Congratulations Nicki Edwards
on the release today of
Life Support
There’s a giveaway too!
GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
A signed paperback copy of Life Support
(Giveaway open until midnight AEST Sat 27 February. Giveaway open to Australian postal addressees only.)
A piece of you will always be left at home.
When emergency nurse Emma Chirnside’s husband dies unexpectedly, she finds herself tangled in lies and secrets. The last thing she expected to receive from him was a heritage listed mansion in her home town of Birrangulla, but with her in-laws causing chaos, she flees to the country, hoping to rebuild her life. Fleeing, it turns out, creates new complications. The estate manager is none other than her teenage crush Tom Henderson.
Tom hasn’t thought about Emma since high school. They’d always been friendly – like Emma, Tom knows how it feels to care for a sick mother from a young age – but as far as Tom was aware, they were nothing more than friends. He had no idea of Emma’s feelings for him, or the way he’d once broken her heart.
When their worlds collide again, Emma realizes the depth of her feelings for Tom, and wonders if she’s been given another chance to find true love. But Tom has demons of his own. Will Tom’s secrets drive them apart and break her heart again? Or will they both get their happy ever after?
One of the things I love most about writing is that I get to include real events, real people and real places in my stories.
Almost all the nursing scenes are taken directly from events that have occurred to me in my work as a nurse either in the Intensive Care Unit or the Emergency Department. Obviously I change the identifying details, but the stories that touch me the most and stay with me long after my shift has finished are usually the ones that work their way into my heart and then into my books.
My books also feature some real people too. I love it when my colleagues try to guess who is who in my books. At this stage I’ve only featured a couple of them as minor characters but if they keep asking, they just might find themselves in the next story. Watch out!
The town of Birrangulla, which features in all my ‘Escape to the Country’ series books is fictional, but it’s based very loosely on a regional city in the Central West of New South Wales where I once lived. One of the best emails I have ever received was from a reader who told me she and her husband were planning a trip around Australia and she had insisted they visit Birrangulla. When she Googled it, all she could find was a link back to my books. Embarrassingly, she told me it took her awhile to realise Birrangulla doesn’t actually exist. She was devastated as she’d hoped to walk the streets and bump into Nathan or Joel or Liam, visit the hospital where Kate and Mackenzie work, treat herself to some organic farm produce from Eagles Ridge Farm or grab a coffee at the Bean Counter.
In a previous blog post on this site, I shared about a property called Raven’s Creek Farm just outside of Geelong which is owned and operated by friends of ours, Hayden and Jasmin Findlay. Their farm became the inspiration for Eagle’s Ridge Farm – Joel and Kate’s paddock to plate venture.
The inspiration for Lexton Downs, the historic property left to Emma O’Connor by her ex-husband Lleyton in Life Support, came from my husband. He told me one of his colleagues had purchased a property near Ballarat called Mount Mitchell which she planned to use for accommodation and events. The moment I saw pictures, Emma’s story fell into place. You can check out their website and if you ever visit, make sure you say g’day to Kate and tell her I sent you.
www.mountmitchell.com.au
Inspiration for Lexton Downs
Inspiration for Bluestone Cottage where Tom lives with his mum.
One of my favourite scenes in Life Support is when Tom takes Emma canoeing down the river at dusk in search of platypuses. Inspiration for that scene came from our friends Simon and Sophie who are lucky enough to own a property that backs onto the Barwon River near Geelong. They’ve seen many platypus and drunk many billy teas beside camp fires. Lucky them. Don’t you think that sounds blissful? Hm…I’d better go and follow them up on my invite to come out to the farm again.
I loved writing Life Support and look forward to hearing how much you enjoy reading it!
Excerpt from Life Support by Nicki Edwards
Chapter One
In the darkness of a crowded Sydney bar, Emma Chirnside sat. Alone, lonely and eight hundred kilometers from home. She skimmed the room. Bars and nightclubs were not her thing – they were the places her girlfriends used to go to flirt with cute guys and dance their troubles away. So why was she sitting in one now, on her own, at nine o’clock on a Monday night, instead of tucked up in a warm bed where she belonged?
Her eyes traveled to the dance floor where women in stilettos and tiny slips of fabric swayed in time to the beating music. They looked young and carefree – as if they could dance all night and still make it to work the next day without dark circles beneath their eyes. The thought of dancing until midnight on a weeknight made Emma feel very weary. And very old.
“What can I get you?”
It had taken ten minutes to get the bartender’s attention and now Emma’s mind drew a complete blank. She hesitated, knowing if all she asked for was a glass of water, she’d sound like an idiot. She pointed to the colorful drinks another bartender was serving a nearby group of girls.
