CWD Highlights April-October 2023

 

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 April-October 2023

New Releases & Launches

Elizabeth Klein

Dreamscape: Saving Mermaid Lagoon Book 3 

Dreamscape: Saving Mermaid Lagoon Book 3 on August 31st, 2023. Paperback on September 9th 2023.

Against his will, Sam Flynn is sent on a crazy mission by a bumbling fairy godmother to save a colony of mermaids. Instead, a group of pirates capture him and force him to become a member of their crew. To top off his bad luck, he’s snatched away in the middle of the night by a hideous Beast and carried off to its castle.

It’s a story that sounds all too familiar to Sam, except for the part where the daughter of a rose thief promised to the Beast falls in love with him instead. Will he survive the Beast’s wrath long enough to save the mermaids?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH393GDR

Short story, The Invitation

Short story, The Invitation, was published in Short Tales 9 on 5th of May, 2023 by Storm Cloud Publishing.

Miriam accepts a mysterious invitation to a strange tea party in a meadow, along with white rabbits, a ginger cat with a huge smile on its face, an odd, long-necked bird and a man with orange hair and eyebrows that stick out and wiggle as he talks.

FREE!

Short story, The Time-Keeper

Short story, The Time-Keeper, was published in Open House 7 on Wednesday, 16th August, 2023 by Storm Cloud Publishing.

Blurb: Lara is a Time-Keeper and her services are for hire, that is, if you can afford her. She locates people's traumas and then alters them for a different outcome. But if the government finds her, it's over for Lara.

FREE!

Elizabeh Klein: Besides having written many short stories, articles, plays and poems, she's also authored YA and junior fiction books, as well as four educational books and has over 70 published works to date.

A Glimmer of Uncommon Fairy Tales anthology

A Glimmer of Uncommon Fairy Tales on April, the 26th 2023 and paperback on May 4th, 2023.

Edited by Elizabeth Klein - and with stories from Elizabeth and ten other authors, including CWD members Ann Hamilton, Linsey Painter, Sally Odgers, Debra Williams, Jean Saxby, and Jeanette O'Hagan

A collection of unknown, untold and retold stories that will stir the souls of fairy tale lovers everywhere. Each tale is carefully woven together with a silver thread of starlight and a sprinkle of magic, along with the golden melody from the Boy with the Nightingale’s Voice.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3QNLP44

Ian Blight

Book details: non-fiction, title: 'Singleness, Marriage & being God's Family', release date: 17 October 2023

This non-fiction book looks into the contemporary church, at a marriage and family focused culture, with the intent of working toward a better biblical understanding of where singleness belongs in God's family.

Ian Blight is from Adelaide, and has written this book drawing from a lifetime of experience as a single person and motivated by an acute sense of the need to delve into the topic of singleness within the church in Australia.

Dienece Darling

In Freeing Defeat will be available in December. 

In Freeing Defeat (available in December), a socialite and a poor clergyman wrestle with God over the inconvenient appearing of each other in perfectly ordered their lives.

In Pursuing Prayer (available now), a sister grapples with unanswered prayer.

Sign up here to get both of these books for free! Free Story | Dienece Darling

Dienece Darling, an inspirational historical author, is running a 2 for 1 deal. Sign up to Dienece's blog and receive a short historical story now and a historical romance novelette in December. Both set in England.

Accepted for publication

Stories of Life

The Stories of Life anthology is a ollection of true stories of faith will be launched on Thursday evening, 16 November 2023, at Tabor College, Adelaide. At the launch, prize winners in the Open and Short category will also be announced. The event will be live-streamed on Facebook. 

