Valley of the Eagle

This is the second novel of the COLOURED SANDS TRILOGY. The womanising Jonathon Clarke has deserted his wife and daughter for a Boston socialite. These family circumstances bring his son Benjamin, an English Aristocrat to his family's cattle station in Australia. He soon finds his match in the feuding neighbour's daughter, the highly sexed and stunning Miriam O'Shea. Their love cannot endure. They must first be humbled by the consequences of their feuding families? Meet Ben's sister, the fearless, untamed Gully Raking (cattle stealing) Annie and the bold-hearted, enigmatic aboriginal servant Josie. Be enlightened by the magic of the Ancient Mystical Eagle, custodian of the secret Aboriginal Dreamtime place known as VALLEY OF THE EAGLE. Laugh - Cry - Endure with this family. Tracking the fortunes of the Clarke family as they battle the elements, the Outback, their neighbours and their love life will be an unforgettable experience.

Barbara Hartmann King has lived all her married life on cattle properties in the South Burnett in Queensland. She reared four sons and learnt about country living with her children as they grew. She joined in activities with the boys and travelled many miles on corrugated roads through creeks and billowing dust. After drought devastation on two properties, Barbara and her husband decided on a smaller property near Murgon with Stud cattle, and diversified (in defence of droughts) by starting a furniture and Manchester shop in the town. Barbara had started writing by this time and kept the creative juices flowing by taking her laptop to work, grabbing every spare moment for her now additive hobby. There were many false starts with different genres but she soon realised that writing the longer family story, set in the beautiful Australian bush was her real strength Later, as the business grew, this was impossible, so she wrote at night and on weekends. Barbara has been writing for many years, winning numerous awards for poetry and children's stories. She has been published in anthologies and had a book of poetry published. She is now proceeding with her Outback novels. Her characters are drawn from real life, especially the indigenous people with whom she is well acquainted.

Barbara Hartmann King has lived an extraordinary life as she experienced the many hazards of country life in rural Australia. She has only recently retired from business and is happy to be at home on the property and to continue writing. Her first Out Back saga, COLOURED SANDS won an Australian Day Cultural Award.