Author: Andrea Barton

Award-winning author, Andrea Barton, writes the Jade Riley Mystery Series. She is Managing Editor at Brightside Story Studio and Vice President of Mansfield Readers and Writers Festival. Her other writing credits include The Winding Narrative blog, short stories, picture books and stage productions about contemporary social issues. She has co-authored and edited two anthologies about expatriate life.
Posted on

Lisa Darcy on Tuscany and Tennis

Lisa Darcy, author and writing coach, has just led an amazing writers’ retreat in Tuscany. Join us to hear about this and her latest novel, The Pact, which features sisters who are also doubles tennis champions. What could possibly go wrong in such a situation? Quite a bit as it turns out. Darcy takes us on a wild ride that is alternately victorious, heart-breaking and uplifting, and will leave you wanting the best for both sisters. Continue reading Lisa Darcy on Tuscany and Tennis

Posted on

Writing a Mystery: Introducing Jade Riley

Jade is an everyday hero. In the first book, she’s a rookie journalist with more ambition than experience, more passion than finesse. She’s Australian, from my hometown, Melbourne, but she’s living in The Woodlands, Texas, a satellite suburb of Houston, where she works for a local newspaper. By no coincidence, this is where I lived with my family for five years. She’s also passionate about ballroom and Latin dance. Continue reading Writing a Mystery: Introducing Jade Riley

Posted on

Bella Ellwood-Clayton on Weekend Friends

Dr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton’s debut novel is set in a cliquey suburb where belonging to the in-group is everything. It features intense female friendships and explores parenting in our perilous times when social media can build someone up as quickly as it can tear them down.
Join us as we talk about motherhood, friendship and how to write a good plot twist. Continue reading Bella Ellwood-Clayton on Weekend Friends

Posted on

How to convert from Australian English to US English

My publisher (it’s such a thrill to be able to type those words) for The Godfather of Dance, Wings ePress, is in the US, so I needed to update my novel from Australian English to US English. The differences were even greater than I’d realised (realized). I’ve noted these changes to help other authors and to show the differences to my non-US friends, so they don’t think I’ve published a book full of errors! Continue reading How to convert from Australian English to US English

Posted on

Sarah Bourne on writing about social issues

Sarah is a counsellor, yoga teacher and prolific writer. In the past couple of years, she’s published five novels. The common thread is their focus on specific social issues, such as dealing with grief and trauma. With a career in mental health, her writing is peppered with insight into the human condition. Join us as we discuss the genesis of each of her stories. Continue reading Sarah Bourne on writing about social issues