Lily Malone's Blog, page 10

So Far Into You – It’s Here!

Fridays are always wonderful in this house (#AllTheWine) but today got extra special. My new novel, So Far Into You, is up for pre-order today :)

This story begins in Margaret River and moves to the Adelaide Hills (much like I did, only I came back to Margaret River a few years ago). The book is very close to my heart because it’s set in two parts of the world that I love, and the bones of Seth and Remy’s story was the very first story I ever tried to write. (Not that you’d recognise it now…)

So I’m extra excited this Friday, can you tell?

If you’re interested, you can pre-order So Far Into You from these providers below:

Amazon Australia click: here

Amazon US click: here

And if you’re an Apple kind of girl or guy: itunes

Bye Bye Liv & Owen

My novella, The Goodbye Ride, has come off the cyber shelves for a while.
Today, I signed a Contract with Escape Publishing for the book, and took The Goodbye Ride down from Amazon where it has been self-published since May 2013.
Hopefully it will be back in publication in 2016 with a new cover, and maybe a few edits and tweaks. But, it will always be Liv and Owen’s story set in Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills over the June (Queen’s Birthday) long weekend.
I also have big news about Fairway To Heaven. Fairway is a ‘Kindle Monthly Deal’ for August. It’s been discounted to $1.09 (Australia), about 72cents in the US. Today it cracked the Amazon Australia Top 100 – which is virgin territory for me.
I took a screen shot to prove it!

It has been a wild, wonderful, crazy week – and there is more news to come for Fairway, but the powers-that-be at Escape won’t let me tell anyone yet :)

 

Rare Air!

I love surprises – when they’re good ones. Not such a fan of bad surprises!

But this was very welcome this morning. The good fairies of Amazon have put Fairway To Heaven on sale for $1.49 at Amazon Australia and when I woke up this morning it was ranked 220!

Right now, I’m sitting beside my wonderful author friend, Jennie Jones, side by side with The House On Burra Burra Lane and 12 Days At Silver Bells House. It’s got to be said, I don’t often get to sit beside Jennie, unless we’re drinking champagne!

Somehow, that makes my day even more special!

The trick here is, it’s impossible to know how long the sale lasts. So please make sure you check before you click, just in case it’s all over red rover :)

Amazon Australia Buy link

Cover Reveal | So Far Into You

I really think this is the very best part of writing – not release day, but getting a brand new book cover!

You saw it here first! This is my cover for my new book, Seth and Remy’s story, So Far Into You, out October 22 with Escape Publishing.

I love it! Thank you to the brilliant cover fairies at Escape. :)

Naming Babies (and book characters)

I’m thinking about my next book, which means I’m thinking about characters and character names. I like this stage very much – it’s a bit like naming a new baby. 

These are the names I’ve used so far for my main characters, and a bit about why I chose them.

His Brand Of Beautiful

Christina Clay
Right from the beginning, I thought of having a character who would be nicknamed CC by her friends. I also needed something that would work with the name of the family winery in this book, Clay Wines. In the book, a brand is developed for Clay Wines that is called Cracked Pots. Clay. Pots. Get it?

Tate Newell
On a visit to the Sunshine Coast in 2012 we drove on the Newell Highway… need I say more? As for ‘Tate’ this book begins with a ‘mistaken identity’ premise, and I needed a quick short name that could get confused if heard over dodgy reception on the phone. So for me this became a mixup with Tate and Nate.

There is also the character of Christina’s best friend, Lacey in this book. Lacey’s name came from the American So You Think You Can Dance that year.

The Goodbye Ride

Olivia Murphy
Olivia is a personal favourite. If I’d ever had a baby girl, I would have called her Olivia, or Liv, as Olivia gets shortened to in The Goodbye Ride. As for Murphy, I’m not so sure. There was a family with the surname ‘Murphy’ and they had a boy going to my son’s school. I don’t think it’s any deeper than that.

Owen Carson
Being brutally honest, there was an ‘Owen’ in my early years who I didn’t like much at all, but it’s a nice name… As for Carson, I have no idea. Carson’s Law anyone?

