ALL PULLING TOGETHER  – Carmel Rowley

“If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart”. Arabian Proverb

It’s been a big year! it felt as if we jumped aboard a roller coaster towards Christmas and now we need to hold on tight as the New Year approaches.
We’ve had a year of big projects, a new look website, sorting our property to sell, which has turned into a bigger drama than we imagined but tossing all that aside the biggest feat would have to be the recent release of my latest novel Framed. The three years from start to finish, kept me wondering if I would ever get it finished!
Here I must say how grateful I am to the wonderful readers who immediately purchased a copy of Framed. So as a thank you to the people who purchased a copy of Framed before Christmas Day, I have put all your names into a Random Name Picker to draw the winner of a specially chosen gift. The lucky reader will be announced on my blog later today.

We don’t often realise to what extent we’re influenced by the things and the people around us. But it’s so important to all of our communities to observe what’s happening around us. Rather than text or email, why not talk to friends and family on the phone or get together and share a cup of coffee over a good chat.

Being an independent author, a situation that suits my present lifestyle, I realise how very important it is to support Australian businesses. Though my writing is not a business it’s still about high-trust relationships and doing the best I can for my fellow readers.

In this era of constant distraction, it’s especially easy to forget that people relate and support those they trust and make them feel special. So how can I possibly write about life if I don’t connect with the very people who support me?
We all exist in life’s community. I believe in supporting local and Australian business, I’m happy to pay a little more for Australian products or products from Australian businesses. My books are printed in Australia and I have no intention of changing this. I’m grateful for the opportunity that allows us all, to support the Australian community and local business. Recently I’ve spoken to several great Aussie businesses that have either been forced to close down or have has their sales affected by multi nationals.

By supporting local and Australian business, we connect great people to great events and even greater projects. It’s important to recognise that our customers enable us to enjoy an enriched and more connected experience with local people, products and lifestyle. Local business helps to glue communities together. It’s a special type of person who’s prepared to go above and beyond to assist a customer. Without the control of small things, big things just don’t come together.

I know the feeling of immense gratitude for a year filled with new friends, positive health results and a three-year test of endurance as I wrote Framed. No one type of experience, or perspective is enough to cater to the diverse needs of today’s readers and I’m still learning. But I have observed how the different parts of the publishing process becomes more powerful when we work together.
I want to finish with a huge thank you to all the readers and of course to the fabulous online horsey store www.equitainment.com.au that has supported my writing since the very beginning. Thank you for being a part of our Australian collective community.

You can buy all Carmel Rowley books at www.carmelrowley.com.au