Congratulations on the CWD members whose stories weere among those accepeeted to be published in the 2023 Stories of Life anthology, inclulding:

Jeanette Grant-Thomson Piercing the Silence

Jenny Woolsey Dad and Jesse

Jo Wanmer Dagger in the Heart

Jo-Anne Berthelsen Dear friend

June Hopkins A God-Given glitch & Kisses for Me

Steph Penny Kindling

Hazel Barker Help from Heaven

RJ Rodda Praying for Princess

DJ Blackmore Home Remedy

Karen Roper The Voice

Barbara McKay Out of the ashes

Cherie Love ‘Let the Children Come to Me’ and God is Our Provider

Esther Cremona The Heart of a Midwife

Kylie Gardiner People Matter

Liisa Grace-Baun No More Tuna Mornay

Roslyn Bradshaw Learning to Ride a Bike and Classic Road Trip

Ruth C Hall Solo with God and Along for the Ride

CONGRATULATIONS on all who have had their story accepted. For a full list of stories check out the Stories of Life website. 

RWR Retreat antholoyg - A Spash of Love. 

A number of CWD members have had their stories accepted for the RWR anthology - including Raelene Purtill, Jenny Woolsey and Jeanette O'Hagan - the anthology will be released next year with the 2024 Rainforest Writers Retreat.

Awards

CALEB Awards

Congratulations to the winners of the CALEB Award announced last Saturday.  This year was the unpublished prize, as well as the Barnabus and Encouragment awards

Unpublished Young Adult fiction

The Winner is Julia Archer with  The Drone Guy Project

Unpublished Adult fiction

The Winner is Kate Mackereth with  Tradings Wings

 

Barnabus Award

The Barnabas Award recognises writers who give selflessly to support and encourage other writers in the writing journey. This award celebrates the invaluable impact of such encouragement and acknowledges the often unseen work these writers do to lift others up.

The winner this year was Jo-Anne Berthelsen for her "For for “showing an unserving commitment to encouraging other Christian writers."

Encouragement Award

Encouragement Awards are opportunities to celebrate emerging writers who Omega Members believe are worthy of encouragement and recognition for their commitment, attitude and development of their writing craft.

The joint winners were Jo Wanmer "who is always encouraging others. Keep writing!" and Carolyn Bourke "as she finishes her debut novel."

For the full list and statements about the winners and prizes check out the Omega Writers Website.

CALEB 2024

Entries for the Published CALEB Awards will open in the first half of 2024. Check the Omega Writers Website for or 2024 entry dates in 2024

Events

May Retereat  5-7 May 2023

Toowoomba Omega Writers Chapter Retreat was held in May at Somerset Dam, South-east Queensland, with Guest speaker: Best-selling Australian Author, Meredith Resce, and publisher Rochelle Stephens practical workshops, time to referesh, write and/or network. Thanks for the Toowoomba chapters - Nola Passmore, Adele Jones, Kirsten Hart, Mazzy Adams and others who made this a inspiration time. 

Brisbane Omega Showcase  6-7 October 2023

Omega Showcase was two days of non-stop inspiration and fun with Judy Rogers as compere, a full program on a range of subjects plus some interesting workshops culminating with a dinner on the second day. A great way to network and to get the creative juices going. Big thanks to presenters including Simon Kennedy, Mazzy Adams, Rebekah Robinson, Nola Passmore, Rendered Realms (Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeanette O'Hagan), Raelene Purtill and especially to the organisers, especially Anne Hamilton, Judy Rogers and Ruth Bonetti.

Ruth Bonetti presented Anne Hamilton At Brisbane Omega Showcase the inaugural Founder’s Award to honour Anne Hamilton for her many decades’ faithful service. She shares my vision and ethos to support fellow authors in sharing Christ through our words.

Omega Writers Zoom Conference 6-7 Oct 2023

Omega Writers Zoom Conference was held online from Friday 6 Oct - Saturady 7 Oct , including the Omega Writers AGM and culminating in the CALEB awards. 

The next Omega Writers conference will be held in 20-22 September, 2024 in Sydney.

Margie Lawson Immersion on the Gold Coast

A number of CWD members including Andrea Grigg, Elaine Frazer, Jeanette O'Hagan, Kate Mackereth, joined in on the Margie Lawson Immersion at the Gold Coast last week. A fantastic of intensive learning and practice on powering up prose hosted by the wonderful host Andrea Grigg. Margie Lawson is awesome with a stack of resources and courses to help improve writing power.

