With Love From New Zealand...
Life news, book updates, upcoming events and recommendations.
Dear Book Besties,
I’m writing this month’s update from my aunty’s house in beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand.
Check out my view RIGHT NOW:
I’m here with my mum to celebrate her 80th birthday and catch up with my favourite aunty, my cousin author , her partner and gorgeous daughters. I’m currently WAY overdue on my deadline (Sorry Ali) and so I’m trying to work mornings while I’m here to finishin THE LUCKY SISTERS and enjoy my time in the fresh air or eating delicious food and drinking yummy wine in the arvos.
Good news…I hit 120k words on the book just before I left so there’s not much left to go. Bad news is that I find it quite hard to work with not only this distracting view but a house full of people I love and want to hang out with.
BRILLIANT news is that my wonderful publisher has read what I’ve written so far and thinks it might just be my best book yet, so I’m trying to hold onto those words as I plod on to the end.
While in NZ of course I had to check out my books at the local Whitcoulls. Take a trip across on the Earnslaw to Walters Peak - it was pouring with rain most of the time but we had a fab time with all the animals and eating delicious scones for arvo tea anyway. Check out the new Ayeburn (described as Queenstown’s food and wine playground) - they had a shiny gnome! No idea why but see the pic below. Pity it was WAY too big to fit in my suitcase and take home. I reckon it would look fabulous in my garden right outside my office window.
I’d like to say I got a LOT of exercise in the long, picturesque walks around my aunty’s house, but sadly, we only managed one - along the lake. BUT what a walk and not just because we ended it with a Prosecco on a floating bar!!! While this trip was mostly to catch up with family and celebrate Mum’s birthday, which means we didn’t do a whole host of touristy things (and I have been here before luckily), I did make sure to check out the Queenstown markets and also visit Arrowtown for a hot chocolate and a stroll. One of the cutest little towns ever. LOVE LOVE LOVED hanging out with my aunty, my cousin and her two gorgeous daughters. So nice having girls around or are happy to browse shops and markets as opposed to boys who' can’t be bothered!
By the time, you read this I should be back at my desk, working hard. And hopefully by the time my next newsletter drops in your inbox, I’ll be finished writing THE LUCKY SISTERS. Can’t wait to share more about this story with you in the coming months.
Love lots,
Rach!
THE OTHER BRIDGET made the Dymocks Top 101 :) - thanks to all of you who voted. I’m so grateful.
Less than a month til the 10 year anniversary edition of THE PATTERSON GIRLS is out. You can pre-order your copy now!
Listening Rec - I was interviewed by Amy Matthews with fellow author Tess Woods for the very first episode of the QBD Romance Bookclub Pod - you can listen here.
Reading Rec - The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight. Listen to me talk about it with
on our podcast, Reading Between Deadlines.Viewing Rec - I have watched literally NO TV this last month or seen a movie as I’ve just been writing (and reading) but I’m desperate to watch The White Lotus S3 and also Adolescence, which EVERYONE seems to be raving about!
Substack Rec - ’ Substack is one of the first I ever followed (and paid for) - I’m a HUGE fan of her writing, so I love any insight into her process. But my most favourite post from her so far is this one where she talks about what she’s learned from working with really successful people. NO matter what you do, there’s something to learn!
✨ 3rd-5th May 2025 ✨
Sunshine Coast Hinterland Festival
✨ 1st-3rd August 2025 ✨
Kimberley Writers Festival (Kununurra, WA)
✨ 15th - 17th August 2025 ✨
Romance Writers New Zealand
✨ 5th September 2025 ✨
Beverley Public Library (WA)
10.30-12.30pm
Free but please contact the library on 96461600 to register.
✨ 7th - 9th November 2025 ✨
Sunshine Coast Fiction Festival
I love Jojo Moyes’ Substack as well! Brilliant stuff 🤩
Love Zealand. Glad you got a little time to unwind with your family. How you managed to write with all the distractions I’ll never know. Looking forward to seeing you soon. :)