Fellow author Jenn J McLeod wrote this wonderful piece for Better Reading recently, describing how her connection to the land (as a nomadic novelist) prompted her to throw her support behind the Authors for Townsville Giant Book Raffle.

Jenn wrote:

“Late last year, while driving Myrtle the Purple Turtle (my home on wheels) from east to west via The Great Australian Bight, I was reminded of Dorothea Mackellar’s poem, My Country. You know the one:

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

If any road trip can highlight the contrasting landscape that is Australia, it’s the 4,452 kilometres we drove from coast to coast. To start, we climbed the ragged Great Dividing Range, traversed the sweeping plains of a dusty, drought-affected NSW, then paused before passing over our country’s opal heart. A wilful and lavish land indeed! Then we made the windswept and remarkable Nullarbor Plain that lived up to its name. (Null = no, Arbor = trees) Finally, at WA’s southern-most tip we found the light between oceans. (Cape Leeuwin National Park and lighthouse: the inspiration for M. L. Steadman’s novel and a #bucketlist item for this nomadic novelist.)

There was one constant on our journey across this diverse land; the steady convoy of semi-trailers carting hay and bound for drought-stricken farming regions to the east. We tooted and waved and said “thanks” over the two-way for making the trek. We understood how long and costly, and even dangerous that road trip can be. Like many Australians I bought a bale, but I wanted to do more to help our farmers. I wanted to help make a difference.”

You can continue to read Jenn’s article here.

To join me and Jenn in supporting our devastated Queensland communities, and secure your chance to win 100 books, follow this link and click on the ‘Buy Now’ button to get your tickets.