Link to my other sites and find out what I'm up to 

SEA DUST

My first novel (Dec 2005).
Now only available in Large Print

My website

Fairly static site but there is a CONTACT ME page

My Blog

Interesting and updated regularly

Tall ships

Ones I've sailed on or visited in my travels

GOATS of all descriptions

From Billy goats 'Gruff' to Bagot goats and Richard the Lionheart. Boer goats and more.

The Twisting Vine - a saga set in the Northt of England 100 years ago

Published by Hale in London, 2006.
Available on Amazon - also in LARGE PRINT

The Black Thread

Published Aug 2007 but quickly sold out.
Due out in 2009 in LARGE PRINT
A dramatic story set on the Leeds/Liverpool canal in 1898.

Sailing across the Atlantic

Twenty three days in a clipper

Cruise to the top ports in Europe

Greek Island, Italy and the French Riviera

Cruising the Antarctic Peninsula

Cruising to the bottom of the world

Visit Buenos Aires

Argentina - home of the tango, Criollo horses, the pampas and dinasaur steaks

The Condor's feather - latest ms

I have recently submitted the manusacript for this novel to my agent in London.
The story is set in Patagonia in 1885

Panama Canal Transit

April 2008 I cruised through the Panama Canal - it was quite an experience.

Canal Story - The Black Thread 

Coming out in Large Print in 2009

I remember the Leeds and Liverpool canal as a girl.
At that time it was a filthy, polluted waterway.

My third novel, THE BLACK THREAD was published in 2007. It will be repinted in Large Print in 2009.
The story is set in 1898 around the time the canals, particularly in the south, started to decline.
It's wonderful to see the state of the canals today and the restoration work which has been done to them.
Photo: The Caen Hill flight is a striking example of what has been achieved.

Photo: M Muir 2006

THE TWISTING VINE - now available 

Published in England by Hale Books August 2006,
THE TWISTING VINE is now available in UK libraries and all good bookshops.
It can be ordered from Amazon.uk.co

Copies of the novel are due to arrive in Australia early in November. Again copies will be avaialable on request from most libraries or you can corder them from your bookshop.

SEA DUST - Dec 2005 (now in large print) 

SEA DUST, my first novel was published by Hale Books, London, December 2005.

This first hardback edition quickly SOLD OUT.
The Large Print edition (see below) is available in UK libraries and bookshops.
It can also be ordered on Amazon - but search for: "Sea Dust - Ulvererscroft large print series".

Photo: Original hardback cover

My inspiration to write a sea story 

I have stood on the deck of a square rigged ship and witnessed the marine particles shining in the sea.
I have sailed on a barquentine on the Indian Ocean and crossed the Atlantic on a clipper.
I have listened to the ship's music: the thrum of wind through rigging and the beat of the bow as it pounds into the swell.
I have tasted the salt.
I have stood in the shadow of Whitby Abbey and have watched the North Sea gnawing at the face of the rugged East Cliff.
I have been subjected to the sea's anger.

SEA DUST - Ulverscroft Large Print - Sept 2006 

New cover for SEA DUST (Ulverscroft) Large Print edition.

See note in above re ordering Ulverscroft Large print version.

Sailing a square rigger 

In the adventurers' wake

Read about the voyage I took across the North Atlantic on a clipper and some of the voyages on the Indian Ocean on the Leeuwin.

Do I ever get sea sick? Yes, for about 36 hours everytime I go to sea, but I love it so much I keep on going back.

Photo: M Muir - STS Leeuwin anchored in the Monte Bello Islands, Indian Ocean.

Whitby - home to Adventurer and Vampire 

North Yorkshire fishing port steeped in history

When Count Dracula's ship, the 'Demeter' ran aground at the entrance to Whitby harbour, a large black dog bounded from its deck and ran up the 199 steps to the church of St Mary's located at the top of the East Cliff.

The early 12th Century Chruch and the ruined Benedectine Abbey, often shrouded in mist, was an ideal for Bram Stoker's famous work.

