Today is a BRILLIANT day! WINDS OF TIME is at the printer.

When I woke up this morning I was instantly awake. Almost like a child on Christmas morning!

After two years it’s finished! Can you believe it? Winds of Time book three of the Daughters of the Wind series is done and dusted and at the printer. If I’m to be honest with you, after the way 2012 has unfolded I was beginning to run on empty. But as the little red wagon said, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, all the way up the hill – so did I.

My author website www.carmelrowley.com.au is still being updated and I’m pleading, praying for some sort of divine intervention so it will be finalised today.

This is the point when an independent/self publisher like myself realises how much publishing has altered over recent years. I’ve been told the digital/print on demand section of Griffin Press is working non-stop on a HUGE number of orders. But if the proof can get to me quickly and I’m happy with the result, there may be a possibility of the books arriving for Christmas. I’m aware this might be a slim chance so this is why I wanted the website operational for pre-release purchases.

This means that the second the books arrive – the pre-purchased copies will be packed up and be back in the mail to their new owners immediately. These pre-release purchasers have priority over anything/anyone else.

Regardless, I’ll send each pre-release purchaser an email with an attached gift card to print out and use at Christmas in case the purchased copies of WINDS OF TIME are for a friend or loved one. At least then, even if the book is not there for the big day they’ll know they have a copy of book 3 coming and will be with them soon.

Today I’m thrilled to release the full cover – it’s now becoming very exciting to be able to share all this with you. The book trailer will be uploaded this weekend.

The cover has been a truly united project and there are several people I MUST thank. Firstly, I have to mention one my dearest friends Kim Baird. She’s been on the front cover of all three books of the Daughters of the Wind series. She’s my ideal Jessikah but with dark eyes instead of blue, though my wonderful cover designer Robyne Matthews of Nine Lives Studio, Toowoomba www.9livesstudio.com.au amended the eye colour on the Voices in the Wind and Winds of Time covers for me. Robyne is a talented artist in her own right and I feel blessed to have her work on my books.

Next I must thank Greg Egan a person who is not related but is a part of our family. Greg managed to take the image of our stallion Simeon Stav during a visit over Easter this year. He has a wonderful way of capturing the exact emotion you’re looking for in a photograph.

Another thank you must go to Morffew Photos www.morffewphotos.com Sydney. They photographed Kim in their studio in Sydney and were very generous in allowing me to have several images.

Of course, how can I not thank our special stallion Simeon Stav, he appears on all three covers. He was 4 years old when I took the photograph of him on Tails Carried High then around 16 or so when Karen Sheridan took the image on Voices in the Wind and here he is again 24 years old on Winds of Time.

I can hardly wait to share this final piece of Jessikah’s family puzzle with all my wonderfully, supportive readers and friends.

Until next time; take care, be lucky and have a great weekend. Oh, and look out for the WINDS OF TIME Book Trailer coming soon!