Bestselling author, Karly Lane is a front runner in the rural romance genre, with her latest novel Mr Right Now bringing readers another much-anticipated serve of country living. Picking up where the first book left off, Mr Right Now focusses on Griff Callahan and Olivia Dawson as they navigate the city/country divide and deal with the romantic flame that keeps flickering to life when they least expect it.
Olivia is unhappy in her job and her city world isn’t bringing her the joy it once did, while Griff feels like he’ll never be good enough to meet his father’s farming expectations. Add in a pair of matchmaking siblings, awkward family dynamics plus a farming accident, and it’s a recipe for a great read. Karly’s settings and scenes are always authentic - I felt like I was wrapped up in the pressure of harvest from the comfort of my couch - and you can’t help but empathise with her characters after she lands them in one dilemma after another. I’m already looking forward to the third book in the Callahan’s of Stringybark Creek series this December.
As well as writing, Karly spends her days running a small giftware, clothing and horse tack store in Bowraville, New South Wales. If you follow her social media pages, you’ll know she’s a huge fan of horses and part of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association, celebrating the horses that are often mistakenly called brumbies. Karly is also secretary of her local chamber of commerce. She has written 14 novels with Allen & Unwin, one with Harlequin and is currently crafting a Scottish themed novel for 2020 release.
Short and sweet questions
Current book on your bedside table: Return to Roseglen by Helene Young
Where do you do most of your writing? In my lounge room. I have an office but I can’t see my horses from there.
Favourite Australian holiday destination: I’m such a homebody that I really don’t go on holidays, and I’m lucky to live in a pretty awesome part of the world on the Mid North Coast of NSW with beaches, rainforest and farmland on all sides of me.
What’s your preferred drop? Ginger ale and scotch.
Guilty pleasure? Ice cream and Netflix
Pet peeve: rude and or negative people
Favourite fictional couple and why? Claire and Jamie Fraser from Outlander. I love that they can keep their marriage real despite enduring time travel AND surviving crucial historical events.
If you could pack two non-essential items for a deserted tropical island, what would they be? Jamie Fraser and…… ummm ……sorry, what was the question again?
Name an emerging author to keep an eye out for: Keith McArdle
Established author who inspires you? Candice Fox
Best thing about being a writer? Creating people and places that readers feel like they know.
Worst thing about being a writer? When these people and places won’t get out of your head!
Do you prefer music, podcasts or silence when writing? Often I can be writing all day before I realise there’s no music playing. Other days I put on Celtic music in the background. If the music has words, I get too distracted singing along.
Favourite perfume: Always Red by Elizabeth Arden.
TV/film crush: Outlander.
The best non-writing related prize I won was… wooden chopping board from the CWA raffle outside Foodworks.
Top three tips for aspiring authors?
Write. Keep writing.
Finish a book. Get it down on paper and don’t worry about making it the best it can be at first. Just finish it.
When you finish one book, leave it and start another before you go back to the last one.
What theme do you hope shines through in your writing? How special small, rural Australian communities are.
Proudest author moment? When someone tells me they hadn’t read since school but picked up one of my books and now loves reading again.
If anyone gives me flack for writing in the romance genre, I tell them… Don’t read it. Not everyone is smart enough to handle it.
My favourite thing about writing romance is… that at least in the fictional world I can make everything work out eventually.
Three fun facts about the author:
I’m a supporter of Guy Fawkes Heritage Horses. I own four of them caught wild from the Guy Fawkes National Park. They're descendants from the horses caught and used in WW1 and the Indian wars by the British Army.
I live 20 minutes from the beach but I can’t stand sand and rarely go there.
I’m a bit of a princess and don’t camp. Ever. At all. And I’m ok with that!
Follow Karly online:
Website: karlylane.com
Facebook: Karly_Lane_Author
Twitter: @karlylane
Instagram: Karly_lane_author