James Cook sailed on his first ship from Whitby as an ordinary seaman. It was called the 'Free-love'. But in 1768, Captain James Cook sailed away on the Whitby ship 'Endeavour', on his voyages of discovery to New Zealand, the coast of Australia, and the South Sea Islands. It was credit to the craftmen of Whitby that his ship withstood the voyage.

For a thousand years, Whitby fishermen followed the shoals of herring. They caught whales and seals, even polar bears and built solid ships. At one time, the small fishing harbour was one of the busiest ports in England.

Having grow up in Yorkshire, I visited the town on many occasions. I have climbed the 199 steps and wandered through the graveyard on the cliff, now crumbling into the sea. And I have stood on the East Cliff and gazed at the sea.

Whitby is special to me and it is where my novel SEA DUST begins.

Photo: St Mary's Church (early 12th century), Whitby.

My love of tall ships 

Come with me on my blog or squidoo lens to see some of the magnificent tallships I have visited.

The Warrior (pictured) is one of three vessels whose home is the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth.
Nelson's flagship Vicory and Henry' V111's ship Mary Rose are the other two.

The Day the Scarcrows came to Town 

A children's story

I got the idea for this children's story from a Small Farm Field Day where they held a scarecrow competition.

I had never seen so many scarecrows!

Though I had a couple of attempts to get the story published, I was unsuccessful.

Maybe one day I will try again.

Photo: Me and a scarecrow at Balingup several years ago. (The scarecrow has the long nose!)

How I faced the public for the first time - and no-one fell asleep! 

Meeting the public face to face - author talks/guest speaker

Like most novelists, I live a fairly insular life and public speaking is not my thing.
Recently, I was invited to speak to a group of writers.
It was the sort of affair I have sat through in the past and almost fallen asleep - being bored to tears by an overlong reading.
I didn't want that to happen.
What did I do?
Because SEA DUST commences in Whitby, I took along a cork-board with pics of thriteenth century Whitby Abbey, eleventh century Church and statue of Captain Cook and tall sailing ships.
I only read three short excerts from Sea Dust but interspersed them with Whitby history.
I also spoke of famous characters like Captain Cook who sailed from Whitby, and Bram Stoker's famous character, Count Dracula, whose ship, Demeter, ran aground off Whitby. (He came ashore in the form of a large black dog and was last seen disappearing into the graveyard.)
Being in Australia, the connection with Whitby and Captain Cook and the 'Endeavour' replica, which was built in Fremantle, really held their attention.
Having the cork-board meant some eyes were on that and not on me. It also acted as my prompt card going from one picture to another.
With this strategy in mind I succeeded in entertaining the audience,
And no-one fell asleep!
UPDATE 2008:
I still take a corkboard with pics when I give talks, though I am currently putting together a powerpoint presentation.
Pic: Three day Schools' Writers Wilderness Camp (southern Tasmania)2007, where I was the author in residence.

Three billy-goats 'Gruff' - hardly! 

Some of my birst angoras goat kids - 1989

If you visit my GOAT lens you'll find a larger version of the Three billy goats 'Gruff'and they are actually tripping across the Troll's bridge..

You'll also learn how the fibre from mohair goats is used to make doll's wigs.

See what a South African Boer goats looks like, and decide which breed of goat has the prettiest kids.

The problems faced by some authors 

It's been said goats will eat anything!

My advice to any author who keeps goats as a hobby or business - KEEP THE KIDS WELL AWAY FROM YOUR MANUSCRIPT!
Goats kids are adorable - they are also inquisitive, playful and can be downright mischevious.
It's not true that goats will eat anything.
And, no, they don't eat washing or tin cans.
They will however eat paper (I mean it's basically a tree in disguise, isn't it?) so don,t ever leave any paper money or valuable manuscripts lying about if you have a goat around.

Photo: M. Muir

The Black Thread - a canal story 

Due in Large print in 2009