Blog Archives
Bookish Updates!
Only a couple of weeks into the new year and already things are getting busy!
Here are 4 pieces of news from my world:
1. I recently found out I’m a finalist in the ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) Awards, so that is pretty exciting! Thanks to those who nominated me. Here are the books and categories I’m in:
- 12 DAVES OF CHRISTMAS – Best Paranormal
- HAUNTED EVER AFTER – Best Paranormal
- TARRIN’S BAY SERIES (The January Wish, February or Forever) – Best Continuing Series
If you’re an ARRA member, you can vote now. If you’re not, membership is only $20 per year and you can join HERE.
I look forward to attending the awards dinner in Canberra in March! If you’re going, let me know so we can be sure to say hello to each other. 🙂
2. My upcoming Young Adult series, THE DELTA GIRLS, has new release dates…
SIGHT (book #1): July 14th 2015
SOUND (book #2): Oct 13th 2015
With the remaining 3 books releasing soon after, dates TBC. You can follow updates for this book series on twitter at @DeltaGirlsBook
3. It’s only 7 weeks to go until my next book is released! MIRACLE IN MARCH will be available on March 8th. iTunes has a preorder available now for only 99c here.
This book is the 3rd in my bestselling, award-finalling Tarrin’s Bay series. Although part of a linked series, it is also a stand-alone story, so if you haven’t read the others it doesn’t matter, you can start with the March book if you like or you might wish to read THE JANUARY WISH and FEBRUARY OR FOREVER first before March is released.
4. I now have a Facebook group for those who’d like to keep up to date with my news as it happens and also interact and chat about important things like books, characters, chocolate…etc. Sometimes fans of Facebook pages don’t see all the updates, so a group is a way to get notified of updates and also to post in the group yourself and chat with other members. You can join here. I’ve also posted the first two chapters of MIRACLE IN MARCH in the group, so join up and have a sneak peek! 🙂
Happy Reading…
~ Juliet xx
Book News: I’ve signed another contract!
The paperwork is all in order so I can now officially announce that I’ve signed a 3 book contract with my publisher, Escape Publishing (digital imprint of Harlequin Australia)! 😀
The books are as follows:
- HAUNTED EVER AFTER (previously Haunted Housewives) – a romagic comedy novel about a prim and proper bride-to-be who is haunted by the ghost of her fiance’s ex-girlfriend on her hen’s/bachelorette weekend away. There’ll be fun and games, a stripper who has more to reveal than rock-hard abs, and one very feisty red-haired ghost on a mission. Releasing 1st September 2014.
- 12 DAVES OF CHRISTMAS – a heartwarming romagic comedy Christmas novella about a romance writer who spends more time on her fictional love lives than her own, and receives a surprising visit from her Grandmother’s ghost asking for help to find her first love, Dave, who disappeared during the war. Cue a Christmas road trip, and a series of funny and touching moments as they work their way through a list of Daves in search of the right one. Releasing 1st December 2014.
- MIRACLE IN MARCH (tentative title) – Book #3 in the Tarrin’s Bay series, though a complete stand-alone story just like The January Wish and February or Forever. …Miracle in March is about two ex-lovers both in need of a miracle, who find themselves unexpectedly reunited during a one week stay at the Tarrin’s Bay Beachside Cabins. Emma’s hiding the truth about why she ended their relationship six years ago, and James is no longer a high-flying lawyer but a single stay-at-home dad with an autistic son. At the Town of New Beginnings, truths will be shared, dreams will be remembered, and a miracle or two just may occur. Releasing 1st March 2015.
I can’t wait to share the first book, Haunted Ever After, with you in September! The other two are currently in progress, so I’m working hard on making them as enjoyable as possible and meeting my deadlines!
I use Pinterest a lot for inspiration, so if you’d like to follow my boards for each of these books, here are the links:
Haunted Ever After on Pinterest, 12 Daves of Christmas on Pinterest, Miracle in March on Pinterest.
You can also stay updated by subscribing to this blog, and to my email updates at www.julietmadison.com (free gift included!).
