saki bottles, small jars, gas masks and cooking gear were in remarkable condition. One thing that remains very vivid in my memory was a pair of boots with the laces still done up. I couldn’t help but wonder if the person who owned those boots made it to safety.

The second wreck has a fascinating story. On the 21st of June 1943 dive bomber pilot Jim Dougherty and his radio gunner Robert Bernard, took off to swoop low over Munda Island to sink Japanese ships supplying local troops. A barrage of bullets crippled his plane and he tried to limp back to safety. But he didn’t make it. They crash landed just off Rendova. Incredibly, they both survived the crash, swam ashore and made it to an American hospital. The crash happened on Jim’s 21st birthday. More than 50 years later their plane was rediscovered and in 1995 Jim returned to Munda and dived down to his plane wreck on the anniversary of the day he was shot down. I can’t imagine what was going through his mind when he sat back in that cockpit one more time.

One other site at Munda Solomon Islands that had me enthralled was a little museum in the jungle. For years, possibly decades, Peter Joseph has been collecting all manner of rusty trinkets and artefacts that he’s salvaged from the jungle surrounding the town. WWII relics from both the Japanese and Allied forces fill every aspect of his little jungle hut. We saw everything from plane parts, to machine guns, to hand grenades to dog tags. It was truly fascinating.

I feel completely blessed to have shared this wonderful experience with my husband and two boys. Whether its modern day or ancient, I find history fascinating. I swear I must have been an archaeologist in another life.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed another one of my travel experiences. You can check out a few more if you wish, HERE.

Treasured Secrets is out NOW.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever...

Treasured Secrets is the beginning of an adrenalin fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and action-packed adventure.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collection of short stories with unexpected twists.

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Thai Fish Cakes - delicious family favorite

4/19/2015

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My heroine in Treasured Secrets is a talented chef, so of course, as a lover of food, I just had to make all the meals that Rosalina prepares in my books. This recipe features in a tapas feast in book two in my series: Treasured Lies which is available at all good eBook retailers.

These Thai Fish cakes are delicious, easy to make and certain to become a favourite with your whole family. This recipe makes 12 fish cakes, so I always make at least a double batch. You can make them a day ahead too and reheat if you like. They are perfect party finger food too.

Ingredients

250g White fish fillets, skin & bones removed
1/2 cup cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup green beans roughly chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red chili, seeds removed and chopped
1 coriander plant, roots included chopped
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying

Method

Put all ingredients except oil into a food processor and process until just combined. Don’t over mix.

Place about 1cm of oil in a hot pan.

Place a heaped tablespoons into pan and fry a few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper.

Serve with fresh green salad, sweet potato fries and dipping sauces.

Click HERE to download this recipe.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collections of short stories with unexpected twists. .

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Tuscany - and the horrific event that inspired my trilogy

4/16/2015

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People often ask me where I get ideas for my books from and sometimes it amazes me what instigates that initial spark. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll blog some of the experiences that inspired my 'Treasured' series of book.

In 2011 my husband surprised me with a trip to Tuscany for our 20th anniversary. We had 10 wonderful days exploring this fabulous region and we stayed in a 700 year old villa called Villa Pandolfini in Signa, a little village just a fifteen minute train ride from Florence. Our spectacular historic villa with extremely high ceilings, magnificent frescoes and original antique furniture was surrounded by vineyards and olive-groves and offered an extensive view over Arno Valley. This incredible villa was the perfect place to set my author brain into action and consequently features prominently in Treasured Secrets.

Our rooms were overflowing with antiques.

Villa Pandolfini Signa Tuscany Italy

It was a visit to a little church in the medieval area of Florence that catapulted my creative writing ideas into overdrive. The Church of St Apostoli was built in the 11th century and is very insignificant compared to the many more grand churches in this historic city. This church is located in the Piazza Del Limbo, a nondescript concrete plaza, so named as it was once the cemetery for unbaptized babies.

The floor inside the church is inlaid with a beautiful marble mosaic, but the aspect that caught my interest was an oval door in the mosaic floor. Our guide informed us that this was where they threw the bodies during the plague of 1348. (Whether or not this was true, I still don't know). But I do know that there were so many bodies that they didn’t have time to give the deceased proper burials. Of course, in doing this, they actually contributed to the spread of the disease, by literally feeding the rats. Sixty percent of Europe’s population died from The Black Death - some fifty million people.