Rendered Realms

Rendered Realms is a trio of Sepc Fic authors  - Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeannette O'Hagan. This year we've been to Gold Coast Supanova (April), Oz Comic Con (September) and, for the first time, Frazer Pop (July) at Maryborough.

Rendered Realms were invited to present a session at the Omega Showcase. We had fun talking about taking our books to pop-festivals and connecting with potential readers, including cosplaying as characters in our own books. 

Our next event as a team is at Brisbane Supanova on 11-12 November at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

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 2023.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.

Jeanette O'Hagan

CWD Highlights - April - June 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 April - June 2022

New Releases

The Verindon Conspiracy by Lynne Stringer

Misilina has finished her training at the Academy on verindon and hopes to prove that she’s as good an agent as her father, Keridan. However, her first assignment is guarding Lord Jolan—her childhood tormentor and the son of Overlord Ardon—who is making a planetary visit to Darsair with his bride-to-be, Mandine, to help the Darsairian government improve conditions for the mine workers. But when the miners stage an uprising and attempt to kill Jolan, can Misilina and her fellow agents keep Jolan and Mandine alive?

Lynne Stringer's latest sci-fi adventure, The Verindon Conspiracy, takes place ten years after her Verindon Trilogy, but can be read by first-timers to the Verindon world. 

Date of publication: 30th April 2022
Publisher: Rhiza Edge
It's on sale on Amazon for $2.99 US for a short time only.
 Buy it here 

 Reading Stones Publishing

In April Reading Stones publishing (Wendy Wood and Helen Brown) released the third book in the Gems of Australia Series by Olwyn Harris: Emerald Dreams. 

 Helen Brown’s short story, Casey’s New Life, was short listed for the Power to Change writing competition and was released as part of a combined work. A modified version of this story will also be released along with a series of similar stories written by Helen later this year. 

Helen also released her second work of fiction, Like Father… Like Son, and we were excited to see sales exceed 50 copies within the first week.

In May, Reading Stones produced a small autobiography for Helen’s father, a unique work designed to be distributed at his funeral – life is definitely not boring for us here. We also entered Like Father… Like son was entered in the Bookshelf Fiction competition.

In June, Reading Stones released a non-fiction book about the Old Bakeries of Gympie and their Families, written by John Stark.

Starlit Realms: A Fantasy Anthology

Ten unforgettable stories of mystery and adventure from ten fantasy writers are woven together by the great Storyteller's own eternal magic.

*The mysterious Logunder Library houses no ordinary books, but those created from trees from the Enchanted Forest in a bid to save itself.
*A young princess must choose a husband from four unlikely and undesirable suitors.
*A girl's father goes off to battle dragons in an alternate war and she undergoes dangers to find him.
*A shape-shifting queen risks her life for a family condemned by age-old prejudice.
*One young slave girl risks her life for the sake of reading sacred texts.
*The final day of one of the waterfolk is celebrated with songs and music as she wanders back into the sea.
*A magic boot takes a young couple for the ride of their lives.
*A poor girl deceives the royal family to snag a husband, but it is not as easy as she thinks.
*A biological lab covers up the truth about its research and sends two science students into danger.
*On the summer solstice at Willow Woods Peak, animals may speak and a cat enlists the help of a human to unravel a secret.

The story made it into the anthology along with the stories of a bunch of other great writers - including CWD members  - Elizabeth Klein (the mastermind and editor), Adele Jones, Rebekah Rodda, Jeanette O'Hagan and Jenny Woolsey.

Starlit Realms: a fantasy anthology - is free on Amazon and other retailers. So why not download it and enjoy :)

Awards

CALEB Prize

The Long List for the CALEB prize has been announced - you can see the full list on Monday's post here.  Congratulations to our CWD members who made the long list - Carolyn Miller, Lisa Renee, Meredith Resce, Elaine Fraser, Jenny Glazebrook,  Kristen Young, Susan Brown, Emily Maurits, Dienece Darling, Suzie Pybus, Barbara McKay and Stephanie Walters.  All the best for the awards - which will be announced at the CALEB dinner on Oct 2022.

