CWD Highlights - October to December 2021

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 October to December 2021

Jeanette O'Hagan & the Admin Team

Awards

2021 Omega Writers CALEB Awards

The winners of the Omega Writers CALEB Awards for published books were announced at the Omega Writers Dinner conference in October 2021 and included CWD members. The winners were:

Adult Non-Fiction - Sinned Against: Exploring the Scriptures by Valerie Wressell

Adult Biography of Memoir - On the way: an Australian Doctor in Yemen and Pakistan by Michael Babbage

Children’s Picture Books - Grandma’s Treasured Shoes written by Coral Vass and Illustrated by Christina Huynh

Early Reader and Middle Grade - How Not to be Popular by Cecily Paterson

Young Adult Fiction - Apprentice by Kristen Young

Adult Fiction - The Silk Merchant of Sychar by Cindy Williams

Barnabas Award  (which recognise a writer who has gone out of their way to support and encourage other writers.) - Elaine Frazer

Encouragement Award (for writers Omega Writers would like to recognise and encourage) - Jeannie Wood and Raewyn Elsegood

New Releases, Pre-orders & Cover Reveals

The Craving by J F Saxby

The Craving is a split-time YA Christian romance, by J F Saxby. What happens when two people long to be together but are worlds apart? A music concert accident results in a coma and a breath taking journey. With themes of isolation, hardship, and a search for meaning in life, this is a novel for today.

Winner of 2020 CALEB Award for unpublished YA, The Craving J F Saxby was published by Ironstone Press November 18, 2021. 

Watch the book trailer HERE and you can buy a copy HERE  


Bio: Jean is a teacher, blogger and award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction, including inspirational stories and well-being content.

https://towardsrecovery.com.au

https://jeansaxby.com.au
https://thefangs.com.au

Mirror by Elizabeth Klein

Where there’s always darkness; never daylight.

Does magic still linger in the mist-shrouded places of Scotland? With his aunt’s untimely death, Ash Wood inherits her cottage and becomes the next custodian of a mirror she always claimed belonged to Snow White’s evil stepmother.

The truth about his aunt soon becomes far darker and more tangled than anything Ash is prepared for. The hidden world of faery waxes very real and terrifying when fae creatures invade the cottage and he becomes trapped inside the mirror’s shadowy world with no way back. Who can he trust when each decision could be his last?

Mirror was published on November 9th and paperback on November 10th.

You can buy it HERE 


Elizabeth Klein also has a short story, Dragon Gift, by Storm Cloud Publishing in their anthology Christmas Tales 6 - A collection of Christmas stories for kids 8 – 12 years. Christmas Tales 6 was published on December 1st 2021

Elizabeth Klein has written 20 books and countless short stories, plays and articles, and lives in a caravan with her husband.

Poetica Christi's Silver Linings

Jeanette O'Hagan was thrilled to have two poems published in Poetic Christi's latest anthology, Silver Linings. 

Time’s Lathe reflects on the her dad's journey with Alzheimer's while Time Reformed is a palindrome on the revolution of time. 

Silver Linings has many other wonderful poems from a wide range of fabulous poets.  It was launched on 12 December 2021. You can order a copy HERE. 

Jeanette O’Hagan has published ten books through her own imprint, By the Light Books —seven fantasy novels set in the world of Nardva, a collection of short stories and two anthologies. Many of her short stories and poems have been published in a range of anthologies. Jeanette lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Facebook |Jeanette O'Hagan Writes | Twitter | Instagram 

The fabulous cover image for Silver Linings was taken by CWD member  Eric Skattebo.

Grace Across the Miles by Christine Dillon

How can you belong when you don't know who you are?


Gina Reid is surrounded by people getting married or having babies. She's under pressure to settle down but how can she do that when she doesn't even know where she came from? Since the startling revelation that she was adopted, it's felt like there is something missing. But fear has kept her from searching for her biological parents.

What if learning the truth is worse than not knowing?


Now an overheard comment has propelled her into action. Can Gina find out who she truly is? Or will she discover that some secrets are best left undisturbed?
Grace Across the Miles is Book 6 in the Grace series (final)

Released 15 December 2021. Links in the Chain Press.  You can buy it HERE.

