The Opal Desert is the story of three women from different generations with unresolved issues in their lives who meet in the fictitious NSW town of Opal Lake. Kerrie, in her 40s, has just lost her famous sculptor husband who had been the centre of her existence and for whom she made many sacrifices and she now finds her life has lost direction. Shirley, approaching 80, was betrayed by her lover many years before and has retreated from the world, becoming a recluse living in an underground dugout. Anna, 19, has a promising athletic career but is torn between the commitment to her sport, or enjoying life like other young people. The friendship that develops between these three women, who meet in the strangely beautiful but desolate landscape of the opal fields, helps them resolve and come to terms with the next stage of their lives.

The opalescent deserts of the American Southwest have become romantic icons in the public imagination through the words of writers, the images of artists and photographers, and the visual storytelling of filmmakers. In this spirited, personal, beautifully written book, Peter Wild explores the lives and works of sixteen writers whose words have shaped our visions of the opal desert. Wild begins with Cabeza de Vaca, whose Relación of his desert wanderings sent treasure-hungry Spaniards searching for cities of gold. He goes on to discuss the works of both widely read and lesser-known nineteenth- and twentieth-century authors, including such luminaries as Mary Austin, Joseph Wood Krutch, Edward Abbey, Ann Zwinger, and Charles Bowden. He links all the writers as explorers of one kind or another, searching for tangible or intangible treasures, some finding and some losing their dreams in the opal desert.

From Australia's favourite storyteller, with new novel The Night Tide out now. Face her demons? Or run? After being double-crossed by a devious colleague, career woman Ellie Conlan quits her job on principle. With no idea what to do next, she retreats to Storm Harbour, an idyllic Victorian beach town. Ellie's grandfather runs The Storm Harbour Chronicle, the trusted local newspaper. As Ellie is drawn into a story about a development which could split the coastal community - and involves her with the influential O'Neill family - an event she has long suppressed threatens to overwhelm her. Dark clouds gather as rumours fly and tensions mount. And when a violent storm breaks and rages, Ellie will finally have to confront her past. PRAISE FOR BEFORE THE STORM: 'There's no denying the beauty and opulence of Morrissey's rendering of place . . . She is a master of the genre.' Weekend Australian 'a gripping, twisting yarn' Australian Women's Weekly

Deep in the sun-drenched desert, priestess Ginger-Sun carries the power of shape mages. And whispers abound: Is she descended from the beloved Sunset Goddess, or are her nighttime rituals filled with wickedness? Ginger herself is uncertain, until a stranger is left for dead at her feet. Thence her magic begins to burn.

A slow change in outlook dominates the book, as attitudes shift from viewing the desert as a place of sanctity, then a land to be despised or exploited, and back to an appreciation of it as a special place, an arena of highly complex natural communities, and a wild refuge for the human body and soul.

