About Rachel

About

I have always loved books and making up stories, so I've never wanted to be anything but an author. I strive to create epic feel-good romances and have a weakness for an adventurous holiday escape. My characters may be suffering emotionally, but they're strong, healthy people with quirky passions and a soft spot for dogs. Helping them find their happily-ever-after is my life's joy.

I live in Townsville, Queensland, with my border collie Jacob. It is warm all year round with a gateway to the Australian Outback and the Great Barrier Reef. When I'm not writing, I promote healthy lifestyles and rehabilitate hearts as an exercise physiologist.

Writing Career

I began writing books at age thirteen after reading Ella Enchanted. I decided to write a fantasy novel, make up my own world, and set my characters on an adventure with wizards and fairies. So I got to work and...wrote a story about a girl taking a world cruise. I've been writing stories ever since.

I'm a member of Romance Writers Australia, where I regularly enter contests and attends the annual conference. I'm also a member of Romance Writers of New Zealand, Romance Writers of America, and have participated in the Romantic Novelists' Association's New Writers Scheme.

Competitions/Awards

Winner - 2018 Emerald Award (RWAus) Almost a Princess
Finalist - 2018 Ripping Start Contest (RWAus) Home Among the Palm Trees

2nd Place - 2019 Pages From the Heart Contest (From the Heart Romance Writers) Reunited with the Millionaire

Winner - 2020 Emerald Award (RWAus) Reunited with the Millionaire
Finalist - 2020 Valerie Parv Award (RWAus) Reunited with the Millionaire
Finalist - 2020 Pacific Hearts Award (RWNZ) Reunited with the Millionaire

Winner - 2021 Put Your Heart in a Book Contest (New Jersey Romance Writers) Bali Escape with the Single Dad

Travel Diary

2001 - South Pacific cruise aboard the Pacific Sky to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Fiji
2007 - First real trip to Sydney where we did all of the tourist things and visited surburban areas (for my book research)
2008 - Japan - Tokyo, Tokyo Disneyland, Hiroshima, Lake Biwa, Kyoto
2011 - Outback North Queensland - Normanton, Burketown, Karumba, Croydon, Georgetown, and Atherton
2012 - Melbourne - Flemington, Brighton, Museums, and the Australian Open
2014 - Canberra - War Memorial, Parliament Houses, ANZAC Day National Parade
2015 - USA/Canada - New York City (Broadway), Niagara Falls, and Washington DC
2015 - Bali - hiked a volcano, hugged elephants, swam with dolphins
2016 - USA - San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and Disneyland
2016 - England and Europe - London, Bath, Essex, Hamburg, Lübek, Paris, and Disneyland Paris
2018 - Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Macau
2018 - South Pacific cruise aboard the Pacific Dawn to New Caledonia and Vanuatu
2019 - The Whitsundays - Hamilton Island and Whitehaven Beach
2021 - Atherton Tablelands, Mareeba, Kuranda, and Herberton to research the Shadow Creek Books

Quick Facts

Favourite Colour: Pink
Favourite Place: Disneyland
Favourite TV Show: Friends
Favourite Musical: Phantom of the Opera
Favourite Band: The Wolfe Brothers
Favourite Sport: Figure Skating

Life Philosophy