Book Club - Meet JM PEACE and A Time To Run. Australian Authors.

Introducing a NEW segment on the blog >>>> BOOKCLUB!!

This is NEW and a great way to not only find out about great new books out there but ALSO to support our amazing authors!

As an author myself I just love to meet and support other authors.
As an avid reader I also know how a great book can steal your heart, take your sleep, run you through all your emotions and leave you with a book hangover...
A love of reading is a life skill to treasure forever.
If you don't love reading, I say you just haven't tried the right book for you yet!

This week I am delving into the some adrenaline rushing, (note to self - don't read late at night or you wont sleep), reading of new Qld author JM Peace's thrilling new crime release, A Time To Run.

Before having children I loved a good horror or thriller. I had long exhausted Steven King, Dean R Koontz, Clive Barker...since becoming a mum a well written and fast paced scary book has taken the adrenaline rush to a whole new level so it is something I only do on the odd occasion now!

Not only was I incredibly excited when I learned my amazing friend JM Peace was having her first book published but when I read the start of A Time To Run, I knew it was going to be one of those occasions.One of those books on the HAVE TO READ pile.
And so it has been. Gripping, fast paced, and intelligent with a main character you take to right away.

A Time To Run is written by police officer and busy mum turned writer JM Peace who I have interviewed for you with my first bookclub post!

Q. Jay, you are an incredibly strong woman and inspiring role model for women, first as a police officer and now as a published author. You book's main character is a strong woman and you yourself have a daughter, what piece of advice would you give to mums of young girls hoping to raise strong women?
A. 'Be brave. I don't mean wrestling crocodiles or disarming bombs, but do the things that make you apprehensive or nervous. Just have a red-hot go at whatever comes your way. Don't be scared to fail. Failure doesn't mean the end. And let your children see this. Regardless if you succeed or fail - most of all, let them see you try.'

Q. You juggle writing with work, two active children and running a household. How do you manage to keep all the balls in the air?
A. I think I’ve become quite good at time management. I try to be organised and ready ahead of time. My mother is a very efficient and practical person and I think I learnt a lot from her.
 Also, as the writer side of things has started to take off, I pretty much watch no TV. The evenings after the kids are in bed are when I get most of my writing done. So although I enjoy TV and movies, I’ve set my priorities and stick with it. It’s important to me, so I find the motivation because I want to.

Q. What do your children think about you being a police officer? Or a writer?

A. My kids have always been proud of the fact that mummy is a police officer. All their school friends know, kids often run up to me in the school yard (I never go to the school in uniform) and ask “Are you really a police officer?” As far as I can tell, there has been nothing negative for them having a cop as a parent. I am very alert to the fact that this will change at some point.

The kids are only just starting to grasp the whole writer thing in the last few weeks – firstly, once they could hold a copy in their hands and secondly, now that I have appeared a couple of times in the local media. My son has apparently told his class that I am famous.  Hmm. 

Q. What made you start writing now?

A. I decided I no longer wanted to be a police officer. I gave a lot of thought on what I should do, such as going back to Uni, and eventually decided I should try to do exactly what I had always wanted to do – be a writer.

One of the reasons I chose writing is it was potentially something I could do from home, setting my own hours. I try to make my family my priority and I don’t like missing events in my childrens’ lives. Although they may seem like little things, they are so important to the kids at the time and you just can’t get those moments back. It’s tricky trying to tick all the boxes as a working mum.

You can find A Time To Run in all good Australian bookstores.
FIND JM PEACE on Facebook HERE


Thank you for your time Jay, and for the sleepless nights and pondering of visiting Bunnings to buy much bigger deadlocks for my doors now hahaha!!
But seriously, congratulations on such a well crafted book, it is exciting to read and I know you are going to really quickly find an avid fan base following and be the next big writing thing!

NOTE of interest: Jm Peace is the author's pseudonym who is still a current serving police officer in Queensland.
Which only adds to the magnificent mystery and excitement of the book!!


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Writing, Reading, Loving Books

Writing, Reading and Loving Books.
Note: This post is sponsored by Grammarly .
An online program I as a writer and blogger desperately need think is a great tool for writers who like myself may not have studied or perfected their skills in this area. >>>
(Results just from part of this blog post, yep, editors are worth their weight in gold)
I also use their free online plagiarism checker because just like my recipes, I like things real.

Writing and reading have always been some of my greatest passions.

There is something about a great book that transports you body and soul while you read it, the whole around you fades as the world unfolding before you becomes more vivid with every page.

