• Promo graphic for the Jewel Sisters
    Blog

    Reveal for the new look Jewel Sisters Series!

    Jewel sisters header

    Isn’t the new look adorable?

    I told you it was coming and now it is here the new look Jewel Sisters series.

    The first book in the series, Something of a Spark, came out in 2017 – or as it feels to me – a lifetime ago. I loved writing that book for a few reasons.

    It’s set on the South Coast of NSW here in Australia so I could picture the town of Caudal Bay where the sisters live very clearly. The town isn’t real. It’s an amalgam of a few of my favorite beach towns. I hadn’t written a story set in Australia for a while at that point, so it was fun to do that.

    I also loved the idea of writing a family series and the sisters’ relationships, in particular, were interesting to me. I only have one sister but when I was an exchange student my host family had three sisters, plus me, so four. The characters aren’t in any way base don any of us but I could draw a little on that experience.

    Finally, although I never included them in the book I wrote a series of song lyrics for the book. Saffy is a lyricist in the novel and co writes country songs with her old friend Ryan. I had a lot of fun writing songs for them.

    It was always one of my dreams to be a lyricist. The whole idea fascinates me. Not to mention I can make anything rhyme and some days used to talk in rhyme all day to my daughter. (I’ve never said I wasn’t annoying!)

    Maybe I’ll share them here or in my newsletter one day!

    Anyway, there’s a whole page dedicated to the series here on the website, so click over to see the new covers and read more about the series. (It’s in Kindle Unlimited if you’re a subscriber).

     

    Promo graphic for the Jewel Sisters

     

  • Jewel sisters cover teasers
    Blog

    A new look Jewel Sisters Series is coming soon!

    Jewel sisters cover teasers

    It’s a while since I’ve done anything to update any of my book covers and I thought maybe it was time to give the Jewel Sisters series a fresh new look.

    New covers and new blurbs are something I struggle with, mainly because I ‘m usually attached to the original covers.

    In this case, I just couldn’t decide what direction to go. I even ran a poll in m newsletter this time last year between two looks and the results were exactly 50/50 so that didn’t help at all!

    Anyway, I finally made a decision and I’m super happy with how they came out. Everyone I’ve shown them to has been as excited as I am so I hope that means an uptick in sales when the covers and new blurbs go live on Amazon next week.

    You can see the old covers here.

    This is such a fun series set here in Australia and as the series title suggests is about four sisters and their relationship and struggles to find love and happiness. But it is fun and happy and I wanted covers that reflected that, so fingers crossed I’ve got it right.

    Stay tuned and I’ll let you know when the new look version is live. As always if you’ve read them and haven’t yet reviewed the books you know I’d love you to.

  • Blog

    Time to welcome another book baby – Something of a Spark Into the World

    12/27/2017

    Jewel Sisters - Something to Sing About - Monique McDonell - Oringal CoverIsn’t she pretty?
    Don’t you just love the cover for Something to Sing About? I adore it. It is one of my personal favourites – I know one isn’t supposed to have them but I do…(Any Way You Want It is my fave Upper Crust Cover).

    This book was a fun one to write. When I started this series I already had this book well and truly in mind. I love Ruby’s character and I do love a bit of unrequited love. Let’s face it we’ve all been there. ( I was the queen of unrequited love back in the day).

    I also love Ryan’s character. He’s really trying to do the right thing by everyone but he seems to just keep getting it wrong – something else I can relate to, the harder I try the more complicated life gets.

    Plus they’re just a really cute couple together and I really enjoyed the banter between them. In fact I like all the characters in this book – well maybe not Pandora so much because she’s somewhat self-absorbed but even she has potential. I can’t imagine living in a world where people fawned over me day and night and said yes to everything I wanted – it must be hard when someone actually says no.

    Anyway, I really hope you enjoy reading Something to Sing About. I released it on Boxing Day because I spend every Boxing Day reading and loading my Kindle and I was hoping others would do the same.

    I’m already at work on Something to Savour which is Emme’s story and Book 3 in the Jewel Sisters series and it will be out in the first part of 2018.

    I have lots of exciting things planned publishing-wise in the New Year which I hope will keep you excited and engaged with my books and characters.

