January Book Box (Romance) - "Special Delivery".

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she talks with debut author Leesa Ronald about her enemies-to-lovers rom-com, "Special Delivery" in this SPOILER-FREE interview.

She was expecting... but she wasn't expecting him!

Special Delivery is a laugh-out-loud debut that will be a huge favourite with readers and Book Clubs alike. It’s a delightful romantic comedy that follows Poppy as she navigates life as a single mother after returning to the life she left behind, only to find love where she least expected. We’d love to hear what you think of it in the Reading By Candlelight Facebook Group or on Instagram.

Aired live: 28th Jan, 2025
Shared: Podcast & YouTube - 29th Jan, 205

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

January Book Box (Crime/Thriller) - "The Inheritance".

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she talks with debut author Kate Horan about her domestic suspense novel, "The Inheritance" in this SPOILER FREE interview.

Families lie. DNA doesn't.

The Inheritance is a brilliant debut that will be a huge favourite with readers and Book Clubs alike. It’s tensely plotted, and has all the ingredients for a Knives Out family drama – wealth, lies, greed, power, family, sibling rivalry – this book has it ALL. We’d love to hear what you think of it in the Reading By Candlelight Facebook Group or on Instagram.

Aired live: 21st Jan, 2025
Shared: Podcast & YouTube - 23rd Jan, 205

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿

Dec Book Box - 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨

My final @readingby.candlelight interview for 2024 is with the super-talented Hayley Scrivenor, author of the December Book Box GIRL FALLING. I felt like I was listening to a masterclass on how to craft a spell-binding, best-selling novel as we delved into her writing process and why this story was the one she had to write. 

Hayley talks about her research, how using dual timelines allowed the story to succeed, her residency at Varuna, writing about love, her connection to her protagonist Finn, Katoomba, and the beautiful Blue Mountains where the book is set. 

I could have talked to Hayley for hours, and she was incredibly generous with her time and writing advice, talking about writing her brilliant novel about a mysterious death, love, and past trauma, and how we explore shame. 

Girl Falling is a masterful novel that comes together in the final pages with a satisfying twist you won’t see coming. I hope you enjoy listening to this spoiler-free interview on how it all came together and what Hayley is working on next.

With thanks to @hayleyscrivenor and her publisher @panmacmillanaust. 

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨ CHRISTINE GREGORY ✨

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she interviews debut author Christine Gregory about her crime debut 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 for the @readingbycandlelight podcast (as always, 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲!) 

We explore the importance of setting, how her story writing is always driven by character, how she wrote her debut during lockdown, and the importance of entering writing competitions.

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 is a psychological thriller set in an idyllic retreat in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Fast-paced and thrilling it is about fatherhood, family ties, and redemption. Perfect for fans of Garry Disher and Jane Harper.

Congratulations to Christine, whose debut is featured in the November 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙭 & available to purchase now.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. ✨ 

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨ CLAIRE SUTHERLAND ✨

𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴?

Join me as I interview debut author @clairesutherland about her crime thriller THE CRAG for the @readingbycandlelight podcast (as always, 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲!) 

Claire and I chatted about rock climbing, whether it was wishful thinking having St Kilda win a grand final, how she incurred the wrath of North Korea & how amazing the editors are @affirm, supporting Claire to write an amazing debut novel.

The Crag is a thrilling murder mystery set in the rock-climbing scene of Mt Arapiles and is perfect for lovers of outback noir and strong female protagonists.

Congratulations to Claire, whose debut #thecrag is featured in the October 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙭 & on sale from 1st October.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨ MARK MUPOTOSA-RUSSELL ✨

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑥-𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟.

Join me as I interview debut author @markwillrussell about his brilliantly dark thriller THE HITWOMAN’S GUIDE TO REDUCING HOUSEHOLD DEBT for the @readingbycandlelight podcast (as always, 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲!) 

Mark and I had a fun half hour chatting about how he came up with such an original plot, how to make a contract killer seem empathetic and how he used his screenwriting experience and love of movies to create this brilliantly original story that asks us how far we would go to revenge the people we love.