"Die Pest in Epiros" ("The Plague in Epirus") a copper engraving by Pierre Mignard (1610-1665) depicts a bubonic plague epidemic.

As soon as our guide mentioned this horrific event, my head was spinning with ideas of entire families being wiped out and long buried secrets. Then I began to wonder what happened to all their precious possessions. By the time we were on the plane home, I was drafting the bones of a story.

That idea has blossomed into a trilogy with the first book Treasured Secrets available now.

TREASURED SECRETS...
Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

One of my favourite highlights of Tuscany was the food and wine. So much so, that Rosalina, my character in Treasured Secrets is a chef and throughout this series she tantalizes the reader with many fabulous meals.

I like to consider myself as a method writer, so consequently, I cooked, photographed, wrote about and of course, devoured every one of these delicious meals too. I loved this aspect of these books so much that I've created Rosalina's Treasured Treats cookbook.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collections of short stories with unexpected twists.

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Yummy Cheese Cups

4/12/2015

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Murazzano Cheese Cups

I needed a dish for my character, Rosalina, to make that would have my readers drooling. This little recipe was the result of much research and input from my wonderful facebook followers.

The scene I created this recipe for is below, I hope you like it.

Murazzano Cheese Cups

This delightful little appetizer can be prepared in advance and cooked in the oven at the last minute.

Upon cooking you will have a delicious little cheese pot to fill with fig jam, caramelised onion relish, crispy prosciutto, or any other filling that takes your fancy. You can find these recipes in my cookbook: Rosalina's Treasured Treats.

Murazzano DOP is a soft cheese made in Alta Langa in the province of Cuneo, a wonderful area located in the South of Piemonte, Italy. Murazzano is a cylindrical, un-ripened, full-fat cheese made from sheep's milk. It’s a milky white rindless cheese with a soft and slightly springy texture. (If this cheese isn't available, use a soft goat's cheese.)

Ingredients
4 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
200 grams of Murazzano DOP Cheese (If not available use a soft goat’s cheese)
100ml Fresh cream
100ml Fresh milk
1 tablespoon of chives
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease 24 cup mini muffin tray with melted butter.

2. Cut puff pastry into rounds to fit into the muffin tray and puncture the bottom with a fork.

3. Blend all other ingredients in a mixer for 1 minute.

Serve hot these yummy little cheese pots with slices of Spiced Poached Pear, Homemade Fig Jam, Caramelised Onion Relish, crispy prosciutto, or any other filling that takes your fancy. These recipe's and more can be found in Rosalina's Treasured Treats.

4. Fill the pastry cups with the cheese mixture.

5. Cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Some secrets should be hidden forever.

Here's a tasty snippet from Treasured Secrets:

Rosalina dusted her flour-caked hands onto her apron and then turned to check on the Murazzano cheese rolls already baking in the oven. The scents of aromatic spices, melting cheese and fresh-baked pastry wafted from the open door. She lifted the tray from the oven and placed it onto the cork placemat.

‘Smells magnifica.’ Alessandro ran his tongue over his lips and she had this sudden desire to kiss him. The urge came from nowhere. Maybe she’d had too much wine. Maybe she was falling for him, despite all her determination not to. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally over Archer.

She smiled as Alessandro practically drooled over her cooking. He’d always been a dependable part of her life, and that was something she needed right now. And he was the perfect willing guinea pig for her culinary experiments. He reached for a still steaming pastry and she snapped his hand away. ‘Wait,’ she said. ‘You want the whole experience don’t you?’

His eyes lit up. ‘Sì, mio dolce.’

Rosalina liked the way he called her ‘my sweet’, especially given her love of cooking all things sugary. He was patient with her and seemed to understand her need to take everything slow.

Rosalina sliced the now cooled poached pear and placed a sliver upon the savoury cheese pastry. ‘Open up.’

Alessandro obliged and she popped the nibble into his mouth. His eyes did that heavenly eye roll before he closed them and savoured the treat. A low moan of approval teased from his throat and she knew she had him. He was a delight to watch.

First he would taste the sweetness of the pear, delicately poached with cinnamon and Chinese five spice. Next would come the multifaceted Murazzano cheese, smooth and rich in flavour. Finally, the buttery pastry would round it off. She liked to think of it as a smorgasbord in a bite.