“I’ll have one of those please.” Could he hear the waver in her voice?
Needing something to do while she waited for him to make the drink, she pulled a lip gloss from her bag and touched up her lips. Moments later the bartender slid the drink across the sticky bar toward her and she handed over her credit card. She took a gulp of her drink and grimaced. What was I thinking? The sickly sweet stomach-turning concoction was disgusting. She took another sip. Still disgusting. She rarely drank alcohol. In fact, at one point, she’d been morally opposed to anyone who drank, so why was she doing so now?
She knew the answer to that.
She had come to escape. She had come to hide. She had come, hoping to be that anonymous woman having a quick drink before bed. So she had ordered and sat, hoping alcohol would dissolve the memories of the past three years into a hazy fog. It wasn’t working.
She perched on the high stool at the bar, moving one foot in time with the music while she shredded a paper napkin and people-watched. Perhaps if she stayed there long enough, people would think she didn’t have a care in the world. Even better, she might be able to convince herself.
The brewing headache pulsating at her temples kept time with the deep thump of the bass. Like the sweet-smelling fog from a smoke machine, the sound of music swept across her in nauseating waves.
She shouldn’t be here. After the last session of the conference she should have gone back to her room, showered, crawled into her flannel PJ’s and emptied the minibar fridge of all its chocolate.
One song ended and the next began. A woman’s high-pitched twitter rang out in the pause in the music. Emma watched her flirt unashamedly with the man standing next to her. Her red-painted manicured nails touched the man’s suit jacket before curling like talons around his bicep and dragging him in for the kill. The man grinned at his mates before giving them the universal thumbs-up sign. He was in! The newly formed couple wobbled off together to a darker corner of the room.
Men!
Emma’s mind wandered to the email she’d received earlier that day from the lawyer. A bitter laugh slid silently down her throat as she took another swallow of her drink. As easy as one, two, three, it was final. Her two-year marriage was all but over. All that remained was for her to fill in the forms, sign on the dotted lines, and return the paperwork to Lleyton’s lawyer. If she chose not to fight for any of her husband’s considerable fortune, it would be even easier, and she definitely wasn’t going to fight. She didn’t want anything from Lleyton Chirnside other than to gain her life back.
As she was thinking these not-so-happy thoughts, she caught sight of a tall, well-built man standing on the opposite side of the bar. He wore his hair styled short and had a thick beard. Emma didn’t typically like beards, but admitted this one suited him. When their eyes met briefly, a frisson of surprise shot through her. Was that Tom Henderson? She tried to look away, but like a rabbit caught in headlights, she stared back, transfixed.
She hadn’t seen Tom in years – not since that night when they were teenagers. A funny little shiver danced down her spine. How many years had it been since she’d even thought about him? Four? Five? Longer? It was funny how falling in love with Lleyton had caused her to forget all about her silly teenage infatuation.
She leaned slightly to the left and peeked again. Maybe it wasn’t Tom. But if not, the man on the other side of the room could have been his older brother. Except Tom didn’t have a brother.
Emma allowed her thoughts to race backward like a video on rewind. Back a decade, to the last time she’d seen Tom. He’d recently turned eighteen and it was muck-up day – his last day of school. She was sixteen, going on seventeen, and head over heels in love with him. Of course, it wasn’t love, it was lust and infatuation, but that hadn’t stopped Emma from dreaming of a happy-ever-after ending with him. He barely knew she existed.
Tom Henderson.
The quintessential all-Australian country boy. The country boy with sexy good looks, an athletic body and a smile that melted hearts. He had definitely been the best-looking guy at school – an opinion well-shared by all the girls. School captain, the stroke of the first eight rowing crew, captain of the rugby team. Tick, tick, tick. Every girl wanted to be the object of his attentions, but, much to Emma’s frustration, it was Kim Cameron, his on-again off-again girlfriend, who kept him from noticing anyone else.
Unexpected pain spiked her chest as hidden memories came into focus. Tom’s smile had melted the heart of every woman he met, but it had broken hers. And he had no idea he was to blame. Because of Tom, Emma had wallowed in self-pity until the day Lleyton Chirnside waltzed into her life and everything changed – in hindsight, not necessarily for the better.
What would Tom be up to these days? Was he single? No, that was highly unlikely. Heaven knew there’d been more than enough girls to fill Kim’s spot when she dumped him. Knowing Tom, he almost certainly had a gorgeous wife, two cute kids and a golden retriever. Emma sighed inwardly. Such was life.
