After a crazy few weeks spending my days on a big Case quadtrac (instead of wheels – picture a triangle tracs) tractor for seeding, it was nice to be home and to start the book that has been sitting on my bedside table for ages — and, I mean ages. I’m talking about Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project. It was actually last year, while in Perth promoting my book The Sunnyvale Girls that I found ou... Read more

I read when I was young but not a lot, as I was an outside kid who had paddocks to play in and cubbies to build. At school, I only read what I had to for class and then after I left school it was as if I forgot to read. I was busy with work. It wasn’t until I was twenty and working as a teachers aid that I was reintroduced to the joy of books. I read Mem Fox’s book on how important it is to rea... Read more

My latest release, The Sunnyvale Girls, has real life past and present moments weaved into it. My inspiration for this story originated from the Italian prisoners of war stationed on farms in our wheat belt area in rural Western Australia. One of my friends and her family told me about Giulio Mosca, who was on their farm Sunnyvale, during the war. Hearing about Giulio and his house building ski... Read more

Recently our Romance Specialist Haylee Nash flew the flag for Booktopia at the 2013 Romance Writers of Australia conference in Fremantle. These are her stories. For those of you who have never been to a Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Conference, or indeed any kind of romance conference, let me paint you a picture. Imagine a modestly sized room, filled with women. Hundreds of women. Each of ... Read more

As part of Australian Romance Month, Romance Specialist Haylee Nash will be interviewing one Australian Romance author per day. Much like a beauty pageant, each author will be using their charm, wit and grace (and the power of social media) to take home the Booktopia Romance Bestseller crown. Booktopia invites bestselling author of rural romance Fiona Palmer to the stage. 1. Describe the perfec... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Fiona Palmer author of The Sunburnt Country, The Road Home, Heart of Gold and The Family Farm… Nine Naughty Questions ———————– 1. I wonder, is a Romance writer born or made? Please tell us little about your life before publication. Hmm, you know I’m not sure. Maybe it’s both? I think it was reading romance books ... Read more

Welcome to day two of the unveiling of Australia’s Favourite Novelist, as voted by you. Here’s the story so far: 50. Peter Temple 49. Jay Kristoff 48. Nikki Gemmell 47. Charlotte Wood 46. Andy Griffiths 45. Di Morrissey 44. Christina Stead 43. Christos Tsiolkas 42. Rachael Treasure 41. Morris Gleitzman Don’t forget to pencil in January 25th as a big day on the calender as we c... Read more