BIG thanks to my publisher for continuing to publish my books, and to my readers and reviewers who keep me in business! 🙂
~ Juliet
FEBRUARY OR FOREVER on special for 99 cents
If you haven’t yet got a copy of my heartwarming women’s fiction and coastal romance novel FEBRUARY OR FOREVER, or would like to send an inexpensive gift copy to a friend to give them a boost, now is the time! It is on special for only 99 cents on Amazon. The deal may not be available in all countries though, so please check the relevant links below:
Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/February-Forever-Juliet-Madison-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHQ/
Amazon.com.au link: http://www.amazon.com.au/February-Or-Forever-Juliet-Madison-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHQ/
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/February-Or-Forever-Juliet-Madison-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHQ/
This book is the second in my linked Tarrin’s Bay series, but is a complete stand alone so you don’t need to have read the first book, The January Wish, beforehand (though you can if you choose!).
FEBRUARY OR FOREVER is set in a small Australian coastal country town and has romance, friendship, family dramas, and secrets, and revolves around the premise – what if your favourite celebrity fell in love with you? Think about your favourite singer, actor, or celebrity, or your fave from long ago… can you imagine what it would feel like if you met them and romance blossomed? That was what I tried to capture in this story. Chrissie is a hardworking single mother with a challenging six year old son, and has loved Drew Williams’ music (and um, his ‘personality’) for eighteen years, ever since he won a television talent show and shot to international stardom. Now he’s back in The Bay where he grew up, with plans to escape his busy life for just one month. But can one month become forever when he and his private yoga teacher Chrissie fall in love?
Discover the beautiful and enticing Tarrin’s Bay… join Chrissie and Drew at Serendipity beachside health retreat, the enchanting rural property of Honeydew House, the quaint Miracle Park, and the secluded part of the beach on a starry moonlit night…
Here’s what people are saying about FEBRUARY OR FOREVER:
- “Brilliant! … February or Forever is a fun, heartwarming story that will stay with me for a long time to come. It left me smiling at my eReader, making “woop” sounds all the way through and of course, made me cry. It’s a modern day fairy tale about a girl meeting her celebrity crush.. except that it’s nothing like that. And it’s why I loved this book so much.” ~ Maryline VP
- “This book brought out all of my emotions from laughing to crying. Highly recommend read.” ~ Sbart61
- “I totally loved this book! … Honestly, I’m not the one to drool over fictional heroes, but man..Drew really won my heart. He’s gorgeous, successful, yet such a friendly, kind, family guy. It was really nice to read about a normal celebrity for a change.” ~ Ananda
And here’s a little snippet from the book:
Motherhood had taught Chrissie to be a great multi-tasker. She could cook dinner, answer Kai’s ridiculously difficult questions about outer space, and do her one hundred bi-weekly calf raises while writing the next day’s shopping list. ‘Good, that’s better,’ she said, taking her hands off Drew and letting him sustain the pose. ‘I don’t want to see any more of those spaghetti arms.’
‘You going all Dirty Dancing on me?’
‘Whatever works.’
Drew’s posture loosened slightly as he chuckled. ‘Just don’t put me in the corner if I do things wrong.’
Chrissie laughed. ‘Don’t worry, nobody puts Drew in the corner.’
Drew eased out of the pose and turned to face her. ‘My puns are rubbing off on you.’
‘If only it was your singing ability.’
A smile formed on his lips.
‘How do you know Dirty Dancing so well, anyway? I thought it was a chick flick.’
‘I’ve seen it. I have a good memory.’ He shrugged. ‘And anyway, Sarah was obsessed with it as a young teenager, she had it on VHS and watched it over and over again on the only television set in the house. The script and songs are ingrained into my subconscious memory.’
Chrissie found herself swaying playfully side to side. ‘Are you a good dancer?’
He held his arms out to the side. ‘Am I a good dancer?’ he asked confidently as though he was Johnny Castle himself. ‘I’ll let you be the judge of that.’ He waltzed over to her in a sexy swagger and grabbed her, tipping her torso backwards.