Sparklit nominee

Helen Brown's the Power of Prayer, published by Kurt Mahlburg and Warwick Marsh (they head up Canberra Declaration) was entered into this year’s Sparklit Christian Book of the Year competition.

Events

Omega Writers Book Fair

Due to the uncertainty due to Covid earlier in the year and also the personal circumstances of the committee member, The Omega Writers Book Fair has been deferred until March next year. We are sad to skip a year but look forward to seeing our readers and authors in 2023.

Coorparoo Presbyterian Church Book Fair

THE COORPAROO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

BOOK FAIR

(EMLYN STREET, COORPAROO, BRISBANE)

SATURDAY 20 AUGUST 2022

10 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

Omega Writers Conference 2022 Kingscliff

Omega Writers have decided to give you a greater opportunity to register for the conference at the early bird price. Instead of finishing tomorrow, June 18, the early bird will now close on Monday July 18.

And don’t forget, if you’re an Omega member, you can use your discount code at the checkout to reduce the price even further. 

Why go to the conference?

This year’s line-up of speakers has been deliberately curated to encourage, resource and inspire you on your writing journey. 

With opportunities to network with other likeminded and supportive writers, you will leave with new ideas, new connections, and a renewed excitement for your writing project.

The keynote speaker will be Steven James, author of Synapse and several books for writers. 

Others speakers include: 

*Collett Smart will present a plenary session on Self-Compassion, Resilience, and Well-being for Writers, as well as a practical non-fiction workshop.
*Lystra Rose, winner of the Black&Write Writing Fellowship will present on The unspoken rules of Indigenous protocols every writer should know.
*Hands-On Workshop Streams for Writers of Fiction and Non-Fiction
*A Marketing Intensive with Lisa Renee
*Tips and Advice on writing for the US Market
*Writing for Children and YA

We will also be offering participants the opportunity to book an appointment in The Hub (for a small fee) with agents, publishers, editors and industry experts to discuss their work in progress, or to pitch a manuscript ready for submission..

Click here to find out more, and book before 18 July to save $50.

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 September 2022.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.

Jeanette O'Hagan

CWD Highlights - January to March 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 January to March 2022

New Releases

Claire Belberg

Claire's second novel was published by Stone Table Books in February 2022.

Evernow is a YA time shift novel of love and loyalty, telling the story of two brothers and the girls they love.

Bailey Carpenter, fifteen year old dreamer and fantasy geek, finds himself on a weirdly alternative time line when he goes searching for his missing friend. It gets increasingly difficult to remember the time he came from. If it weren’t for the persistent idea of a brother trying to contact him, Bailey might just let the soothing Now and the mysterious Gina determine his future.


Claire Bell, writing as Claire Belberg, explores awareness of the spiritual realm in a genre she calls ‘speculative realism’, writing for mainstream readers from her Adelaide Hills home.


Evernow will be launched on 20 April along with books by other CWD authors Sue Jeffrey and Rosanne Hawke (and a fourth, Mark Worthing). SA members are welcome to attend (North Adelaide Lutheran church, 6 for 6:30pm).


Information about where to buy Evernow can be found on Claire’s blog, The Character Forge, clairebelberg.wordpress.com

Sheridan Lee

Sheridan Lee released her book Wounded Soul (The Tellarine Series Book 2) on 30 March 2022

Life often derails well-laid plans. Can she achieve her dreams after everything crumbles?

Diana Jacobsen’s wanted to be a journalist for as long as she can remember, something she’s certain her deceased mum would have approved. After she secures a brilliant tertiary entrance rank, Diana leaves the comforts of her hometown and pursues her university studies in the big city. But when an unexpected calamity hijacks her life, she discovers her journey is just beginning.

Confused and overwhelmed, Diana determines to move forward despite her newfound fears. With the help of her family and her unshakable faith in God, she seeks respite from the internal storms battering her soul and finds comfort in old and new friendships.

Will she move past the mountain of hurt and achieve her ambitions, or will outside forces continue to dictate her future?

