If you’re visiting this page as part of the Coastal Romance blog hop, welcome. Good luck with the $100 gift voucher major prize, plus the 26 e-books to be won. Please navigate back to the Coastal Romance blog (link is at the end of this post – or click the competition icon) to gain your entry points from visiting me, via the rafflecopter. And to see more blogs from great Australian and international coast romance writers.
My new (very) contemporary romance, Fairway To Heaven, is set in the coastal playground of Busselton in South West, Western Australia, alongside the smooth and shallow blue waters of Geographe Bay. In the book, I describe Geographe Bay as “curving sweet as a wine glass, mile on mile of sand the colour of white pepper, strewn with dry strands of brown seaweed as if the mermaids cut their hair.”
I know Geographe Bay well. I found the perfect beach shack for Fairway on a drive there not so long ago when my family and I went to Busselton for fish and chips on the beach. In Fairway, my heroine, Jenn, flees to the sanctuary of a beach shack, owned by her best friend’s family, after she discovers her boyfriend (Golf Pro Jack) bonking one of his lady golf students in a fairway bunker.
Geographe Bay’s waters are molten smooth, but the renowned surf beaches of this region are not far away. These have names such as Redgate and Boodjidup, Surfers Point, North and South Point, Left Handers, Cobblestones, Guillotines, Gallows.
Did you ever wonder why some of these names are so full of doom?
It is a beautiful coastline, perfect for setting a romance, but it can also be tragic. That’s what I wanted to write about today. The beach isn’t always romantic.
Just last month, a surfer was killed in a fatal shark attack at Gracetown. As I write, there is an argument raging between people who want to see the Great White Shark taken off the protected list and possibly culled, and those who say when a surfer or diver enters deep waters off this coast, they are entering the shark’s territory, and the sharks should be left alone.
It isn’t just predators in the surf that pose a risk to surfers, divers, and swimmers here. These surf breaks are some of the most challenging and fierce found anywhere in the world. In another of my books I’ve described the waves at Margaret River as: “Massive mountains of water that can toss a man like a sock in a washing machine.”
There are many stories of near-misses in the Margaret River surf. My husband has had a few. In his younger days he got caught way out of his depth when some of his new mates in this region (not knowing he was an inexperienced surfer) took him to some of these big, gnarly breaks. Lucky for hubby, he realised he was in over his head, and made it out.
Others haven’t been so lucky. I know people who have had life-threatening injuries from the power of the surf here. Years ago, a teenage boy lost his life at the Margaret River main break, pinned under the reef by waves and being unable to find his way back to the surface.
So this coast is beautiful, and it is not a place for the faint-hearted. Passion rolls in the waves that crash against rocks and shores. Drama hides in every rock-pool, and every reef.
Fairway To Heaven has some of this passion, danger and angst. It is about one woman’s very personal struggle to reclaim her sexuality and her independence as she tries to begin a new life with her son, on a stunning Busselton beach.
And yes. It’s about golf. But not as we know it.
Fairway To Heaven releases on January 8, 2014. Please like my Facebook page or follow my blog for news. You can see the first 1000 words as an excerpt by clicking here. And if you want to add it to your ‘Want To Read’ shelf at Goodreads, you can do that here.
Now! To business. If you’d like to win a copy of Fairway To Heaven, please leave me a comment about which world sports person you think is best looking (or sexiest), and why. I was always a bit partial to a golfer called James Nitties, and I think it’s because he has something Vin Diesel about him. (Trust me – no one else can see it!)
I’m planning all sorts of prizes as I lead in to the release of Fairway. One of these is going to be a lovely gift pack filled with prizes such as books and goodies from the Margaret River wine & tourism region where I live, and where Fairway is set. For *goodies* think books, food, chocolate. And it’s up for grabs for anyone who shares (Facebook or Twitter or blogs) news of my book. Just tag me in your posts and I’ll know who you are!
There are some wonderful authors involved in the Coastal Blog Hop. Please take the time to visit their posts each day. Good luck in the grand prize draw – and whatever you’re reading – may it be coastal!
Lily Malone - Author 
I was watching the golf this morning to check out for cuties for you. They were discussing this among the commentators too, which had me laughing. One of the commentators is Ian Baker-Finch who I always thought was a bit of alright, way back when he played. But I can’t really go past Adam Scott at the moment…but he does send me to sleep when he speaks 🙂
I agree about the ocean, Lily. We always focus on the good things but the bad/difficult things about the sea are always so close.
See you later.
