Barbara Hartmann King writes the Australian Outback Saga with an individual style like no other. Her combination of riveting fiction and true historical facts portray a tale that will keep you spellbound until the very last page.

The epic novel "Coloured Sands" – the first novel in the Coloured Sands trilogy – won an Australia Day Cultural Prize. It is now followed by her second book, "Valley of the Eagles ", which has also received rave reviews.

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 addictive 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. Barbara has been writing for many years, winning numerous awards for poetry and children’s stories. She has been published in several anthologies and her first book was the publication of her poetry.

Barbara’s characters in the Coloured Sands Trilogy (first two are published) are drawn from real life, especially the indigenous people with whom she is well acquainted.