‘Whoa!’ Chrissie straightened up. ‘Wasn’t expecting that.’
‘Expect the unexpected,’ Drew said dramatically, placing one hand on her waist and the other on her hand, in dance position. He stepped forwards and she moved with him, he turned and changed direction and she followed, trusting his lead, until she stepped on his foot.
‘Ouch! Lucky you weren’t in heels.’
‘If I was in heels I would have fallen over back there.’ She pointed to the direction they’d come from. ‘How those ballroom dancers do it I have no idea.’ She broke away from his grasp. ‘Anyway, this isn’t exactly yoga now is it? You, Mister, should behave.’ She jabbed her finger towards his chest.
‘You were the one who asked if I could dance. And besides, what’s wrong with mixing up the classes a little?’
‘So you want to…dance with me?’
‘Why not?’ He shot her a cheeky grin.
She matched it with one of her own. ‘Then there’s only one thing that’s missing.’ She walked over to the corner table and plucked her phone from her bag. She went to scroll through the iPod playlists but opted for YouTube instead. When she found what she was looking for she placed her iPhone in the speaker dock on the table, pressed play, then turned to look at Drew.
His face lit up in recognition when the music began. The unmistakeable song, The Time of my Life, filled the room, its slow, breezy start encouraging her to saunter across the room towards him. Drew eyed her with anticipation, curling his finger to entice her closer, then her body was against his, captivated by a playful eagerness in his eyes.
>>To read more, get your copy here…
To share this post, copy & paste any of the following:
What if your favourite celebrity fell in love with you? FEBRUARY OR FOREVER by @Juliet_Madison on special #99c! http://amzn.com/B00HQ5ZEHQ
#WeekendReads! FEBRUARY OR FOREVER special deal – only #99c! Limited Time offer http://amzn.com/B00HQ5ZEHQ @Juliet_Madison #bookworm #books
My First Book Trailer: February or Forever
In February I’ll have five books out in total and thought it was about time I made a book trailer for at least one of them! So I chose to create one for my upcoming release, February or Forever (1st Feb 2014 from Escape Publishing).
You can view the video here or on YouTube, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you get notified of my future book trailers.
Do you have a favourite book trailer? Share the link in the comments. Or perhaps you’re an author and have one yourself? Share the link too! 🙂
A New Year, A New Book! THE JANUARY WISH is here… [Plus Giveaway]
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, 2014, here we are! And what better way to kickstart the new year than by relaxing with a good book? Don’t know what to read? Problem solved: my new novel releases today, 1st Jan, THE JANUARY WISH. 🙂
Here’s what the book is about:
From Escape’s queen of ro-magic comedy comes a sweet, emotional contemporary romance about the pleasures of making a wish and seeing it come true.
When Dr Sylvia Greene makes an impromptu wish at the Tarrin’s Bay Wishing Festival, it’s the most out of character action she can think of. Hers is not a life of wishes. Hers is a controlled life of order, plans and preparation…of science and research and diagnosis and treatment. But her past has been weighing on her mind, and decisions made long ago have far-reaching consequences.
A week later, the daughter she secretly gave up for adoption at sixteen arrives in Sylvia’s small coastal town with secrets that can’t be shared. Between feelings of guilt, gossip, and a growing attraction to an emotionally unavailable colleague, Sylvia’s well-ordered life is soon thrown into chaos. She is no longer alone, and for the first time she feels as if her world is open to possibilities.
They say be careful what you wish for, but, for Sylvia, the unexpected consequences may be just what the doctor ordered.
THE JANUARY WISH is perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs and Sherryl Woods, and those who like small town books like Susan Mallery’s ‘Fools Gold‘ series. The (then unpublished) manuscript of The January Wish was also a finalist in the Choc Lit Search for an Australian Star contest in 2012. It is the first in the Tarrin’s Bay series, and the second book FEBRUARY OR FOREVER is releasing soon, on 1st Feb 2014.
