Who is Lily Malone? A new romance novel by local author Lily Malone due to be released this month has readers guessing the true identity of the writer herself.
“More local people know me as ‘Lily’ now, but when I started writing we were living in South Australia,” Malone said.
“I didn’t tell my WA family or friends I was trying to write romance for a long time, I’m still quite shy talking about that side of my life.
“The book launch is a big deal for me in that regard but I’ve had a lot of interest in the book and the launch, and once one person knows something, well – it’s not really a secret anymore, is it?”
Malone has given a few clues to her identity; born and raised in the Margaret River area, she attended Cowaramup Primary School and worked at the Mail in the 1990s.
Malone penned her first novel almost six years ago and said the decision was “a huge favour to the world.”
“For about a year before I decided to seriously try my hand at creative writing, I’d convinced myself I could be a painter, the results were bloody terrible, no living person should ever have had to suffer seeing those,” Malone said.
Four published e-books later, and with the launch of her debut title in paperback nearing, Malone believes the best thing that ever happened to her fledgling artistic career was the day her son put a golf club through the canvas.
“I decided the universe was sending a message, almost the very next day I started writing a book instead,” she said. That story went on to be accepted for publication as an e-book by Escape Publishing, the digital Australian arm of romance giant Harlequin, in 2013.
Malone’s latest novel is set in Margaret River at a time many locals would recall. “The opening scene is based at the Margaret River Wine Festival – or how the Festival used to be about 20 years ago when it was held on vacant land where IGA is now,” Malone said.
For a chance to win a copy of Lily Malone’s latest novel, readers are invited to guess the author’s real identity by emailing pauline@margaretriverbookshop.com.au before Thursday September 1.
Margaret River Bookshop will host the launch of The Vineyard in the Hills on Thursday September 1 from 6.15pm.
To RSVP please call the Bookshop (08) 9757 3331.
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