Cate xox
Adam Scott is pretty darn cute. You’re on the money there.
Fabulous post. I absolutely LOVE Geographe Bay but you are so right about the perils of the ocean as well. Can’t wait to read Fairway To HEaven. It sounds fabulous! x
“curving sweet as a wine glass, mile on mile of sand the colour of white pepper, strewn with dry strands of brown seaweed as if the mermaids cut their hair.”
So poetic Lily, I love your writing so much! Looking forward to reading Fairway to Heaven.
As for world sports? I don’t watch any 😦 so shameful. How shall I answer this question?
Nope, all I’ve got is David Beckham, who for all intents and purposes, is gorgeous 🙂
x
I’m not a sports person, so don’t really watch any sports, or even know much about the people who are sports celebrities. Mother used to watch golf, so back when, I used to recognize some of the golfers. And my SIL and his family are avid Denver Broncos fans — so I did get a few names from there. Even tho he was traded, and I’m not sure where he is now, or even if he’s still active, I always did think Tim Tebow was good looking. He had that sort of clean living, rugged look to him — and he always looked pleasant.
Tim Tebow hey Donna? Thanks for the tip. I shall have to look him up!
I agree Ali, what a beautiful description. As for handsome sports people, I think tennis players Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal make the Australian Open worth watching.
One way or another, I’m looking forward to reading Fairway To Heaven.
You’ve captured the south coast perfectly.
I am not a sporty person at all so choosing a sexy sports person is hard. I used to love watching tennis and had a thing for Stefan Edberg in my teens … but looking at images of him with a mullet makes me wonder what I was thinking! Then again, I had a thing for George Michael and look how that turned out.
I can’t wait to read Fairway to Heaven and it’s on my “want to read” list.
Got a thing for the cool Swedish type have you Mon? Now that I’ve met ‘Blue Eyes’ I can kinda get that!
dear Lily, your picture is beautiful but it makes the text very difficult to read.
Oh! Sorry Cecilia. I hope my blog isn’t doing anything creepy with your computer… as I’m not quite sure what you mean? I shall check it out from another screen when I get to my ‘real’ work!
Thanks for visiting.
Lily M
My part of the world Lily so looking forward to reading your book. My aunt and uncle live on the bay so this is their daily view. I also play golf so should be fun reading about it in fiction.
As for sportsmen, the only reason I use to watch rugby union was to perve on George Gregan. No point watching it now he has retired!
Happy festive season to one and all. 🙂
My sexiest sports person is Cristiano Ronaldo the soccer/football player from Portugal.
Congratulations on the upcoming book! I’ll be checking it out!:)
Hello Chanpreet – Cristiano Ronaldo is a good addition to the names today! Thanks for visiting.
Break, breakm break, on thy cold grey stones oh sea,
I would that my tongue could utter the thoughts that arise in me…
I never read these words of Tennyson that a shiver doesn’t ripple up my back.
You are so right Annie, the sea is beautiful and awe-inspiring and so utterly unforgiving to the careless. The drowning statistics here in NZ are sobering, but thankfully in our cooler waters shark attacks are relatively rare, although we had a man taken off Muriwai last summer.
when we were children every school has a pool and swimming was part of the curriculum, but sadly today that is not the case and so many people are lost to the sea because they don’t know the basics of floating
Darn it posted before I was finished and I didn’t have a chance to proofread…and sorry Lily, I didn’t mean to call you Annie.
Hi Shirley – thanks for visiting and don’t worry – I answer to anything!
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Beckham… always my fave!
He’s a popular choice here Diana! Thanks for visiting.
This is an interesting post. If there’s a challenge someone will try to meet it. But it does sound like a beautiful area. Best wishes with your new book.
Hi Sherry – thanks for visiting!
Thanks for visiting everyone – I hope you enjoyed all the posts in the Coastal Blog Hop. The major prize winner has now been announced. It was Lisa W – and she’s been informed.
For my part – I can’t go past the entry of ‘Vicki’ – not only does she live in/near Geographe Bay where my book is set – she plays golf – and who couldn’t love George Gregan!
So congratulations Vicki – I’ll be in touch. Fairway To Heaven releases on January 8 – and I will send you the e-book then.
Thanks Lily. I actually live in Broome but come from that area and will be heading there in a few days. Hope that still makes me eligible 🙂 I also read your Gran’s birthday is the 8th which was my Gran’s too and she would have been the same age as yours. Really looking forward to your book and I think there is definitely a place in the world for more sporting romances. Many thanks.