>>Buy THE JANUARY WISH from all good ebook retailers:
Amazon – Amazon UK – Amazon Aus – iTunes/iBookstore – Kobo – B&N/Nook – GooglePlay – BigW ebooks – Booktopia – JB HiFi – ebooks.com – All Romance ebooks
WIN STUFF! I’m running a giveaway for the whole month of January. You could win:
1. A $25 Amazon Gift Card to spend on anything at Amazon (you can get quite a few ebooks for that!)
2. A beautiful coastal photographic print of the setting of the novel (South Coast of NSW Australia). The print is unframed so you can put it in a frame of your choice, and measures approximately 30 x 21cm (12 x 8 inches). I’ll also throw in some autographed book cover cards for you too. I will send this anywhere in the world.
>>Enter via rafflecopter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
There are several ways to enter and if you like you can tweet about the giveaway each day and get extra entries, just visit any of the posts during my tour schedule and click the rafflecopter link to ‘tweet about the giveaway’ on as many days in January as you choose. All other entry options in the rafflecopter form are once only. The winner will be drawn on 1st Feb and will be notified via email.
THE JANUARY WISH BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
Read more about The January Wish, myself, and my writing life during my blog tour. Here are the blogs and dates in January I’ll be visiting:
1st: ARRA blog.
2nd: Jenn J McLeod’s blog – interview.
3rd: Jennie Jones’ blog – interview.
4th: Special Event: THE WISHING FESTIVAL day 1 – on Facebook. Join now!
5th: Special Event: THE WISHING FESTIVAL day 2 – on Facebook. Join now!
6th: Rachael Johns’ blog – guest post.
8th: The Australian Bookshelf – Author Q&A.
10th: Whitney K-E’s blog – guest post.
11th:
12th:
13th: Juanita Kees’ blog – guest post.
14th: Eva Scott’s blog – interview.
15th: RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) – Author Spotlight.
16th: a) Tea Cooper’s blog – guest post.
b) Aussie Owned & Read – guest post.
17th:
18th: Fiction Dreams – interview.
19th:
20th: Darlene Fredette’s blog – Book spotlight & excerpt.
21st:
22nd: Katherine Givens’ blog – interview.
23rd: Jenny Schwartz’s blog – guest post.
Escape Publishing blog – guest post.
24th:
25th:
26th:
27th: The Neverending Bookshelf – interview.
28th:
29th:
30th: Chick Lit Central – interview.
31st:
>> Join the Tarrin’s Bay Series Readers Group on Facebook here, for fun, discussions, competitions, sneak peeks, photos, and more.
COVER REVEAL! February or Forever
Ta-da! The cover fairies have been at it again! FEBRUARY OR FOREVER will be released on 1st Feb 2014. And you can add it to Goodreads HERE.
This is the second book in my new Tarrin’s Bay series, perfect for those who like romance and women’s fiction set in small towns, especially towns by the beach. February or Forever is one of my faves, and with this and all books in this series I guarantee you a beautiful setting, true to life characters facing compelling issues, gotta-be-together romance, family drama, and friendship. Overall; rich, heartwarming stories with a happy, uplifting ending.
FEBRUARY OR FOREVER
“In this heartwarming coastal romance, Escape bestselling author Juliet Madison asks, what if your favourite celebrity fell in love with you?”
Yoga teacher and single mother, Chrissie Burns has a plan: move into the rundown beach house left to her by her deceased aunt, renovate it, sell it, and move on. The scene of a terrible accident years ago, the house needs to get out of Chrissie’s hands as soon as possible.
But Tarrin’s Bay, where the house stands, has more to offer than bad memories. The town is lovely, the people friendly, and even Chrissie’s young son finds friends and begins coming out of his shell. Employed at Serendipity Retreat as a yoga instructor, Chrissie is shocked to be given the role of private teacher to Drew Williams, Australia’s top singer/songwriter for the month.
Relationships between instructors and clients are strictly forbidden, but Drew draws happiness out of Chrissie with his down-to-earth nature and sense of humour. Days of stretching and bending may bring Chrissie unexpected peace and strength, but she knows that this interlude must end, and there’s no pose or position to aid her when Drew walks away and leaves her broken-hearted.
