Romance in the Outback by Fiona Lowe

Whether you're in the deserts of Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico or Australia, the heat, the dust and the isolation are the same. Oh and the bugs! Weird and wonderful, annoying bugs ;-)

Standing in a desert, surrounded by the low foliage, you can't help but get a sense that nature is so much stronger than you. The sun is so hot, the place is so dry and as everything looks the same, it's easy to get lost.  

But for all that overwhelms me about the Outback and the desert, there is also so many things that fascinate me and one of them is why these places even got settled back in the 1800s when there was no electricity, no telephone, no permanent water supply and no aircon!

Today there's still a mystical quality to these isolated places and they make the perfect backdrop to a romance novel!  For the first time for my USA readers, Harlequin have bundled four of my books together in an anthology called Fiona Lowe's Weddings.  Three book are set in the Outback...and one in Vietnam! 
 
The Warragurra Duo, Wedding in Warragurra & The Playboy Doctor's Marriage Proposal are set in the Australian Outback in a town with a Flying Doctor's base. It's a land of blazing summers and bitterly cold winters, populated by people who live on hope and faith and are frequently battered by the elements. 
In Wedding In Warragurrra, Dr. Baden Tremont is committed to raising his tween daughter and never expected love to strike twice. Sarah Lawson thought she'd loved once before but living in a town who blames her for the death of the local sports hero , she's not prepared to love again. Slowly, they find their way forward by honouring the past and embracing the future.

In book two of the Warragurra books, red dust meets city smog. Emily Tippet with her pink hair, baggy clothes and an ability to hot-wire a car or tractor, brand cattle and shoot a mean game of pool, is an enigma to Sydney playboy doctor, Linton Gregory. He's never met anyone like her or her close and loving family. With her four brothers and a father, dating Emily  is like having to deal with five fathers. I had so much fun getting dust on Linton's Italian loafers and forcing Emily out of her comfort clothes and revealing her true self to the world.

The Surgeon's Chosen Wife is set in tropical Queensland, the absolute opposite of the dry inland with its lush bougainvillaea, mango-laden trees, sweltering humidity and massive rainfall. I love the old Queenslander homesteads on their stilts and in this novel, the house became a character in its own right as Ryan Harrison, former surgeon, returns unhappily to Yakkaburra to recuperate from a near-death experience.  His neighbour is Sarah Rigby, single mum and the town's GP who'd gone to school with him. Ryan can't fathom why she didn't run screaming from town years ago like he did. I love this story with the theme of healing both physically and emotionally, plus I got to include a gorgeous dog, a kelpie-bordercollie cross, who was based on the wonderful Meg, who sadly passed away a few weeks ago.



The final book in the anthology is a novel that had the working title, "The Vietnam Book." Now titled, A Woman To Belong To,  it is set all over the beautiful country of Vietnam. Dr Tom Bracken was a 'cardboard box baby, flown out of Vietnam at Saigon fell in 1975. Now he's working in Hanoi and trying to find his birth mother, believing his life cannot start until the missing part of it is found. The arrival of Bec Monahan at his door, offering to 'help the children' starts him on another journey entirely. Bec has been left a lot of money but to her it's tarnished and is a constant reminder of her troubled childhood. Together, she and Tom challenge their beliefs about each other as Vietnam weaves her magic over them both, but is magic enough?

As I said before, these books have never been released in the USA and  I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them. For photos, excerpts and the back ground story behind each of the novels, please pop by my website
These books are set around Australia and around the world and it made me think, which do I prefer... the beach or the desert and why? I've visited Arizona and Nevada as well as the glorious beaches of Florida and the east coast of the USA and I'm torn! They both have their own unique beauty. What about you? Beach or desert?

Fiona Lowe's Weddings can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harlequin USA, iBooks, and all  USA eBook retailers.

Fiona Lowe is a RITA® and R*BY award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin , Carina Press and in 2015, Berkley USA. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. You can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Re-entering Reality by Fiona Lowe

I've just got back fro 19 days in France! C'est tres fantastique! You have to hand it to the French; they have style and, man, can they cook! From the top end restaurants in Paris to the small family-run brasseries in the provinces, the food was phenomenal. I have waddled home, sadly to my own cooking!