In the scorching deserts of Garber, Nevada, Aaron Brady fights against time to save his family's legacy, the Brady Turquoise Mine. Haunted by debt, he embarks on a desperate quest for rare black opals buried deep within his land, racing against the impending doom of losing everything. Enter Nina Delgado, an ambitious IRS Agent sent to audit the struggling mine. Determined to prove herself for a coveted promotion, she's focused on the task at hand. However, when she encounters rugged cowboy Aaron, a fiery connection ignites, threatening to unravel their carefully constructed lives. Amidst a whirlwind of desire and uncertainty, Aaron does whatever it takes to shield Nina from the harsh reality, craving her presence both in his bed and by his side. But as their forbidden passion intensifies, they must confront the forces working against them. Nina wrestles with the choice between duty and the magnetic pull of love, torn between the allure of Garber's secrets and the comfortable life she's built in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Aaron grapples with his own self-worth, haunted by past scars that make him doubt his capacity for happiness. In the unforgiving landscapes of the desert, where hidden treasures and untamed desires converge, Aaron and Nina must navigate their way through a dangerous game of emotions. Will they succumb to their undeniable chemistry, defying the odds stacked against them? Or will the weight of their respective worlds force them to surrender their chance at love? Desert Passion is a sizzling tale of forbidden love, fate, and the healing power of trust. Join Aaron and Nina on their captivating journey as they discover that sometimes, the rarest treasures are found within the depths of their hearts. KEYWORDS: enemies to lovers, romance books, contemporary romance, bestseller romance, love, love books, kissing books, emotional journey, emotional, healing, hidden romance, angst, family drama, adult romance, heartbreak, love story, romance novels, top romance reads, best seller, contemporary women, loss, redemption, standalone, standalone romance, drama, beach read, beach reads, romance reads, airplane read, hate to love, western romance, cowboy romance, tortured hero, tortured hero romance, independent woman, Readers also enjoyed books by: samantha cole, j.b. havens, lexi james, brittney sahin, jill shalvis, nora roberts, francine rivers, lolly winston, lauren willig, dina silver, shannon gilmore, mavis cheek, karyn monk, wendy holden, anna matted, nicholas sparks, candace bushnell, giana darling, john hough, holly kerr, jill mansell, Dava shastris, plum sykes, laura dave, colleen hoover, olivia dade, kait nolan, chelle bliss, elle james, diana palmer, cheyenne mccray, jennifer ryan, kendall ryan, cynthia dees, parker grey, kaci m rose

Desert Channels is a book that combines art, science and history to explore the ‘impulse to conserve’ in the distinctive Desert Channels country of south-western Queensland. The region is the source of Australia’s major inland-flowing desert rivers. Some of Australia’s most interesting new conservation initiatives are in this region, including partnerships between private landholders, non-government conservation organisations that buy and manage land (including Bush Heritage Australia and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy) and community-based natural resource management groups such as Desert Channels Queensland. Conservation biology in this place has a distinguished scientific history, and includes two decades of ecological work by scientific editor Chris Dickman. Chris is one of Australia’s leading terrestrial ecologists and mammalogists. He is an outstanding writer and is passionate about communicating the scientific basis for concern about biodiversity in this region to the broadest possible audience. Libby Robin, historian and award-winning writer, has co-ordinated the writings of the 46 contributors whose voices collectively portray the Desert Channels in all its facets. The emphasis of the book is on partnerships that conserve landscapes and communities together. Short textboxes add local and technical commentary where relevant. Art and science combine with history and local knowledge to richly inform the writing and visual understanding of the country. Conservation here is portrayed in four dimensions: place, landscape, biodiversity and livelihood. These four parts each carry four chapters. The ‘4x4’ structure was conceived by acclaimed artist, Mandy Martin, who has produced suites of artworks over three seasons in this format with commentaries, which make the interludes between parts. Martin’s work offers an aesthetic framework of place, which shapes how we see the region. Desert Channels explores the impulse to protect the varied biodiversity of the region, and its Aboriginal, pastoral and prehistoric heritage, including some of Australia’s most important dinosaur sites. The work of Alice Duncan-Kemp, the region’s most significant literary figure, is highlighted. Even the sounds of the landscape are not forgotten: the book's webpage has an audio interview by Alaskan radio journalist Richard Nelson talking to ecologist Steve Morton at Ocean Bore in the Simpson Desert country. The twitter of zebra finches accompanies the interview. Conservation can be accomplished in various ways and Desert Channels combines many distinguished voices. The impulse to conserve is shared by local landholders, conservation enthusiasts (from the community and from national and international organisations), Indigenous owners, professional biologists, artists and historians.

"Stunning deluxe hardback edition of the third book in the Pearlie series Pearlie has a visitor! Opal the desert fairy has come all the way from her home in Rainbow Ridge to see the big city for the first time. Pearlie is delighted to show her the beautiful sights of Jubilee Park, but soon discovers what a strange place it can be for an outback fairy . . ."