I just love the colours in this cover, and the image is perfect for the story – you will see in the ending of the book why it is so right!
Add to Goodreads.
COVER REVEAL! The January Wish
Ta da! What do you think? It’s amazing to finally see this story come to life as it’s been a long road to publication for this one. I think the cover really suits the feeling and emotion of the story, and hints at the secrets hiding behind the characters and this small coastal town.
Thanks to the team at Harlequin Australia / Escape Publishing for another fab cover!
The January Wish will release on 1st January 2014 and kickstarts my Tarrin’s Bay Series, and the good news is you won’t have to wait long for the second installment – February or Forever releases a month later, on 1st February! Yep, I’ve been hard at work making sure I could have the second one ready for readers right away 😉
So what is The January Wish about? It’s a sweet, emotional romance about the pleasures of making a wish and seeing it come true. It’s a blend of contemporary romance and women’s fiction, perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs and Sherryl Woods. This story is unique in that it is told in three points of view, one of which belongs to an eighteen-year-old girl whose journey and romance of her own make this a New Adult (NA) and Adult story in one! It’s also a small town romance, a coastal romance, and a medical romance (just to cover all bases, you know?) 😉
When Dr Sylvia Greene makes an impromptu wish at the Tarrin’s Bay Wishing Festival, it’s the most out of character action she can think of. Hers is not a life of wishes. Hers is a controlled life of order, plans and preparation…of science and research and diagnosis and treatment. But her past has been weighing on her mind, and decisions made long ago have far-reaching consequences.
A week later, the daughter she secretly gave up for adoption at sixteen arrives in Sylvia’s small coastal town with secrets that can’t be shared. Between feelings of guilt, gossip, and a growing attraction to an emotionally unavailable colleague, Sylvia’s well-ordered life is soon thrown into chaos. She is no longer alone, and for the first time she feels as if her world is open to possibilities.
They say be careful what you wish for, but, for Sylvia, the unexpected consequences may be just what the doctor ordered.
This book was the second book I ever wrote, and went through lots of revisions to make it the best it could be, and I was thrilled when it was announced one of the six finalists in the Choc Lit Publishing Search for an Australian Star contest in 2012.
The setting of the story, Tarrin’s Bay, is based closely on the town I live in on the South Coast of NSW, Australia, so I hope I’ve captured the heart and soul of this special place on the page for reader’s to enjoy… Tarrin’s Bay is known as The Town of New Beginnings.
If you’d like to see some pictorial inspiration for The January Wish, you can visit my Pinterest board here. And add it to your Goodreads shelf here!
So until January 1st… I hope your wishes come true 🙂
~ Juliet xx
Book News: My 5th Book To Be Published!
I’m excited to announce that I’ve signed a contract for my novel FEBRUARY OR FOREVER, and it will be released by Escape Publishing on 1st February (how appropriate) in 2014!
You may know that I have another novel releasing on 1st January, called The January Wish, and February or Forever will follow on from that as part of a linked series of books set in the same small town of Tarrin’s Bay. Both are stand-alone stories, you can read them both in any order you choose (I wrote February or Forever without any spoilers for The January Wish), but some characters do reappear. I hope you will fall in love with the beautiful small Australian coastal town I’ve created that is based on the town I live in on the south coast of NSW, and of course, the characters!
I absolutely loved writing February or Forever, and it was the fastest book I’ve ever written (I’ll do another blog post at a later stage about how I wrote 84k in 27 days!). Hmm, it may even be my favourite. But that could have something to do with the awesome character of Drew Williams. 😉
February or Forever is a small town coastal romance with a women’s fiction bent. There are some rural elements also. Here’s the blurb:
What if your favourite celebrity fell in love with YOU?
