Title: Light Up My Heart: A Point Perry Christmas Author: Joanne Speirs Date: 25 July 2024 Publisher: Nurturing Words Format: Digital and paperback Blurb: Second chances can be a gift when you’re brave enough to risk your heart … Scarlett Reynold’s life in the city may be in tatters, but that doesn’t mean anyone needs to know. Especially when Christmas is her favourite time of year and it’s her first visit home to the small town of Point Perry in forever. Ryan Black would recognise Scarlett anywhere, although apparently, she doesn’t remember him or their teenage summer romance. He’s fine …
Author Spotlight – Sandra Carmel
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? As a teenager, I loved composing angsty poetry and my love for expressing myself through writing pretty much grew from there. As controversial as it might sound, I didn’t connect with English subjects at secondary school. They just seemed rigid, regimented and out-of-touch with current society. I wanted the freedom to write what inspired me. So, I did a Professional Writing and Editing course, then got inspired by a reinvigoration of romance in the media, in movies, and here I am. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining …
Author Spotlight – Annika Johansson
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I’ve always loved words and human behaviour and went into copywriting after university – writing mini stories in 30 seconds for television or radio commercials, or 10 seconds for print. Then on the eve of my 40th birthday, something switched in my brain and I knew I was ready to tackle long-from storytelling so I began diving into writing courses to learn the art form of longer storytelling. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I tried to suck up as much craft inspiration as …
Author Spotlight – Amy Hutton
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I’ve always written, either for fun because it’s something I enjoy, or for work. For many years I ran a blog reviewing movies and TV shows. I also wrote as part of my job as a TV producer, and that was far and away my favourite aspect of the role. I can find enjoyment in writing anything. Emails and memos, scripts about some show I would never usually watch. it all gives me a kick. But it was in 2018 when I decided I might have more than a 30 …
Member New Release – Amy Hutton
Title: Love from Scratch Author: Amy Hutton Date: June 5, 2024 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, Audiobook Blurb: Opposites attract in this laugh-out-loud rom-com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who minds his beloved dog, and the cat that steals his heart. Summary about the book: Ethan James has a problem: he’s about to start shooting a movie and he needs someone to mind his anxious dog, Harry. This film could make or break Ethan’s career, and he knows he has to give it all his attention, but Harry’s new minder turns out to be …
Members New Release – Annika Johansson
Title: Downstream Author: Annika Johansson Date: 30 April 2024 Publisher: Echo Publishing Format: Paperback, E-book Back cover blurb (longer): What happens when your great Australian dream gets washed away? And then tries to drag your marriage down with it? Lismore resident Rob – a happily married empty-nester, enjoying his late middle age – has always defined himself by the quality of the roof over his head and the state of his family life. Solid. Safe. Stable. But when the 2022 flood hits, he and his wife Sal find themselves homeless, their lives now the very opposite of secure and predictable. …
Author New Release – Sandra Carmel
Title: Sage Advice Author: Sandra Carmel Date: 25th June release Publisher: Totally Bound (part of the Totally Entwined Group) Format: Ebook and paperback Blurb: Two hearts in danger. One destiny… Sage, a psychologist struggling with a client’s suicide. Alexander, an ex-military man trying to adapt to civilian life. A stalker, who has terrorized Sage for months. Against Sage’s wishes, Chase, her overprotective older brother, recruits his best friend Alexander—her infuriating teenage crush—to help keep her safe. Forced proximity creates a second chance at love—a love neither believed possible. With danger growing closer, will Sage and Alexander survive the threat to …
Author New Release – Sandra Carmel
Title: The Best-Laid Plans (part of the Oh, Baby collection) Author: Sandra Carmel Date: 16th July release date – currently available for pre-order Publisher: Totally Bound (part of the Totally Entwined Group) Format: Ebook and paperback Blurb: What happens when the best-laid plans create an accidental baby? Archer Aldrich, a commitment-phobic, full-human CEO of his own company in Melbourne, Australia, discovers that he must marry by Valentine’s Day to inherit a shit-ton of money from his great-uncle’s will. His dilemma deepens when the woman he has the hots for—Temperance Elskelig, a part-Jade-Violet vampire, part-human—is slated to return to Norway because …
Author Spotlight – Joanne Speirs
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? Always a voracious reader, I only started writing after my mum passed away. The couple of years after, I fell into a bit of a dark hole and a friend suggested I ‘write and get the sh*t out of my head’. Seven years later, my debut novel was released with Harlequin. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I had to learn the craft of writing fiction and undertook Manuscript Incubator with Writers SA, where I met Victoria Purman. Victoria introduced me to RWA and …
Sally Thorne’s Top Tips for Making an Impression at Book Signings.