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Egypt - Exciting. Exotic. Enchanting.

4/6/2015

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Here's another blog from a travel experience that influenced my writing. I hope you enjoy reading it.

In 2005 I travelled to Egypt with a girlfriend. That holiday is still up there as one of my favourites. So much so, that’s its one of the few places in the world I’m determined to get back to… one day. We stayed at the Marriot Cairo which is an absolute oasis compared to the surrounding bustling streets.

Our hotel was lovely relief from the dust, smog, heat and hustle and bustle that is Cairo. I even sampled some Egyptian Hookah.

Our first day we made our way to Cairo Museum, even though a trip to the museum was part of our tour, we couldn’t wait. We weren’t disappointed. We caught a cab to get there and what an experience that was. Every single car I saw was riddled with scratches, dents and worse. Red lights meant nothing to the drivers and neither did traffic lanes. And they constantly honked their horns.

Unfortunately our camera's were confiscated before we even walked through the doors of the museum. These are the only pictures I have.

The artefacts in the museum were scattered everywhere with no apparent thought to their layout and sadly, many of the pieces had little or no information detailing what they were. Despite all that it was still amazing. We saw many many sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, some as small as a little child, some as big as a van. We saw 5000 year old wooden statues and the remains of a Queens intestines that had been preserved in Alabaster jars.

The treasure of Tut-ankh-Amun was incredible. So much gold and so many pieces to see. The jewellery was beautiful and amazingly intricate and the colours were very well preserved. It’s hard to believe these pieces are thousands of years old. I’ll go into more detail about his tomb in a future travel blog.

The pyramids of Giza are mind blowing. Until you see them it’s impossible to comprehend just how big they are. The individual blocks are enormous too and when you learn that each block was carted from Aswan and shipped 750km up the Nile its mindboggling. In the pictures below look at the size of the pyramid then see the next photo where I'm standing in amongst the giant blocks. It's gives you some appreciation of just how enormous these constructions are.

I was completely unprepared for the amount of history on display in Egypt. Hieroglyphics were everywhere. I couldn't get enough of them.

The Sphinx was just as impressive, although it has some damage to its nose. It’s bizarre that right across the road from it is KFC and Pizza Hut.

In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the haunches of a lion, the face of a human and sometimes the wings of a great bird. It was considered treacherous and merciless. The Sphinx is said to have guarded the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes, and travelers had to answer a riddle in order to pass through. Apparently those who can’t answer the riddle were killed and eaten by this ravenous monster; a fate considered to be typical in mythological stories. Can you answer the riddle? "There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?"

The answer is "day and night"
(both words are feminine in Greek).

I would've been eaten.

History fascinates me, which is why my latest book Treasured Secrets is based around a 13th century missing treasure. It was so much fun to research that era and weave fact and fiction into my story.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s travel blog. Check more of my travel blogs here.

Treasured Secrets available now.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Treasured Secrets is the beginning of an adrenalin fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and action-packed adventure.

Want to know more? Click HERE

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collections of short stories with unexpected twists.

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Love salted caramel? Check these out.

3/29/2015

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Macadamia and Salted Caramel Friands

I've never made friands before so I was amazed at how easy these were. And they were so so yummy.

Ingredients
5 large egg whites
220 grams soft brown sugar
185 grams butter melted. Plus extra melted butter for greasing friand moulds.
125 grams almond meal
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 level teaspoon of sea salt
75 grams of plain flour, sifted
50 grams if macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush friand moulds with melted butter.
Whisk egg whites lightly until amalgamated.
Thoroughly stir in sugar, to ensure all lumps are gone.
Mix in butter, almond meal, macadamia nuts, vanilla and salt.
Sift in the flour and fold in lightly.
Spoon mixture into moulds. Place filled tins onto a tray and place in the centre of the preheated oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on top and springy to the touch.
Stand in moulds for a minute or two before turning out

Click HERE for a printable copy of this recipe.

It’s no coincidence that all Kendall Talbot's books have at least one character who loves to cook. She loves food, she loves to eat it, loves to cook it and Kendall loves to write about it too.

This recipe book is a collection of all the scrumptious treats her character, Rosalina, cooks in her romance books: Treasured Secrets and Treasured Lies.