Fairway To Heaven

Jennifer (Je nn) Gates

I have met and got to know so many Jenn’s since I started this writing life. Jenn J McLeod, Jennie Jones, Jenny Schwartz, Jennifer Scoullar, Jennie Brumley, Jennifer St George… it starts to read like the ‘attack of the Jen’s’ – and they are all lovely. The Jenn in Fairway to Heaven was never going to be named anything else. From the time she first swung a golf club, she was Jenn in my head.

Brayden Culhane
My mother is convinced my fictional ‘Brayden’ and my real husband ‘Brian’ are one and the same… I have no idea if she’s right of course ;)

Sebastian
Sebby is Jennifer’s toddler son in Fairway. I know a lot of Sebastian’s (Sebby’s) and they are great kids. Kudos to my cousin Yvette and my friend Tanja for this name. Thank you for letting me borrow it!

So Far Into You (Out October 2015)

Remy Hanley
Remy Hanley was ‘Quinn Jackson’ for a very long time. Years in fact, because this book has been brewing in various guises for about that long. Somewhere in the last rewrite in 2014, Quinn became Remy in a massive case of ‘Find and Replace’. I blame the same friend Tanja once again. She has a daughter called Remy and I love this name! I’ve lost touch with a lovely friend I had years ago with the surname ‘Hanley’… maybe that choice is a tie to her, but I don’t think it was one I consciously thought about.

Seth Lasrey
Big bad Seth was ‘Dex’ all the time ‘Remy’ was ‘Quinn’… then when Quinn became Remy (are you confused yet?) Dex became Seth. This time, I blame a brilliant television show called Deadwood, starring the delectable Timothy Oliphant. (Or Raylan in Justified if you prefer). The moment I discovered Seth Bullock hiding in Deadwood, Dex Lasrey died and was reborn. I like him much better as Seth.

The New Book (No Name)

Characters so far are: Cally Morgan, Sienna Devereux, Uncle Bruce Devereux, also a dude called Brookes… and now I’m wondering, my Mum might be right in her comment about me and ‘Br’ names… Brian, Brayden, Bruce and Brookes. I’ve also got a secondary character of Bryce in So Far Into You and a Burt in another book I’ve been messing around with. ‘B’ and ‘C’ names seem to be on my hit list. I have a sister-in-law called Bronwyn and a wonderful neighbour called Carrie… I guess that puts them on the hit list for a character one of these days!

What about you? If you could name the heroine and hero of your own book, who would they be? If you’re a writer, do you have any deeper motivations than me about what makes you choose a name?

Weekend of Words and Walks

It’s a long weekend in West Australia this weekend for Western Australia day – which apparently got its name changed from Foundation Day when I wasn’t looking :)

I’ve had a wonderful weekend. I’ve finished the first round of edits for my next book, So Far Into You, which is due for release in October this year with Escape Publishing. I’m working with Belinda Holmes on edits, and after a bit of a struggle with my own self-doubt late last week, I managed to get in the swing of the book and finish it Saturday afternoon. My additions (there are lots) are now back with Belinda for her input. I’ll probably see them once more before we count this book done.

In Margaret River it has been the annual Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival. Lots of bookish friends have been staying in Margies and visiting the Festival each day. Carol Seeley who blogs at Reading, Writing and Riesling, has written great wrap-ups of each day of the Festival. She told me romance author Fiona Palmer’s talk was particularly inspirational, and I know Carol enjoyed meeting one of her favourite authors, Robert Gott.

Also visiting for the festival were three people who I have only previously cyber-met, but who have become friends, particularly the lovely and talented Louise Allan who had her novel, Ida’s Children, final in the 2014 City of Fremantle TAG Hungerford Award. Louise, Rae Hilhorst, and Swanbourne Bookcaffe manager and aspiring writer, Emily Paul, travelled from Perth together and had weekend passes to the Festival.

On Saturday night, Louise, Rae and Emily came to visit at my place. Hubby lit the firepit at the base of our block (I think this was so he could watch football uninterrupted by four women talking about books), and we sat watching the rising moon and the stars, sharing several glasses of wine, nibbles and a meal around the fire. I don’t think we stopped talking for about 3.5 hours, except to take another sip of wine. It was so cold away from the fire that our white wine didn’t need to be in an ice bucket, and our red wine ended up rather chilled (to say the least).