     

    Cheers and Happy Reading

    ​Monique

  • Blog

    Something of a Spark Blog Tour

    10/31/2017

    Something of a Spark - Monique McDonell - Blog Tour
    Book Information
    Title: Something of a Spark
    Author: Monique McDonell
    Series: A Jewel Sisters Romance #1
    Release Date: October 31, 2017
    Genres: Chick Lit
    Publisher: Redfish Publishing

    About Something of a Spark
    Jewel Sisters - Something of a Spark - Original CoverSometimes keeping a secret is more trouble than it’s worth.
    Growing up as one of the Jewel Sisters of Caudal Bay has never been easy for Sapphire Smith. As far as her friend’s and family are concerned she’s now a struggling radio DJ living in Sydney and working part-time as a PA for her best friend country music star Ryan Storm.
    But that’s only part of the story.
    When an accident in her home town brings real-life hero and firefighter Campbell into her world their relationship starts with a smoulder and slowly begins to spark. Campbell has given up his career as a corporate lawyer for a quieter, more rewarding life. He loves his new town and the welcoming atmosphere as much as Saffy loves the anonymity of the city.
    As their relationship begins to heat up one thing is clear – Cam is all about honesty while Saffy has something to hide: her work partnership with Ryan involves more than social media and if the truth comes out it could be a disaster for them both.
    Will Saffy come clean before their secret gets out? Or will her desire to keep people at arm’s length see her relationship with Ryan fizzle out before it has a chance to catch fire.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Where to Find Something of a Spark
    Universal Link

    Goodreads

    Meet Monique McDonell
    Monique McDonell
    I am an Australian author who writes contemporary women’s fiction including chick lit and romance.
    I have written all my life especially as a child when I loved to write short stories and poetry. At University I studied Creative Writing as part of my Communication degree. Afterwards I was busy working in public relations I didn’t write for pleasure for quite a few years although I wrote many media releases, brochures and newsletters. (And I still do in my day-job!)
    When I began to write again I noticed a trend – writing dark unhappy stories made me unhappy. So I made a decision to write a novel with a happy ending and I have been writing happy stories ever since. I am the author of five stand alone novels including Mr. Right and Other Mongrels and Hearts Afire and the popular Upper Crust Series. Many of my novels focus on an Australian characters meeting and visiting US characters. I have been a member of the writing group The Writer’s Dozen for ten years. Our anthology Better Than Chocolate raised over $10,000 for the charity Room to Read and helped build a library in South East Asia. I am also a member of the Romance Writers of Australia. In 2015 had a piece on writing chick lit featured in the successful Australian non-fiction book Copyfight. I live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with my husband and daughter.
    ​To learn more about my writing, my caffeine obsession and my upcoming books please visit www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com.au.

    Where to Find Monique
    Website: http://www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com/
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6154665.Monique_McDonell
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueMcDonellAuthor
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MoniqueMcDonell
    Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/Monique-McDonell/e/B0086R9S2U/

    Blog Tour Schedule
    Check out this link to view the blog tour schedule!

  • Blog

    Time for an update on my writing life

    9/29/2017

    Long time no blog…
    Jewel Sisters - Something of a Spark - Original CoverIt seems like it is ages because I’ve done any blogging here in earnest and I suppose that’s because it is. Since I went back to work last year I seem to have less and less time to do all the fun extra parts of my writing life.

    I like blogging because I like writing but it gets pushed aside in the favour of the need to actually write the books, which is logical enough I suppose but still not idea.

    I’ve had this blog going for over five years now, so I don’t want it to feel neglected. Like everything else I just need to get myself organised and get it done.

    As I write this Something of a Spark, the pretty cover of which you see to the left, is off with the editor (out later this month) and I am busily working on book 2 in the series, Something to Sing About.

    Writing a new series has been fun, I’ve been doing the Upper Crust series for a while now and even though I love it some of the fun for me is meeting a whole slew of new characters and I can do that with a fresh series.

    I am working on the eighth book in the Upper Crust Series and I will be writing a spin off series in 2018 so I’m not done with those characters yet.

    The new series takes place between Australia and Nashville with a bit of Napa thrown in for fun. I have a cousin in Napa, I wonder if I can visit her in the name of research?

    I also have a book coming out for Christmas in a multi-author box set. I haven’t done that before so fingers crossed it is a good experience for me, because I’m signed up for another one next year as well.

    This is a tough business so I’m always looking at new ways to reach readers so hopefully the box sets help.

    If you really want to keep up to date with my books your best bet is to follow me on Facebook or sign up for my newsletter…that’s where all the real secrets are revealed.