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Shipwrecked in Brazil. Writing inspiration.

3/25/2015

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My oldest son spent most of 2013 in Brazil as an exchange student. So of course I had to go over and visit. It was a mammoth effort to get there from Brisbane, 5 flights and some 35 hours in transit. Jordan was living at Florianopolis on Santa Catarina Island which is about 700km’s south of Sao Paulo.

The island is 90km long and approximately 18km wide with more than 100km of coastline and 42 beaches. There are beaches to suit everyone. Joaquina, has perfect waves for surfers and a magnificent sand dune for anyone willing to get sand in their shorts while whizzing down at a cracking pace on a board. We had a lovely seafood lunch while sitting with our toes in the sand and watching the boys hit the waves and play tennis on the beach.

One of my favourite beaches we went to in Florianopolis was Naufragados beach. How the beach got its name is self-explanatory. Naufragodo translates to ship wrecked in Portuguese. This beach is situated at the extreme southern end of Santa Catarina Island and is difficult to get to by any means. We followed a trail, approximately 3kms long that cuts across Atlantic rainforest. The hike was steep and slippery but after about an hour we stepped onto one of the most secluded and beautiful beaches in Brazil. The beach is part of a nature reserve and is famous for its rough seas and excellent surfing conditions.

It was cold when we finally stepped onto the sand.

From the beach there is a wonderful view over to Aracatuba Island, where the fortress Nossa Senhora da Conceicao is located.

You can only visit this fortress when the sea is calm though.

What fascinated me most about this beach is its history. Many ships have been wrecked here with impressive records from as far back as 1516. One of the most notable accounts details the demise of 21 sailors under chief navy pilot and Spanish explorer of Buenos Aires, Juan Dias de Solis.

Map similar to that used by Juan Diaz de Solis in 1515.

The men were left on the island after they shipwrecked one of the vessels and there wasn’t enough room on the other ships to carry them all. Imagine what they were thinking as they watched their only link to civilisation sail away.

Apparently though, the men were reported to have lived on this very beach for a further 40 years. In fact we were told some of the occupants of the beach today, living high up in seclusion, in the dense vegetation overlooking the incredible blue South Atlantic Ocean, were direct descendants of the castaways. Of course, I believe them.

Another fascinating curiosity, is the record of the Azoreans who were brought to South Brazil to colonize Porto Alegre, but stayed on Santa Catarina Island for 3 years for adaptation reasons. But when they finally departed, the ship sank off the shores of Naufragados beach, killing all 241 people on board.

It’s stories like these that capture my imagination and reinforce my love of history. So much so that this very spot ignited the spark for a couple of plot themes in my upcoming series.

Treasured Secrets, the first ebook in my
action adventure series is available to pre-order now.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Treasured Secrets - Click here to find out more.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collections of short stories with unexpected twists.

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Christmas Island where magic happens...

3/18/2015

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Christmas Island is barely a dot on a map North-West of Perth, Western Australia. 63% of the island is designated National Park and its nearly overflowing with complex flora and fauna unique to this island. The island has only been inhabited since 1888 so that makes Christmas Island one of the youngest communities in the world.

The entire island is a wildlife sanctuary excellent for bird watching, nature lovers, anglers and scuba divers.

There is so much to explore both above and beneath the water, but in 2010, I went there specifically for the scuba diving. Although I love my diving, I get sea sick. To combat this I go in search of diving that doesn’t require a big boat trip to get to the dive sites. Christmas Island was the perfect choice. The island is actually the tip of an ancient volcano that rises about 5 miles up from the ocean floor. So literally metres from the shoreline, divers can explore the drop-off that plunges dramatically into the abyss.

On our second day of diving, I experienced one of the most magical moments of my life.

With my husband as my dive buddy, we dropped into the water and gradually cruised down Perpendicular Wall, which is exactly what it is. This dive site is a fathomless vertical wall bustling with enormous coral fans, hundreds of colourful tropical fish of all shapes and sizes, eels that dart out and disappear just as quickly, and of course sharks, turtles and stingrays.

About 40 minutes into our dive, my hubby indicated he was nearly at his air limit. He’s what’s known as an air pig - in that he consumes his air way too quickly. I was a tad annoyed about this as I had at least another 20 minutes of air time remaining. But as every good dive buddy knows, you stick with your partner. So together we gradually floated toward the surface.

