Mary-Lou Stephens's Blog
August 1, 2021
Three Women – without whom The Last of the Apple Blossom book might never have existed.
My heartfelt thanks to these three women without whom The Last of the Apple Blossom might never have existed.
Naomie Clark-Port
Naomie Clark-Port is an orchardist in the Huon Valley, tending the orchard that has been in her family for many generations. I called her, out of the blue, with three pages of questions about apple growing. Even though I was a complete stranger, she responded with overwhelming warmth and generosity right from the start. Her helpfulness extended to a private tour of her orchard, cool room and old packing shed and a guided drive through the Huon Valley. Naomie also set up interviews with some of the orchardists from the area who lived through the times described in The Last of the Apple Blossom. And to top it all off, she agreed to read and fact check a draft of the manuscript. That's why I call her my Apple Angel.
If you’re in the Huon Valley make sure to drop into Frank’s Cider House and Cafe in Franklin and try some of Naomie’s award-winning cider. I’ll be there on Saturday the 28th of August with Naomie and the orchardists she introduced me to, for a special Huon Valley launch of The Last of the Apple Blossom. I’ll be bringing this novel home where it belongs.
Monica McInerney
The initial idea for The Last of the Apple Blossom came to me after I’d interviewed Monica McInerney for a literary event. After I’d written a few drafts I knew this was book was worth investing in. When I saw Monica’s name in the list of mentors available through the ASA’s Mentorship Program I got goosebumps. It was meant to be. I jumped in, paying for as many hours as I could afford, and the real work began. Monica was a hard taskmistress but an incredibly generous, wise and insightful one. I wrote another 30,000 words, deleted 15,000 and was at draft ten when she told me my novel was everything she’d hoped it could become and gave me her blessing. Working with Monica is an experience I’ll always remember with deep gratitude.
Fiona McIntosh
I attended Fiona’s Commercial Fiction Masterclass in 2015 and even though the first two novels I wrote afterwards didn’t find a home, Fiona never gave up on me or my writing. She has absolute belief in every one of her students. I’d finished writing and revising The Last of the Apple Blossom when one of Fiona’s newsletters popped into my inbox. I noted with interest it contained a couple of apple recipes so I emailed Fiona to let her know how much I liked the recipes, especially as I had written a novel set in the orchards of the Huon Valley. What followed was a flurry of emails. Fiona, too, was writing a novel set in the orchards of the Huon Valley – she’d pitched it to her publisher and had even decided on the title. My heart sank. If I was a publisher, which book set in the orchards of the Huon Valley would I prefer to publish? One by a mega bestselling author or one by an unknown novelist? Then an amazing thing happened. Fiona decided not to continue with her apple book. She stepped aside so that The Last of the Apple Blossom would have a better chance of finding a publisher. Her generosity astounded me. When I emailed her to ask if I could share this story and to thank her for this amazing gift she answered –
It was the only right thing to do. I wanted you so badly to succeed and you had a harder road to travel. So it seemed like a no brainer. I find something else…you power ahead and make us all so very proud. Which is how I feel – so thrilled for you and I hope this is the start of more books from you that bring joy.
Thank you, Fiona, for your generosity.
Naomie Clark-Port
Naomie Clark-Port is an orchardist in the Huon Valley, tending the orchard that has been in her family for many generations. I called her, out of the blue, with three pages of questions about apple growing. Even though I was a complete stranger, she responded with overwhelming warmth and generosity right from the start. Her helpfulness extended to a private tour of her orchard, cool room and old packing shed and a guided drive through the Huon Valley. Naomie also set up interviews with some of the orchardists from the area who lived through the times described in The Last of the Apple Blossom. And to top it all off, she agreed to read and fact check a draft of the manuscript. That's why I call her my Apple Angel.
If you’re in the Huon Valley make sure to drop into Frank’s Cider House and Cafe in Franklin and try some of Naomie’s award-winning cider. I’ll be there on Saturday the 28th of August with Naomie and the orchardists she introduced me to, for a special Huon Valley launch of The Last of the Apple Blossom. I’ll be bringing this novel home where it belongs.
Monica McInerney
The initial idea for The Last of the Apple Blossom came to me after I’d interviewed Monica McInerney for a literary event. After I’d written a few drafts I knew this was book was worth investing in. When I saw Monica’s name in the list of mentors available through the ASA’s Mentorship Program I got goosebumps. It was meant to be. I jumped in, paying for as many hours as I could afford, and the real work began. Monica was a hard taskmistress but an incredibly generous, wise and insightful one. I wrote another 30,000 words, deleted 15,000 and was at draft ten when she told me my novel was everything she’d hoped it could become and gave me her blessing. Working with Monica is an experience I’ll always remember with deep gratitude.
