For many years (24 to be exact) I have written Christian fiction based mostly in Australia. I’m Australian, so it makes sense to write what you know, or at least where you know.
I had a short adventure living in the UK for a year in 2008, and during that time I was inspired to write two novels that were based there—one in Wales and one in the area around Warwick. Both British novels were inspired by magnificent buildings, and I made the most of my year there immersing myself in historical visits.
I’ve also set one novel in fantasy land – in a faraway kingdom long, long ago.
But, on the whole, it has been Australian all the way.
I’ve also had a strong aversion to using US spelling and language. (Should I admit that?) It’s English, right? Originating in England, right? Where they spell behaviour and colour and organise the proper way. They also know how to address their mother by the correct title—mum.
So now I’ve been urged along another path, digging my heels in all the way. I’m quite parochial when it comes to Aussie things, especially language. There is only one true-blue way to speak.
I love Australia, and Australians. I love my Australian Christian Fiction readers. Bless you.
However, there aren’t enough of you.
A writer might starve if they depended on the Australian Christian Fiction readers to support them. By support, I acknowledge the marvelous support Australian writers get from the Australian readers, but it’s a numbers game.
And so we turn our eyes across the Pacific to that land where Christian Fiction readers abound in great numbers. New Zealand. (Kidding. I know that we receive great support from the Kiwi readers as well). No, it’s the Americans who have the numbers and the enthusiasm for Christian Fiction.
They are also quite parochial when it comes to things like language. Apparently, they dispensed with the ‘u’ in many words ending in ‘our’, and decided to swap out the ‘s’ for a ‘z’ on many occasions. But could I do it. Could I change my spelling to reassure the American readers that I could indeed spell? It was tough, let me tell you, but I’ve been schooling myself to spell the American way.
But that’s not all.
A group of Australian (plus one Kiwi and one American) writers have banded together to launch a new contemporary romance series set—you guessed it—in the good old US of A. The land of the free, Disneyland, the Big Apple and a place I’ve never been in my life.
When I was asked to join the series, I was, at first, tentative. How could I possibly write a story set in a place I’ve never been? Granted, I’ve watch a lot of American television and movies in my time, but I’m guessing the real thing is possibly significantly different.
I agreed (with excitement and worry battling it out) to be part of the new ‘Trinity Lakes Romance’ series. It is set in South-East Washington State. Trinity Lakes is a product of our collective imagination, and several of our group have painstakingly constructed a geography for us all to refer to.
It was still disconcerting, until we, as a group, agreed that we could introduce Australian characters into our quaint rural American town. Australian characters. That I can do. Hurrah. I now allow my Aussie character to use Aussie language, and turn on my newly installed American filter to make my US characters talk American, and drive on the wrong side of the road.
With gritted teeth, I have succumbed to the pressure to spell the American way. I would just like to say to my Australian reading friends, I do know how to spell the correct Australian way, but needs must.
So, this month, I am thrilled to announce my title in the Trinity Lakes Romance series: ‘The Ocean Between Us’.
This will be Book Two in the series, following Book One, announced last month: ‘Never Find Another You’, by Narelle Atkins.
Both these titles are on pre-order special at the moment, and will be released monthly from February 2023. Pre-order price is dramatically reduced until the launch date, so check it out early.
We can’t wait to reveal a new title every month next year, and you will love the Aussie authors who are on board with this project (and one Kiwi and one American).
I look forward to you taking a trip to America with me, in your head.
Before you read the blurb for ‘The Ocean Between Us’, let me ask you a question:
How do you feel about seeing some Aussie characters popping up in a US setting?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
In the meantime, here is the blurb for ‘The Ocean Between Us’.
Alanah, has set off on a trip of a lifetime.
Her best friend from high school, Sasha Kennedy, has invited her to Trinity Lakes, Washington State, to be part of her wedding party.
South Australia to Trinity Lakes is literally the other side of the world, so Alanah has a full schedule of adventure planned while she’s away. A summer camp counsellor; a trip to Canada; Sight-seeing in New York and Boston; and avoiding Sasha’s twin-brother, Caleb.
But a silly accident puts Sasha out of commission for all the planned adventures, and Caleb is sent to retrieve his former high school sweetheart from the airport. Eleven years should be enough time to have cooled the love Alanah and Caleb once shared. Should be, but apparently not. This is not a great thing to acknowledge considering Caleb has just announced his engagement to someone else.
Six months of avoiding Caleb—worse—avoiding feelings about Caleb—is going to be a long time.
Hi Meredith, Congratulations on taking the leap of faith and writing a wonderful book set in the USA (I’ve read it, and it’s a great read). I’m looking forward to the Trinity Lakes Romances series releasing in 2023 😊
Me too! Looking forward to the launch.
Having moved here from America, I painstakingly learned to spell Australian. It comes naturally to me now, and it annoys me to spell American. But yes, we have to adapt for our audiences… sometimes kicking and screaming along the way. 🙂
And I love the idea of putting Australians into the American town!
Hurrah.
I have been a beta reader for a couple of Americans with an Aussie character and had to get then to tone down the g’days (As most aussies know its rarely said and certainly not every time you see someone). same with the use of mate and sheila, Oh and the shrimp on the barbie (from the Paul Hogan add). One also was using Crikey all the time which for the character not being from the out back or Qld is not used that often.
I do like seeing Aussie in American settings. You also get to use some situations where there is miscomunincation. My friend was living in NY city for 18 month with her husband she was looking for rock mellon and it was to high to reach she asked the assistant at the shop if he could hand her a rock mellon and he said he didn’t know what that was. She said you are standing right under it its right there on the shelf. Oh thats Cantaloupe he said. She said there were several things like that, that happened.
I know for me it was the food servings with a entre being what we call a main cause.
Ha ha. I know, right? There are so many Aussie sayings and words that differ dramatically for Americans. My biggest objection is the use of the word bangs to describe someone’s hair cut in a fringe. Bangs just doesn’t make sense.
Anyway, I’ve been very light on the g’days and mates.
Oh, and the Victorians call our humble rock melon – cantaloupe.
I’ve visited ( for several weeks) some of our family living in Washington State ( Seattle area). We’re Aussies, that’s for sure, but we loved the beauty in some parts of WA even if the people spoke with an accent and spelt all those words ‘wrongly’. I never felt even remotely how I feel about Australia and its countryside and was not tempted to write anything set there – but it’s a wonderful area to set romances as it’s so beautiful. It wouldn’t bother me at all to read about Aussies there.
It will be interesting to see if our writing of the area reflects your experience while you were there, Jeanette. From all I have researched, I get the sense that Washington State and Canada are beautiful landscape areas, vastly different to what we know here in Australia.
I enjoy characters from outside the US appearing in US-based stories. I think you picked a lovely location for your story. I graduated from high school in Idaho just across the border from where you’re setting the story. I think your Aussie will have a grand time being there.
A colleague and I wrote a technical book for a UK engineering society’s publication arm. The editor changed every color into colour and every -ize into -ise, but it didn’t take long until that looked totally normal to me. When your Aussies are speaking or doing internal monologue, will you give them the British/Aussie spellings?
Hi Carol,
It will be interesting to see what you think of our series set, when it is released next year, given you are familiar with the area.
When our characters have internal monologue, I will get them to use Australian words, like Mum, ute, carpark etc, but I will stick with the US spelling, no matter how much it hurts. 🙂