We’re starting a new decade and a new monthly series on our blog — SUPPORTING LOCAL AUTHORS.
‘Local’ at ACW refers to Australia, New Zealand and other countries within Australasia.
Today we’re spotlighting South East Queensland (Qld) and Northern New South Wales (NSW) in eastern Australia.
In our ACW blogging group we have one blog member from this region – Jessica Kate.
Jessica Kate’s second book, A Girl’s Guide to the Outback, is releasing this month on January 28.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
How far will a girl go to win back a guy she can’t stand? This funny, sweet, and romantic story proves that opposites do attract—and that God has a sense of humor.
Learn more about Jessica Kate
Australian author Jessica Kate writes inspirational romances with wit, sass, and grit. Jessica is a screenwriting groupie, cohost of the StoryNerds vlog and podcasts, and her favorite place to be—apart from Mum and Dad’s back deck—is a theme park. She has traveled North America and Australia, and samples her favorite pasta wherever she goes—but the best (so far) is still the place around the corner from her corporate day job as a training developer. She loves watching sitcoms with her housemates and being a leader in a new church plant. Read more.
Jessica Kate’s debut book— Love and Other Mistakes — released in 2019
Many of our ACW Facebook Group members are from Northern NSW and South East Queensland, or have written books connected to this region.
Hannah Currie is from SE Queensland and her debut novel, Heart of a Royal, released in 2019.
Heart of a Royal
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. Read more
Hazel Barker is from SE Queensland and her book, The Sides of Heaven, is a story of endurance and depicts God’s love and mercy.
The Sides of Heaven
Hazel’s memoir is set in Burma during the turbulent period following the Second World War and the subsequent civil war. From a family’s endurance, a mother’s faith and a young girl’s traumatic journey through her teenage years ultimately springs a story of redemption and hope. Hazel yearns for freedom, yet chooses to become a nun; she yearns for her family, yet spreads her wings for Australia. Read more.
Jeanette Grant-Thomson is from SE Queensland and her novel, Lantern Light, is set in Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Lantern Light
In the brooding jungle of equatorial New Ireland, Ali and Dave are searching for excitement. Could God have something bigger in mind?
Teaching at Barrington Place (a fictitious school based on the real Madina Girls High School) set in the steamy, brooding jungle of New Ireland, P.N.G., Ali and Dave and the other single teachers enjoy evenings around the flickering hurricane lantern, sharing everything from jokes to secrets. Ali and Tessa vie for the affection of loveable larrikin Dave, who keeps them all entertained. Read more.
Many of our ACW Facebook Group members write books for the general market. Please read the information for the books below regarding book content, especially if you’re a reader who prefers clean, family-friendly PG books.
Jeanette O’Hagan is from SE Queensland and her fantasy novella, Heart of the Mountain, is Book 1 in her Under the Mountain series. Her YA series is written for the general market with a Christian worldview, values and themes.
Heart of the Mountain
YA Fantasy Adventure in the lost realm deep under the mountain.
Twins Delvina and Retza’s greatest desire is to be accepted as prentices by their parents’ old crew when they stumble across a stranger. Trapped under the mountain, young Zadeki’s only thought is to escape home to his kin. Peril awaits all three youngsters. Will they pull apart or work together to save the underground realm? Read more.
L.M. Merrington is from SE Queensland and her historical mystery novel, The Iron Line, is set in southern NSW. The book is written for the general market and includes issues ie. domestic abuse, abortion, and miscarriage.
The Iron Line
“There’s a ghost train that runs along here at night. They say it carries the souls of those bound for hell.”
Jane Adams is only twenty-three, but she’s already a widow. A daughter of the railway, after her husband’s death she takes a job as a level-crossing gatekeeper in the little town of Tungold, out at the end of the line. But all is not right in Tungold. Read more.
Catriona McKeown is from SE Queensland and her YA novel is set on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The book is written for the general market and contains some language, an attempted rape scene (non-graphic) and an attempted suicide in the back story. Recommended reading for 15+.
Memphis Grace
Graceland was named after the King of Pop’s mansion by her Elvis- obsessed mum. But she’s not rich, not famous and definitely not noticeable.
She’s always just been Mikaela’s best friend. That is, until Mikaela leaves school without explanation and Graceland finds herself noticed by Cooper Dally. Popular boy and Mikaela’s EX-BOYFRIEND. Read more.
