DarkSider News: December 2025 - Events!

    

"Penny

Holiday villa for one–heck.

Chamomile and bergamot candle; soy, made with essential oil, not perfume–check.

 Old Milo tin full of things I plan to burn–check.

A tropical sea breeze floods the humid jungle air with a welcom freshness. I rip a match from a tiny matchbook, emblazoned with the beach resort'st ornate logo, and drag it across the rough strip. It lights true.

I'm going to change my life. Fore real this time. I mean it." 

– The Guy from the Beach Resort (Sommerville Downs Sweet Romance) by Birdie Song

Grab a cuppa and your diary and check out the events our DarkSiders are attending....

(featuring upcoming events for the coming two months, updates to events, and new listings)

Library Talk
Nambucca, NSW
4 December

Annie Seaton 

Tickets

The Strand Night Markets
Townsville, QLD
5 December

Rachel Armstrong

Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition
Melbourne, VIC
6-7 December

Keri Arthur

Tickets

Website

Fantasciicon
Southport, QLD
13-15 December

HM Hodgson

Tickets

Website

Facebook page

Big Book Energy Indie Signing Event

Glenelg, SA

18 January 2026

Helen Walton

Tickets - now available

Facebook page

Enchanted Readers & Authors (ERA26)

Melbourne, VIC

31 January

Khloe Wren

Leisl Leighton

Mila Young - pre-order form

Tickets - now available

Website

Facebook page

Meet Me in the Mountains

Blue Mountains, NSW

7 February 2026

Helen Walton

Lilliana Rose

Mila Young

Rachel Armstrong

Tickets 

Website 

- includes pre-order form links

Facebook page

Facebook Attendee group

Indie Bookworm Event - Chapter 5: Fantasy

Kryal Castle, Leigh Creek, VIC

 21 February 2026

HM Hodgson

Keri Arthur

Tickets

Pre-Orders

Website

The Book Booth's Facebook page

Book Fair Australia

Melbourne, VIC

 21 February 2026

Leisl Leighton

Tickets and website

Celestial Events:

Fantasy Book Signing & Merchandise Day

Perth

21 March 2026

Imogene Nix

Lilliana Rose

A Romantic Rendezvous

Multiple Cities

March 2026

Brisbane

HM Hodgson

Sydney

Donna Maree Hanson

Keri Arthur

Melbourne

Hellucy Howe

Leisl Leighton

Lilliana Rose

M.L. Tompsett - pre-order

Samantha Marshall

Perth

Juanita Kees

Tickets - now available!

List of signing authors

Facebook group

A Thousand Lives Indie Book Convention

Melbourne, VIC

18 April 2026

Mila Young

Tickets

Website

Facebook group

Wild Out West Romance Book Signing

Perth, WA

3 May 2026

Anna Hackett

Claire Boston / Claire Leggett

Danni Line

HM Hodgson

Lana Pecherczyk

Leisl Leighton

Mila Young

TJ Nichols

Tickets - out now!

Pre-Orders

Website

Facebook page

RARE26 Berlin

Berlin, Germany

16 May 2026

Khloe Wren

Tickets - out now!

Website

Facebook page

~~

Congratulations to our DarkSiders!

Happy Reading everyone. Be safe & well.

Next on the DarkSider News: New Releases & Sales

DarkLight On ... Christina Phillips!

Welcome Christina! 

You write historical romances. What attracted you to this genre?

I’ve always loved history and growing up in England I was lucky to be surrounded by Roman remains and medieval castles. I’d always wondered what secrets those ancient walls held and imagined the people who had lived there during the centuries.

Although I’ve always loved historical romances it didn’t occur to me to actually write one for publication. But after years of submitting to Mills and Boon, working with editors on revisions but never quite managing to hit what they were looking for, my CPs dared me to write a historical PNR short story that had been haunting me for years. Much to my delight, my witch and vampire romance was published by The Wild Rose Press. 

Tell us about the hint of mysticism you add to these stories. 