It was a great evening, and very inspiring, like I find most times I get the chance to talk books and writing with other authors, bloggers and writers, no matter what stage of their writing careers. (#DirtyDraft sessions, I’m thinking about you).

Looking south from the carpark at Gnoocardup (pardon the spelling). Imagine an Irish woman trying to mangle this pronunciation… it’s said: Newkardup.

Topping off the weekend, things got physical today with a group of five ladies enjoying a walk along a 12.5km stretch of the Cape To Cape walking track. We dropped a car at Sea Gardens cafe in Prevelly this morning then drove back to Ellensbrook Homestead and walked from Ellensbrook to Prevelly, through Gnoocardup (which I shudder when I try to spell), Joey’s Nose, Kilcarnup and eventually to the Margaret River mouth.

Both Saturday and Sunday have been blessed days with the weather. Can you believe tomorrow is the first day of Winter and yet today, at the end of our walk, three of our party ended up jumping in the ocean for a swim? (Not me – I’m way too chicken! That water was cold!)

The Cape to Cape walk trail, at Cape Mentelle.

So, a wonderful weekend, capped off with a footy win for the West Coast Eagles… and there’s still another day going free tomorrow. Rumour is if the weather holds, it will involve fishing at Augusta. Or at the very least, lunch at the Augusta pub.

Lots of Bookish News

Well, not heaps of bookish news, but some.

First, my next book for release, So Far Into You, is currently in the hands of one of the wonderful team of Harlequin editors, the lovely Belinda Holmes. Belinda has edited some of my work before, for an anthology called It Happened At Cafe Nix that was released by a group of Escape Publishing authors earlier this year. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside to think I’d be working with Belinda again.

So Far Into You begins in Margaret River and moves to the Adelaide Hills, so it’s sort of mimicking my life. I was born near Margaret River and went to school here before moving to South Australia in late 2001 (although I’ve since moved back to Margaret River in 2013). The book is set in the wine industry and involves several events from my memories, the Margaret River Vintage Festival being one.

My early memories of the Margaret River Vintage/Wine Festival were way back when it was set in what was then a vacant lot (now a carpark and supermarket) beside the Settlers Tavern. I remember plank-walk races, and barrel races, and that the festival involved laughs, community, and drinking lots of wine.

So Far Into You begins with a meeting between the heroine, Remy, and the hero, Seth, at the Margaret River Wine Festival just prior to a storm that puts paid to the day. The book also includes some other favourite memories, such as bushwalking in spring and looking for orchids, which these characters do. Seth doesn’t know his donkey orchid from his cowslip, but Remy sets him straight.

Orchid spotting on a spring bush walk near where I live.

I’ve been told the book will be ready for release in October 2015, which is very exciting!

Yesterday, I heard from Escape about my last remaining self-pubbed work, the novella, The Goodbye Ride. After picking up Fairway To Heaven last year (this too was originally self-pubbed), Escape Publishing has now agreed to take The Goodbye Ride into their expert hands.

For me right now, I’m moving away from self-pubbing my work and I’ve been happy with this decision.

Last, just for a change of pace. A few of us in our writing group, The Naughty Ninjas, challenged eachother to write a shapeshifter romance in the last week or so. So I just did that (you know, as you do). It’s about 3500 words, involving a prehistoric animal as the ‘shifter’… I don’t have a name for the story yet, but it might just find a home at Wattpad.

#DATENIGHT SETS THE STAGE FOR WA #ROMANCE WRITERS

Lily Malone:

I was going to write my own #DateNight post – but Monique sums it up perfectly right here :)

Originally posted on Write Note Reviews:

Romance writers Jennie Jones, Lily Malone and Juanita Kees treated an appreciative audience of more than��50 to laughs, cheekiness and a tad of sauciness��at Stories on Stage: Date Night last night.