Do you want to meet your favourite authors and leave an ever-lasting impression but not sure how to? Well author of ‘The Hating Game,’ Sally Thorne, has shared what makes book signings so special for her.RWAus is excited to welcome Sally to Trope Actually next month, where she will be signing at Stamford Grand along with Christina Lauren, Morgana Best and Kat T Masen. If you love reading enemies to lovers or office romances, then you’ll love attending this event! A full range of signing authors can be found here. Sally shares that book signings are unique events where authors …
Author New Release
Current RWAus Member? Yes Title: Quinn, by design Author: Jennifer Raines Date: 18 June 2024 Publisher: Inkspell Publishing Format: e-book and paperback Blurb: She’s antiques royalty, he’s relentlessly modern Master carpenter NIALL QUINN’s passion is creating bespoke furniture. Everything else comes second until his ex-fiancé ditches him when he gifts another creation to a friend, and he discovers his brother has been carrying his dead father’s debts. Niall’s self-respect demands he pay his share. He’s landed a prestigious exhibition of his work with a top gallery, possible in part because of the support of an antiques dealer who’s been mentor, …
Author Spotlight – Keighley Bradford
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I liked guessing what would happen next in stories and was never right. It opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of storytelling, so I began writing and never stopped. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc). I’ve been writing since I was 13. I joined the local writing club in high school and entered national writing competitions. Once I graduated, I started doing self-paced courses until I started uni, where I studied writing and publishing. During this time, I continued to learn everything I …
Author Spotlight – Ellen Read
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I have read books all my life. It seemed a natural progression. I had always written short stories and poems. I wrote my first novel at 18 years old and I kept writing books. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I retired and moved from North Queensland to South East Queensland. I found myself with more time to write. What do you find are the advantages of being part of RWAus? I find there are some many opportunities, for competitions, and engagement. I haven’t …
Author New Release – Phillipa Nefri Clark
Title: The House at Angel’s Beach Author: Phillipa Nefri Clark Date: 31 May 2024 Publisher: Storm Publishing Format: Ebook, paperback, audiobook Ivy Ross left Rivers End ten years ago, vowing never to return. Her heart broken, her trust gone, the father she adored behind bars. But when her sister Jody begs Ivy to return to finalise their inheritance, the majestic Fairview House, she is drawn home. And when she finds a collection of heartfelt letters hidden in her father’s library, everything she thought she knew is called into question. The anonymous letters reveal a heartbreaking love story that forces Ivy …
Author Spotlight – Kay Alahakoon
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? From a young age, I crafted stories in my head while others counted sheep to fall asleep. My earliest memory of this creative habit dates back to when I was about four. Inspired by my mother, an avid reader, I developed a love for books and soon found myself creating sequels to the stories I finished reading. However, it wasn’t until I was around 12 or 13 that I began putting these stories on paper. My first story was a love story penned in a notebook in Sinhalese, my …
Author Spotlight – Sam Valentine
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I think the desire to write has been there since I was very young because I loved fiction so much. Books were a big part of my childhood, so I developed an appreciation of story very early. I wrote a few stories when I was a kid, but the urge to write a novel came many years later. I didn’t really know how to get started or what to do, but I wanted to start by understanding the science of language more, so I undertook an undergraduate degree in English …
Author Spotlight – Jennifer Raines
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I can’t remember a time I didn’t read. Even as a young child I’d read with a torch under the sheets after lights out. Reading provided an escape from my real world. Then I started making up stories, preferring to live in my imagination. I got a reputation for falling down stairs and tripping over—always dreaming. I started scribbling down stories, terrible rhyming verse and, I guess, what would be called flash fiction today— a vignette triggered by an overheard conversation or something I’d seen. Earning a living slowed me …
Author Spotlight – Moira Yeldon
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? My love of writing started with poetry, and I wrote a poem to acknowledge most important events in my life. I moved onto writing articles, short stories and finally to novels. What did you do to actively pursue writing? After completing a course in creative writing some years ago, I sought out writing groups and joined societies such as RWAus to network with like-minded writers. I utilised beta readers, mentors and editors who all helped to shape my writing. What do you find are the advantages of being part of …
Willow Winters ‘Discreet’ Collection: A Bold New Take on Modern Romance Book Covers
