Archive for September, 2009

Giddy Up!

It’s time for John and I to saddle up and head off for our book tour. Of course we’re taking the kids, but leaving the horses.

First stop today, Burnie ABC bookshop at 1pm for a talk and signing. Then onto the boat in my big red V8 for a week of publicity – then the ultimate destination … the Deni Ute Muster (see site for more information).

Only trouble is my ute was getting serviced and now its stuck on the other side of the flood waters at our neighbours’ farm.

We have to take all our bags to it using the good old 4WD!

Come see Rachael

We are about to lock my media schedule in for this week. There’s interview after interview scheduled and I’m looking forward to the roller coaster rush of people meeting that comes after being locked away in a shed on a farm writing novels!

To find out where I’ll be speaking and signing go to Penguin’s events website.

Or to see more about my new book go to the new Rachael Treasure video on Penguin Australia’s home page. 

Puppy Sitting

With a book tour planned this week, it’s not just a matter of stopping the newspapers and locking the door for us when we Treasure’s go away.

We need horse wranglers, sheep midwives, cattle carers, puppy sitters, chook and duck feeders and a jack of all trades to keep an eye on the farm.

Luckily, with great community and family, we have a host of people to help.

The downside; pups grow so much in such a short time, I’ll miss seeing my babies grow!

To see more of Rachael’s farm life, go to Penguin’s website and click on the Rachael Treasure photo on the right.

New book? What new book?

Yes, my book is coming out in a few days – but there’s other excitement in Rachael’s action packed life of adventure.

It’s all go on the farm with our new farming company, Fast Grass. Keep watching this space for more!

Sweet Dreams!

This morning I may have had pre-publicity work to do on the computer for the release of my new book, but when this big truck rolled in, that was the end of my work!

My new quarter horse, Dreams arrived from Heath and Krissy Harris’ place near the Hawkesbury River in NSW.

She’s so far proving a dream. We’ve been for a ride and found a cast ewe so she’s already done her share of farm work on her first day!

Runnymede Runneth Over

With reader copies of my new book, The Cattleman’s Daughter, to post I had to swap Holdens to get across our road. I wasn’t driving my V8 through that!

So far this year we’ve had nearly 30 inches of rain and the Runnymede countryside is looking how it did when I was a kid.

We’re in for a bumper spring/summer and we are smiling back up at those lovely rain gods. It’s now too wet to move, but after four years of drought I’m not complaining!

Book signings

I’ll be doing book signings at several events being organised by my publishers — Penguin.

Bookmark this page as it will be updated over time.

One of them will be at the 2009 Deniliquin Ute Muster on October 2-3.

Since 2004, the Deni Ute Muster has staged a World Record Blue Singlet Count in the RM Williams Bull Ride arena.

Seen above is Mel Churches crowd surfing during the 2008 World Record Blue Singlet Count. They broke the record again with 2,702 people wearing Blue Singlets.

Come to my farm!

Want to see where I live? Well Penguin now have a brand new video on their web site

Clink on the Rachael Treasure link on the right of the screen and come for a farm tour with me.

An introduction …

If you haven’t read my books until now, I’d better introduce myself …

I am Rachael Treasure, the author of four books, Jillaroo, The Stockmen, The Rouseabout and The Cattleman’s Daughter and the screenplay, Albert’s Chook Tractor for SBSI TV.

My aim with my writing is to close the gap between city and country people, to tempt young people into a career in our wonderful farming world and to inspire people to reflect upon themselves and their own lives.

I am a fifth generation Tasmanian (yes I do have convict blood!) and I live on a beef and sheep property in Tassie’s south, and farm in partnership with my husband John and father, Val Smith (pictured with me above).

This year, along with our neighbours, the Tate family, we’re building a hydroponic fodder shed to produce sprouted grain as an alternative feed for our animals.

Its also a way of looking after our land in drought times. Our new company T&T Fast Grass will supply fodder to the horse industry in the near future.

On the home front, I’m a mum of little ‘uns Rosie and Charlie, and am a regular farm wife who cooks, cleans, grows vegies and works on the farm.

I pour my heart and soul into my writing, so I hope you feel the love and laughter I have to give to the world through my words.

Please note, my first three books have been published in Germany and the United Kingdom, under new titles with different covers and The Cattleman’s Daughter will be released in 2010.

Mother and daughter

Our best paddock worker, Diamond, has had another litter.

Dad is a truck dog from down the road who I’ve admired for a while now whenever he came to load our lambs onto the stock truck.

The aim was to keep a female so when Di retires from sheep work, I’ll have a pup ready to take over. With only one female in the litter of four it’s a given that she’s the one for me.

Any suggestions for names welcome but I reckon the kids might come up with something whacky as they are prone to do. And sorry if you were interested in a male, they have all been spoken for.