Okay, so I'm the first to admit that an Aussie writing a series about ice hockey must seem a little unusual. But ever since watching the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 I'll admit to having a fascination for this sport. And while I'm the first to admit I'm not especially sporty myself, I find the strength and stamina, grit, grace and skills needed for hockey rather awe-inspiring. 

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The first book I wrote (before any of my historicals) I based on a couple I saw entering the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics, when I saw an Aussie female athlete holding hands with a US athlete. I was intrigued about how two elite athletes from opposite sides of the world could meet then sustain a relationship. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't find out who they were, so I eventually wrote 'their' story, which is how Love on Ice began. I made her a short track skater (because hello: awesome toughness right there!) and he was a hockey player (bc: tough).

Later that year my husband and I had the trip of a lifetime to the US and Canada. We landed in Boston, then drove up the east coast to Canada, as this avid Anne of Green Gables fan insisted we visit Prince Edward Island. From there we drove to Quebec City and Montreal, then across to Muskoka, a picturesque, lake-filled stretch of country two hours north of Toronto, which is where LM Montgomery set her book The Blue Castle. Visiting this beautiful part of the world became inspiration for a story about another hockey player (because: Canada, hello!), which became Muskoka Blue. We then visited Niagara Falls then flew to Chicago, where we were fortunate to catch a Chicago Blackhawks’ game.

It was a few years later that I realised these stories could be connected as they were both part of Original Six teams, which includes Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Montreal, New York and Toronto, but I still needed my reason for why these particular players would connect. I prayed, and before too long discovered an online Bible study group for the Boston Bruins, which I knew could be expanded into a group of NHL playing friends. Thus the concept for the Original Six hockey romance series was born. I loved my visits to these cities, and loved incorporating some of the places we visited (such as Montreal’s Jardin Botanique and the Art Institute of Chicago) into the various stories I’ve written in this series.

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You don't have to love hockey to love these books, as readers tell me they're captivated by the heroes, the depth, and the swoon-worthy kisses. So if you enjoy stories of family, faith, friendship and love then I hope you'll check them out.

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Check out the photo galleries below for some of the behind-the-scenes inspiration from my trip to North America that inspired scenes in various books (and the Spotify playlists and Pinterest boards as well). Happy reading!