Leonie "Lee" Kelsall will come to the Limestone Coast for a book-talk as fans prepare to return to Settler's Bridge for her third book, releasing July 5, 2022.
Titled The River Gum Cottage, Ms Kelsall's book returns to the town of Settler's Bridge, featured in her first two novels The Farm at Peppertree Crossing and The Wattle Seed Inn but will focus on new characters.
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Ms Kelsall said that at the launch of her first book in Naracoorte in 2020, she was shocked as over 40 people attended in support.
"It was my first meet the author experience," she said.
"Both my first two books are best sellers and the first sold our within two weeks of being released."
To be a bestselling novel, the book must have sold over 10,000 copies within a short window following the launch and Ms Kelsall hopes the third book is as popular as the first two.
As an indie author, she works in many genres and publishing routes including approaching publishers out of the United State of America.
"Getting into publishing is a long path usually," she said.
"I pitched the first book to Allen & Unwin and within a few days they requested the manuscript.
"I did that and expected it to be lost forever and within a few days I had a call saying that the published wanted to sign me for that book."
Allen and Unwin had high hopes for the first novel and were in discussion with Ms Kelsall for a sequel before the debut was published.
"Because of their success I have a contract for another four books in the series," she said.
Ms Kelsall has been able to publish a new book every July for the last three years under her contract with Allen and Unwin.
"People would say that my books are rural/fiction or a rural/romance but I'd think its more of a family saga as it is multigenerational," she said.
Most of her novels have a dark undertone and cover serious topics, with messages for readers and their lives intertwined in the story.
"But because of the genre they are, there will be an uplifting Happily Ever After or Happily For Now ending for readers."
Ms Kelsall will visit Naracoorte Library (July 1 2pm), Millicent Library and Gallery (July 2 10am), Keith's Beyond Words Bookshop (July 22 7:30pm) and Mt Gambier Library (July 24 11am) for her meet-the-author chats.
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