This is when the magic happened.

At our decompression stop, a four metre long whale shark came over to check us out. Whale sharks are the largest known fish species and can grow up to 12 metres long and weight as much as 21 tons. They have very large mouths but thankfully for us, they are filter feeders and mainly eat plankton.

I thought this 'baby' whale shark was going to eat me.

Dean and I were so lucky, because not only did this friendly fish cruise around us for a good twenty minutes or so, but as the rest of our dive party were below us, nearly every picture they took of the whale shark had us in it. It was a special moment for everyone. At one point the whale shark came so close to me, with its mouth wide open, that I thought he was going to swallow me whole. Just the surge in the water as it passed was enough to feel it’s immense size.

I feel completely blessed to have experienced this rare, close encounter with a gentle giant of the sea.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed one of my travel experiences that influenced a scene in my upcoming book Treasured Secrets.

You can check out a few more of my travel blogs, HERE.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Treasured Secrets the first book in an adrenaline fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and action-packed adventure is available for pre-order now. You can learn more about it here.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Breathless Encounters - my collections of short stories with unexpected twists.

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Our big family adventure

3/15/2015

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As we live in sunny Queensland Australia it was a wonderful diverse experience to spend a Christmas in the snow. In 2007 I took my family to Big White, a ski resort situated approximately 50km’s from Kelowna or 450km east of Vancouver Canada. We rented someone’s cute holiday ski chalet with a fireplace and hot tub.

It was delightful at the end of each day to sit in our hot tub and listen to the snow sizzle as it hit our bubbling hot water. Snow would land on our noses and in our hot chocolate or champagne as we allowed the therapeutic bubbles to relax our overworked ski legs.

Big White Mountain is 2319 metres high and offers a vertical drop of 777m. With 16 lifts and an annual snow fall of 750cm, this mountain has some seriously good skiing. Exactly why I took my family there.

Big White has 118 designated trails and a number of unnamed trails. Thankfully for us nearly 20% of the trails are for beginners, although my kids progressed from that pretty quickly. More than 50% of the mountain is for intermediate skiers. One of our favourite ski runs was a green ski run that started with a 10 minute chairlift ride. By the time we reached the top we were freezing and couldn’t wait to get moving again. By day two we had to purchase balaclavas for the boys just to keep them warm on the ski lift.

Anyway, once we jumped off this chair lift, and not always gracefully I’ll tell you, we started down one of the longest ski runs I’ve ever experienced. It was a winter wonderland with fabulous fluffy powdery snow. We skied through avenues of ‘snow ghosts’ which are giant snow blasted trees that become an intriguing canvas of shapes. The boys managed to find every jump possible on the way down some of them were through the trees. Near the end of the run, we’d ski right up to our chalet door for a quick hot chocolate and rest. Then we’d step out the door and ski down to the chair lift to do it all again. It was a fabulous way to spend Christmas.
(Click here for a copy of my yummy Hot Chocolate Recipe).

While we were there we also did a snow mobile tour. Acquired dozens of bruises while bob sledding. Had a family ice hockey tournament. Screamed our lungs out on the mega tubing rides and topped it all off with Christmas carols and fireworks.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed another one of my travel experiences.

I write books that reflect my life experiences.

Treasured Secrets - Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Treasured Secrets is the beginning of an adrenalin fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and breathless adventure.

It's also the perfect way to keep up to date with my latest and upcoming releases. You will also recieve exclusive sneak peaks and opportunities to win books and other fabulous prizes.

I'd love to keep in touch with you, so what are you waiting for?

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An ancient quest, an intriguing story...

11/13/2014

4 Comments

Honors Debt
On a quest to make amends for a long ago indiscretion, Honor unexpectedly discovers the one thing she's been missing in her life.

Have you ever wanted to investigate your family origins? Noelle Clark has.

As an Australian author of contemporary romance and historical novels Noelle has travelled the world searching for great stories. In the process of exploring a situation where members of one family meet for the first time having been separated for several generations, she began to think about her own Irish roots.

Hi Noelle, can you tell me what started this journey?
When I was in Ireland a few years ago, I visited the village where the remnants of my Irish ancestors live. The emotions and questions that ran through my mind became the catalyst for writing my latest story.