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.

Blinding Revelation by Donita Bundy

What if the Unseen was more blinding than the Seen?

The crew have survived the chaos and hardships of Sodom to arrive in Laodicea’s lap of luxury. A city ahead of its time: beautiful, pristine and enemy-free. It is the perfect place to rest, recover and regroup.

But all is not what it seems.

Something sinister lurks beneath the sterile exterior of the golden city.

How will the refugees from Sodom adjust to life in this foreign city?
With no common enemy to fight, what will hold them together?
Is this place heaven on earth, or is it the threshold of hell?

Blinding Revelation by Donita Bundy is Book 2 of the Armour of Light series. Published 12 December 2021.

Donita Bundy lives in the Somerset Shire (Queensland, not England) with her husband, two boys, her socially inappropriate cat and irrepressible red dog.

Find out more at https://www.donitabundy.com/books/

Untruth: Exploring truth in a post truth world by Ruth Embery

This book comes with a warning. If you are looking for answers or proofs for set positions, either theologically or socially, you may not find them here. Rather, the purpose is to prompt the questions we often fail to ask; to create a place where aspects of faith and culture we take for granted as truth, or are prescribed to us as truth, are opened up for discussion and examination to determine whether they actually stand up to close scrutiny.

We live in an era where many seem to be throwing out much of what we have believed as truth or culturally acceptable in the past in exchange for something new and progressive. When there are so many voices shouting that their way is the only right way, it is vitally important that we reassess our foundations. Are we really standing on what we think we are? And are these foundations actually stable or sufficient for the way ahead?

Untruth explores these questions and others to help open the way for conversation, greater understanding and increased certainty around what we do believe is truth and, more importantly, why we believe it is truth.

Publication Date: Dec 2021
Publisher: Voice in the Dark Publishing

You can buy it HERE

Ruth has a background in teaching and is passionate about shalom healing, wholeness and restoration in individuals, communities and the world as a whole.

New releases and pre-orders for Carolyn Miller

Reclaiming Hope by Carolyn Miller

“Opposites can attract, but can they last?”

Reclaiming Hope, published December 7 by Celebrate Lit, short blurb:  You can buy it HERE

The Breakup Project by Carolyn Miller

“What happens if her personal Mr Darcy is her twin brother’s off-limits best friend?”

The Breakup Project, published December 29.  You can buy it HERE 

Carolyn Miller's Pre-orders

Love on Ice, out January 27

“She wants gold; he wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship come something real?” 

You can pre-order it HERE

Checked Impressions, out February 24

“Sparks fly when a hometown hockey hero meets a classy art-loving museum guide hiding a secret…”

You can pre-order it  HERE

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English teacher. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and LM Montgomery, Carolyn loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her contemporary romance series includes the Original Six hockey romance series, and the Independence Islands series, and her historical series include the Regency Brides and Regency Wallflowers series.

Diamonds in the Dirt by Sara Powter

Sara Powter has a new release coming up in January, on 26th, currently available on pre-order. Diamonds in the Dust is book 3 in her Lockleys of Parramatta series.
This one covers the discovery of Diamonds in NSW, but is also more about the growth of the town of Parramatta and how one family of faith can change a town.

 

DIAMONDS, LOVE AND MONEY

but there’s much more to life.

Luke, the youngest Lockley son, has completed University, and his life has no direction. No job, no money and no love. Desperately alone, he prays for guidance, and his brother Wills turns up with a suggestion. Reverend William Clarke needs assistance on a Government Mineral Survey. Would Luke be interested in joining the expedition? The challenge, adventure and their finds are life-changing for many. However, it gives Luke meaning, purpose and direction.

 
How can Luke trust God has a plan for him if he can’t even work out how to get a job? He does the only thing he can… he prays.

Within a week, life has changed... oh how it has changed! The condition of his heart problems also takes a turn. Can he walk away?

Diamonds in the Dust is available for pre order on Amazon and for order in all good bookstores in Australia from Woodslane Press. ($20)

Available on pre-order HERE

Author of two new Australian Colonial Series all set in Parramatta from 1792 to 1902.
Born and raised on NSW Central Coast, Sara loved learning about the faith of her ancestors and now weaves them into these delightful stories.