My first historical romance series, The Druid Chronicles, is set in 1st century Britain during the Roman invasion. Not a lot is known about the druids, apart from the biased reports of the Romans, so I really let myself lean into the mysticism. My heroines worship the ancient goddesses, who are not happy with how the Eagle is wiping out the old way of life. I had so much fun weaving in myths and legends as my heroines fell in love with their deadliest enemies, while trying to remain loyal to their powerful goddesses.

In the past you’ve written paranormal romances. Do you think you’ll ever return to the genre?

I’d love to return to the Realm of Flame and Shadow, with my archangels, demons and vampires. I love that world so much and there’s so much more to explore. First on my list next year is to finish the final two books in The Highland Warrior Chronicles (set in the 9th century, this series weaves in the old gods who are being slowly crushed by the advent of a new religion from Rome), but after that my plan is to write the next book set in my realm of immortals.

 

Are you a plotter? Panster? Or somewhere in-between?

My latest books are with a publisher, so I had to hammer out a half decent synopsis for them, but I always find it fascinating that it’s only once I start writing that the real story emerges. With Forbidden, the first Druid book, I had no clue how it would end, and to this day can still see the whirlwind of chaos the gods wrought in my mind as I typed desperately to keep up! (I wish that happened more often!) Generally, I write bullet points and vague notes about what needs to happen at some point and go from there.

 

What is your latest release and your inspiration behind it?

My latest release is Abducted by the Highlander, the third and final book in the Daughters of the Isle series. This is a series that wasn’t supposed to have any hint of mysticism in it. But before I knew it, my three sisters had a druid foremother who had passed down an edict from mother to daughter for 900 years, a warning; but the meaning had been lost during the centuries.

My inspiration for this series comes from the myths and legends that surround the Isle of Eigg, one of the Small Isles off the west coast of Scotland. Until the 16th century it was known as the Island of the Powerful Women and of course that sparked my interest. Going back in history, who were the powerful women?

Druids.

And then there is the terrible massacre that took place on the Isle in the 16th century, where only one family escaped, and so the seed of an idea was born.

Thank you for having me!

Abducted by the Highlander

Book 3, Daughters of the Isle

Release date: 2 December

She dreams of a future with her noble Scot—only to discover he’s an outlaw from his clan.

Roisin MacDonald lost her heart to Hugh the day she met him, but despite his promises to return to her, after he left her isle, she never heard from him again. And yet she cannot forget him and harbors the secret hope that one day their paths will cross again.

Traveling in the Highlands to visit her sister, Roisin’s party is ambushed. When she tries to escape, she’s horrified to discover one of the bandits is none other than Hugh Campbell. She scarcely recognizes this menacing stranger and yet there’s no denying the passion that still blazes between them.

He saves her from ruin, but who will save her from him…

Commanded to spy for the Earl of Argyll, Hugh Campbell leaves everything to go undercover in a rebel MacGregor clan. Forced to survive as a mercenary, it’s only the memory of sweet Roisin MacDonald that keeps the darkness at bay. One day, he hopes to make her his, but as he falls deeper into the shadows of subterfuge, he despairs he’ll ever escape this life, never mind be worthy enough to seek her hand.

Hugh can’t believe the one woman he hoped would never discover this side of his life is now ensnared with the rebels. Every moment she stays with him puts her in peril, and he swears he’ll protect her and return her to her kin. He’ll keep her safe whatever it takes, but his pledge to keep his distance from her shatters with their first illicit kiss.

As danger closes in, Hugh knows he must risk everything to ensure Roisin survives.

But how can he let her go, when he knows it means they will never see each other again?

Tropes you'll love:

• Protector hero
• Touch her and die
• Forced proximity
• First love
• Unrequited love
• Fish out of water
• She falls first, he falls harder
• Rekindled romance

Pre-Order

Christina Phillips

Christina grew up in England and spent her childhood visiting ruined castles and Roman remains and daydreaming about Medieval princesses and gallant knights. When she wasn’t lost in the past, she was searching for magical worlds in the backs of wardrobes and watching old Hammer Horrors from the safety of behind the sofa. She enjoys writing historical romance, historical romantasy, paranormal romance and contemporary romance where the stories sizzle and the heroine brings her hero to his knees.

She now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their two cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.

Find Christina at christinaphillips.com and Facebook.