Elizabeth Ellen Carter is from SE Queensland and her historical romance, Spyfall, released in 2019. The book is written for the general market and includes non-gratuitous violence and a high level of sensuality. Recommended for a mature audience.
Spyfall
A dangerous love – who will be first to fall?
Cornwall, 1805
Rescued from a French prison by a mysterious benefactor, smuggler Nathaniel “Nate” Payne returns home to Cornwall a nearly broken man. He hopes to recover at his old haunt, but The Queen’s Head Inn has a new owner.
Susannah Linwood is a young widow with a dark secret fleeing a brutal past. She has made an honest success of the inn and intends to keep it that way, and not fall in with the likes of Nate. Read more.
Do you know of any Christian authors from this region? Do you know of any books set or connected to this region? Please let us know in the comments.
An aside: We’re also praying for the Aussie fire situation. I personally have family impacted by the fires. We have a ‘Prayer Request’ post in the Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group if you have any specific prayer requests. Stay safe xo
You’ve mentioned a great variety of interesting-sounding books, Narelle. Thanks for including Lantern Light. I think there are quite a few others that may not have made it in time for this blog. Thanks, Narelle.
Hi Jeanette, You’re very welcome. 😊 if you’re know of other books, please add them in a comment.
At the end of the 19th century Finland is a dark and repressive place. Pacifist and political dissenter Karl Johan Back is conscripted to fight for the Russian despots that occupy his country. In 1899 he flees to an untamed land on the far side of the world. Finding refuge on ridges overlooking the Byron Bay lighthouse in northern New South Wales, he grows orchids and lush tropical fruit.
Intrigued by her ‘black sheep’ great-uncle, Ruth Bonetti pieces together the motives that propelled his flight. Finnish relatives share a treasure-trove of letters that provide answers to the many questions raised by Karl Johan’s quest for freedom.
Why did Russian military police pursue him as far as Suez? Why did he publish under a pen-name? And, most intriguing of all, why did he implore his family to burn his letters?
This 2-book saga “Burn My Letters” and “Midnight Sun to Southern Cross” follows the Finnish brothers as they .
In the tradition of great family migration stories, Midnight Sun to Southern Cross continues the saga of the Back brothers.
From frozen Finland to the lush rainforests of northern New South Wales, to the dry and dusty sheep country of western Queensland, and the leafy St Lucia development, you follow the highs and lows of their new life under the Southern Cross.
It is an extraordinary tale of success, failure, hard work and dreaming. What drove the wheeler-dealer Wilhelm Anders Back, known as WA, to become in his time Australia’s richest Finn? And what stirred his eccentric writerly elder brother Karl Johan, KJ, pacifist and political dissenter? What of those who stayed behind in Finland, and bravely struggled to oust the Russians from their homeland?
At the end of the 19th century Finland is a dark and repressive place. Pacifist and political dissenter Karl Johan Back is conscripted to fight for the Russian despots that occupy his country. In 1899 he flees to an untamed land on the far side of the world. Finding refuge on ridges overlooking the Byron Bay lighthouse in northern New South Wales, he grows orchids and lush tropical fruit.
Intrigued by her ‘black sheep’ great-uncle, Ruth Bonetti pieces together the motives that propelled his flight. Finnish relatives share a treasure-trove of letters that provide answers to the many questions raised by Karl Johan’s quest for freedom.
Why did Russian military police pursue him as far as Suez? Why did he publish under a pen-name? And why did he implore his family to burn his letters?
This 2-book saga ‘Burn My Letters’ and ‘Midnight Sun to Southern Cross’ follows the Finnish brothers in the tradition of great family migration stories.
From frozen Finland to the lush rainforests of northern New South Wales, to the development of University of Queensland in the leafy Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, to the dry and dusty sheep country of western Queensland, you follow the highs and lows of their new life under the Southern Cross.
It is an extraordinary tale of success, failure, hard work and dreaming. What drove the wheeler-dealer Wilhelm Anders Back, known as WA, to become in his time Australia’s richest Finn? And what stirred his eccentric writerly elder brother Karl Johan, KJ, pacifist and political dissenter? What of those who stayed behind in Finland, and bravely struggled to oust the Russians from their homeland?
Hi Narelle,
Thanks for the opportunity, I’ve had my head down writing and missed this earlier. Hope I haven’t missed the bus! The second version is edited, more clear.
Hi Ruth, you’re very welcome. Thanks for sharing your books with us. 😊