Yoga teacher and single mother, Chrissie Burns has a plan: Move into the rundown beach house left to her by her deceased aunt, renovate it, sell it, and move on. As the scene of a terrible accident years ago, the sooner Chrissie can get rid of the house the better. But what she didn’t plan for during her time in Tarrin’s Bay was to be given the role of private yoga instructor to Drew Williams, Australia’s top singer/songwriter who is staying at the Serendipity Retreat during February for some R&R. Nor did she plan for her favourite celebrity crush to fall head over heels for her. As Chrissie deals with haunting memories, an intoxicating yet forbidden attraction to Drew, and the need to create a better life for her son, she’s put in the most challenging position she’s ever faced.
Did you get the pun in the last line? ‘position’ … ‘yoga’ … hehe. Puns play a bit of a role in the book too 😉
I can’t wait to hear what readers think of my Tarrin’s Bay series, and I’m so glad the first two books are releasing back-to-back at the start of 2014. So I better get a move on and write the ‘March’ book, eh?
Stay tuned for more details about the series (book cover for The January Wish should be ready by around mid-November), and subscribe to the blog if you don’t want to miss anything. For now, here’s a link to my Pinterest board with some pictorial inspiration for FEBRUARY OR FOREVER…
AND… stay tuned also for some more good news I’ll be announcing very soon!! 😉
When wishes come true…
In January 2011 I moved into a new house, in a new town, to start a new life. Somehow, I started a new book too! This book was The January Wish, set in my new town but with a fictional name. And exactly two years later (January 17th, 2013) I got an email with an offer of publication! Yes, I am excited to finally announce that I’ve signed my second publishing contract with Escape Publishing, the digital imprint of Harlequin Australia.
So now, two wishes have come true… my wish to have this story published, and my character Sylvia’s wish to… well, read the blurb to give you an idea 😉
When control-freak doctor, Sylvia Greene, makes an impromptu wish at the Tarrin’s Bay Wishing Festival, she doesn’t expect it to come true, but a week later her ordered life is thrown into chaos when the daughter she secretly gave up for adoption at sixteen turns up in town. While dealing with deeply entrenched guilt, small town gossip, and a burgeoning attraction for her emotionally unavailable colleague, she discovers her daughter harbors a secret that could threaten to tear them apart once again.
The genre of this story sits on the border between contemporary romance and women’s fiction, although it will probably be put into the contemporary romance slot because although the story has themes of motherhood, career, and friendships, tying the whole story together is an emotional romance that I hope will have readers aching for the hero and heroine to be together.
The January Wish is the first book in my proposed ‘Tarrin’s Bay’ series, with each book being a stand-alone story but set in the same town with some familiar characters appearing in each book. Each book is also named after one of the calendar months, and I’ll be working on the second book, February or Forever, later this year which I’m really excited about as I’ve been plotting it for months! I’m also creating a ‘Tarrin’s Bay’ website to help bring the town to life for readers. Tarrin’s Bay is called ‘The Town of New Beginnings’ – it’s where people go for a holiday to find they never want to leave. There are beautiful beaches set against a backdrop of lush green rural land, a close-knit community, friendly people, quaint shops – including an old fashioned bookshop, and an historic wishing fountain in the town’s popular meeting spot – Miracle Park.
What makes this book unique is that it has three points of view – the hero, the heroine, and an eighteen year old girl, with each of their lives and stories being linked to each other’s. There’ll be laughter, there’ll be tears, and there’ll be secrets revealed.
Last year, The January Wish was one of the six finalists in the Choc Lit Search for an Australian Star contest, and I was completely gobsmacked when I found out! Although I didn’t win, it gave me confidence that readers might enjoy this story, and I can’t wait to share it with you on 1st December 2013. It was going to be released in January to tie in with the title, but by releasing in December instead it allows time to build up some excitement around the upcoming new year, which is what starts off the story – at the Tarrin’s Bay annual Wishing Festival in January.
Here’s a little snippet:
The coin in Sylvia’s pocket cooled her warm fingers as she fiddled with it impatiently. At least this was all for charity. That would be her excuse if anyone asked why she – Dr. Sylvia Greene – sceptic and all round party-pooper, was making a wish. She had a great life; an interesting career, a best friend, good health, a nice house, and even a new boyfriend. What else could she possibly wish for? What was she doing here?
