Interview with Autumn Macarthur, Plus a Giveaway!

I'd like to welcome Autumn Macarthur, a new member of Beyond the Borders and a first-time blogger here at ICFW. It's an important time for Autumn, as she prepares to launch her first book in September, a novella set in London titled THE WEDDING LIST. Her genre is contemporary Romance, with deep Christian undertones.

But let's back up. Autumn is Australian and lives in London with her British husband. She's a nature enthusiast, and she can tell you what to eat for longevity and optimal health. In short, Autumn has the mind of an entrepreneur, breaking into the Indie Market, and the spirit of a woman called to inspire. Welcome, Autumn!

Click to Tweet: Celebrating Autumn Macarthur’s first release: THE WEDDING LIST.

Autumn, if you don't mind, I’ll get right to your faith, which comes through in your writing, your smile, and your ever upbeat emails to our Beyond the Borders group. Who or what has been your greatest Christian influence? Did you experience a conversion at some point in your life or has your faith developed naturally since childhood?

Faith is a good place to start! I grew up in a household that didn’t welcome the hunger I had from an early age to learn more about God and to go to church. Dad claims to be an atheist, but I suspect he’s a lapsed believer who became angry with God after a personal tragedy in his teens.

I persevered and was allowed to attend church and go on Christian camps. At sixteen I first gave Jesus Lordship of my life, but there’s been a bit of a backwards and forwards struggle since then! Like my father, I spent far too many years angry with God when something I very much desired was denied me. Now, of course, I can see the effects of my mistakes, but at the time it was way easier to blame God than take responsibility.

Thankfully, God didn’t give up on me and about eighteen months ago I recommitted my life to Him. It’s still an everyday struggle to surrender and trust, but I love knowing He loves and supports me and understands my struggles.

He is the driving force behind everything I write.

I admire the honesty with which you write about your faith, the tug-of-wars and the Ah! moments we have with God. When writing, do you start with the faith element in your story as a springboard or with the story/plot itself?

I develop my characters first, usually the heroine. Once I know what gets in the way of her having the fullest possible relationships, not just with her romantic love, the hero, but with God, it’s clear what lessons of faith she needs to experience.

God has a tendency of teaching me the same lessons as I write! Often, as I pray about a personal issue, I’ll see how that same issue applies to a character. I hope that gives my stories sincerity and emotional depth and will satisfy readers. In a way, I’m right there with the heroine, going through the same emotional and spiritual journey, laughing with her and crying with her, too.

You've mentioned that you have a love affair with London. I live in London, as well, and love the taxi cabs. You can fit a baby's wagon in the back without folding it down! Can you name one aspect of London you most appreciate? Your first book is set in London. Any plans to use an Australian setting in the future?

David Iliff

I love the traces of history visible throughout London, not just the big attractions like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, but the random kiln in Notting Hill and the pubs that Dickens frequented.

THE WEDDING LIST is part of a series set in London I’m calling Love In Store. The series revolves around the staff of a London department store, with both American and Australian characters making appearances.

I love writing stories set elsewhere, too! I have plans for a series set in Oregon, U.S.A., the revised full of the first book is currently under consideration at Harlequin Love Inspired. I’m also working on two series set in Australia, one in a small rural town and the other set in a coastal village.

You blog about the little miracles you see in your garden. Does your passion for food and gardening make it into your writing? How about your three spoiled cats and dandelion-munching guinea pig? I couldn't resist asking!

I’m soon to start writing Book 3, with a foodie heroine who runs the kitchenware department at the store. A runaway hamster makes a guest appearance in Book 2. So far though, no gardeners, cats, or guinea pigs. I’m sure they will come!

I'm going to sneak this one in here: What is your favorite food from your garden?

LOL, if you saw my garden, you would know I can’t grow much food in it. The only vegetable  I have consistent success with is garlic, and that’s such a love/hate thing for people. Thankfully, I love it!

Michael Spencer

Bruschetta is a quick and easy summer dish using garlic. I made it for a picnic when my  husband and I were first dating, and he loved it so much it could be the reason he married  me!

So, while we’re on the topic of love, tell us a bit about your soon-to-be-launched novella THE WEDDING LIST. I love the title!

I’m always happy to talk about my stories! THE WEDDING LIST is the first in the Love in Store series. It will be released as an ebook on Amazon in early September. BELIEVE IN ME, Book 2, was a semi-finalist in the Inspirational Romance section of the Harlequin So You Think You Can Write contest last year. It will be out in October, and Book 3 with follow in early December.

