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Bubbly splash and blog splash

My friend Rhoda Baxter is celebrating today – the best kind of celebration for an author – a new book. Some of us have a splash of champagne to celebrate ( yep, that’s my favourite too), and today Rhoda is doing a blog splash to mark the launch of Girl in Trouble.

She’s asked a few of us to join her. Rhoda writes smart funny books and I’m a fan, so this seemed like a good idea to me, not the least because it introduced me to something new… The Octonauts.

I love these guys almost as much as I love The Clangers.

I had me share of great kids TV growing up. The Thunderbirds was a particular favourite, but the UK had many shows we didn’t get in Australia. And for the last few years, kids TV has passed me by a bit. There’s really no excuse for that – certainly not my age.

Rhoda told me The Octonauts feature in the new book – so I had to make sure I knew what they are. Thank you YouTube. I love them! Thunderbirds were go and now Octonauts are in the launch bay. I’m not entirely sure why a bear and a cat and a rabbit are underwater, but I’m very happy to go with it.

Rhoda has also managed to slide hydrothermal vents into this book… because that’s the sort of thing she does. I did know what they were – underwater gaps in the earth’s crust through which hot water flows. I’ve been to Hawaii, you see. They have that sort of thing there, but I personally think they are best viewed from a distance.

According to Wikipedia, this is a ‘champagne vent’. So we go back to the original theme of celebration.

Rhoda always does to unusual places in her books – and I don’t just mean geographically. She’s taken on some unexpected topics as well… here’s what Girl in Trouble is about.

Grown up tomboy Olivia doesn’t need a man to complete her. Judging by her absent father, men aren’t that reliable anyway. She’s got a successful career, good friends and can evict spiders from the bath herself, so she doesn’t need to settle down, thanks.

Walter’s ex is moving his daughter to America and Walter feels like he’s losing his family. When his friend-with-benefits, Olivia, discovers she’s pregnant by her douchebag ex, Walter sees the perfect chance to be part of a family with a woman he loves. But how can Walter persuade the most independent woman he’s ever met to accept his help, let alone his heart?

To find out more go here or go and visit Rhoda.

As for me, I am now planning to spend more time exploring – not, not underwater vents – kids TV. But first – I have a new book to read.

This is the third book in this series – and I expect to like it as just much as the other two.