Book: Wounded Soul (The Tellarine Series Book 2)
Author: Sheridan Lee
Publication Date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: Winged Publications

One-buy link: www.books2read.com/wounded-soul

Susan J Bruce

Susan J Bruce has released her YA Novel Running Scared as a print book and ebook. 

What if the boy you love is hiding a dark secret?

My name is Melinda, and this has been the worst  year ever … We had to leave our family farm, Mum is in hospital, Dad is losing it and my freak-out-and-run arachnophobia is getting worse.

The one good thing in my world is Rory. Maybe he sees things differently because he’s been in a wheelchair for the past eight years, but Rory always knows how to make me laugh.

Problem is, Dad doesn’t want me anywhere near him. He doesn’t trust Rory or his family, 
especially as Rory’s brother is wanted by the police.

And now even I’m scared about what Rory might be hiding …

Title: Running Scared

Subtitle: What if the boy you love is hiding a dark secret?
Author Name: Susan J Bruce

Publisher: Beanstalk Ink

Prizes: In 2018 Running Scared won the Caleb Prize for an unpublished manuscript. 

Launching the Book

Sue is grateful to be joining with three other authors for a book launch this month. Four South Australian YA authors in one book launch! Dangerous!!! 😎. 

Sue is also intending to do an online launch on Facebook - maybe with Facebook live - for all her non-Adelaide friends. Keep an eye out for the announcement.

Link to print launch in Adelaide (courtesy of Stone Table Books) is here. 

Susan J Bruce writes mystery and suspense stories with heart – usually invaded by animals

Competitions

Poetica Christi Poetry Award

POETICA CHRISTI PRESS

2022 Annual Poetry Competition

1st PRIZE $300 

2nd prize $100

25 poems will be selected to be included in an anthology to be published by PCP

The theme for this competition will be TRANSFORMATION

This topic lends itself to poems about: change, renewal, transition, conversion, revival, rebirth, adaptation, revolution, reinventing yourself, metamorphosis, development, progression, growth, reformation, resurrection, redemption, liberation, restoration.

The closing date for this competition will be 30th of April, 2022.

To find out more or download an entry form click here.

Events

Rendered Realms

After being at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, Oz Comic Con two weekends ago, Lynne Stringer and Jeanette O'Hagan will be back for out of this world fun at the Gold Coast Supanova this weekend. If you are in the area, come drop in and see us and our books at the Rendered Realms Stand.

2022 Omega Conference

2022 OMEGA CONFERENCE

7-9 OCTOBER 2022

VENUE: PEPPERS SALT RESORT & SPA, KINGSCLIFF, NSW

Featuring

Keynote speaker: Steven James

Guest Speakers: Collett Smart, Nicole Partridge and more

Genre and Breakout Groups

Panels for beginner and established writers

And the CALEB Awards Dinner

Bookings open 18 April 2022

All the info is on our Conference blog

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 23 June 2022. 

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.

 

CWD Highlights November 2017--February 2018

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-October 2017

Awards

Congratulations Nola Passmore

Nola Passmore's debut novel Scattered was the fiction runner up in the 2017 FaithWriters Page Turner competition. She has also signed a contract for the novel with Breath of Fresh Air Press. You can read more about it at the following link

New Releases

Jeanette Grant-Thomson

Jeanette's short anecdote, Amazing Gracie, is included in the Stories of Life anthology, The Gecko Renewal.  Jeanette says, 'My story is the account of how our car broke down in New Zealand on a cold evening and God came to our rescue.'

The Gecko Renewal is an anthology of true short stories about how God intervenes in our lives. It consists of the long list selected from entries.

Published by Morning Star Publishing October 2017

Jeanette Grant-Thomson has been an author most of her life and currently lives in the Moreton area.

Christine Dillon 

Grace in Strange Disguise

Christine Dillon's Grace in Strange Disguise was released in October 2017

Physiotherapist Esther Macdonald is living the Australian dream, and it doesn’t surprise
her.

After all, her father has always said, “Follow Jesus and be blessed.” But at twenty-eight, her world shatters. Everyone assures her God will come through for her, but what happens when he doesn’t? Has she offended God? Is her faith too small? So many conflicting explanations.