The man on the other side of the room turned sideways, his profile backlit. Disappointment surged through her. It wasn’t Tom.
Life Support is available in eBook and paperback from all good retailers.
BUY NOW
Booktopia (eBook and paperback)
Amazon Australia
Amazon.com
iBooks
Kobo
Print copies also available from NickiEdwards.com.au
Read more about Nicki and her books on MEET NICKI EDWARDS
Visit Nicki on her website: NickiEdwards.com.au
Visit Nicki Edwards on Facebook
Follow Nicki on Twitter @Nicki_Edwards
Giveaway!
GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
Leave a comment for Nicki and you’re in the draw to win a signed paperback copy of Life Support.
(Giveaway open until midnight AEST Sat 27 February. Giveaway open to Australian postal addressees only.)
As an ex-nurse myself I look forward to becoming absorbed in this story!
I hope you love it and my nursing stories are accurate 😉 Thanks for your support Wendy.
No doubt another excellent book from a talented author.
Thanks Eileen. xxx
I’m hooked already just from the excerpt! Can’t wait to read the rest.
Yay *claps hands* so glad you enjoyed the excerpt. xx
Yes please, sounds good
Good luck Bronwyn. x
Happy release day!! Its so great to see local authors doing well! If i win i promise to let my mum read it first
Thanks! If you win. I promise your mum will love it! X
looking forward to reading this book, congratulations
Thanks Maria. x
Looking toward to reading another exciting book love the way you write
Aw thanks Julia, that means so much
xxx
The book sounds amazing and I love the photos.
Thanks Veronica. How gorgeous does Lexton Downs look in the photos? Can you imagine being lucky enough to live there?
Can’t wait, to get another book to read, thanks for chance.
Good luck Helen!
Congratulations on your release. Looking forwards to getting my hands on this. ☺
Thank you Fiona. x
Will be an absolute gem of a book can’t wait 😀
Thanks Craig!
Can’t wait to read this Nicki! Congratulations on your new release 😊
Thanks Janine. x
Ooh I’m not far from Mount Mitchell - would love to read this!
Have you visited Mount Mitchell homestead yet? You might beat me to it! Such a gorgeous part of the world and a beautiful property. Our friends are so blessed to live there.
love reading books .have done since I was 10 .I adore Australian rural romances .I then can put myself into the writers shoes. and be there with her ….. can hardly wait until the next novel is on the shelf….
Hi Dot. You sound the same as me - addicted to reading from a young age and now addicted to rural romance. Thanks for your comment. x
can not wait to get my hands on a copy of this to join my ever growing collection of Australian rural romances by fantastic authors like your self.. Congratulations on what I am sure is going to be a fantastic read.
Thanks so much Renee. x
Looking forward to this one, I’m a nurse to, so this has a few of my favourite things, nurses, love, Australian country. Congratulations on the new release of this book.
Thank you Theresa! I hope you enjoy my books if you get a chance to read them. What type of nursing do you do?
I’m not a writer and I am inspired. Always lovely to know thank you. LIFE SUPPORT promises to be a fantastic read.
Thanks Mary. xx
Sounds like an excellent book. Love these rural settings. Love reading and reviewing on Goodreads.
I’m a sucker for rural romance, like everyone else here. Good luck Tanya
Great post and pics, Nicki. It makes me want to hook on our caravan and travel. I love reading and having discovered rural romance a few years ago has made the reading experience even better!
Can’t wait to have this novel on my shelf along side your other two, Nicki. Congrats on the new release!
Thanks so much Sue for all your support! Good luck
xxxx
Congratulations! Happy Release Day!
Your books always make me ‘ugly cry’
Haha ugly crying is good right?! Thanks Bj. x
I was also a nurse in another life, actually for most of it. Really enjoyed your first book and looking forward to reading more of your work. Well done Nicki and thanks for the opportunity.
Glad you enjoyed my first book. My second one is currently on sale (just in case you hadn’t seen it). Good luck! x
I love the plot of this novel! It is just the mix of mystery and family relationships that I look for in my reading! I also know the pull of the idea of restoring an old home to become a sanctuary - without it becoming a prison in the process. I am looking forward to reading it.
Ooh now I’m intrigued too. Lucky you getting to restore an old home. Good luck and I hope you get a chance to read one of my books. x
hi nicki left two posts and neither is showing - one through FB log in and one through WP as FB didn’t show up. In case they both arrive, I apologise, in case this one alone does, I loved your excerpt. You really took me into the scene in your first page….thank you. Jay
HI Jay, I’ve seen this one! Thanks for commenting. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Good luck xxxxx
The plot looks very exciting!!