I imagine it's can be both exciting and daunting meeting distant relatives. Where you looking for anything in particular?
I wanted to know if my cousins in Ireland were like me in any way? I was curious about how would they react if I knocked on their door? Then I wondered if they even knew I existed.

I believe what you discovered inspired your new Robinhill Farm Series.
That's true. My fictional family have been separated by distance, and by an incident that happened long ago and split the two branches apart forever. Well, until now of course. That’s where Honor’s Debt starts.

Ireland is a perfect location for this type of story. I’ve explored much of the Emerald Isle, witnessed the amazing scenery, and enjoyed the craic. I love the Irish people and have tried very hard to imbue my characters with the warmth, humour, and passion that I see in the Irish.

Honor Quirk arrives in Ireland excited—and a bit anxious—about meeting up with the estranged family of her late great-grandmother. The welcome from the residents of Robinhill Farm, Dermot and Bryan, is confusing and far from comforting. One is warm, the other aggressive. The outwardly antagonistic Bryan makes it very clear he doesn't want her there, branding her a gold digger.

Dermot, on the other hand, is delighted to meet her.

But Honor is no pushover and stands up to Bryan, letting him know that his bad attitude and trail of baggage have nothing to do with her. Despite their confrontational and hostile relationship, an undeniable attraction to each other creeps insidiously into the house on Robinhill Farm. They both desperately try to stifle the sparks, but living under the same roof makes it impossible. Unable to cope with the turmoil of living with Bryan, Honor runs away, straight into the arms of a charming newfound friend, Sean, who offers her a home—and love.

Shattered, Bryan finally takes control of his irrational belief that all women are evil, and fights to bring back the woman he loves. But is it too late?

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with me Noelle.

Honor's Debt is available now at these etailers:

Secret Cravings Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

4 Comments

Hearts Talk Interview

10/2/2014

2 Comments

Romance Writers Australia hit me with a couple of questions for their Hearts Talk Magazine.

How did you feel about winning a Ruby with your DEBUT novel? Not a bad effort!

Just being a finalist in this incredible award was amazing. I’d completely convinced myself that it wasn’t possible that I could also win, hence my out of control speech. To win with my debut novel is extraordinary, especially as my hero is very unconventional. But it goes to show how much romance is changing. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

What do you think it was about that book, which resonated with readers?
With a survival theme, fabulous Australian setting, secrets, grief, adventure, and of course a happy ending, what more could a reader want? But this story isn’t just a wild ride with unconventional characters… I hope it also makes readers think about how we need to live our lives to the fullest and to be true to ourselves. I think readers love my action adventure style of writing, my hidden messages about accepting who we are, and if they love my characters as much as I do, then they too truly believe in love. Sometimes crashing down to earth is exactly what we need.

Some say ‘romantic suspense’ is a hard sell in Australia. What would you say to that?
Romantic Suspense may be a hard sell, but to be truly passionate about their work an author should only write what they believe in and not be swayed by market trends. Besides, I’d say Romantic Suspense is only just hitting its straps. Romance always ends in a happy ever after, so why not make the journey there an exciting one. My publisher called my debut novel Lost in Kakadu - meaty, challenging, and risky. This is a perfect description of how I like to write. I don't censor when it comes to crunch time, so some of my characters go to hell and back. When I develop my characters, I need to understand what makes them who they are and rationalise the way they behave too. But most of all, I want my readers to be sorry to say goodbye to them at the end of the story. Romantic Suspense is a thrilling ride for both author and reader alike.

Tell us about some of the crazy research you did for Lost in Kakadu!

I did many crazy things while researching this book. I hiked in our sweltering Australian bush until my blisters almost needed their own postcode. I ate witchetty grubs that I dug from my garden, not only so I could describe their weird texture and nutty flavour but also so I could see what they did when I tossed them onto a hot pan. I made slingshots with my bras and actually hit the target a few times. I sat in the bush in the pouring rain and smelt the damp leaves, listened to the raindrops filtering through the foliage and tasted tree sap straight off the bark.

Eating snails for research

I also experimented with baked beans, flour, coffee and sugar until my family complained I was torturing them. You’ll have to read the book to understand why. I did many other things that had my family assessing my sanity. But it was all worth it.

