Perth summers are pretty special. For starters, they are HOT and flip-flop between hot-dry and hot-humid. We've even had freak hailstorms come out of nowhere on sweltering days. But for the most part, our warm season is quite lovely.

All of my Somerville books are set during a Perth summer. The Guy from the Park, especially, highlights some of the more notable characteristics of a nice day during the warmer months — park life, West Aussie birds, ice cream, quirky strangers, and if you're lucky, a romance that lasts beyond the season.

This book was inspired by the parks I grew up with and the ones I've spent time in as an adult. Lakelands Reserve is a mash-up of a small nature reserve and a couple of local suburban parks supporting a breathtakingly biodiverse ecosystem. Australia is one of the most biodiverse regions of the world. I worry every day about climate change taking it away from us, and wanted to preserve a slice of it in a literary time capsule, even if the only ones who read it are you and me.

As for the romance

First impressions last... sometimes. I like to think second impressions have more of an impact. After all, people aren't perfect. We've all got stuff going on in our private lives and can't always be our best selves every minute of the day.

I've never had a "meet ugly" turn into a romance, but one in my 20s turned into a friendship I treasure dearly to this day. The point is unwanted things can pop up in this weird, wild world. It's what we do with them that makes a difference.

The Guy from the Park explores how two strangers might develop a mutual attraction when their first impressions are less than stellar. After an unsavoury meet-ugly, Sabrina and Daniel get more chances to get to know each other through fleeting encounters.

This novelette is more about brief glimpses than forced proximity, and what conversations might compel people to overcome their prejudices and differences.

Writing update

If we're going solely based on my chapter-by-chapter outline, I'm just about halfway through drafting The Guy from the Wedding.

Skye McDonald's recent post on A Bit Much got me thinking about how hard it is to love without fear if you've been hurt before. Anyone who's survived the failure of a significant relationship knows you don't emerge unscathed. It takes time and conscientious effort to re-learn the art of loving wholeheartedly.

This is constantly on my mind while I work on the "Wedding" manuscript. Both of my MCs find each other on the other side of failure, and even though they get along like a house on fire, they still find themselves getting burned. More on that some other time, though.

If you'd fancy checking out an excerpt, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter — there's a sneak peek in the next issue.