Supporting Local Authors – Western Australia

Today we’re continuing our Supporting Local Authors blog post series by spotlighting Western Australia.

‘Local’ at ACW refers to Australia, New Zealand and other countries within Australasia.

In our ACW blogging group we have one blog member from this region – Elaine Fraser.

Elaine Fraser writes inspirational YA, women’s fiction, and inspirational nonfiction. She writes about life issues with a spiritual edge. Elaine travels several months of the year and is otherwise found in her library in Perth, Australia—writing, reading, and hugging her golden retriever.

Her Beautiful Lives Series contains stories about life issues that encourage girls to live lives they are proud of. The most recent is Book 3, Amazing Grace.

Scarlett Love is being released in 2020.

Amazing Grace (The Beautiful Lives Series, Book 3)

Seventeen-year-old Grace has a confusing secret. When she tells her best friend, things get complicated.

Exams, uni applications, new friends, enemies, job possibilities and mum issues make Grace’s life messy.

When a photo of Grace is posted on Fifteen Minutes of Frame, her secret goes viral. Bullied and judged, her world becomes chaotic.

Grace is confused. Confused about sexuality. Confused about faith. Confused about life.

Provocative and moving, ‘Amazing Grace’ gives voice to the struggles of a world where sexuality and faith are often at odds. Sometimes all you can do is cry out for amazing grace and love without borders.

Amazing Grace is available at Amazon

Many of our ACW Facebook Group members are from Western Australia, or have written books connected to this state/region.

Christine Draper is from Western Australia. Her children’s picture book, My Friend Jake has Autism, can help explain autism to children. Designed to help children understand a classmate, friend or relative.

My Friend Jake has Autism

Narrated by a friend, this book talks about how autism affects Jake at school and at home. Autism is a common condition that affects a child’s social skills as well as organisation and processing.

This book explains autism in a simple way.  While it explains the difficulties encountered by a child with autism, it recognises that all children with autism are different. Read more. 

Rinda Ho is from Western Australia and her nonfiction book, Amazing Adventures in Hearing God’s Voice, released in January.

Amazing Adventures in Hearing God’s Voice

WANTED: Ordinary people to embark on amazing adventures in hearing God’s voice.

It is so exciting to hear His voice, especially for those who haven’t learned how to hear His voice before. Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with your heavenly Father? No more feeling that your prayer has hit the ceiling and bounced back to you, leaving you worried, sad, frustrated, and angry. Read more.

Jodie McCarthy is from Western Australia and her nonfiction book, Beauty in the Ashes: Learning to Lament, explores her journey through infertility and miscarriage.

Beauty in the Ashes: Learning to Lament

When Jodie McCarthy went through a season of infertility and miscarriage in her thirties she discovered what it truly means to grieve.

The depth of her sorrow and her anger at God shook the foundations of her faith. This led her on a journey of writing her story and collecting stories of other women; stories of death, divorce, and infertility.

Through her reflection, poems and sharing these stories of pain and loss, Jodie invites you to discover the importance of lament; how the hurt and the healing are intertwined. Read more.

Lisa Renee is from Western Australia and her novel, More Than A Second Chance, is set in Perth, Western Australia.

More Than A Second Chance

Cassie Chambers, a dedicated youth worker, is determined to rescue the troubled youth in the city of Perth, Australia. Cassie has made mistakes but hasn’t allowed tragedy or divorce to stop her. She devotes every working hour at Youth Connect. But her own needs are neglected.

Chef Chris Evanson offers work experience to young men from Youth Connect. Cassie and Chris’s encounters become more than sassy bantering with a hint of attraction. Chris is a sincere romantic.

How will Chris respond when he finds out her secret? Read more.

Amanda Vivier is from Western Australia and her new nonfiction book, Dear Creative Self: The Letter of Your Life, released on February 1.

Dear Creative Self: The Letter of Your Life

Dear Creative Self is a book written for those who want to change their relationship with creativity. It gives you tools, creative dates, letters and insights for innovation, by articulating seven important spheres of the creative process.

Amanda’s faith journey takes you all over the world with stories of her co-creation with God. She believes that as you grow in your understanding of spirituality and the power of creativity you will find your voice. The way we speak to ourselves about creativity matters and this book helps set up a scaffold that holds space for growth and self-expression. Read more.

Melanie Winkler is from Western Australia and her novel, Rosewood, is set in New South Wales.

Rosewood

Deep in debt, Jessica is forced to sell the family home. She wonders if God really cares that she is in such circumstances. He took her parents, her family, and now He seemed to be taking her last physical anchor. She has already decided to despise the stranger who will shortly walk the floors of her former home. Read more.

Do you know of any Christian authors from Western Australia? Do you know of any books set or connected to Western Australia? Please let us know in the comments.