My earliest memories of books I loves where ones like The Magic Faraway Tree soon making way for the The Babysitter Club Books and The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, Narnia and David Eddings and worlds of fantasty.
My early teenage years saw a love of mystery and scary reads starting with Agatha Christie and on to Stephen King, Clive Barker, Dean R Koontz, Anne Rice and they moved way as I grew for a love of historical fiction and romance with so many including Jean Plaidy, Catherine Cookson and Jane Austin and a new found admiration for non fiction work, especially anything by Sir David Attenborough and anything on plants.

When I started studying horticulture after school I really grew in my love of non fiction, (still of course always had a novel or three by my bed) but had developed this deep joy of learning from books and admiration for the people that create them.

My first story published in a local publication in year 1, a love of writing had begun.. 

I knew I had always wanted to be an author. Always wanted to write. I like most people had many ideas of what I wanted "to be" and to do when I grew up and they changed over the years, but one that always was in my heart was writing.

While working for a very busy Bunnings Warehouse, running the plant nursery section, I created a Bunnings Warehouse Garden Club and monthly gardening newsletter full of tips, plant profiles and gardening information, I loved it.

At 25 I left and had my first baby and a very hard time for me with Post Natal Depression and so much weight to lose after having my baby missing all the writing work I had been doing for work I started writing a blog on MySpace and writing out recipes there, edible gardening pieces and my audience there quickly grew, I was delighted and then friends and family started asking for my recipes, then my mothers group and then friends of friends.
I started having women contact my because of myspace and ask how I was losing so much weight and for tips on feeling good about themselves, growing their own food.
I found myself writing everyday and it started to form a book.
A book about becoming a mother.

About a real life journey and finding myself again. A book about realising my health was important and to shine even a little of that love I shone on my baby onto myself too.
Filled with my recipes, my gardening, my motivation to exercise and lose my baby weight and my self love all around my (very) personal story and experiences which I share in the hopes that it would make other mothers feel good and maybe to let some of them know they are not alone if they go through post natal depression, feeling flat or frustrated with their bodies after having a baby, maybe they too had trouble breastfeeding or a baby that never slept through until they were 2. 

I think the greatest thing I learnt in motherhood was the powerful feeling of relief when you know you are not alone in whatever it is you may be going through.

My first published book, The Pram Diet, Random House 2009.

To say I was excited to have a book published, would be an understatement.
To go into one of my beloved bookstores and see it on the shelf took my breath away but most of it was that day I walked (my then 2 year old) to the local post office and waiting there was a box.
A box of my books.
I didn't even open it.
 I nestled it on top of the pram and I left with what could only be described as a loopy smile on my face and super power walked all the rest of the way home, Lily's beloved flowers and ocean views were a giggling blur as I broke out into pram jogs rather than walks, before we bustled into the house.

Opening that box was so surreal as I am sure it is for all writers and flicking the pages of my book, smelling that new book smell (yes, book geek alert) was one of the moments in my life I will never forget.

I am now delighted to say I have not 1 but 3 books I am working on AND a children's picture book.

My cook book - COMING SOON

PLUS! Coming up very soon on the blog I am really excited that I will be sharing with you some great tips on writing books and getting published from some of the incredibly talented women writers I know! So STAY TUNED.
So you don't miss that one and other blog posts you can subscribe to this blog on the top right hand side of the blog >>
And follow me on FACEBOOK

If you would like to read my book, The Pram Diet you can find it in most Australian libraries, through Australian bookstore or buy a signed copy through me!
I have a promotion for a special priced pre-order of a signed copy on my facebook page at the moment

Did you have a passion growing up that has stayed with you or shaped your life?
What were your favourite books?

Bek XX

Between the Lines Reader Group-reads the Pram Diet book

Between the Lines Reader group based on the Sunshine Coast are currently reading the Pram Diet book.
I am just loving their take on my book!

"CHAPTER OVERVIEW: Nurturing Your Self pg 27.
I ♥'ed the mantra quote:
"The very best person to be is the very best version of myself"

So true, I think as mothers we can put our needs last - making sure the kids are bathed and fed, Hubby's lunch is packed and clean work clothes - we forget that we are just as important to be eating well, have some time to soak in the bath...this was a great starter for me in the chapter!"

If you are reading, thinking of re-reading or want to read the book there is still time to join in the experience with them or even just read what they are talking about and think of the book. They meet in person and also online and have a facebook page where you can join in HERE

I am so delighted to have them reading my book xx