Thursday, June 22, 2017

Focus on 'Aussie' Romance Authors


This month I’ve chosen to highlight fellow Aussie authors from my home town area. These are just some of the authors who make up the group ‘AWSOM’ (Authors South and West of Melbourne). Their sub-genres and writing styles may vary, but they're all dedicated, talented, passionate authors who write damn good books!


Lisa Ireland

Lisa Ireland lives on the Victorian coast with her husband and three sons. After working for many years as a primary school teacher, Lisa is a now a full-time writer.

Her novel, Feels Like Home, is an Australian Bestseller. In 2015 Lisa was one of the Top Ten Debut Fiction Authors in Australia. Her fourth novel, THE SHAPE OF US, was released in April 2017.

Lisa is passionate about art and travel and has a strong interest in human rights: she is an active supporter of several human rights organisations including the Combined Refugee Action Group, which provides assistance for refugees in her local region. When she’s not writing she can be found drinking coffee with friends or wandering along the beach with her extremely disobedient but totally loveable dogs, Millie and Lulu.


Feels Like Home

When celebrity novelist Johanna Morgan surprises everyone by arriving back in Linden Gully three weeks early for her best friend’s wedding, she’s shocked to find her ex-boyfriend Ryan Galloway is back too and well-integrated in the community as the local vet.

Jo’s maid-of-honour duties are not the only thing that’s brought her home. The family homestead of Yarrapinga is now her responsibility, and Jo needs to decide whether to keep it – and replace old memories with new ones – or sell it and cut off all ties to her childhood and her home.

Ryan has brought his young daughter home to Linden Gully to provide stability after the death of her mother. The last thing he needs is Jo’s return, and all of the emotional turmoil that she brings with her.

Thrown together as attendants at their best friends’ wedding, Jo and Ryan have no choice but to grin and bear all the tension. But it’s not only resentment lingering between them. The attraction is still there, and the heat and the memories.

They say you can’t come home again, but maybe, for Jo and Ryan, home is not just a place, but a state of the heart.

For links to purchase Feels Like Home or any of Lisa's other books click here.



Alli Sinclair 

Alli Sinclair is a multi award-winning author who spent her early adult years travelling the globe, intent on becoming an Indiana Jones in heels. She scaled mountains in Nepal, Argentina, and Peru, rafted the Ganges, and rode a camel in the Sahara. Argentina and Peru became her home for a few years and when she wasn’t working as a mountain or tour guide, Alli could be found in the dance halls dancing the tango, salsa, merengue, and samba.

All of these adventures made for fun storytelling and this is when she discovered her love of writing. Alli’s stories capture the romance and thrill of exploring new destinations and cultures that also take readers on a journey of discovery.

Alli was voted as Favourite New Romance Author 2014 by the Australian Romance Readers Association and Luna Tango was voted  2014 Book of the Year by Ausrom Today Readers Choice Awards. in 2016 Alli was voted Best Established Author in the Ausrom Today Readers Choice Awards.


Under The Spanish Stars

Amid the vivid beauty of Granada, a woman entrusted with unraveling a family secret will discover the truth about her heritage—and the alluring promise of love…

When her beloved grandmother falls ill, Charlotte Kavanagh will do whatever she asks of her—even if it means traveling to a country that broke her abuela’s heart. Can an unsigned painting of a flamenco dancer unlock the secrets of her grandmother’s youth in Spain? To find the answers she needs, Charlotte must convince the charismatic and gifted musician, Mateo Vives to introduce her to a secluded gypsy clan.

The enigmatic Mateo speaks the true language of flamenco, a culture Charlotte must learn to appreciate if she wants to understand her grandmother’s past—and the flamenco legend that has moved souls to beauty, and bodies to the heights of passion. As Mateo leads her into the captivating world of the music and the dance, Charlotte embraces her own long-denied creative gift and the possibility of a future rich with joy…

For links to purchase Under The Spanish Stars click here.


Fiona Lowe

Fiona Lowe has been a midwife, a sexual health counsellor and a family support worker; an ideal career for an author who writes novels about family and relationships. She spent her early years in Papua New Guinea, where without television, reading was the entertainment and it set up a lifelong love of books. One of her first teenage rebellions was refusing to go on a hike with her parents because she was half way through GONE WITH THE WIND. As an adult, Fiona read her way around the world always trying to read a book that related to where she was at the time; the Brontes in Yorkshire, Jane Austen in Bath, The Godfather in Italy, Michener in Hawaii...and so the list goes on.