To see some pictures I’ve collected that give you a feel for the story, have a look at my Pinterest page for The January Wish here.
To keep updated on this book and the Tarrin’s Bay series, you can subscribe to my blog by filling in your email address at the top right corner of this page (if you’re on a smartphone, click ‘view full site’ at the bottom, then go to the subscribe form). I look forward to bringing you interesting articles and posts about this upcoming book and series in the lead up to it’s release!
Have you ever made a wish that came true? 😉
MY LITTLE PART OF AUSTRALIA [Australia Day Book Giveaway Blog Hop!]
I’m excited to be part of the Book’d Out Australia Day Blog Hop! I, along with many other Australian bloggers and authors are running giveaways between Jan 25th and Jan 28th to celebrate Australia and the Australian writing community, so be sure to check out all the other blogs participating too – you could win lots of prizes! I’m giving away a $20 Amazon gift voucher and an ebook copy of my short story SISTERS AT HEART, a heartwarming tale set in the small Australian town of Tarrin’s Bay (fictional, but based on where I live… read more about that below).
MY LITTLE PART OF AUSTRALIA:
I moved from the mountains to the sea two years ago, and in a way, I feel like I’m on holidays ALL THE TIME. Not that I sit about relaxing all day – far from it! – but the location, my surroundings, the atmosphere, it has that magical holiday feel.
I live in a town called Kiama on the south coast of New South Wales. Every morning I step out on my balcony and gaze at the ocean, watching the waves crash against the headland and breathing in the fresh, salty air. I love it. And I love the surrounding towns too.
Here are some other things I love about my little part of Australia…
~ The people – Everyone is so friendly, from the stranger saying hello while out walking to the customer service with a smile at one of the many shops. There’s a real sense of community spirit and united appreciation for this beautiful place.
~ The landscape – We are lucky to have both a scenic coastline with beautiful beaches and also a vast rural landscape of lush green hills and farmland. It’s country and coast combined. Many tourists come to visit our two popular blowholes and stand by with cameras at the ready to capture the sudden, huge splurge of water shooting through the rocks from the ocean below.
~ The climate – Although we get some really cold days in winter and some really hot days in summer (45°C last week!), most of the time the weather sits in the perfect early to mid 20’s. I love that it’s not usually as hot as up north and I love that it’s not as cold as the mountains where I used to live (and needed gloves, thermals, two pairs of socks, and a heavy layer of blankets that required super human strength to lift off in the morning!). It’s a nice ‘in-between’ type of climate.
~ The best of both worlds – Being the first country town south of Sydney, it has that homely small town feel – no high rises, no major shopping centres, no McDonald’s…etc, while still offering all the conveniences of modern society.
~ The events – There is always something to do, especially on weekends (Kiama is a popular tourist destination – it is packed in January!). The seaside markets are always popular… I love strolling around the harbour and looking at all the arts, crafts, jewellery, books, food, and other interesting finds while watching the sunlight shimmer on the ocean. There are jazz festivals, arts festivals, surfing competitions, a local show with fireworks, New Years Eve celebrations, and a wonderful Christmas carols in the park each year.
Have I convinced you to move here yet? If there’s no chance of that you can still enjoy this special place through my upcoming series of novels set in the fictional town of Tarrin’s Bay, which I’ve based on Kiama and other surrounding towns. Watch this space! And you can read a bit about this series on my ‘books’ page. Remember to subscribe to the blog to keep updated on news.
And now for the giveaway…
>>To WIN a $20 Amazon gift voucher and an ebook copy of my short story SISTERS AT HEART, leave a comment below and answer the following question:
‘What do you love about Australia? Or if you’re not an Aussie, why do you want to visit Australia?’
*Competition open worldwide and closes at midnight 28th January. Winner will be announced in this post and notified via email.
And don’t forget, once you’ve left a comment, go check out the list of other blogs participating in this Australia Day Blog Hop at Book’d Out and Confessions from Romaholics.
Good luck, and ‘av a happy Austraya Day! 😉
JULIET MADISON 