When and why did the travel bug bite? Ever had any nail-biting travel experiences you weren’t sure you’d get out of?

Chamonix France 1989 - beautiful

My father died in a car accident when I was only 4 years old, yet it’s had a profound effect on the way I live my life. I believe in experiencing life, not just living it. Travel and adventure are my drugs of choice. So far I’ve explored 36 countries and I always have a holiday on the horizon. I’m an adventure junkie. I love hiking, scuba diving, white water rafting, snow skiing, hang gliding and basically anything that makes me scream.

In 1989, while travelling with my husband and friends, we stayed in a postcard-perfect snow covered ski resort in France called Chamonix. We were young, naïve and invincible and barely spoke a word of French. Although we’d never seen snow before this trip, after just 4 days skiing we decided to try a black run. Like I said, naïve and yes, stupid.

We scooted over the edge but it quickly became apparent we’d made a very bad decision. At this point we were laughing about how foolish we were. But with our skis, poles and enormous heavy boots, we found it impossible to climb back up the slope. We decided going down would be easier, after all how far could it be, right?

It was a very, very long way. And after what seemed like an eternity of literally sliding down the snow on our bottoms, we still couldn’t see the end. We couldn’t abandon our equipment because we needed them to haul us back up the slope. As quick as a gear change, a storm rolled in and we could tell by the aggressive hand signals and rapid fire words from other skiers we needed to get out of there ASAP. In a matter of minutes we couldn’t see a metre in front of us. We huddled close together.

Kicking up the powder in NZ

I was terrified, exhausted, on the verge of tears and stinging blisters made it excruciating to move my feet. By the time we made it to the turnstile the blizzard was firing bullets of snow and visibility was nil. We had one shot at this. The idea was to grab onto a plate sized round disc that’s whizzing around the turnstile at a million miles an hour, quickly put it between my legs and hang on as it dragged me back up the mountain on my skis. In the previous 4 days we’d all fallen off similar devices numerous times. This was it. If we didn’t hang on, we’d have to ride out the storm right there. I remember my fingers screaming at me as I strangled that braided metal rope all the way up. As soon as the four of us made it to the top, they shut down the lift and, with a barrage of enraged French words, they marched us to the resort. It was bloody scary, but I learnt my lesson. I only ski the green slopes now.

How is it that you can be both good at numbers and words, as a bookkeeper by day and author by night? It doesn’t seem fair!

Math does come easy to me, English doesn’t. So when I scribbled ‘Write a Book’ on my bucket list, it was my idea for improving my spelling, grammar and vocabulary. I never imagined how much those three little words would change my life.

But writing Lost In Kakadu was the easy part. Editing that first shitty manuscript took eight years of hard slog. I did several editing courses. Then I hired a professional editor who also offered mentoring. But my inexperience and downright ignorance nearly drove her to give up on me many times. I had to learn everything. And I mean everything. I learnt about POVs and clichés, first person and third person perspectives. I learnt syntax, synonyms, sentence structure and just about everything else in between. I wrote short stories, drafted two more manuscripts and learnt the joys of character arcs. I worked hard, did my homework, read the prescribed reading, experimented and practiced. Then practiced some more.

So to answer your question, yes math comes easy to me, but it’s just plain boring. Words are a challenge, one that I absolutely love. Finding the perfect word is like a puzzle, so maybe my mathematical brain helps after all.

What’s next for Kendall Talbot?

2015 is promising to be a huge year for me. I’ve sold my Action Adventure series to Escape Publishing. Treasured Secrets is due for release April 2015 and Treasured Destiny in October 2015. I have also sold my first Crime novel to Harlequin Mira and my print book Double Take will be released June 2015. This is also the first book in a planned series. Exciting, fun times ahead.

2 Comments

Picture Perfect

9/7/2014

1 Comment

I'm delighted to announce a new release from one of my very talented writing buddies: Nikki Dee Houston. As I've dabbled in art and drawing often, reading this story as it developed has been a wonderful journey for me as much as Nikki. I'm sure you'll enjoy this artistic romp.

Chelsea is lonely, loveless, and horny as hell since her boyfriend dumped her.

Her good friend from the office, Troy, suggests she take up art classes in the hope of meeting a nice guy. He knows what she needs, and he doesn’t want to spoil their friendship by having to do it himself.