THE WEDDING LIST features Beth Forrest. With her eye for beautiful design and her cut-glass accent, no-one would guess Beth’s impoverished background. It’s all throw pillows, china patterns, and upper class brides as she manages the Wedding Registry at Pettett & Mayfield, the stately maiden aunt of London department stores. It’s not quite her dream job, but each bride she helps plan their perfect home brings her one step closer to financing her own.

When James Tetherton-Hart, brilliant in his research lab but awkward and disorganised in everyday life, comes to the store in desperate need of both a gift and a partner for a wedding that evening, all her careful plans and meticulous checklists are turned upside down.

Now Beth's first love is back, determined to make her his partner for life, not just the evening. But unless Beth can let go of the mistaken beliefs that separated them before and learn the breadth of God’s love for us all, her only gift from the wedding will be another heartbreak.

I invite readers who want to find out more about my books and their release dates, as well as access exclusive members-only contests and “behind the book” blog posts, to sign up for my newsletter at http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com.

Sara, thank you for your thoughtful questions! I know we have folk from all over reading the blog. I’d love for readers to share what makes where they live special for them. I welcome any questions about my books, my writing process, or anything at all!

A giveaway of THE WEDDING LIST will go to one randomly selected reader who comments. It will be available early September to coincide with the launch. Formats include Mobi for Kindle, epub, or pdf. Don't forget to leave a comment!

Autumn Macarthur is an Australian writer of inspirational romance living near London with her very English husband, three spoiled cats, and a guinea pig with a dandelion addiction. She loves reading, cooking, gardening, and writing deeply emotional stories to make you smile and remind you how big and wide and deep God's love and forgiveness can be. When she's not talking to her strawberry plants or cherry blossoms, she can be found blogging at http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com, on Facebook as Autumn Macarthur, and on Twitter as @autumnmacarthur.


Interviewed by Sara Goff:  http://www.saragoff.com/

I Need a Hero (plus book giveaway)

by Narelle Atkins

When I was writing the proposal for The Nurse's Perfect Match in October 2012, I needed to create a fictional hero for the third book in my Snowgum Creek series. I knew my heroine was Megan, Jack's sister and Kate's best friend from Falling for the Farmer. 

Who was the perfect hero for Megan, my free-spirited heroine who traveled the world and wouldn't settle down in one place?

A contemporary romance hero needs to be larger-than-life, and able to metaphorically slay the dragon by overcoming enormous obstacles to win the girl. 

I love this scene from Shrek 2, where Shrek overcomes the evil schemes of the Fairy Godmother to achieve his happily-ever-after romantic ending with his beloved, Princess Fiona. 

I wrote the first few chapters of The Nurse's Perfect Match and discovered Luke, a handsome doctor who wowed me from his very first scene with Ben and Amy at his Snowgum Creek Medical Clinic. 

Luke leaped off the page and straight into my overactive imagination as my hero for The Doctor's Return. Luke was Megan's first love and they grew up together in Snowgum Creek. He was also Ben's younger brother and Amy's boss from The Nurse's Perfect Match.

Megan Bradley Is Putting Down Roots 

After years spent traveling the globe, she never expected to be back in her hometown sharing an office with her former sweetheart, Dr. Luke Morton. Megan is focused on building her business, and doesn't have time to dwell on past mistakes. But she can't ignore her feelings for the handsome doctor who works down the hall. 

Luke is afraid to trust his heart to Megan, knowing she may not stay for long. But as they work together, their romance quickly rekindles. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes her way, Luke must free Megan to choose between a big-city career or love and family…right there in Snowgum Creek.

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014, and Winning Over the Heiress in February 2015.

Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).
http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

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To celebrate the official release of The Doctor's Return tomorrow in ebook format and on August 5 in print, I'm giving away one print copy (worldwide, wherever The Book Depository delivers) to a reader who leaves a comment on this post and enters the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing for a North American audience

By Narelle Atkins

In April ICFW member LeAnne Hardy wrote an excellent post on Writing about Culture. LeAnne is an American who writes stories set in other countries, including Africa.

In the blog post comments, we chatted about how cultural differences can be very stark or more subtle. I'm an Aussie and I write contemporary romance for a primarily North American audience with the Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line. My books are set in Australia and my characters are Australian. I've just finished the copy edits on my fourth book, and I've learned there are many subtle cultural differences between Australia and the USA.