By Jer’tarme Williams In need of a sweet small-town romance pick me up? Or maybe your heart is craving a dark mafia romance. Whatever your desires, Willow Winters, has you sorted with her discreet romance book collection. Starting back in 2015, Willow’s mind was racing with story ideas that soon turned into making her a ‘USA Today Bestseller.’ For ‘Between the Lines with Jer’tarme’, very first blog post, I was fortunate enough to chat to Willow about what inspired her discreet collection. After falling in love with CD Reiss’s Midnight collection whose books sported black and grey, simple covers, Willow …
Author Spotlight – Steffy Smith
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? It is something I have always known deep inside. I was an avid reader from a young age and would find myself rewriting scenes and dialogue of how I would prefer the story to read. English (and History) were always my strongest school subjects. Lastly, I have always found communicating much easier in writing then verbally. What did you do to actively pursue writing? I joined a writing group called Commit to Paper and engaged In social media to meet likeminded readers and authors. I joined RWAus and ARRA. And …
Author New Release – Kandy Shepard
Current RWAus Member? Yes Title: Surprise Proposal, Outback Inheritance Author: Kandy Shepherd Date: 17th April 2024 Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Ltd Format: ebook & paperback Tell us about your book… Wed in the Outback is a four-book linked series about four sisters who have to marry within a year to gain a billion-dollar inheritance. Three of the sisters have no idea sister number four exists, until the reading of their father’s will. Outback Inheritance, Surprise Proposal is Anastasia, the secret sister’s story. When jewellery designer Anastasia has to find a husband she proposes a fake marriage of convenience to her platonic …
Author Spotlight – Joanne Austen Brown
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I think I have always wanted to be one. I loved telling stories and although I was a terrible speller I tried writing them from an early age. Later I found out I was dyslexic and gave up the writing. But when computer took off, I got the bug again. So, I guess you could say I have always known. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) The first thing I did was write the historical history of the Legal firm hubby and I owned. …
Author Spotlight – Michelle Douglas
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? Books were my very favourite things when I was a little girl, which meant writers were my heroes. From about the age of seven onward I would announce to all and sundry that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) Joining RWAus was one of the best things I did for my writing—so much craft and industry information! I read an awful lot of how-to writing books, which was also a brilliant thing to do …
Author Spotlight – Annie West
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? As a kid I always had my head in a book and by my teens I was playing with story ideas (very badly) and imagining the fine, easy life of a writer – ha! But I never went as far as believing I could be one. I think it genuinely hit me when I found myself reading romances and loving them until the last quarter when I thought the ending didn’t fit or the characters suddenly stopped caring about whatever it was that had driven their actions all through the …
Author Spotlight – Melanie Milburne
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I wanted to be a writer from the age of five. I was fascinated by stories, both reading and writing them. I always got excited when there was a creative writing lesson at school. I never had any trouble thinking of things to write about. And I’m happy to report that even after all these years later, that hasn’t changed. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I actively pursued writing by writing manuscript after manuscript, then I discovered RWA and joined. I am quite …
Members New Releases
Some fabulous new releases for Autumn! Title: Marrying Her Outback Enemy Author: Michelle Douglas Date: April 17 Publisher: Harlequin Mills & BoonFormat: ebook Blurb: “MARRY ME, LINCOLN.” Rose has put everything into running her family’s farm, so she’s furious that her father’s will states she must marry to keep it! All she can do is propose—to anyone. She picks Lincoln—her neighbor, her enemy and the man she once shared a pulse-racing moment of passion with… She offers him a coveted plot of land in return—but she’s still surprised when he says yes to making her his billion-dollar bride! Paragraph from Author about the book: This is …
Flash Fiction February and March
Welcome to the Romance Writers of Australia Flash Fiction for February and March! Our winner For February is Alison L Robson with ‘Tomorrow’ for the theme of ‘Second Chances’ and our winner for March is Kylie Maguire with ‘Loathe Thy Neighbour’ for the theme ‘Enemies to Lovers’. Congratulations Alison and Kylie! Please note that due to the ‘quick’ nature of flash fiction, our flash fiction entries are unedited by RWAus prior to publication. Tommorrow by Alison L Robson I feel my cheeks warm as he glances in my direction. My breath catches in my throat and I look down at …
Write Backstory With Confidence Course
How to weave in the past without information dump telling. The art of integrating backstory seamlessly into a ficton narrative is vital to show casing how your character formed their world views, beliefs and desires. Understanding the purpose of backstory A character’s past isn’t just about providing context to who they were as a child, it’s about breathing life into who they are now. It’s the key to unlocking their motivations, fears and desires. Effective backstory humanises our characters in order to make them more believable and relatable to our readers. It provides the all-important why to every action they …