I was incredibly excited (and not surprised) to learn Mark has secured a pre-emptive screen deal with a major producer 🤯 although further details are under wraps for now shhh

This book is like 𝐾𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐸𝑣𝑒 meets 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 - in turns funny, tragic, deeply thoughtful and occasionally violent, it is also quintessentially Australian. Superstitious former contract killer Olivia believes the universe is demanding payment for her past crimes, so when a small time criminal gang brings tragedy to her family, she has to get creative while trying to mislead the police long enough to exact her revenge. 

Congratulations to Mark, whose debut #thehitwomansguidetoreducinghouseholddebt is featured in the September 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙭 & on sale from 1st September.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨LISA KENWAY ✨

That interest in people, which drove me to become a doctor in the first place, also makes me interested to write about them - Lisa Kenway

Join me as I interview debut author and anaesthetist @lisakenway about her twisty thriller about memory loss & the secrets we keep for the @readingbycandlelight podcast (as always, spoiler-free!)

Congratulations to Lisa, whose debut ALL YOU TOOK FROM ME is featured in the August 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙭 and will be published THIS Thursday on 1st August. Boxes will therefore be posted in the second week of the month. 

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘰 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 ✨ 

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡✨

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she chats with Melbourne debut author Anna Johnston,  Reading By Candlelight's Book Box author for JULY 2024, about her delightful and heartwarming novel 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙚 in this spoiler-free interview.

𝐼𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠' 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑘𝑒𝑦𝑏𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒.

We chat about Anna’s grandfather Fred, who inspired the titular character, the misrepresentation of older characters in literature, how the plot was conceived, and the book's themes of the importance of love, belonging, and family. 

THE BORROWED LIFE OF FREDERICK FIFE is featured in the July 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙭. Tissues are highly recommended! (You've been warned!)

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

✨𝙇𝙊𝙐𝙄𝙎𝙀 𝙒𝙊𝙇𝙃𝙐𝙏𝙀𝙍 ✨

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she chats with Western Australian author Louise Wolhuter,  Reading By Candlelight's Book Box author for JUNE 2024, about her very twisty novel Shadows Of Winter Robins in this spoiler-free interview.

𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗦 has so many twists that it is impossible to talk about the plot without giving away spoilers so if you love ordinary people with extraordinary secrets, multiple storylines, and beautiful imagery you are going to love this gripping novel about shining a light on the dark places to see what always lived there.

Many thanks to Louise for her time and for being the 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 featured book box author for June. Each box has a signed copy of the novel, a paired beverage, an exclusive tin candle & seed bookmark, and a surprise! Available as a subscription or one-off purchase ✨

Reading By Candlelight proudly promotes new Australian authors and their stories. This interview is available wherever you love to listen. Follow us so you never miss an episode ✨ 

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

Join our host Fiona Taylor as she chats with Melbourne author Alexander Thorpe,  Reading By Candlelight's Book Box author for MAY 2024, about his classic whodunit DEATH HOLDS THE KEY  in this spoiler-free interview.

Alexander now holds the very special honour of being the 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 male author to feature in the book boxes and he certainly brought his A-game to our little spoiler-free chat! 🙌

We talked about the golden age of crime novels, how he was inspired by reading Josephine Tey and Agatha Christie, why he was deported from Russia and most importantly why his protagonist mendicant monk is nameless and the technical difficulties that present while writing.

𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗘𝗬 is a classic whodunit set in 1920s Western Australia, full of twists and turns, with a seemingly impossible murder mystery that explores all our favourite tropes - a locked door, no murder weapon and a cast of engaging characters, all who would have delighted in murdering the victim! 

As always, this month’s book box is almost sold out so be quick if you want to order one. They come with a signed copy of the novel, a paired beverage, exclusive tin candle & seed bookmark and a surprise! ✨

With many thanks to Alexander for his time and support for 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 which proudly promotes new Australian authors and their stories. This interview is 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 wherever you love to listen or find the link in my bio ✨ 

Follow #readingbycandlelightpodcast to never miss an episode 🎙️📖❤️

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.