Snowy Mountains in Australia

The obvious difference is grammar and spelling. I have a bad habit of mixing Australian and American grammar and spelling now I'm using both all the time. The placement of commas, in particular, can trip me up. Spell checkers are useful, but they don't pick up everything. Google is my friend when I need to double check spelling and word usage. 

In Australia we have a lot of exposure to American language through television, movies, and online sources. The other day my son asked me if I had my cell phone with me. My daughter and I did a double take, because we call cell phones 'mobiles' in Australia. I'm now convinced he watches too much American content on You Tube, but I digress... 

I refer to 'jumpers' as sweaters in my books, a 'footpath' is a sidewalk, '4WDs' are SUVs, 'insurance excess' is a deductible, 'morning tea' is refreshments, and 'mum' is spelled mom. I was able to keep a reference to 'brumbies' in The Doctor's Return by adding an extra sentence that defined the brumbies as wild horses.

It's perfectly reasonable for an Aussie to say "I'm wearing my thongs to the beach and I'll take them off when I walk on the sand" because thongs are flip flops. But that sentence won't translate the right way in North America where thongs are intimate apparel.

North Curl Curl Beach in Sydney, Australia

One of my Aussie friends is currently living in the US. She mentioned that the American spelling in my books means she can hear the dialogue in an American accent. It's interesting how we can translate the dialogue into our own dialect. When I read American books, I usually hear the Aussie pronounciation in my mind.  

Our seasons are different in Australia, being in the southern hemisphere. I try to avoid references to specific months. We have Christmas in summer, and we drive on the opposite side of the road. I'm careful to be non-specific regarding left and right when it comes to driving and talking about cars. 

I also think, in general, that Australians are less concerned with political correctness than our American friends. My editors have picked up a couple of things in my books that have surprised my group of Aussie beta readers. Our church culture is slightly different, too, and that needs to be taken into account.  

There are subtle nuances to consider when writing dialogue. I've discovered during my trips to the US that 'you're welcome' is the usual response when someone says thank you. In Australia we have a variety of responses, including no problem, no worries and okay. I learned to ask for two percent milk in hot black tea, after ordering tea with milk from a well known cafe franchise and ending up with what we call thickened cream in my tea.

My conclusion is that I would need to do a lot of research if I wanted to write a contemporary romance set in North America. The authenticity of the characters and setting doesn't always translate easily in a different society and cultural setting. It's the little things that can distract a reader and pull them out of the story.

What challenges have you faced when writing for an American or international audience? As a reader, do you notice the small cultural differences? Have you read a book set in your part of the world that didn't translate fully to your cultural setting? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014.

Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).
http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Balancing book marketing and writing time (plus book giveaway)

by Narelle Atkins

Like many aspiring authors, I spent years dreaming about my first book sale. My dream came to fruition in February this year, when my debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was released by Love Inspired Heartsong Presents.

It’s exciting and fun to celebrate a book release. My favourite part of book promotion is interacting with readers. This includes blog visiting and social media. I did a blog chase and blog tour for Falling for the Farmer, including an ACRBA tour in early March.  I blogged about my first blog tour on ICFW last month.

I researched book promotion and marketing in the months leading up to my book release. I learned what the marketing experts suggest a brand new author should consider doing for their book launch. I adapted this information to take into account a few unique factors relating to my book. 

I couldn’t ignore geographical factors, which can present different challenges and opportunities for international authors. I live in Australia, and my home market is North America. I can’t contact my local Walmart store in the US and organise a book signing. I only spotted my book on a shelf in an Australian book store a few weeks ago, nearly 2 months after it released in the US. On the plus side, I’m marketing my books in North America and Australia/New Zealand, potentially reaching a larger audience. 

My books are part of the Heartsong Presents category romance line. My publisher, Harlequin, sells the Love Inspired and Heartsong Presents books via their Reader Service. I was blessed to have the opportunity to write an article for the February inspirational issue of Harlequin’s Simply Books magazine that is sent to their Reader Service subscribers. There are inbuilt marketing benefits for books belonging to a known brand. I recently set up a Goodreads group with my Heartsong Presents author friends. 

I currently have a six book contract, which means I’ll have a book releasing every three months from February 2014 to May 2015. My second book, The Nurse’s Perfect Match, releases next week on May 1 (ebook) and May 6 (print).

A number of books and articles that discuss book marketing and promotion seem to be based on the assumption that the author’s next book may not be available for six months or longer. This doesn’t apply in my situation, and isn’t relevant for a growing number of indie and hybrid authors who have learned there are marketing benefits to be gained by having more frequent book releases. 

