Local Author Launches Debut Book and Wins Top Writing Award
Local Byron Bay writer Jennifer St George’s debut book hit e-book shelves the same week as she scooped the top romance writing award in New Zealand.
Ms St George says it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks: “The novel - The Convenient Bride - was launched by Destiny Romance, Penguin’s new direct-to-digital romance imprint a few weeks ago at the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) annual conference held on the Gold Coast. Along with the three other launch authors, I read an excerpt from my book to over 250 people at the launch party.”
Launching her first book wasn’t the only excitement for Ms St George at the RWA conference. “The Convenient Bride also took out 2nd place the RWA Emerald Award and my next book with Destiny Romance Seducing the Secret Heiress came 3rd.”
At the Romance Writers of New Zealand conference the following weekend, The Convenient Bride won the Clendon Award, the top NZ romance writing prize for unpublished manuscripts (as it was then). “It was a thrill to win such a prestigious award on my very first trip to New Zealand.”
“The Clendon perpetual trophy is rather large and made from beautiful solid wood. Australian customs were very interested in it when I came back home.”
Ms St George was amazed at how fast her book went from manuscript to publication: “I heard back from my Penguin editor about a week after I sent off the manuscript. Only a few weeks later the book was available for download. The e-publishing phenomenon is incredible at bringing new material to market quickly.”
Locals are already showing interest in the story. “I’ve already been asked to be a guest at two local bookclubs,” she says. “The story is set mostly in Venice and I think the wounded Italian hero strikes a chord with a lot of readers. I know I cried as I wrote some of the scenes.”
The Convenient Bride is available now from all good ebook retailers including amazon, apple, google play and kobo or by visiting www.destinyromance.com. “Destiny plans to bring out a print version of The Convenient Bride at a later date.”
“After all the excitement of the past few weeks, it’s going to be hard to get back into the discipline of writing every day again. But it always helps when I sit in Byron’s best cafes with my computer and a strong coffee with the buzz of this fantastic town in the background.”
Destiny Romance is the first Australian direct-to-digital romance imprint and is publishing romance eBooks of all kinds, from novellas to full-length stories. The new venture launched with four great titles and readers will then be delighted with two new eBook romances released every month. The new and innovative Destiny Romance website (destinyromance.com) will be dedicated to sales of exciting romance titles, romance gossip, author chats, writing tips - and fun.
- ends –
Ms St George says it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks: “The novel - The Convenient Bride - was launched by Destiny Romance, Penguin’s new direct-to-digital romance imprint a few weeks ago at the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) annual conference held on the Gold Coast. Along with the three other launch authors, I read an excerpt from my book to over 250 people at the launch party.”
Launching her first book wasn’t the only excitement for Ms St George at the RWA conference. “The Convenient Bride also took out 2nd place the RWA Emerald Award and my next book with Destiny Romance Seducing the Secret Heiress came 3rd.”
At the Romance Writers of New Zealand conference the following weekend, The Convenient Bride won the Clendon Award, the top NZ romance writing prize for unpublished manuscripts (as it was then). “It was a thrill to win such a prestigious award on my very first trip to New Zealand.”
“The Clendon perpetual trophy is rather large and made from beautiful solid wood. Australian customs were very interested in it when I came back home.”
Ms St George was amazed at how fast her book went from manuscript to publication: “I heard back from my Penguin editor about a week after I sent off the manuscript. Only a few weeks later the book was available for download. The e-publishing phenomenon is incredible at bringing new material to market quickly.”
Locals are already showing interest in the story. “I’ve already been asked to be a guest at two local bookclubs,” she says. “The story is set mostly in Venice and I think the wounded Italian hero strikes a chord with a lot of readers. I know I cried as I wrote some of the scenes.”
The Convenient Bride is available now from all good ebook retailers including amazon, apple, google play and kobo or by visiting www.destinyromance.com. “Destiny plans to bring out a print version of The Convenient Bride at a later date.”
“After all the excitement of the past few weeks, it’s going to be hard to get back into the discipline of writing every day again. But it always helps when I sit in Byron’s best cafes with my computer and a strong coffee with the buzz of this fantastic town in the background.”
Destiny Romance is the first Australian direct-to-digital romance imprint and is publishing romance eBooks of all kinds, from novellas to full-length stories. The new venture launched with four great titles and readers will then be delighted with two new eBook romances released every month. The new and innovative Destiny Romance website (destinyromance.com) will be dedicated to sales of exciting romance titles, romance gossip, author chats, writing tips - and fun.
- ends –