Will finding the truth cost her the people closest to her heart?

Grace in Strange Disguise won a Gold star for cover design from Joel Friedlander Coverdesigner competition (October 2017)  You can find how to get a copy from here.

Christine Dillon is an Australia author working in Taiwan as a missionary since 1999. She writes non-fiction (traditionally and indie published) and this is her first novel. 

Stories aren't just for kids

Christine also re-released Stories aren’t just for kids: Busing 10 myths about Bible storytelling (indie published, Oct, 2017)

In a world increasingly anti-Christian, how can you communicate in a way that slides under listener's defences? How can you leave them hungry for more?

Stories are God-designed way to impact hearts. But many Christians reject stories as just for kids. Christine Dillon has trained thousands of people in storytelling. 10 myths come up over and over again, and they block Christians from using this life-changing ministry tool.
MYTH 1: Adults won’t listen to stories
MYTH 2: Stories are only for non-literate cultures
MYTH 3: Men won’t listen to stories ...
MYTH 6: Storytelling won’t grow mature disciples
MYTH 8: Storytelling will lead to heresy ...

Using stories from around the world Dillon tackles each myth and challenges you to master this tool. 

This book is currently a free download: http://www.storytellerchristine.com/blog/stories-arent-just-kids-busting-10-myths/

Christine Dillon is a Bible storyteller and trainer who works in Asia and Australia. Her book, Telling the Gospel Through Story: Evangelism that keeps hearers hungry for more (IVP, 2012) has inspired many to start telling the greatest story of them all.

Mixed Blessings: As Time By Go By

This delightful collection with one-hundred-and-one perfectly bite-sized stories, articles, devotions, and poems, on these ten time-related topics: Minutes, 24-Hours, Weeks, Seasons, Years, Centuries, Era, Time-Consuming, Once in a Blue Moon, Eternity...

Mixed Blessings—As Time Goes By is filled to the brim with fun, encouragement, food for thought, and inspiration. You may find yourself chuckling one moment and shedding a tear the next. In fact, it is the perfect mix of blessings for your daily reading enjoyment.

Includes stories by Christian Writers Downunder members:
Nola Passmore

Jeanette O'Hagan

Kirsten Hart

Rachel Timms

Debbie Roome
Helen Curtis
Noel Mitaxa

18 November 2017

Published by Breath of Press Air Press

Available on Amazon  or at Breath of Fresh Air Press.

Wonderment edited by Leigh Hay and Maree Silver

WONDERMENT – a poetry anthology – Grand themes do have their place in literary works, but good poems are more often the result of carefully observed ‘spots of time’, to use Wordsworth’s term. Being attentive to these moments in our lives, moments when we see the wonder of God’s creation in the world around us, is an aptitude that gifted poets develop. They observe what many often miss, divine glory revealed in the small things of life. This collection contains many such poems.

Including poems from Christian Writers Downunder members Valerie Volk, Nola Passmore, Jeanette O'Hagan, Rachel Timms and Pamela Heemskerke.

Poetica Christi is running the next competition - on the theme of Interludes - deadline 30 April 2018.  You can download an application form here.

Published by Poetica Christi

2 December 2017

May-Kuan Lim - Fish in the Well

May-Kuan Lim with Hen Chin Lim and Penne Lim, have relaunched Fish in the Well: A memoir of faith and aspiration. 

In his memoirs, Lim Hen Chin, born in 1940, recalls his early years around Ipoh and his search for a way out of poverty. His journey is described against enormous socio-political changes: Malayan independence, war against Communism and birth pains of a new nation, Malaysia. It tells of a young man's determination and his sister's unwavering belief in him. In later years, success brings its own troubles. Resigned to the life that fate has dealt him, peace remains illusive until he makes a decision that changes his life.

First published in 2013, relaunched as eBook on 16 Feb 2018. Available on Amazon. 

May-Kuan is the administrator of the 2018 Stories of Life faith-writing competition and a freelance writer, who blogs on migration and crossing cultures as The Curious Scribbler.