Stuart, the male nude model at life drawing classes has the perfect body. Chelsea can barely contain her desire as she studies his smooth, waxed, muscle-toned physique and then attempts to commit it to canvas. She acquaints herself with every gorgeous inch of his body, and although her skills as an artist fall a bit short, the vision of

Stuart’s torso is wonderful fodder for her nocturnal fantasies. She feeds sumptuously, sating her ravishing hunger, quelling her desires. But it’s not enough. She needs more. She needs the real thing, not just her fantasies.

I don't know about you, but I'm sure I couldn't draw a sexy naked man without blushing. This book is fun. Hot sexy fun. Loved it.

Contact Nikki

www.nikkideehouston.com

https://www.facebook.com/NikkiDeeHouston84

@NikkiDeeHouston

Here' were you can buy Picture Perfect:
EtopiaPress
Amazon
Amazon.uk
Amazon.au
Amazon.ca
Amazon.de
Barnes and Noble Kobo

Here's a sneak peak

The sound of charcoal rasping across paper in long flurries of aquiline strokes, brought her back to the head space where she should, by now, have at least drawn the rough outline of Peter’s body. Instead, she glanced down at her blank page. She gripped the charcoal and touched it to the paper.

Snap! The crack of the broken stick echoed in the quiet studio. Now flustered, she took up another stick, drew a deep breath, and began to draw.

With effort, she calmed down, allowing the image on the page to emerge. Graceful, flowing lines merged with delicate curves. Using her finger, she smudged the shading until the muscles took on the appearance of flesh and blood. The elegant arch of his calves came to life as she skillfully guided the tip of the charcoal along the paper. Powerful shoulders materialized, the perfectly drawn muscles showing beauty and smoothness of form.

Bio

Nikki Dee Houston is a businesswoman by day, an erotic romance writer by night, and a lover all the time. She lives in an idyllic location in a modest beach shack near the sea.

Nikki loves to write Erotic Fiction - the ‘behind closed doors’ stuff, where the readers can really get involved with the characters in an intimate way.

She believes that a good Erotic Romance story must have a strong romantic element, engaging characters, an interesting storyline, and some sizzling hot, steamy sex scenes. Nikki never underestimates the expectations of erotic romance readers and ensures she delivers on all counts.

1 Comment

Never in my wildest dreams

8/16/2014

11 Comments

Write a Book.
That’s what I wrote on my bucket list. I never imagined how much those three words would change my life. My initial motivation was simple. Unlike the fabulous Cherry Adair, numbers are my friend. English was not. So I thought the best way to improve my spelling, grammar and vocabulary would be to write a story

I'm really bad at guitar.

Every birthday and Christmas my husband shakes out my bucket list for inspiration. One year he helped me tick off ‘Learn a musical instrument’. He gave me a beautiful guitar and paid for lessons. But to be honest I’m really crap at it.

The following year, he scoured my list again and at number 69 - I kid you not - is ‘Write a Book’. So hubby purchased the Year of the Novel Course at the Queensland Writers Centre. During this course, I wrote Lost In Kakadu and it literally changed my life.

But writing it was the easy part. Editing that shitty manuscript took eight years of hard slog. I followed up that first course with several more. Then I hired an editor who also offered mentoring and boy did she have her work cut out for her. I learnt about POV’s and cliché’s, first person and third person perspectives. I learnt syntax, synonyms, sentence structure and just about everything else in between. I wrote short stories, drafted two more manuscripts and learnt the joys of character arcs. I worked hard, did my homework, read the prescribed reading, experimented and practiced. Then practiced some more.

At the Romance Writers Conference, James Scott Bell said that you CAN learn to write - I know exactly what he means. My poor editor nearly gave up on me many times. But now, with my beautiful R*BY trophy glistening with inner glow on my kitchen windowsill she admits the tears were all worth it.
Without my bucket list, I may never have discovered my passion for writing.
By the way I had also written ‘Publish My Book’ and ‘Win The RuBY Award’ on my bucket list. But never in my wildest dreams did I believe it would happen with my debut novel.

My rather unconventional speech...
It's not every day someone uses a Muppet's reference in their winning speech. I have no idea where that came from, but at least the crowd laughed. Thank you Romance Writers Australia for creating this truly amazing competition.