Happy Canada Day 2019! ♥

Dear Canada, I love you,

You have been so good to me.

How blessed am I to call my home

this country proud and free.

I'm grateful for the gifts you give

Freedom, hope, and peace. 

I've traveled far, seen many lands

But none so fair as  you.

Dear Canada, I love you,

My homeland strong and true.

Audrey Austin

My twelfth writing anniversary :-)

I sometimes find it difficult to accept that twelve years have passed since I retired from the so-called working world and began to work as a writer.  Yes, this July marks the twelfth anniversary of my writing career.

Of course, I did spend time writing prior to that special day, but I allowed too many road blocks like the need for money and the needs of my family; to take priority in my busy working life.   Everyone knows it is a rare event, indeed, for a writer to support herself through her craft.   And I certainly did know that the odds of an unknown, unpolished writer like myself being discovered were slim.   I knew I would have quite the struggle to find a publisher willing to take the time to get to know me and my writing dreams and goals.

The road I followed was a path I made on my own; something I learned even as a very young child.   If I wanted money, I would create ways to bring some into my world.   Although never the most helpful child around our own home, I would run errands for neighbours; I would baby-sit; and a little money would find its way into my pocket.

If I wanted entertainment I would find ways to make my own fun; ways that did not cost money.

The result, of course, is that, as an adult, if I want something done I have learned that I need only simply begin.  

And that is what happened with my creative writing aspirations when I retired from the working world.    I swallowed my fear and went out on a limb.  I wrote my first book and I titled it "Sara, a Canadian Saga".   

As luck would have it, when I began taking the steps to pay serious attention to my creative writing, the universe cooperated.    My dear friend, Shirley Green, introduced me to Maggie Kirton and Wynterblue Publishing; a company that offered wonderful writing competitions on a regular basis.   I fell in love with Wynterblue's Wynlits and the Confabulations that included my short stories.  Maggie Kirton's support and encouragement were inspirational.

She was the first to read Sara's manuscript.    She hated it!  She found so much wrong with it!  I decided I would just forget about writing.

But that thought didn't stay with me long.

Instead I went to work.  And I re-wrote Sara, and then I wrote it again, and yet again.  As I wrote, the manuscript, strangely enough, did not get longer.  No, indeed, the story became shorter.   Cut!  Cut!  Cut!   

I always knew I talked too much.  I was learning that I write too much.    In time Sara, a Canadian Saga was ready for publication.  Thanks to perseverance, Maggie Kirton, and Wynterblue Publishing, I gave birth to my very first real book.

Twelve years have passed since that day and, being a prolific writer, I have created many novels, novellas, short stories, and poems, not to mention some song lyrics and a couple of plays. 

My writing world is now an integral part of my journey.   Always I am grateful to Maggie Kirton and Wynterblue Publishing.   I'm also grateful to Sara, the little girl whose life created my own and allowed me to be who I am as I celebrate this, my twelfth writing anniversary.

Thank you to all who buy and read my books which are many and which are sold exclusively through Amazon.

And more recently, with the amazing, talented narrators who are willing to take a chance with me and to bring my stories alive in the world of audio books,  I am even more grateful.   Thank you to Earl Sewell; Falon Echo; John Carter Aimone; Kendra Murray, and Ralph Scott.  These creative people picked up my stories that were living in the Paperback and Kindle world and they gave my stories a new home not only in Amazon, but in Itunes, and Audibles.   They awakened all my characters  and gave them a voice that calls out to you and says,
 "Hey, come, take a listen."    To these talented people, I am grateful.

Sara, a Canadian Saga, my very first novel, is available for your reading pleasure exclusively in Amazon in paperback and kindle formats.   Sara is also there waiting to meet you in the audio book world for your listening enjoyment.

All my books are found on Amazon and my author's page is found at https://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Thank you for buying a book and helping me to celebrate this, my 12th anniversary.  ♥♥♥

Available in Paperback and Kindle

The people on this cover are my family of origin.

I'm the little one.