Re-entering real life post vacation is always a challenge. We travelled light so the bags are unpacked and the laundry is under control but my brain is still in France. Here are a few of the photos so you understand.

The Canal du Midi between Castlenaudary & Carrcassonne

Cookies & Chocolates in Montemarte

Saint Cecile Cathedrral in Albi..the Cathars Crusade

Renaissance buildings in Albi 

Chaud Chocolat in style!

I could go on (my husband took 1300 photos in 19 days) but I'll stop! As you can imagine, my mind keeps wandering back to these adventures rather than the prosaic of real life!  However, I am a person for looking forward, not backwards and November is coming. My eldest son is returning home from university/college next week and November means books are being released!

My next Harlequin medical romance is out on November 1st! This is the third book in the Gold Coast Angel's series and I

had a lot of angst as well as fun writing Bundle of Trouble. Married to his long time girlfriend and dad to baby Amber, Luke Stanley was at the top of his field as a plastic surgeon. Life was good and he never expected it to change in a heartbeat. But life can do that to you and suddenly,  Luke's adrift and it's only his daughter that is keeping him going. 

Writing about grief is emotionally draining but the flip side to it is giving people hope. Not just my characters but perhaps readers who are struggling. I hope you enjoy Luke and Chloe's story as they both learn life can give you second chances at happiness if you're open to taking the risk. Set on the beautiful Gold Coast in Queenland, Australia, it's filled with sun-drenched beaches and glorious, lush rainforests. It's available at Harlequin and all other eBook retailers.

For those of you looking for a short-story, the perfect length before turning out the light, then On The Road Again is just the thing. It's a reunion story. Can two people forgive and move beyond past hurts? Set on a 9 day cycling vacation (yes, I used the ride as inspiration) it also features a hot doc, a high-powered motor cycle and lots of fun.
You can grab it at Smashwords and Amazon and soon all other ebook retailers.

Of course I have a my Wedding Fever trilogy for fun and laughs and the occasional tears in Saved By The Bride and Picture Perfect Wedding. It's the perfect time to grab them in preparation for the final book, Runaway Groom which is out in January!

Meanwhile, anyone been to France? I'd love to hear your favourite French stories to help me ease into real life again!


Fiona Lowe is a RITA^® and R*BY award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. You can find her at herwebsite, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

A Modern Christmas Tale

Down here, in Australia, November means the shops deck their halls and the junk mail/mail box flyers quadruple in volume. Christmas is truly on the agenda. Magazines are filled with home-made gift ideas and despite part of me thinking, 'Noooooo, it's too early to think about Christmas' I know that really it's not.

This year, things are busier than normal because between now and Christmas I have a son writing his final Year 12 exams (all 13 of them) and an insane bike ride to complete, so I am starting to feel the pressure to ‘get organised.’  

The first week of November means I have to soak the dried fruit for my Christmas cake in whiskey, rum, brandy, vanilla and lemon essence. It soaks for a month and I bake it at the start of December. This cake featured in my RITA award-winning novel, Boomerang Bride.  It also means that any gifts I want to order from the USA, like Lego...it is HEAPS cheaper on your side of the world...then I have to do it know so it arrives by December 25th.  November also means its time to plant the tomato seedlings and the basil...yes, it's spring 'Down Under.'

This year, November also means Newborn Baby for Christmas is out in the UK and the USA. I love Christmas and I loved writing this book. The idea came from the original Christmas story, starting with the virgin birth. Almost all the elements of the original Christmas story are in my very modern, 2012, Christmas tale, although no camels. ;-)