Although she often re-wrote the endings of books in her head, it was the birth of her first child that prompted her to write her first novel. A recipient of the prestigious USA RITA®  award and the Australian RuBY award, Fiona's books are set in small country towns and feature real people facing tough choices and explore how family ties impact on their decisions.

When she's not writing stories, she's a distracted wife, mother of two 'ginger' sons, a volunteer in her community, guardian of 80 rose bushes, slave to a cat and is often found collapsed on the couch with wine. You can find her at FacebookTwitterPinterest and Goodreads or you can email her at fiona@fionalowe.com


Boomerang Bride

Matilda Geoffrey had risked it all for love. 

She'd left Australia to be with Barry -- the man who had swept her off her virtual feet. Now, wearing a wedding dress, she's alone on Main Street in small-town Wisconsin, and things aren't working out exactly as planned….

In town for his annual family visit, Marc Olsen had never seen a bride quite like Matilda -- staring into a storefront window, holding a tottering wedding cake and looking desperately in need of a groom. He doesn't have many warm feelings for his hometown, but meeting Matilda just as she discovers she's been scammed by her online "fiancé" stirs something in him.

Matilda is not the kind of woman Marc imagined himself with, and Marc is anything but the romantic hero that Matilda has always dreamed of. But as unlikely circumstances throw them together, can they let go of their misconceptions and risk their hearts for love?

For links to purchase Boomerang Bride or any of Fiona's other books click here.


DJ Michaels

Like most authors, DJ can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hand. The stories she read fired her imagination, and gave her a legitimate excuse to disappear for hours at a time into the endless realm of her imagination. As she grew older, she was drawn to fantasy and paranormal stories, and those elements feature heavily in the stories she writes.

DJ’s latest series is set in New York, but she’s an Aussie Girl. She lives on the beautiful south east coast of Australia, not too far from the Great Ocean Road. When she’s not spending time with her family and friends, she’s happily clacking away on her computer, stirring up trouble and ruling her imaginary world like a benevolent Queen.

Well…perhaps not always benevolent – because that would be boring.


Tempting Flame

Jasmine Teale will do anything for the sick kids she works for, including handcuffing herself to the security desk at Hope Towers – headquarters of the newly-arrived aliens. When a Jendari warrior decides to handle her demonstration personally, Jasmine realizes she’s in way over her head.

Tallis Ba’reah has no interest in the humans whose planet his people now share, and he’s done with the endless anti-alien protests. Until he confronts a soft, sexy, protest-of-one and he becomes far more interested than he should be.

Interspecies relationships are forbidden, and Tallis does his best to avoid temptation. But when Jasmine is put at risk because of her ties to him, he’s forced to admit his heart is in charge – not his head.

Tallis may not be able to claim her for his own, but he’ll do whatever it takes keep her safe.

Buy links:


I'm so pleased to share these fabulous authors with you. I know you'll love their stories as much as I do.



Lauren James is a country girl at heart. Raised on a small property surrounded by animals, it's no surprise she writes small town romance with lots of love for creatures great and small.

Having failed fabulously at painting, sewing and playing guitar, she finally found her creative outlet in writing strong, quirky heroines, and tough, handsome heroes with gooey animal-loving centers.

Lauren lives on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, with her beloved rescue greyhound, Daisy.

You can contact Lauren via her websiteFacebook or Twitter.


8 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Wow!!! Lauren you've certainly introduced me to amazing or AWSOM authors!!! Judith

Sarah Raplee said...

Love your writing group's acronym! Thank you for telling me about all these wonderful authors, Lauren! My TBR pile is growing by leaps and bounds this month!!!

Unknown said...

Judith and Sarah, their acronym is wonderful isnt' it? They're a clever and creative bunch!

My TBR pile was already unmanageable but after this month it's out of control! I probably need to retire now to have time to read everything!

Dora Bramden said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dora Bramden said...

Thanks for spotlighting a talented group of authors, including yourself. Looking forward to seeing a book from you soon.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Dora. I'm so glad you enjoyed reading about these fabulous authors.

Diana McCollum said...

Thanks for introducing us to these lovely ladies! I can't wait to try their books, which sound great!

MichelleSomers said...

Hi Lauren
Some of my favorite authors are in this group.
I love that Australia is home of some absolutely amazing authors.
Thanks for sharing them with us all.
Michelle xx