Sara Powter  spowter@bigpond.net.au

Other News

Power to Change Short Story Competition

Power to Change Australia has a vision to help people encounter Jesus today, impact Australia tomorrow and reach the nations for eternity. In a rapidly changing nation with such rich diversity this vision finds many different expressions.

Power to Change Australia is asking writers to enter a compelling short story into their 2022 Short Story Competition. The judges are looking for a fiction or fictionalised story with a link to Christian mission in contemporary Australia that reflects the theme “power to change”.

Theme: “Power to Change”

Closes: 31 January 2022

Word Limit: 3,000

Entry Fee: Free

Prize: $1,500 for first place. Writers will receive $150 for each story selected for publication.

Winners will be announced in Power to Change Australia’s ChangeMakers email, and contacted directly. First place and nine other stories will be published by Power to Change Australia in an anthology.  Find out more HERE.

Rhiza Press Short Story Submissions

Rhiza Press is looking for interesting explorations of biblical fiction, including aspects of historical fiction, and encourage participants to write about the more ‘unusual’ parts of biblical history to create unique stories.

What do you have to do?

Write a creative and exciting story that engages with our theme. Word count to be between 2000 and 5000 words.

These stories are to be fictional and appropriate for teens through to adults to read (12+ stories). This means limited swearing, stories that will be able to sell to schools. Please age and voice your characters appropriately.

Up to 17 stories will be shortlisted and included in the anthology Through Their Eyes. Successful entrants will each receive a complimentary copy of the book at publication and a $50.00 credit with Wombat|Rhiza.

Entry fee: there is none!

This year’s Rhiza Press Short Story Submissions are free entry. All we ask is that you please adhere to our requirements and terms and conditions. Entries for the Biblical Fiction theme close on September 1st, 2022. You can find out more HERE.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements and wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New Year.

Most Thursdays this year we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today's Interview: Ruth Embery

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from. 

I am currently living in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, with my husband and dog (we are empty nesters these days). I have lived in a number of areas in country Victoria over my life, including Horsham and the Macedon Ranges, before moving into Melbourne as a young adult. 

I have a background in teaching (was a maths/chemistry teacher in a former life), which more recently I have realised is very closely linked to my passion for learning. Teaching is so innate I have to remind myself to turn it off occasionally. (My younger brothers bore the brunt of this when I was about eight and made them take lessons during school holidays.) 

I strongly believe in the transformational and healing nature of the Gospel message, particularly its essential value to our life journey as believers, both as individuals and as the Church. I can get pretty enthusiastic about this, so will leave it at that for now!

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

My writing career (if I could even call it that!), has been somewhat accidental in its birth and development. Growing up in a family where facts were valued far more than feelings, creative writing seemed like something of a waste of time. However, looking back to my childhood, I always loved words, and as a teen, dabbled in poetry as a way to express my feelings in private. I remember one of my favourite pieces of work from year 12 was a descriptive essay, where I let myself go, pushing aside the austerity of fact. It was eye opening to me that I could do it well and that it was not just accepted, but praised. 

I started journaling in my late 20’s and I think this probably was a foundation to the way I write today – from experience and my personal journey with God. As someone with a passion for teaching and preaching, I have also used writing as an outlet when there weren’t other opportunities. Blogging has been a great medium for this, although I have long struggled with the lack of the immediate feedback you get when speaking. However, all this has helped to hone the way I prepare for speaking, especially in the realm of really sticking to the point and not getting side tracked. 

My first book, “Handing Back Control” was very much something given to me by God in one of those suddenly moments. I really didn’t think I had a book in me. It still took me about five years to finish, but perhaps I had more journey to finish first!

After that, I had a number of people encourage me to write another book. I had no idea of what that might look like until again, I started getting ideas that all pointed to a consistent concept. And once more, it has been a painful, battling process to get it out. This book is quite different, in that it is far less personal – more of a discourse on society and how we view the world. In essence, it is exposé on the concept of what truth might look like in our post-truth world.

