I am SO looking forward to this event, my first with the Australian Romance Readers Association (ARRA), which will include two incredible international authors, Julia Quinn (of Bridgerton fame) and Audrey Carlan (of Calendar Girl and The Marriage auction fame). I’m especially looking forward to meeting some of my fellow Aussie romance authors, and get to share a table with the lovely and talented Megan Mayfair!
If you have yet to buy tix for any of the cities, you can get them here. Come see me (and Julia, Audrey and Megan – amongst others) in Melbourne!
I have some goodies for those who visit my table and will be doing a giveaway – 3 signed copies of my book, A Wedding in Tuscany.
More about ARRA
ARRA is a volunteer-run organisation that champions and celebrates all things romance books and I’ve been a member for several years now. They host events (like this one coming up), run a blog dedicated to romance reads, author spotlights and author contributions, put our a monthly newsletter, and an annual readers’ survey. That ARRA manages all this with a small team of volunteers in incredible and as always a huge shout-out to the the ARRA team. I am especially thankful for the Release Day Announcements, like this one for my latest release The Christmas Trip!
And (!) in 2020, I was fortunate to have The Christmas Swap shortlisted in the ARRA annual reader awards in the Best Holiday or Christmas Romance category.
Huge congrats to Leonie Mack on the publication of Italy Ever After. I was fortunate enough to get an early read and absolutely LOVED this book – it’s romantic and whimsical and is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, Northern Italy. To celebrate the occasion, I asked Leonie a few questions about writing the book and about her author life.
Tell us what inspired you to write Italy Ever After?
As with most of my ideas, it started with the setting and the character dynamic. I had the idea for a romance between a divorced mum and her daughter’s teacher. The music camp setting allowed them to get to know each other in close confines (while having a lovely summer holiday) and then the characters exploded from there.
When did you start writing seriously?
I started writing with a serious intent to publish about three years ago, although I’ve always written as a hobby and finished my first experimental novels in my early twenties. It took me more than ten years to realise I had to put in a bit of hard work if I wanted to make something from it! My first book, My Christmas Number One, came out last year and now I have two coming out in 2021 and another already contracted to my publisher for 2022!
What do you love most about being an author?
I love spending my days in amazing places with my characters. I love dreaming up people and crafting situations that bring that satisfying tension. And I love that moment when the book is getting really complex and I feel like I have a universe in my brain.
What are you working on now?
It’s very exciting. My next two books are a little series set in Venice, so I have spent winter (virtually) on the canals, watching glassblowers, going to a ball for Carnevale and eating lots of delicious fish and fried pastries. One day we’ll all be able to go there for real!
What do you hope readers will take away from Italy Ever After?
I want readers to feel like they’ve been on a holiday to Italy with their best girlfriend and a handsome love interest!
More about the book
TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.
When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.
Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.
As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?
Leonie Mack is an author of romantic comedies with great locations and big feelings. She loves a happy ending and shares that love in every book she writes! Leonie is a journalism graduate, a language nut and loves to travel, particularly on foot, by bike and by train. After growing up in Australia and living most of her adult life in London, she now lives in Germany, among the vineyards on the Main river.
Off the Beaten Track 
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