CWD Highlights - July - September 2022

Christian Writers Downunder is a diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers, illustrators. As a group we support each other through our Facebook page and blog.

Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members from July - September 2022

New Releases

Amelia's Island by Jeanette Grant-Thomson

Amelia’s Island relates beautiful Amelia’s journey from being vain, spoilt, and lost in fantasy
to finding real love, life and The Truth.
An island,
an author friend,
an outspoken doctor,
an obsessive muso
are all part of her story, while in the background the great ocean gleams and murmurs.

Title: Amelia’s Island
Author: Jeanette Grant-Thomson
Published 26 th July 2022
Published by Jeanette Grant-Thomson with the help of InHouse Publishing

This book cannot be purchased in shops but is available at:
www.facebook.com/jeanette.grantthomson
Its RRP is $23 but it sells for less during sales.

Licence to Die (GRUnGE.001) by Mazzy Adams 

Three shattered people. Two cutting-edge technologies. One licence to die. This time, the spy game is real. 

‘A total stranger knows my thoughts? Oh, my God! I’m gonna die. For real.’

When fledgling ASIO agent and tech guru, Benjamin Alejandro, takes over a top-secret ‘mind-reading’ software project, he inadvertently exposes Mac, an unwitting participant who’s embroiled in a dodgy witness protection scheme.

The mysterious Mac unravels Ben’s altruistic comfort zone quicker than a cat attack. With a criminal consortium poised to pounce, is Ben the only one who gives a bandicoot’s patootie whether the audacious teenager lives or dies? Stuck for options, Ben enlists hotshot game developer, Christopher Darnell, but Chris’s own demons surface to drag them all under.

Integrity and emotions collide as Mac’s thoughts—brilliant, spirited, and irresistible—dance across Ben’s computer screen. With a killer closing in, time running out, and Chris out for revenge, must Ben pay the ultimate price to save the intriguing stranger whose thoughts have captured his heart?

Bleeding hope and humour through cracks at the edge of reality, Licence to Die is quirky, raw, and redemptive; a unique blend of intrigue and inspiration with an upmarket Down Under vibe.

Mazzy Adams' entertaining, genre-bending fiction offers a thought-provoking word feast for New (and not-so-new) Adults alike, with deeper allegorical and metaphysical mysteries to intrigue upmarket readers and book club connoisseurs.

Title: Licence to Die (GRUnGE.001)

Author: Mazzy Adams

Publisher: Zest N Zenith Creative & Academic Group (CIPA/CAN member)

Release Date: 14^th September 2022

Purchase Links:

Via Booklinker:  https://mybook.to/licence-to-die-mazzy-adams

Via Books2Read: https://books2read.com/licence-to-die-Mazzy-Adams

Or follow the arrows to both links from her website: https://mazzyadams.com/

Book launch will be held at 2:00pm Saturday 24th September at the Danish Flower Art and Cafe Complex, 10347 New England Hwy, Highfields, Qld (just north of Toowoomba).

The Case of the Missing Moggies by Debra Clewer

Expert Australian Persian cat detective, Ah-Fur, is called upon to investigate the cat-napping of two expert rat-catching cats from the English Prime Minister’s office and country residence. He suspects that the perpetrator is a slippery rat villain who has escaped his capture in Australia and is now in London. But is he right? Will good triumph over evil?

Debra Williams's new Junior Fiction Chapter Book released by Morris Publishing Australia in August 2022, under her pen name of Debra Clewer.

The book launched was on Wednesday the 21st of September in her local library. It is a fun cat detective mystery for 7-11-year-old children and is titled The Case of the Missing Moggies. The book is available to purchase as a print copy n:

Debra Clewer is the author of 3 Middle-Grade fantasy fiction novels and short stories, published in print and online. Her websites - http://www.clewerpuppets.com and http:/www./clewerbooknook.com

Title: Ah-Fur, Super Sleuth - The Case of the Missing Moggies
Author: Debra Clewer

Publication Date: 26 September 2022 (on Amazon).
Publisher: Morris Publishing Australia
You can buy it through Morris Publishing Australia, bookstores and through Amazon here.

Once a Jolly Swagman by Sara Powter

1870s Parramatta and Kent - An old black Billy Can contain the secrets of an incredible life.