For the future, I would love to write two biographical books of family members. One about my grandfather who pastored a church in London during WW2. We have many letters between my grandparents during that time as well as his journals, which, to me, make fascinating reading. The other is the story of my great-grandfather and the call he had to be a missionary in far north India (now Pakistan). He started the journey in 1901 with my great-grandmother, two weeks after they married! (My great-grandmother gave birth to eight children while they were there – I would love to know more of her story, of how she coped, given my great-grandfather would often go on trips up into Afghanistan and so on, leaving her home alone. However, I think they were very stoic and just got on with it.) My great-grandfather wrote quarterly newsletters to folks back home, which I will have to travel to England to retrieve from a library where they still store over twenty years of hardcopies some 100 years on.

I also have a couple of other ideas in the pipeline, one an interactive journal using some psalms I have written alongside some of my photographs, with space for the reader to write their own psalms. The other idea is very recent and is around gathering and presenting stories of other people’s Jesus encounters. 

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

I have had numbers of people from diverse backgrounds read my blog and book, and it is always the responses from strangers that impact me the most. I love it when God uses my experiences and thoughts to help others on their journey and they let me know of it. Of course, I would like everyone to read my work – as a teacher, I am also something of an idealist, in that I want everyone to get “it”, whatever my “it” of the moment is. Whether it is relevant to their journey is another thing. 

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

With my walking companion

Process, in the strict definition of the word is not my strong point. I am quite haphazard and tend to need uninterrupted space to focus. However, I am also very good at allowing myself to be distracted easily (I think it is called procrastination – although Ted Dekker wrote a great article on the importance of procrastination in the writing process, which I actually think has more truth to it than I have realised: time to ruminate!). Walking my dog and gardening work very well as my muse.

When I go somewhere different specifically to write, such as the local library, where there are people and activity I don’t have to engage with, I am much more focussed (even though my writing space at home is idyllic). More recently, a friend has offered her prayer room as a space for me, which has been very productive – none of the “at home” distractions. I have realised that, as an extrovert, the energy I gain from just being around people is helpful, even (or maybe especially) when I don’t know them.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

Confession time – I haven’t read any books on writing, other than the APA Style Guide, which was part of my compulsory reading when I studied psychology some twenty years ago. Occasionally I have read blogs and picked up helpful bits of advice in places such as CWD. Alongside that, Google is my go-to for finding that “just right” word or quote. My writing was honed and developed by necessity over a three year period of writing a weekly piece for my church newsletter. It taught me how to be succinct and to identify what was essential, as I had to be able to get the message across in less than 500 words. 

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

The first person who springs to mind is Anusha Atukorala. She is always such an encourager and so filled with positivity, both within her own writing and in her personal responses to me. Her gentle manner and kind words make me feel as though I am adding value, which, as we all know too well, is not something we necessarily get much affirmation in when writing. I really do appreciate all those who take time out to encourage and give me input in this group. The instantaneous acceptance has been such a balm to me.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for the coming year? How will you achieve them?

A sample of the ever changing view from my desk

I really want to get my book finished and published in the next few months. I have been invited to speak at a healing conference in the US in May, which is a great incentive to have it ready to sell there. Some strong discipline in writing and in biting the bullet and preparing my manuscript to send out to some beta readers is an important (but scary!) step. Setting aside writing time and not allowing the needs of others to get in the way is a challenge I continue to grapple with.

An online “Planning for 2020” activity I have just completed has landed me with a commitment to finish the first draft of my book in the next thirty days, though, so I fully realise the only way this will happen is to set aside a day a week (at least) to write, and to make it an unbreakable appointment. If writing this book is not my top priority, it just doesn’t happen!

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

As my previous answers probably reveal, my faith is integral to my writing. It very much directs the course and substance. Early on in my writing, I was sharing material that was extremely sensitive to my journey, but it was amazing how God gave me words so that I didn’t feel too exposed while remaining transparent and honest. My writing also shapes my own faith, as it makes me dig deep and reassess what I really believe. I am learning the value and importance for me to be deliberate in praying and asking Holy Spirit for the words before I start, which I find makes a huge difference and makes the process easier.

You can check out more about me at www.ruthembery.com