Fiona McIntosh
I attended Fiona’s Commercial Fiction Masterclass in 2015 and even though the first two novels I wrote afterwards didn’t find a home, Fiona never gave up on me or my writing. She has absolute belief in every one of her students. I’d finished writing and revising The Last of the Apple Blossom when one of Fiona’s newsletters popped into my inbox. I noted with interest it contained a couple of apple recipes so I emailed Fiona to let her know how much I liked the recipes, especially as I had written a novel set in the orchards of the Huon Valley. What followed was a flurry of emails. Fiona, too, was writing a novel set in the orchards of the Huon Valley – she’d pitched it to her publisher and had even decided on the title. My heart sank. If I was a publisher, which book set in the orchards of the Huon Valley would I prefer to publish? One by a mega bestselling author or one by an unknown novelist? Then an amazing thing happened. Fiona decided not to continue with her apple book. She stepped aside so that The Last of the Apple Blossom would have a better chance of finding a publisher. Her generosity astounded me. When I emailed her to ask if I could share this story and to thank her for this amazing gift she answered –
It was the only right thing to do. I wanted you so badly to succeed and you had a harder road to travel. So it seemed like a no brainer. I find something else…you power ahead and make us all so very proud. Which is how I feel – so thrilled for you and I hope this is the start of more books from you that bring joy.
Thank you, Fiona, for your generosity.
December 10, 2018
When a Writer Meditates (Quite incidentally includes a cure for Writer’s Block!)
I’ve recently returned from a ten-day silent meditation retreat at the Queensland Vipassana Centre. Another one? Yep. It was the eighth time I’ve sat in silence for days on end, trying to meditate. I say ‘trying’ because usually I spend the first four or five days with a head whirling full of unstoppable thoughts and stories. … Continue reading When a Writer Meditates (Quite incidentally includes a cure for Writer’s Block!) →
June 7, 2018
Today’s Life Lesson.
Over the years of trying to grow my own food, I have discovered that the only things that don’t get eaten by the possums, grasshoppers, caterpillars & native rats (which chewed through the nets I’d put up to try & stop the grasshoppers & caterpillars) are turmeric, lemongrass & ginger. Even the chili bush was … Continue reading Today’s Life Lesson. →
November 11, 2017
My Two Million-Year-Old Brain
I didn’t have to go. I could have said no. All the signs were there, telling me not to, yelling, “Danger! Danger!’ A volcano, for God’s sake, about to erupt at any minute the headlines screamed. I bought masks and goggles, and borrowed a Steripen in case water became scarce. My husband glanced askance at … Continue reading My Two Million-Year-Old Brain →
August 7, 2017
Scrabble Divas Rule
It makes friends of strangers, enemies of friends and binds like-minded souls in a pleasure that cannot be experienced by the uninitiated. Scrabble. Those who have never owned a well-worn Scrabble set and a much-thumbed Scrabble dictionary may scoff, but the pain and the pleasure of Scrabble cannot be beaten. Like most people, I’d played as … Continue reading Scrabble Divas Rule →
February 7, 2017
The Shallow Promise of Your Best Life Ever
The holiday and festive season is over. How do I know? It’s not the suddenly empty beaches or the re-emergence of school crossing guards. It is the plethora of magazine and newspaper lifestyle segments telling us that the good times are over and it’s time to pay for all the excess. It’s like getting your … Continue reading The Shallow Promise of Your Best Life Ever →
January 13, 2017
The Miserable Joy of Eeyore.
I’m a year older than I was last week. There’s something about having a birthday that always reminds me of Eeyore. After all, what’s a birthday? Here today, gone tomorrow, as he would say. Eeyore has always been my favourite of the Winnie-the-Pooh characters. With such lines as, “Good morning Little Piglet. If it is … Continue reading The Miserable Joy of Eeyore. →
January 7, 2017
Happy Epiphany Baby.
I was due on Christmas day. But even in the womb I had a few clues. I knew the likelihood of birthday presents would be inversely proportional to the proximity of my birthday to Christmas Day. So my poor mother had to put up with me refusing to budge for almost two weeks. I finally … Continue reading Happy Epiphany Baby. →
January 1, 2017
Freedom. Or Perks?
It’s the time of year when we reflect on the past and look forward to the future. I’ve spent part of the past week at the Woodford Folk Festival and, unlike a lot of other festival-goers, for me it’s been a sobering experience. Often we don’t notice the changes that occur in our everyday lives. … Continue reading Freedom. Or Perks? →
December 21, 2016
Eat More Cake…and Merry Christmas
The Hubby and I had the conversation we had to have a few weeks ago. About cake. Christmas cake to be precise. You see, one of our lovely neighbours comes around every December selling Lions Christmas cakes. Every year we buy one. In the past we have been known to give them away but last year … Continue reading Eat More Cake…and Merry Christmas →