My economics background means that I look at book promotion from a cost-benefit perspective. If I invest X amount of time and money, what will be the tangible outcome? There are many marketing books that provide great ideas that we can try, but the outcomes appear to be hit and miss. How can authors measure whether or not they are receiving value from their marketing efforts? How can they link specific book promotion and marketing activities to book sales? 

The time cost of book promotion and marketing is a huge factor that I need to consider. If I spend more time on book promotion, I have less time to write my contracted books. At the moment I’m revising and rewriting book 5 (deadline June 15), and I need to start writing Chapter 4 of book 6 ASAP (deadline September 15). I also have proposals to write for my agent as we look ahead to seek future contracts. The proposal ideas are in my head, but I need time to map out the story outlines and write the first 3 chapters and synopses. 

Debut books are special, and I did more online promotion for Falling for the Farmer than I’m planning to do for The Nurse’s Perfect Match. 

I’ll be posting my complete book promo schedule for The Nurse’s Perfect Match on my blog next week. 

I’m kicking off my book release celebrations today with a print giveaway (worldwide, wherever The Book Depository delivers) of The Nurse’s Perfect Match. To entry the drawing, please leave a comment on this post and complete the Rafflecopter information below.

NURSE AMY WILKINS HAS COME HOME 

After her marriage ends in tragedy, Amy returns to Snowgum Creek to rebuild her life. There she meets widower Ben Morton, who's not looking for romance, though his young children are eager for Amy's attention. She's given up on her dream of being a mother, but can't ignore how she's drawn to Ben's little ones, and to their handsome farmer dad.

As love kindles between Ben and Amy, she worries how she'll ever measure up to the wife he lost. And Ben is concerned about how Amy will ever truly fit into life on the farm. They could be the answer to each other's prayers—if the secret Amy is keeping doesn't tear them apart.

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Have you struggled to balance writing time with marketing and promotion? Are there any particular marketing strategies that you’ve found effective? Do you have any insights on how to quantify and measure the effectiveness of book marketing and promotion? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. 

Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014. 

Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com 
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor 
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

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FALLING FOR THIS DEBUT AUTHOR OF "FALLING FOR THE FARMER" & Book Giveaway.

Mary says: Meet fellow Australian, Narelle Atkins. Click on her name above for more details about her.

As far as I am aware, until now there was only one other Australian author besides myself published in the Heartsong Presents book club when owned by Barbour Publishing. Jenni Adams is now a multi-published Harlequin author in their Sweet Romance line. I was so excited to hear at last of another Australian signing contracts for Heartsong Presents inspirational romance which is now owned by Harlequin in their Love Inspired line.

Over several years it has been a real privilege becoming a friend of this vibrant author, Narelle Atkins. I am delighted to have this fellow Australian share some of her writing journey so far to achieve an amazing six book contract by an unpublished writer.

Mary: Narelle, you reminded me a while back that although we’d had contact for some time through email, we met for the first time at the 2007 Romance Writers of Australia conference. We are both members of several other writer organisations.

How important has this been for you to achieve your first book sales?

Narelle: Writing organisation memberships are invaluable for numerous reasons. I’ve heard writers complain about the cost of writing memberships and I think they’ve missed the point. If you want to become a professional writer and published author, you need to invest in your writing education in the same way a doctor, teacher and other industry professionals invest in their education and professional development at college and university.

Writing organisations can provide writing contests, online classes, conferences, networking opportunities, relevant publishing information, newsletters, critique groups, and many other helpful services and resources. In August 2012 I read about Harlequin’s purchase of the Heartsong Presents line on both the ACFW and FHL email groups. I followed the link to the Harlequin Community Forums and learned they were open for submissions, including international settings. I may not have heard about this opportunity if I hadn’t been a member of writing organisations that catered for my chosen genre.

Mary: For an unpublished writer, it is a great achievement to have signed a six book contract with Harlequin Love Inspired. Can you share how you believe you satisfied their guidelines and your submission and acceptance process?

Narelle: I was thrilled to read on the Harlequin Community forum that my editor, Kathy Davis, was open to contemporary romance submissions with foreign settings. The initial sale process for my first manuscript happened quickly, approximately seven weeks from the initial query to offer of publication on September 20, 2012.

I accepted the offer for my first book and Kathy asked if I’d written anything else. I had three complete mss, including the sequel to the book I’d sold, and a runaway bride story. A couple of days later I sent my runaway bride story to Kathy and this led to discussions regarding two 3-book series. I wrote three proposals for brand new stories over the next few months, and revised the proposal for the sequel to the book I’d already sold. I submitted all the proposals before Christmas in 2012 and I received the offer for a 6 book contract on February 7, 2013. 