Thanks Angela.
I can’t wait to read this book and add it to my collection. I’m going to need a bigger book case with all my Aussie Author books. I love your books
Hi Desiree. There’s a few of us who need bigger book shelves!
I love your books. Read all of them and looking forward to reading and adding this one to my collection
Aw thanks Ann-Marie. Glad you love my books. Good luck!
I love medical romances, especially Australian ones, I would love this new book.
Good luck Fiona!
I have yet to read one of your books…I’m hoping this will be the first of many.
Good luck Stacy. In case you haven’t seen, my first book, Intensive Care is currently FREE!
Can’t wait to read this one. Please keep writing!
Aw, thanks Jenny. I promise I will
I look forward to reading this book, sounds great. Congratulations Nicki.
Thank you Wendy. xxx
I would love to to read all of Nicki’s books but most especially this one as it such an important area of nursing.
Hi Margaret, in case you haven’t spotted it, my first book, Intensive Care, is currently FREE! Good luck with winning Life Support. x
Greatly looking forward to reading your new book Nicki. Have loved all your others.
Aw, thanks Penny, that’s awesome to know! x
Congrats on the release. I can’t wait to read the story of Emma and Tom and see what surprises you have in store for them.
Aw, thanks Melissa xxxx
Congrats Nicki on the new release, I would love to be read a copy of you new book xxx
Thanks Kim. Good luck!
Congratulations on your new book. I am hooked on Australian Authors books and your give away would look great in my Library. Keep up the great work and keep up the great reads……
I think there are more than a few of us hooked on rural romance and aussie authors. Good luck. x
Looking forward to reading more of this wonderful story. I plan on giving your book to my 91 year old Mum for mothers day. She was a nurse before she married 60years ago. Keep up the great writing.
Evonne your mum would notice more than a few changes! Good luck. I know your Mum would love my book
CONGRATULATIONS EVONNE MITCHELL - you won! Nicki will be in touch shorty. And we thank everyone who left a comment. Your support is amazing.
Congratulations on your new release, I love the stories by great Aussie writers and based in our Great country. Looking forward to holding you new book and reading it!!
Thank you Pamela. Good luck. x
Sounds like another fantastic read! Congrats on the release Nicki
Thanks Jane. Good luck.
Looking forward to another awesome read , no better way to escape your own world and immerse yourself into another where you often feel like you are part of the setting and personally know the characters.
Just love your writing about our wonderful country
Thank you Pamela. x
Congratulations on your new release Nicki. The book sounds great, I’d love to read more of it and add it to my Rural Romance Aussie Author collection.
Congratulations on another awesome release, Nicki - I haven’t read it yet, just going by past experiences 😉 I’m now imagining nice relaxing days on the banks of the Barwon
This would be a perfect for my lovely wife as a wonderful Anniversary present. The book sounds just like her cup of tea with plenty of romance and nursing all in a beautiful Australian Setting. Thank you Nicki on such a wonderful sounding book. This is really just what the doctor ordered for some rest, relaxing and wonderful reading!
Thanks very much for sharing the blurb and excerpt Nikki - I’m hooked! Lovely to see where your inspiration comes from - just beautiful. Can’t wait to hunt down and get stuck into your story! Another author to add to my TBR pile
Hi Stine,
Thanks so much for you interest in the competition. I’m glad the blurb hooked you. Sorry you weren’t a winner on this occasion, but I hope you choose to purchase ebooks and get stuck into them. I’ll have further giveaways on my website for subscribers, so feel free to join my mailing list :).
Ooh! Ooh! Oooh!! I want to read more!! Congratulations Nicki on the release of this book! Even if I don’t win I will be getting this for sure!! 😀
Nicki - this looks an amazing read! I would love to experience the wonderful story for myself and get transported into another world for a few hours! Thank you for sharing some of Life Support!
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for you interest in my book for this competition. Sorry you weren’t all winners on this occasion, but congrats to Evonne who plans on giving a copy to her 91 year old Mum - a former nurse - for Mother’s Day. I think she sounds like very worthy recipient.
I hope everyone else chooses to purchase an e-book and gets stuck into it. My first book is currently FREE and the others are less than $1. Bargains!
In the future I’ll have further giveaways on my website for subscribers, so feel free to join my mailing list :).
Thanks again everyone for your support and mostly thank you to the incredible team at Australian Rural Romance for all their hard work in making this website so fantastic. xxx
Congratulations to Evonne!!