Rick Lockley’s life is seemingly taken from his hands by his family. At seventeen he’s not too keen about being told what to do so he runs away and becomes a swagman. Years pass, still heart sore he returns home, arriving wiser, engaged and broke. He has collected some valuable friends, including Jack, a jolly swagman. 

Rick knows little about the old man who protected him during his years on the road. He understands Jack has secrets, but Rick trusts him. The old man comes to live with Rick and his new wife, and some of his story unfolds. On his death Jack leaves Rick his precious Billy Can, the contents reveal Jack’s identity. Stunned, Rick finds he must travel to England to finalise Jack’s wishes. There he uncovers Jack’s life of love, betrayal and a link to his own family. Rick finds there is much more to learn about this enigmatic man.

The story was inspired by twenty of THE SEEKERS songs.

Sara Powter lives in Australia and a descent of four convicts. Her stories are inspired by them. Two years ago she started writing during a covid shutdown and now have fifteen books done. ( 1.8 million words all up)

Title: Once A Jolly Swagman 

(Bk 5 in Lockleys of Parramatta series)

Author: Sara Powter

Release Date 26 September 2022 (on Amazon).
Printed by Pacific Wanderland Publications & distributed by both Amazon and Woodslane Press in Sydney Australia.
You can buy it here.

Readings Stones

The end of July saw the launch of the book, “The Old Gympie Bakeries and their Families” written by John Stark. It was our pleasure to assist this wonderful Christian man in his venture.

Helen Brown's“ You’re; Healing Broken Hearts in Huntersville” will officially be released on 8 October. 2022  The book was inspired by Helen's story, “Casey’s New Life” (which made it into the top ten entries of Power to Change’s short story competition earlier this year). 

Title: You’re; Healing Broken Hearts in Huntersville
Author: Helen Brown

Release Sate 8 October 2022

Publisher: Reading Stones

Acceptances

Hazel Barker's short story, ‘The Hand of God,’ has been selected for publication in the Stories of Life anthology which will be published in November. http://hazelmbarker.wordpress.com

The full list of stories to published in the latest Stories of Life anthology will be announced in October. Prize winners are announced at the launch of the anthology in November. For more information check out the Stories of Life website.

Awards

CALEB Awards 

The winners will be announced at the CALEB Awards Dinner at the Omega Writers Conference Kingscliffe.

Events

Coorparoo Presbyterian Book Fair

In August several authors attended the Coorparoo Presbyterian Church Book Fair, facilitated by David Malcolm Bennett.  CWD Authors at the event David Malcolm Bennett, Lynne Stringer, Jeannette O'Hagan, Rebekah Robinson, Hazel Barker, Ruth Bonetti, Helen Brow, Wendy Wood.  

 Helen and Wendy report " a wonderful time of fellowship withother writers and family members."

Reading Stones go North

After the Coorparoo PC Book Fair, Reading Stones editors, Helen Brown and Wendy Wood travelled to Gympie to spend a day with Helen’s father and Wendy’s grandfather, before continuing on to Proserpine to take part in the Liberty Whitsundays Church's Book Extravaganza.

The results were very successful, making a considerable number of sales, new contacts with prospective authors, artists, and other Christian members of their community.

Rendered Realms

Rendered Realms was at Oz Comic Con last weekend. While Adele Jones was unable to be there for the weekend, both Jeanette O'Hagan and Lynne Stringer were present. Lynne dressed as Missilina, the main character in her latest release, The Verindon Conspiracy while Jeanette was dressed as Kupanna Marra, one of the characters in the Akrad's Legacy series.  While a little quieter than other years, crowds of enthusiastic spec fic fans streamed through the doors, many in cosplay, interesting conversations were had and books signed by the authors were sold :) 

Lynne Stringer, Jeanette O'Hagan and Adele Jones will be at Supanova in November at the Brisbane Convention Centre. This year one of the special guests will be Alex Kingston, known to Doctor Who Fans as River Song. 

Omega Writers Conference 2022 Kingscliff

The Omega Writers Conference 2022 Kingscliff is fast approaching. 

Are you going? Conference registration and afternoon tea are at Peppers from 3pm NSW time on Friday 7 October. ie. Conference registration opens at 2:30 at Peppers, and afternoon tea is at 3:00pm.

Did you have a new release or event or brag point that didn't make it to the Highlights Post? Keep an eye out for the next call for information from members - the next Highlights post will be in end of December 2022.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.

Jeanette O'Hagan