The Heartsong Presents guidelines allow for a more overt faith element in the story. I love how I can share my characters’ faith journeys in my stories in a real and authentic way. Their interaction and connection to a church community is an important element in a Heartsong Presents story and I like having the freedom to explore this aspect of their lives.

Mary: Have you had any difficulties with your plot, characters and Australian setting in trying to reach an international readership.

Narelle: I have been blessed to have two American critique partners who have pointed out numerous Aussie expressions that don’t translate to a North American audience. For example, in Australia we call flip-flops ‘thongs’. I can’t have my characters’ talking about wearing their thongs to the beach, even though that’s a normal and respectable thing to say in Australia.

I also entered a number of unpublished writing contests in the US, which helped me to gauge the reader expectations for my genre. I appreciated the generosity of the judges who provided helpful feedback and explained why certain story elements could be problematic due to cultural differences.

I use American grammar and spelling because my home market is North America. It’s a juggling act to keep the authentic Australian flavour in my stories and use language that makes sense to a North American, Australian and international audience.

Mary: With Falling for the Farmer being the first in a three book series, can you tell us about the series and also the next three book series you have signed contracts for.

Narelle: Falling for the Farmer is set in Snowgum Creek, a fictitious town I created on the western slopes of the Snowy Mountains, Australia. Snowgum Creek is situated in the region that includes Tumut, Batlow and Tumbarumba. The Nurse’s Perfect Match (May 2014) and The Doctor’s Return (August 2014) are also set in Snowgum Creek. It’s a continuity series and either the hero, heroine or both are minor characters in a previous book in the series. The Nurse’s Perfect Match starts two years after Falling for the Farmer ends.

I love my Snowgum Creek series, and I have a number of ideas for future stories that I hope to write.

My second series, titles to be confirmed, is set in Sydney, Australia. These are urban stories and have a different feel to my Snowgum Creek books. For example, my heroine in the first book is a former party girl and recovering alcoholic. This series is set around the northern beaches region of Sydney where I grew up. I love Sydney and I’m looking forward to sharing the real life setting with my readers.

Mary: Is there anything you would like to share with international writers to encourage them in their writing journey?

Narelle: I encourage international writers to not give up on selling their books with international settings due to lack of market opportunities. I was told numerous times that it was virtually impossible to sell an Aussie contemporary inspirational romance to a large traditional publisher in the US market. We do need to have realistic expectations of the market and reader expectations. Plus, work hard on learning the craft of writing in order to produce the best possible stories.

Mary Says:
Narelle, all your hard work has sure paid off and I do congratulate you for this first book.

Being a farmer’s daughter, I know a little about city and country differences only too well. As a minister’s wife for nearly fifty years now, I have seen some of the problems and differences of family, faith and church issues that Christian couples may need to work through to achieve a happy marriage. Your Kate and Jack are real people with real problems and I thoroughly enjoyed reading their story.

I had indeed “fallen” for the author as a good friend and sister-in-Christ quite a while ago and so proud of you. Congratulations on these contracts with Harlequin and I look forward very much to reading many more books from Narelle Atkins.

For more details about Failing for the Farmer, click HERE

Book Giveaway: Narelle has been an active contributor to ICFW blog since it commenced and would like to give away a print copy of Falling for the Farmer. The book giveaway is worldwide and includes the giveaway on Valerie Comer’s book review post yesterday.

Readers can gain two entries in the drawing if they comment on both today and yesterday’s posts. Entries close on St Valentine’s Day, Friday, 14th February, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, 16th February in the Sunday Edition. Please leave an email address [ ] at [ ] dot [ ] where you can be reached.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."

Mary Hawkins is multi-published and a best-seller in inspirational romance. All except her Baragula single title trilogy are now out of print. However, she is delighted her Barbour Heartsong Presents novels are again available to readers as e-books through their Truly Yours Digital Editions. Check out the video trailer for her historical Great Southland series: http://youtu.be/mN5Mym_3doU

She enjoys speaking engagements where she can share the writing journey God is still taking her on. She is a member of several writing groups and as time permits, tries to help other writers, especially those targeting the romance genre.

Her latest manuscript, Her Outback Cowboy, is her latest single title just completed and now in the submission process. Checkout the latest news on her blog and more about Mary from http://mary-hawkins.com