Part of the Stories on Stage series held at Koorliny Arts Centre in Perth���s southern suburbs, Date Night celebrated the romance genre, with the writers put under the spotlight during a panel interview ��� with me! The stage was set for the date with atmospheric lighting, a candle and a bottle of champagne, and quiet jazz music in the background.��And then, once the audience was settled, the ���getting to know you��� bit began.

It���s fair to say, there were a few nerves at this point. For me, this was a new experience ��� interviewing three writers in front of a crowd. Jennie���s no stranger to the stage with her theatre background, but Lily and Juanita had to take a���

View original 600 more words

Date Night Jitters

It’s a long weekend in Western Australia this weekend for ANZAC day – 100 year commemoration in fact – on a day that draws Australia and New Zealand together like no other day on the calender. Not rugby, nor cricket.

My eldest boy (he’s 7) has told his dad he wants to go to the dawn service in Margaret River. This starts at 6am. I’m not sure yet if they’ll be up and at ’em in time to make the ceremony… that will remain to be seen. For me, I’ll still be in bed, but I’ll remember the ANZACs in spirit.

I’ve been to Gallipoli and to ANZAC cove. I remember it as a stunningly beautiful place when I visited in the very early 1990s. I couldn’t then, and can’t really now, think of the devastation and noise and death that had happened at this beautiful beach all those years ago. I also remember how wonderfully��the Turkish people cared for the��graves and the area as a whole (they had lost so many sons too) – preserving it for those who had died on their land. It was an incredibly neat, groomed place. Time might have changed some of the landscape there, but I feel sure��it��won’t have��altered the spirit of that place.

On the home front, I’ll be preparing myself for #DateNight! Have I told you about Date Night? It’s something Monique Mulligan who blogs at Write Note Reviews cooked up for Perth authors, Jennie Jones, Juanita Kees and myself. We are appearing on April 29 at 7pm as part of��Stories On Stage at Koorliny Arts Centre. Monique will be asking all kinds of questions and I am certain several will be particularly curly.

Just like a real date, I’m trying to figure out what to wear. Beanie or no beanie? Hot scene excerpt from His Brand Of Beautiful or sweet scene excerpt from Fairway To Heaven? And who will do the reading? Me with my awful Aussie accent, or Jennie Jones���she of the acting background with the impeccable Welsh lilt… (I know who I’d rather listen to!)

If you are coming to Date Night, we look forward to seeing you there! If you’re still thinking about it, don’t wait too long. Apparently we three are rather a hot item, and tickets have sold faster than a backstage pass to a One Direction concert… :) Plus, Monique needs to know numbers so she can cook up her delicious treats for supper.

Enjoy your ANZAC day commemorations wherever they may be. From me, thank you to everyone who has fought and served for Australia in war.

I won’t forget.

Happy Release Day To Me

Dear World,

Would you please slow down? I cannot keep up with today!

It is release day for Fairway To Heaven – Mark 2 – out today with Escape Publishing. If you’re a regular visitor here you’ll know Fairway was first launched in 2014, but due to subsequent decisions about self-publishing not being the best fit for me, Escape accepted Fairway for publication late last year.

So – Fairway To Heaven – with a new cover, new blurb and a slightly newish ending, is out again today. It’s like��having deja-vu all over again.

Amongst wonderful things that have happened today is:

a blog post about what makes a house a home with blockbuster rural romance author Jennie Jones at her place��(so much classier than my place).
This great image by the incomparable Rhyll Biest, which won’t mean much unless you either wrote Fairway To Heaven (like me) or you’ve read it.


An amazing amount of��support from fellow Aussie authors and bloggers, and Facebook and Twitter friends. I appreciate your support so very much. When I got home from work, my FB notifications were at 62. 60-bloody-2, and don’t mention Twitter!
Later today, I’m a guest at��http://www.readingromance.com/��talking about how I come up with book titles.

So, in the words of Bill Lawry (sorry, couldn’t help a cricket reference) It’s ALL HAPPENING!

Lots of love from my place, to yours

Lily

xx

And if you’re interested in taking a look at Fairway To Heaven, please visit this link.��Whatever your e-reading option, you’ll find a buy-link from here.