This is Madelina's book. I was first engaged when researching my family history. Madelina Forbes Mitchell is my 3rd great grandmother. I stumbled across Madelina and her inspiring life story after reading about my 5th great grandmother, English Romantic poet Charlotte Turner Smith. A wonderful spirited woman named Annette gave me Madelina's handwritten memoir and we continue to have a fantastic friendship with Madelina and so much more in common.

It took four years to digitalise Madelina's story. My motivation was to have her memoir published. She spent months handwriting her memoir and I felt it my duty to have it read by as many people possible. I never imagined Smashwords would be the best vessel. I discovered Smashwords while studying online publication. What a way to go!

I live in the Australian bush just an hour out of Melbourne Victoria. If time permits nothing inspires me more than my morning walk through the mountains, roads and tracks with my dogs listening to the sounds, smelling the fresh air and getting my heart rate up. I am ready to take on my day after a start like that. The views are breathtaking.

I am an artist. I paint as a hobby, I work as a hair and make up artist in editorial for national magazines, TV commercials as well as Film and Television. Dogs too are a passion, I am a certified trainer that trains local dogs and owners. I am currently renovating my home too.

I selected a photo that has been passed down through my family for many generations and this photo had so many stories attached to it. Mostly rumours but thanks to Madelina these rumours are now truth. I selected a designer online and he created the cover quickly after reading my brief. He nailed it in a few days after some minor changes. I like to make quick decisions in business and design. This usually makes life easier for me and the person I am working with.

I do like the iPad. I can work, read and communicate on the one device.

I have a supernatural book up my sleeve.

'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' we read at school. Good old 'Wesley College' Melbourne Victoria had it in their curriculum. That brutal woman Nurse Ratched damaged my brain. I wear my heart on my sleeve and anyone going through trauma, then being traumatised by someone like the 'Ratched team' tugs at my heart strings. I came into the self realisation that one of my strengths was empathy. Now that I am getting older my wick has shortened but I am still empathetic.

My desk is modified depending on my location. At home I like to work in the heart of the home, my kitchen table. My office has a desk, I dust it, polish it, use it for printing and taxes.

Wow! In so many ways. A woman of her stature migrating to Australia, travelling around having child after child. She lived in tents, homes with wet mud under the floorboards, socialised with the local aboriginals or should I say the local Australian's while managing the family finances and fighting off real life dangers. I am so fortunate to have such a woman in my blood, she passed down some of her strengths to me and my relatives. I am blessed to have such a story now attached to my own.