Dear Friends,

In March 1983 I was twelve years old and something happened that would shape and change my life forever. This thing would make me realize that the world was huge and that I could someday leave Carson City, Nevada. Over the course of three days, this event taught me to dream … and to dream big. Bigger than Tiger Drive. Bigger than Nevada. Bigger than ME.

From March 27th to 30th (drumroll please) ABC aired The Thorn Birdsminiseries based on the novel by Colleen McCullough.

It was amazing!!!!

Right about now, you’re guessing that this book-adapted-for-a-TV-mini-series event planted the seed that I would write a book one day, but you’d be wrong. No, what this epic novel and explosion of Australia on the television in my living room on Tiger Drive did was send me this message: Life exists outside the life that you know, and it’s waiting for you.

Waiting. For me.

From that moment on, even though my family was falling apart and loved ones were disintegrating before my eyes, I had hope. While drugs and addiction killed my family, my drug of choice became hope. Hope for change. Hope for opportunities. Hope for “different.” And going to Australia someday became symbolic of change. Actually, it was to moveto Australia and marry an Australian Cattle Rancher (for those of you who read In the Doghouse, you’ll recognize this idea). One of my dearest friends even wrote me a poem about my Aussie-husband-to-be and made it official by making it a framed cross-stitch (I will love you for this forever, Apryl!!!).

For the record, The Thorn Birds is about a priest falling in love with a very, very young girl; a man controlling his wife with religion, abuse, and pregnancy; and alcoholism and obsession were themes. I recognized all of the characters, but as dysfunctional and familiar as they all were, what kept me riveted to the screen was the landscape so far far far away.

As I matured, I questioned the wisdom of marrying a cattle rancher. I’ve even questioned marriage. And I’ve traveled quite a bit, but for some reason, I’ve put off a trip to Australia time and time again.

But not anymore …

CRIKEY!  I AM GOING TO AUSTRALIA IN SIX DAYS!
(and New Zealand too)

I’m really going to try to share the experience with you and send out newsletters while I’m there.

On this note, I’m going to leave you with the audio Chapter 6 of In the Doghouse, and share the good news that it’s now available for download on iTunes, Google Play, Chirp, and Kobo. I’m still waiting for it to pop up on Audible.com, Nook, and other sites. Once Audible.com is up, they have the Whispersync program which means if you bought the book through Amazon, you’ll get a significant discount on the audiobook.

I love you all. Thanks for being you and for being on this whacky journey with me.

Do you have a dream you keep putting off? What is it?

Teri