Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Hometown Settings plus book giveaway

By Narelle Atkins

I enjoy reading books that are set in places where I’ve lived or visited. I grew up on the northern beaches in Sydney, Australia, and I’ve always loved reading books set in Sydney. I’ve even read books in genres I don’t usually read because they’re set in Sydney.


Sydney, Australia
Reading is a sensory experience and writers use the five senses to draw us into their story. For example, we can dig our bare toes into the soft sand at Manly Cove and look out at the beauty of Sydney Harbour. We can smell the salty sea air, touch the refreshing cool water that’s lapping into shore, taste the deep fried fish and chips we’re eating while sitting on the beach, and hear the squawking from the seagulls hovering around us, hoping we’ll share our dinner with them. 


Manly Cove, Sydney, Australia

These little details can add a richness to the story setting, and trigger our memories if we’ve visited the setting in real life. Writers who know their setting can add details to deepen the authenticity of their story.


Manly ferry docked at Circular Quay in the city
Her Tycoon Hero is the first book I wrote when I started writing, back in 1998. I was living in Sydney at the time and I sometimes wrote longhand on the Manly ferry. There’s a scene in the early chapters of the book with my characters, Ryan and Cassie, travelling to the city on the Manly ferry. I wrote the first draft of that scene while sitting on the Manly ferry, drinking coffee and experiencing the turbulence and rocking as the ferry passed by the entrance to the harbor between North and South Head. 



Cassie Beaumont Believes in Second Chances

Set on proving to everyone that she's no longer a party girl, Cassie is focused on her career as an event planner. But her dad's top executive, Ryan Mitchell, proves to be a handsome distraction. Especially when someone from Cassie's wild past tries to get her tangled in the life she's worked hard to escape. 

Ryan is taken with his boss's beautiful daughter. But having been fooled by a brother who ran in her same circles, he is slow to trust. When Cassie's newfound faith works its way into his heart, Ryan soon finds he wants to claim both her faith and Cassie as his own.


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, Winning Over the Heiress in February 2015, and Seaside Proposal in May 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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Have you read many books set in your hometown or city? Or, written a book set in your hometown? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 

To celebrate the official release of Her Tycoon Hero in ebook format this weekend and November 3 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

31 comments:

  1. Hi Narelle! I was lucky enough to win your book The Doctor's in a giveaway and I loved it ... I participate here too! Thanks for the opportunity :)

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  2. Hi Celeste, I'm so glad to hear you loved reading The Doctor's Return :) Thanks for letting me know and good luck in the drawing!

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  3. I definitely agree with you on the importance of including details which involve all five senses.

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    1. Hi Karen, I love reading books that contain those extra, and often subtle, sensory details that bring the setting to life.

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  4. I don't recall that I have ever read a book written in my/about my hometown, but I have read several from the state. It's always fun to read a book, to me anyway, with real places I recognize and can relate to. Though I wouldn't have any recognition of Australia, this sound like a sweet book. Thank you for the giveaway!
    Blessings!
    Kelly Y
    kelly *at* dkcountryarts *dot* com

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    1. Hi Kelly, It's fun to have some real life knowledge of the setting so we can see it more fully in our minds as we read the story :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  5. TY for The chance to win. I have never read these.

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    1. Hi Lucy, I hope you'll have an opportunity to read my books :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  6. I have read Falling for the Farmer, The Nurse's Perfect Match, and I am currently reading The Doctor's Return and I have really enjoyed all of them. I would love win a copy of this book.

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    1. Hi Susan, It's lovely to hear that you've enjoyed reading my books :) Thanks for your encouraging words and good luck in the drawing!

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    1. Hi Jacqui, Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the drawing!

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  8. I really enjoyed reading this book, Narelle. Going to tell my FB fans to come over and enter!

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    1. Hi Sandra, It's very sweet of you to let your FB fans know about this post :) Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed reading my book.

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  9. Hey Narelle, I'm a Northern Beaches girl too! I love that you wrote a Manly Ferry scene actually ON the ferry. Every time I go home, taking a ferry ride one of the things I HAVE to do. :)

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    1. Hi Autumn, Wow, it's a small world :) I'm now living in Canberra, and I miss being close to the beach in summer. I have fond memories of the Manly ferry, and it's a must-do activity on our list when we visit Sydney, too.

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Hi Ann, I'm not sure what happened to your comment, but it came through okay via email notification. Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the drawing :)

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  11. Trying to enter the giveaway, but raffle copter part isn't loading. Will keep trying.

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    1. I checked Rafflecopter and you're entered :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  12. I have enjoyed reading books set in locations I have lived like Savannah, GA, and places I have visited like NYC,NY, Seattle, WA, San Diego, CA, and Vienna, Austria.

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    1. Hi Charlyn, I was really excited a few years ago to be on a train travelling through the Cascade Mountains with my critique partner, Suzie Johnson, and seeing the location of her book in real life. During that trip I remember thinking about The Little House on the Prairie series when we were travelling through North Dakota and Wisconsin. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  13. Narelle, thanks for this glimpse into how you get your authentic backgrounds for your story. Love your photos! I'm not sure I've got this rafflecopter figured out yet but I'd love to get in on the drawing. If my name doesn't appear, perhaps you would like to write a post on how to use the thing! :-)

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    1. Woohoo! I got it right! YAY! For the first time. Now to win . . . :-)

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  14. Hi Shirl, Yay, I'm glad Rafflecopter worked for you :) I sign into Rafflecopter using my Facebook profile and I haven't encountered any problems. Good luck in the drawing!

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    1. Hi Narelle, don't know what is with my computer but it won't let me do a comment unless it is a reply. So here goes! I really have enjoyed reading your books, would love to read this!

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    2. Hi Sonja, I'm sorry Blogger is being glitchy. Thanks for leaving a comment and I'm glad you've enjoyed reading my books. Good luck in the drawing!

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  15. Love the story line :) The pictures of the Land Down Under were wonderful, I love getting to see the scenery ! !

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  16. Hi Deanna, I'm glad you've enjoyed the photos and I hope you'll have an opportunity to read Her Tycoon Hero :) I booked a flight to Sydney tonight for early 2015. I'll be catching a Manly Ferry and visiting the northern beaches - I cant wait!

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  17. I love reading books set in Michigan or the Great Lakes states, especially since I now reside in Texas. Amish books do the same thing for me; they bring to mind Amish friends from my hometown of Vermontville. Michigan. Thanx for the giveaway!

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    1. Hi Jennifer, I was excited to see Lake Michigan a few years ago, after reading many romances set in and around the Great Lakes. Thanks for your comment and good luck in the drawing :)

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