Reviews for this story have been very positive, "Mrs Lowe is on top form in this captivating story of long term friends progressing into lovers. The characters are normal everyday people whom you can easily identify with. " "There is only one word to describe this story;fantastic!" So what's it about? Hamish and Georgie have been friends for 14 years and now, both in their thirties, one of them is very keen to settle down although not with the other. Like many modern women, Georgie's biological clock is ticking and in 2012, women are not dependent on having a man in their life to have a child. When Georgie asks Hamish one of the biggest favours a friend can ever ask, he reluctantly agrees. He has one caveat- his family can never know. Both Georgie and Hamish have totally different plans for Christmas but the universe has another idea. Hamish finds himself living his worst nightmare. He's in the heart of his extended family at Christmas, and Georgie and their secret is there too. I hope you enjoy spending Christmas at Weeroona with the Pettigrew family and if you want to drink the wine they drink in the book, then check out Leura Park Estate whose motto, Life is short, celebrate well, is one we should take on board! I set this book very close to where I live, which is a beautiful coastal part of the world and it's full of Australian Christmas traditions. What is your favourite part in the run-up to Christmas? Leave a comment to do into a draw for an eBOOK editions of Newborn Baby For Christmas

I hope you enjoy reading Newborn Baby For Christmas as much as I enjoyed writing it. Fiona x Newborn Baby for Christmas is out now and available  as a physical book or an eBook. It's available Amazon UK & USA and from Harlequin.  Fiona Lowe is a RITA® and R*BY award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. You can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Spring is here Downunder!

My boys have just headed back to school after our 'spring break'. We have four school terms here, broken up with a two week break between terms 1, 2 & 3 and then six weeks summer vacation after term four.
We took a mini trip during the break, funnily enough to visit Kandy Sheperd who blogged yesterday! It was so great to visit her and her lovely husband and to meet the cats and horses she often blogs about.

On the last day of our trip, we visited The Royal National Park in Sydney. Back in the 1870s, when this park was declared, I am sure it was in the middle of nowhere, but now it is surrounded by the southern suburbs of Sydney and on a public holiday, everyone was there taking advantage of having rugged coastal  beaches and glorious bush right on their doorstep.

And the flowers were out. I wanted to share some of them with you....

This is a Waratah and it is also the state flower of New South Wales. My photography doesn't show off how big the flowers really are but they are about 4 inches across and a glorious maroon red. They last in a vase for about six weeks. I love them but it is a bit too cool for them to grow where I live.

This is pink heath. Although I took this photo in New South Wales, it is the state flower of my state, Victoria.

Sorry, I have no clue what this is but it's pretty, right ? ;-)

 This is flower eucalpyt. Eucalyptus trees can flower in white, red or even orange, depending on the sub species.

I have exhausted my knowledge here but wanted to share them all with you.

So tell me, what is your favourite local flower? Or what is your state flower? I would love to know!

Fiona Lowe is a RITA^®  and R*BY award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. Yyou can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Her most recent releases are Letting Go Wiht Dr Rodriguez, Boomerang Bride and Sydney Harbour Hospital :Tom's Redemption

Her Christmas novel, NewBorn Baby For Christmas is up for pre-order now

Speechless by Fiona Lowe

Have you ever been struck speechless? It happened to me 12 days ago at the Romance Writers of America's conference in Anaheim, California. Back in April, my single title, contemporary romance, Boomerang Bride had been nominated for the prestigious Rita award and that in itself was a wonderful shock and delightful surprise.

Over the next few months, I read and enjoyed all the great books that had been nominated in the same section and I was heard to say more than once to my husband, "Oh man, this book is so good, how can anyone possibly choose who wins."

 The thought of winning had never really crossed my radar. The night of the awards, Carina Press staff took me out to dinner to a wonderful Hawaiian Fusion restaurant where I sipped Mai Tai's.  I pretty much floated into the awards ceremony and sat back to enjoy  the night.

When the point of the evening reached the single title contemporary romance category, I had a couple of books in my head that I thought might win and I was keenly listening to romance diva and legend, Linda Howard as she said, "And the winner is..." I was never more stunned when I heard "Boomerang" and then this almighty roar went up and I didn't hear anything much else after that. I think my mouth fell open Then my good friend and date for the night, Alison Stuart was hugging me and Angela James, the executive editor of Carina Press was saying, "We won," and still I don't think I'd managed to say anything at all.

Time seemed to slow down to nothing and then I remembered, as per the instructions at rehearsal earlier in the day, that I had to go up onto the stage. Shock is a funny thing and as I made my way to the stairs, all I could think about was how on earth was I going to get a 12", six pound statue back to Australia!

