Local author Maureen Larter will launch her first adult fiction novel at the Wingham Farmers' Market this Saturday.
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'Tarnished Gems' is the story of six women, all with the names of gemstones, whose lives intertwine.
It is set in Sydney, but was written in a room at Cedar Party overlooking Maureen's small farm.
Maureen warns that 'Tarnished Gems' is definitely adult fiction.
To avoid confusion with her children's literature, she has published it under the pseudonym Marguerite Wellbourne.
This name was inspired by Dame Nellie Melba's choice of surname, after the city of Melbourne.
This is where Maureen spent all of her childhood holidays, so she borrowed the ending.
The first draft of the novel was completed as part of NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - in November 2013. Participants are encouraged to write 50 000 words in one month. Maureen managed to achieve this, and then spent just over a year editing it and going through the publishing process.
Maureen says she found the process challenging, but said "I loved every minute of it and I will definitely try and write another adult book. I already have a couple on the backburner."
All of Maureen's books are self-published. Her current range includes garden guides which outline what to plant and jobs to do in the garden each season; and many children's books including her 'alphabet range' which includes titles such as 'Dorothy Dog and the Dangerous Dragonfly', and 'Ben Brolga's Band'.
Maureen will be giving a talk at the Wingham Farmers' Markets this Saturday at 10am to launch 'Tarnished Gems'.
The markets will also have plenty of locally grown and made produce, so come on down to the Wingham Showground between 8am and 12 noon.
The Wingham Farmers' Market is on this Saturday from 8 am until midday at the Wingham Showground.
New stallholders are always welcome, with site fees waived at your first market.
Direct stall holder enquiries to Annette on 6550 7213.
Don't forget if you have any excess produce to sell, even from your backyard veggie patch, you can drop it at the community stall.
There is more information online at www.winghamfarmersmarket.org.au and on Facebook.
