Finding balance

One of the sub-plots of my new novel, The Cattlemen’s Daughter is about the mismanagement of public land.

My editor, Belinda and I have been trying to find a balance in my writing so that I not only tell a great story but also deliver a message in a subtle way — without bashing the reader over the head with my viewpoint.

Its a delicate task and is one of the main challenges with this next book, out in October 2009.

I want to entertain my readers and also educate them about what it is to be a landowner in the midst of a bureaucracy that doesn’t seem to understand land management.

It was interesting to see these signs on my way to Agfest in Tasmania’s Midlands that show the frustration farmers have.

The fire that had raged up the highway was made infinitely worse due to the fuel load on the public land, not the private land. Judging from these signs, it seems the thrust of my new novel will resonate with many!