 "They" say always have a speech ready just in case and a month prior, when my husband had said, "you should write a speech" I had put bullet points on the back of a business card and shoved it in my evening bag. By the time Linda Howard had given me the statue and I got to the lectern I was shaking. My fingers couldn't get the card out of the little pocket so money, lipstick and tissues spilled out onto the podium. I guess I was lucky there wasn't a tampon in there as well!

 I finally pulled the sucker of a card out of the bag and when I saw the bullet points I felt a bit calmer and although I wondered if it was a coherent speech. Apart from saying my eldest son's name first instead of my husband, I think I did okay. Given that I tend to call all the men in my family by the wrong name and have been known to call them by the cat's name,I think I might be forgiven
;-) Once the speech was over I got all wobbly again and was pleased to get back to my seat although I'm not sure I actually let go of the trophy!

 Those few minutes from the announcement until just after the speech are still blurry but I remember the rest of the night...the wonderful congratulations, the photos, the champagne... all of that is totally clear.

 I did manage to get "Rita" home although airport security x-rayed her twice and dusted her for explosives. She is now on pride of place on our mantle. It was and continues to be a wonderful time in my writing career.

I'd love to hear your stories about the moments of joy where you've been struck speechless and I'll give away an eBook copy of Boomerang Bride to one lucky winner.

Fiona Lowe is a Rita award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. A RuBY nominee, you can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Boomerang Bride is available now from Carina Press, Amazon Kindle, Nook and all other online book stores, as well as being available in print in Australia under the MIRA imprint.

 Letting Go With Dr Rodriguez is available from Harlequin.com as well as being on shelf in Australia. Her books can be purchased from  The Book Depository , iBooks and other online shops.

Still on Island Time

I'm late! So sorry about that. I'm blaming it on island time. I've spent a week in Fiji and time there is very flexible and relaxed and I didn't have to know the date or the time....just the directions to the hammock.

Spending a week out of the normal routine is so important in our busy lives. We shut out the real world- no news, no phone, no internet. It was fabulous, however re-entry to the world isn't without stress.

I was so relaxed my brain emptied. Passwords? Um, I forgot. Appointments? I forgot. As for what my characters were doing when I left them in my manuscript, well, I have totally forgotten. I'm having to re-read what I've written to get back into the story.

But time waits for no man once you've left Fiji. I have a big ten days coming up. My eldest son is turning 18...a big deal in Australia as that is the age one can legally drive, drink and vote. I am also packing for my trip to the USA. YAY!


 I'm so excited to be a RITA nominee with my contemporary romance, Boomerang Bride and to be  attending the Romance Writers of America's conference in Anaheim. I will be signing at the Literacy Book Signing on Wednesday July 25th at table 200.


If you're coming, 
please do call 
by. I will have Tim Tams (world's best chocolate biscuits) and some cute Australian give-aways (Bribe, Bribe) ;-)

I'll be signing Boomerang Bride and my recent Harlequin Medical Romance, Letting Go with Dr Rodriguez. If you love a sexy polo player than Marco is for you ;-)


While I was in Fji, I was fortunate to be able to visit the Nadi Library and talk with the staff and teachers from local schools. I did a book signing and they made me this most amazing Lei. How lucky was I?

Where have you been on vacation where you had a total relax?

Fiona Lowe is an award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. A current RITA & RuBY nominee, you can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Soup For All Seasons by Fiona Lowe

Down here in southern Australia, we've just had record breaking rain and flooding, and the weather has been cold and dismal. It's soup weather!  


Now I realise many of you who are reading this blog are heading into summer and the thought of hot soup is more than you can bear, so to cover all bases, I'm sharing two of my favourite recipes, one for each hemisphere!  But before I do that I want to let you into my secret of great soup when you don't have time to cook.

You take either a can of pumpkin soup or tomato soup, add a can of milk, fresh black pepper and a teaspoon of curry powder. Mix together, microwave, throw some freshly chopped herbs on top and Voila! You have soup that tastes home-made. I have had people ask me for the recipe!

Talking recipes, I'll kick off with A Summer soup.  Cold Plum Soup! This is sensational to have as an appetizer for a summer lunch. Down here, I often serve it as party of Christmas lunch...the color is perfect!  I always use fresh plums but I believe my NA friends can buy plums in a can so you're all set if you or your neighbours don't have fruit trees.

