Böcker av Rachel Armstrong

Can Elizadale's crown jewel convince her brooding best friend to face his torment and embrace her love to secure their happily ever after?Meg Riley was a rising star in country music when an accident crushed her muse and stalled her career. Devoted to her hometown of Elizadale, Meg is content working as a schoolteacher, organising the local show, and fundraising for causes dear to her heart. But one thing remains missing from her golden life and as her friends begin to settle down, Meg's longing for family can no longer be ignored. If only the man she loves wasn't determined to be just friends. Jack Maguire takes his position as the firstborn son seriously and protects those he loves at all costs. Rooted to his family property, expanding Shadow Creek and building a farming empire has always been his priority. But Jack knows life is a gloomy road he must travel alone as marriage will never be an option after a traumatic incident forced him to sacrifice his future with Meg. When a cyclone devastates North Queensland, the recovery effort leads Meg and Jack to discovering the power of second chances. But as Meg uncovers Jack's secret anguish, can she help him lower his defences and open his heart? Or will their pursuit of happiness unleash the danger Jack has fought so hard to contain?Book 3 of the Shadow Creek series

Can the brawny publican free the dedicated nurse from the clutches of a grinch and give the woman he's always loved the Christmas she dreams of?¿Grace White refuses to be forced into marriage to save the family property, a defiance which enrages her controlling father. Determined to follow her own dreams, Grace has established herself as a nurse in her hometown of Elizadale and wants to share her passion for yoga by opening her own studio. But other dreams may never come true. Tormented by her father's schemes, Grace can't risk falling in love. Luke Smithfield has taken over the family pub and seizes the opportunity to update the menu. But his garnished ideas may be too gourmet to draw in the locals and he longs to make his dad proud. When Grace White shares his enthusiasm for the menu change, Luke doesn't hesitate in enlisting her help. He needs a taste tester, and his sister's best friend has become too pretty to ignore. As desire ignites in the kitchen, Grace and Luke encourage each other to accomplish their goals for the New Year. But can Grace find the strength to open her heart to Luke? Or will her father's wrath sabotage the joy she finds this Christmas and leave her alone once again?¿A spinoff prequel to the Shadow Creek series

Can the spirited doctor help the troubled bad boy shed his reputation and feel worthy of her love?Adam Maguire wore the title of Elizadale's bad boy with pride, until he woke in the park with no memory of the night before. Fearing the unknown, Adam re-evaluates his history of reckless behaviour and determines to focus on building a business out of his passion for woodwork. But with his ex determined to lure him back, Adam doubts he'll ever escape his past.Doctor Natalia Hamilton has left the city after suffering harassment that left her confidence shattered. Reunited with her sister in Elizadale, Natalia hopes the small town vibe will help her rediscover the value of her work. Dating is the last thing on her mind when she's been constantly burned by romance. Until Adam rides in on his motorcycle and takes her breath away.As sparks ignite between the unlikely couple, Adam and Natalia begin to trust again. But when a story about his forgotten night is revealed, can Adam determine the truth from a web of lies? Or is it already too late for him to start over?Book Two of the Shadow Creek Series

Can the timid schoolteacher, the laidback guy-next-door, and two cheeky border collies overcome their painful pasts and form a home together?¿Ana Hamilton stood up for herself and sent a man to prison. Now he's out and she's on the run. Arriving in the small North Queensland town of Elizadale, Ana finds herself reigniting her lost social life with new friendships, yoga, and dog agility training with her beloved border collie. But with the threat of revenge pursuing her, Ana can't dare put down roots. Liam Maguire has it all, a beautiful house and a thriving business. Passionate about Elizadale's tourism, he's about to open a café to highlight fresh produce from his family's banana farm, Shadow Creek. All that's missing from his life is the right woman ... and the intriguing new teacher may be the one he's been waiting for. But burned by a city girl before, can Liam risk his heart over another blow-in with flighty feet and shadows in her eyes? Drawn together through a budding friendship and the playful antics of their border collies, Ana and Liam begin to open their hearts. But as danger lurks in the darkness, can Ana risk staying in Elizadale with him when she may need to run again? Or worse, have her life violently cut short and leave Liam bereft? Book One of the Shadow Creek Series

Our relationship with our homes changed in 2020 when the pandemic known as Covid-19 led to enforced periods of self-isolation, called 'lockdown'. We got toknow our living spaces intimately and learned the greatest risk of infection was indoors through the breath we shared in poorly ventilated spaces, where microbial atmospheres could work their way inside, through every door, window and with every visitor. Our fear of such invisible threats will persist long after the pandemic ends and reflects a growing divide between the human and the microbial realm. This book examines the notion of the home in the context of the pandemic and lockdown, as they relate to environmental concerns and how we live with viruses and bacteria. It argues that, in order to decrease our vulnerability to infective agents, we need to acknowledge the link between people, space, daily routines and microbes and explore how the predominantly benign microbial world might be harnessed to combat and boost our immunity to future pathogens. Suggesting more than environmental home improvements, it explores new innovations and new materials which incorporate microbes for more ecological designs, such as ceramic tiles, concrete bio-receptive surfaces, building skins, fabrics, waste management and alternative energy supplies. A series of drawingswhich reveal the evolution of microbial technologies, infrastructures, spaces,dwellings, and architectures sets out a prototype for an ecological home forpost pandemic times. Identifying the lessons that COVID-19 has brought us, the book highlights the need for humans to consider and take microbes into account in future built environments.

Rachel Armstrong's follow-up to her critically aclaimed debut novel Origamy. Set in a near-future Venice, Invisible Ecologies tells the story of Po, an ambiguously gendered boy who shares an intimate connection with a nascent sentience emerging within the Po delta: the bioregion upon which the city of Venice is founded. The pair share a series of extraordinary adventures and, as Po starts school, stumble upon the Mayor's drastic plans to modernise the city and reshape the future of the lagoon and its people.How the critics reacted to Origamy:"Origamy is a magnificent, glittering explosion of a book: a meditation on creation, the poetry of science and the insane beauty of everything. You're going to need this." - Warren Ellis"Origamy crackles with a strange and brilliant energy, and folds the conventions of SF into beautiful new shapes. A rare and wonderful debut." - Adam Roberts"Perhaps the most astonishing and original piece of SF I've read in a long, long while." - Adrian Tchaikovsky"A visionary masterpiece. Science Fiction, Fantasy, science and poetry combine to create a lyric on life and death that spans the whole of creation. Delightful and mind-expanding. If you miss it you have missed one of the finest examples of literary art." - Justina Robson"The concepts, images, and settings found in this novel could easily power a quartet of more traditionally-arranged works..." - Tor.com"I'm still dumbfounded now." - SFcrowsnest"A whimsical, half-daft, drunken-prose-poem odyssey down alien byways. The closest thing to this book might be Italo Calvino's Cosmicomics." - Locus

Shoreline of Infinity is the winner of the British Fantasy Society Award 2018 for best magazine/periodical.New stories, interviews, reviews, art and poetry.Premee Mohamed - The Time Between TimeLaura Young - DaughterEsme Carpenter - Harry's ShiverBo Balder - Splitting UpCaroline Grebbell - Goodnight RosemarinusTim Major - Cast In the Same MouldRachel Armstrong - Origamy (extracts)Preston Grassmann - The Silk Tower of BeijingPoetry: Tris Crest. Charlotte Ozment, Nate Maxson Art competition: we have a winner - Jimmy McGregor The Beachcomber Presents: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Mark Toner, Stephen Pickering & Tsu Beel SF Caledonia: Chris Kelso on Preston Grassmann Interview: Rachel Armstrong