Jeanette O'Hagan - Ruhanna's Flight and Other Stories

Jeanette O'Hagan's Ruhanna's Flight and Other Stories (By the Light Books) is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for 6 March release.

Tales of wonder, romance, adventure - dip into the world of Nardva with this collection of stories.

* * *Ruhanna's Flight - Ruhanna’s father is coming for a rare visit from the capital. When everything goes terribly wrong, she discovers a mysterious gift that could save her --- if it doesn’t kill her first.

* * *Heart of the Mountain – When shapeshifter Zadeki slams into the mountain side, he finds himself trapped in a strange underground realm. Can he escape or is he there for another reason?

* * *The Herbalist's Daughter - Anna has her heart set on an burly guard at the palace, but the antics of the young Prince could jeopardise both of their futures.

* * * Rendezvous at Alexgaia - In her last mission, Space operative Dana secured the Infinity Cube at the cost her partner's life or at least his humanity. Will Neon's sacrifice be for nothing or will Dana be able to retrieve the key to the mysterious cube's use?

Also Anna's Dilemma, Lakwi's Lament, Moonflame, Withered Seeds, Space Junk, Rookie Mistake, Inferno and other stories.

Ruhanna's Flight and other stories includes Nardva tales previously published in a range of anthologies plus some new stories. While mostly set in the southern hemisphere of Nardva, the adventures range across the ages - from early days on the Lonely Isles to the space age of Nardva.

A delightful introduction to Jeanette O'Hagan's fantasy world of engaging characters and stirring adventures.

Jeanette spun tales in the world of Nardva as a child. She enjoys writing fantasy & poetry. Her stories span continents, time & cultures in another world.

Release date; 6 March 2018

Publisher By the Light Books. 

Preorder now for low price of 99cUSD at Amazon US or Amazon AU

Other News

Hazel Barker 

- Sides of Heaven Friday 23 February 10-11 am

Safe Harbour

Congratulations to Simon Kennedy. SBS is presenting a Four-Part Drama, Safe Harbour developed from Based on an original concept by Simon Kennedy and Phil Enchelmaier. https://www.sbs.com.au/programs/safe-harbour

Old secrets come to light, relationships are shattered and lives are put in danger. One question hangs over it all – who cut the rope?

Friends on a sailing holiday discover a struggling fishing boat overloaded with asylum seekers. Deciding to tow the refugees, they wake the next morning and find the fishing boat gone. Who cut the rope between the two boats? 

Did they know it would end with tragic consequences?

Simon Kennedy is an award winning writer who loves discovering stories that will move people's hearts and challenge their minds

Safe Harbour count premieres on SBS, March 7th at 8.30 pm. You and watch the trailer here. 

Missionary Biography

David Bennett has a new release, his latest missionary biography -  Hudson Taylor and China
Published by Rhiza Press in March 2017

 Book Fairs, Conventions, Events

Rochelle Manners will be running an online Rhiza Celebration on Tuesday, 6th March - 3-8pm (Brisbane time) here.

Omega Writers Book Fair (Brisbane) - a number of CWD authors will be at the Omega Writers Book Fair (Brisbane) 10am-2:15pm 10 March, 19 Queens Road, Everton Hills.

Several CWD authors, publishers and editors will be there - including Rochelle Manners, Deb Porter, David Bennett, Lynne Stringer, Anne Hamilton, Victoria Carnell, Nola & Tim Passmore, Adele Jones, Hazel Barker, Jeanette O'Hagan, Jan Morris, Ruth Bonetti, Raelene Purtill. If you are in or around Brisbane - this will be a great opportunity to meet up with other Christian writers, do a fantastic workshop with Gary Clark (creator of Swamp) and/or have a table to display your books.

To find out more look at the Omega Writers Website - or the FB event page.

Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeanette O'Hagan will have a stand at Gold Coast Supernova from Friday 27 - Sunday 29 April. We'd love you to drop and say hello and talk to us about our books :)

Towoomba Writers Retreat - Bookings will soon be open for the Omega Writers May Retreat in Toowoomba from 4th-6th May 2018