And the house behind is the house in which I was born

and spent my early childhood days.

Available now as an audio book

on Amazon, Itunes, and Audibles.

Both beautiful covers are designed by SusanRK

of https://yuneekpix.com

Emotional Healing Workshop

GETTING HIGH on life

a series of workshops for women

raise our spirits

raise our awareness

raise our consciousness

and learn about ourselves in the process.

Bring notebook & pen and come join us in the Meeting Room of the

Elliot Lake Public Library.

Second workshop in the series: GOOD  Grief!  

How can grief possibly be good?

Emotional Healing – Grieving Our Losses

Special guest:  Isabelle Meawasige

Tuesday, July 30^th, from 1 pm to 4 pm

$25 but register before July 1st, $20

(register early because minimum registration 6 – maximum 18)

Registration & payment directly with Audrey Austin – not at the library.

Beyond the Blue is now for sale as an audio book :-)

I'm very excited! Beyond the Blue is now for sale in Audibles.

Within 24 to 48 hours it will also be available in Amazon and Itunes for your listening pleasure.

A big thank you to Earl Sewell for the wonderful narration. A big thank you to https://yuneekpix.com for the beautiful cover design.

Beyond the Blue is also available exclusively on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats for your reading enjoyment. :-)

My audio books

With REAWAKENING recently released as an audio book and with Beyond the Blue on its way to retail, I am very excited that soon I will have five audio books available for your listening pleasure on Amazon, Audibles, and Itunes.

Ellen and The Hummingtree is currently in production and, narrated by Falon Echo, this book will also soon be available as an audio book.

All beautiful cover designs are created by https://yuneekpix.com

These books and more are also available exclusively on Amazon
in paperback and kindle formats.

Thank you for your continued encouragement and support.

And thanks for visiting my author's page at https://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Your positive reviews mean the world to me.

REAWAKENING now available as an audio book

REAWAKENING is not only available as a Kindle or Paperback book 

for your reading enjoyment.

REAWAKENING, 

narrated by Kendra Murray and Ralph Scott, 

is now also available for your listening pleasure 

as an audio book on Amazon, Audibles, and Itunes.

Beautiful cover design on this and on all my audio books

is by

https://yuneekpix.com

Visit my author's page at https://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Beyond the Blue is heading for retail

Cover design: https://yuneekpix.com

Beyond the Blue is now heading for retail.    This audio book will be available soon for your listening pleasure on Amazon, Audibles, and Itunes.

A big thank you to Earl Sewell for his wonderful narration.

Earl Sewell, narrator

GOOD Grief - but how can grief possibly be good? a workshop

GETTING HIGH on life

a series of workshops for women

raise our spirits

raise our awareness

raise our consciousness

and learn about ourselves in the process.

Bring notebook & pen and come join us in the Meeting Room of the

Elliot Lake Public Library.

Second workshop in the series: Good Grief!  

How can grief possibly be good?

Emotional Healing – Grieving Our Losses

Tuesday, July 30^th, from 1 pm to 4 pm

$25 but register before July 1st, $20

(register early because minimum registration 6 – maximum 18)

Registration & payment directly with Audrey Austin – not at the library.

When God Gives Us Spring

When God Gives Us Spring  is free today in the Kindle Store on all Amazon sites.

When God Gives Us Spring is also available exclusively on Amazon in paperback.

The audio book is there for your listening pleasure on Amazon, Audibles, and Itunes.

Cover design by https:yuneekpix.com

Check out my author's page at

https://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Your support and encouragement mean the world to me.

Thanks for your positive reviews.

FREE in the Kindle Store

When God Gives Us Spring is free for your reading pleasure in the Kindle Store on Sunday, June 9th.

When God Gives Us Spring is also available in paperback exclusively on Amazon and as an audio book narrated by Earl Sewell on Amazon, Audibles, and Itunes for your listening enjoyment.

audio book cover by https://yuneekpix.com

Thanks for visiting my author's page at https://www.amazon.com/author/