What’s Happening In Narelle’s World?
Dear Friends,
Welcome to mid-September! At the end of August, my hubby and I enjoyed a fun and relaxing week in Cairns and Far North Queensland, Australia. We celebrated his birthday and our 30th wedding anniversary a few months early.
Our day trip to Green Island and the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns was amazing. We explored the rainforest on the island and toured the reef in a glass bottom boat.
We visited Atherton Tablelands and loved the views from SkyRail Rainforest Cableway. We spotted crocodiles sunbaking on rocks in the Barron River below us!
I'm plugging along with my Read the Bible in a Year Challenge. My goal is to listen to the daily readings in The One Year Chronological Bible and the encouraging Daily Bible Podcast - Audio Bible Reading Plan episodes with Tricia Goyer and her friend Michelle. In recent days I've been listening to chapters from the minor prophets.
I'm hosting a giveaway for a book I'm featuring on my Fan Girling with Narelle podcast/YouTube show. A paperback copy of Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills that released on September 9, 2025. The giveaway closes on September 22, 2025 and is limited to entrants with USA mailing addresses.
Enter the giveaway via the episode link:
https://www.narelleatkins.com/fan-girling-with-narelle-episode-30-love-romantic-suspense-canyon-of-deceit-by-diann-mills/
Fan Girling with Narelle
Visit the Podcast Page on my website for links to my podcast and YouTube episodes. Here are the links to my recent episodes.
Ep. 31 – Love Contemporary Romance: Holly and Nick Hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant
Ep. 30 – Love Romantic Suspense: Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills + #Giveaway
Ep. 29 – Love Contemporary Fiction: Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson
Ep. 28 – Love Cozy Mystery: Dead Ahead by Susan J. Bruce
Book Recommendations
I’ve shared a few fiction and nonfiction book recommendations on my blog since I sent out my last newsletter.
Book Recommendation – Sunrise Reef by Irene Hannon
Book Recommendation – Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills
Book Recommendation – Creating a Writing Life: Encouragement and Advice for Authors by Jill Kemerer
Book Recommendation – Holly and Nick Hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant
Book Recommendation – Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson
For those interested in learning about Christian fiction new releases, I also compile a monthly new releases post on my blog — Christian Fiction New Releases - September 2025.
I have a Friday weekly blog series showcasing books on preorder. Here are the links to my recent "Narelle's Preorder Roundup" blog posts:
Narelle’s Preorder Roundup: 9/12/25
Narelle’s Preorder Roundup: 9/5/25
Narelle’s Preorder Roundup: 8/29/25
Narelle’s Preorder Roundup: 8/22/25
Paperback Giveaway - The Summer of You and Me or Everything's Coming Up Rosie
My Christian contemporary romance selection is The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter. Maggie's husband passed away during an overseas military tour when she was pregnant with her now four-year-old daughter. Maggie's late husband is Josh's brother. Josh has secretly loved Maggie for years and he has supported Maggie and his niece as they grieved the loss of his brother. Maggie is spending the summer house-sitting at his parent’s beach home in the North Carolina small town where Josh lives. I recommend The Summer of You and Me to contemporary romance readers who like single parent friends-to-more romances with unrequited love, family drama, a fascinating mystery and relevant faith elements in the story. Read my book recommendation here:
https://www.narelleatkins.com/book-recommendation-the-summer-of-you-and-me-by-denise-hunter/
My alternative selection is Everything's Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh, a clean and wholesome romcom set in Wisconsin. Rosie is an unemployed NYC actor who accidentally lands a temporary job in a retirement community running their upcoming Cinderella production. We journey with Rosie as she discovers why she’s lost and failing to achieve her goals and dreams. I recommend Everything’s Coming Up Rosie to contemporary romance readers who like friends-to-more and opposites attract romcoms from the heroine's viewpoint with a theatre production, an ensemble cast of quirky characters, and found family themes in the story. Read my book recommendation here:
https://www.narelleatkins.com/book-recommendation-everythings-coming-up-rosie-by-courtney-walsh/
The paperback giveaway is open to readers with USA and Australian mailing addresses who can receive paperback books from Amazon USA or Amazon Australia. The choice of book is subject to availability from Amazon.
I’m happy to substitute an ebook for readers who live outside USA and Australia, as long as they have digital access to ebooks at either Amazon USA or Amazon Australia and can redeem an Amazon gift card for the equivalent US or Australian ebook price at the US or Australian store.
To enter the giveaway, please reply to this email by SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 (USA Pacific West Coast Time Zone) and include your first name and the name of the country where you live and include the book title (The Summer of You and Me or Everything's Coming Up Rosie) that you'd like to win.
The winner will be contacted by SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 to arrange the delivery of their paperback book.
Our AUGUST winner, Kamber D, chose Some Like It Scot.
Questions for You
Do you like summer-themed beach reads? Do you prefer single point of view romances or dual point of view romances from the perspective of both main characters?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts, and I will do my best to reply to your emails within 7 days. If I receive an undelivered email message, I’ll try again and send a second reply. If you don’t receive a reply from me, please let me know because emails can go astray. You can contact me via my website.
September Featured Author ~ Dora Hiers
I'm happy to share that our FREE book this month is A HEART'S WORTH, a Christian contemporary romance from Dora Hiers.
A HEART'S WORTH is available as a FREE ebook download for her newsletter subscribers.
Claim your free ebook at the following link:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/92120q3jr4
I'm sponsoring a quarterly gift card giveaway at the ACW blog for Tuesday Book Chat posts. Check out the ACW book chat posts here:
https://australasianchristianwriters.com/category/book-chat/
Final Thoughts
Thanks for journeying with me on my often crazy and challenging book publishing journey. If you’re a praying person, I’d love prayers that I'll make progress on reworking a first draft (the Chapel Cove Romance that I started in 2021 and need to finish) and write new words. I have appreciated all your email replies, prayers, good thoughts, and support.
Blessings and love to you,
Narelle xo
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