Launch in Karratha
On the 14th November 2007 RioTinto Iron Ore supported all the women featured in the book to travel to Karratha to attend a Christmas function which would feature to book. All but one were able to attend.

Six of the women gathered for lunch with Melva, Erica, Lisa designer Brad Ramm and photographer Frank Richardson for their first look at the book. The project team was very nervous about their reaction but it was greeted with great enthusiasm and the press coverage in the region was good.

Later that evening Lisa and the other 11 women gathered with 150 guests to hear Sam Walsh, the CEO of RioTinto Iron Ore, launch the book. Melva Stone gave everyone a snapshot of how the project came about and at the end of the night RioTinto gave all those at the function a copy of the book.

The next day Melva and Erica signed books in the Karratha shopping Centre and later met with a group of RFDS Flying 1000 members. The Flying 1000 was formed in Perth 4 years ago to help raise the funds needed to fit out the 4 new planes introduced into the WA fleet at that time. At $250,000 a fit-out they have formed teams around the State to achieve their $1m target in September 2007. The RFDS has just purchased 2 new planes and so they now need another $500,000.

Other Perth Events
Red Dust in Her Veins was featured at Rio Tinto's end of year function in Perth on the 29th November, 2007 and once again Sam Walsh introduced the audience to the book. Since then Melva and Erica have given a number of interviews to the press and have presented the book to audiences including the National Council of Women, the Light Industries Mining and Engineering Chamber, Deloitte, ANZ Women in Banking; Women Chiefs of Enterprise; WALGA, Busselton Probis Club; American Chamber of Commerce, the Perth Flying Squadron and Belmont Rotary.

New York
An exciting bit for the Red Dust in Her Veins team was a visit to New York and a USA launch on the 28th January by the Australian Consul General to New York, John Olsen. John offered to host this as a satellite event to G'Day USA 2008 and five women featured in the book (Melva, Gillian, Jill, Erica and Leigh) and the author, Lisa, made their way to New York to join this event.

This came about after Melva Stone discussed with John Olsen the possibility of the RFDS being named as the charity for the Gala Dinner closing ceremony of the G'Day USA event on the 26th January at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Not only did John say yes to this proposal but offered us the opportunity to feature the book as a satellite event on the 28th January.

The gala charity event on Australia Day had an audience of 1,200 people and the Red Dust team members were guests at this event.

The New York book launch two days later attracted 130 people many being expatriate West Australians and some curious New Yorkers.

Who would have thought that out of the desire to record the emotions and experiences of women from the Pilbara would result in launching the stories in New York!

Sales are still dominated by word of mouth, media exposure, this website and through public speaking events. This ensures the maximum return for the RFDS.