1      can    purple plums -- 1-lb. 13-oz.

1     cup        water

 2/3  cup           sugar

1                    cinnamon stick

 1/4  teaspoon      white pepper

1      pinch         salt

1      cup           sour cream

 1/2  cup           heavy cream

1/2  cup           dry red wine

1      tablespoon    cornstarch

 2      tablespoons   lemon juice

1      teaspoon      grated lemon rind

3      tablespoons   brandy

 Pit and chop plums, combine with syrup in a saucepan.  Add water, sugar,

 cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes

 stirring occasionally.  Mix wine and heavy cream with cornstarch, add to

 mixture and cook until thickened.  Stir in lemon juice, rind and wine, remove

 from heat.  Place 1/2 cup soup in small bowl, whisk in sour cream.  Add

 brandy and stir mix back into the soup pan until smooth.  Chill at least 4

 hours.  Serve in cups, garnish with dollops of sour cream and sprinkle with

 cinnamon. 

All I can say is YUMMO!

Now for a Winter soup, Pea & Ham soup  which I have cooking in my slow cooker as I type!

A 500gm or 1lb bag of yellow split peas soaked over night or boiled for 40 minutes.

Rinse and dump into the crock pot. Throw in an onion, carrot, 2 bay leaves,  peppercorns, potato, and the Christmas Ham bone or ham hocks from the market. Cover in water. Put on low for 12-24 hours. Remove the bones which are now clean of meat and the bay leaves. Whiz until smooth.

Serve with crusty bread. It is the complete food for lunch after Saturday sport when everyone is cold and hungry!

I hope you enjoy these recipes!




Fiona Lowe is an award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch with wine. 


A current RITA & RuBY nominee, you can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Boomerang Bride is available now from Carina Press, Amazon Kindle, Nook and all other online book stores. It will be on shelf in Australia on July 1^st 2012

Letting Go With Dr Rodriguez is available now from Mills and Boon UK and will be out at Harlequin.com on July 1^st. Tom’s Redemption is out in Australia. All her books can be purchased from  The Book Depository and iBooks, 

Telling It in Pictures by Fiona Lowe

My husband is a pretty good photographer. Let me qualify that. He is an awesome scenic photographer. Take him anywhere and he will capture the essence of the place he is standing with his camera. People photos? Not so much. I have an 'aim and shoot' for that and even so, we're lacking in family photos. I took us to a professional photographer a few years ago. Hmm, must be time to do that again. But I digress, back to the scenic photos.

We have a huge wall in our kitchen and on it we 'cycle' many of his photographs, six at a time. (sorry, I can't seem to take the photo without a shadow from the skylight)  The photo wall is a fabulous talking point when visitors come. We get them to guess where each of the six photos have been taken. I'm wondering if you can?

It might be a tad tricky but the top left is a picture of terraced rice paddies in Bali, the deck chairs are Blackpool Pier in the UK, the middle top is Maine in fall,  and underneath is the stunning Peyto Lake in the Canadian Rockies. The top right is one of my favourites and hard for you to see but its fall in Wisconsin...red barn, turning trees, harvested hay and a trip of still green corn. Gorgeous!  

So it was a logical progression with all these great photos to use them on my new website.  I'm thrilled with the way each book has its own banner, using a photo that represents where the book is set. For instance, Career Girl in the Country is set in Western Australia and here is Sturt Desert Pea taken on the side of the road in WA.

Boomerang Bride, my RT, RITA® and RuBY nominated book is set in Wisconsin so of course, I had to have a red barn!

My most recent Medical Romance, Sydney Harbour Hospital: Tom's Redemption is set in Sydney, Australia and we gave the banner a new twist. Here it is...we are standing next to one of the Opera House sails with the distinctive bridge in the distance.

I hope you enjoy the photos and that they enable you to get a feel for my stories. Meanwhile, I'll work on my dear husband to take a photo of me with my RITA® pin! Maybe if I dress up like a tree, it might help!


How do you display your photos?

Fiona Lowe is an award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch. A current RITA nominee, you  can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.