A romance festival for lovers of films & books
13 & 14 Feb 2026
Dendy Coorparoo, BRISBANE QLD AUSTRALIA
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A festival for lovers of romance films and books
Program Highlights
Meet The Writers
We have assembled an incredible line up of romance writers and all round literary royalty
Ky Garvey
Ky Garvey is a writer, podcaster and coffee/chocolate connoisseur. She hosts and creates the literary podcast Totally Lit, where she’s lucky enough to chat to Australian writers, illustrators and publishing professionals, learn all their writing secrets and then share them. She’s also a children’s author and a disability and carer advocate. Her first picture book Easy Peasy was released in February 2023 through publisher EK Books. She has won or been shortlisted in a number of writing awards including Hunter Writers Centre Grieve writing competition, Carers QLD writing competition and most recently The Logan Laureate. She also had the pleasure of being a judge for the Australian Podcast Awards, The Aurelius Awards and the Forevability Book Awards as well as being an award sponsor. Ky was recently included in the Courier Mail list of Brisbane’s 60 Most Inspirational Women 2025.
Ky Garvey
Mia Grunwald
Mia Grunwald has collaborated on several international film projects with networks and studios including HBO, Netflix, Lionsgate, Hallmark, Roku and Great American Family. Mia recently developed, and co-produced From Italy with Love, to be released in Australian cinemas, and in the US via Roku as Chef’s Kiss. She has worked in the producing team on several beloved holiday films including A Vintage Christmas, A Royal Proposal, One Perfect Match, and Christmas Keepsake, to name a few.
Mia Grunwald
Kate Cuthbert
Dr Kate Cuthbert is an editor and book industry professional. She has held senior roles at Books+Publishing, Pantera Press, Writers Victoria and launched the Escape Publishing brand at Harlequin Australia. Her book How to Judge a Book by its Cover was released in November 2025. A genre fiction advocate and enthusiast, she is the co-host on the popular podcast What Would Danbury Do?
Kate Cuthbert
AK Mulford
A. K. Mulford is a bestselling fantasy author and former wildlife biologist who swapped rehabilitating monkeys for writing novels. They/she is inspired to create diverse stories that transport readers to new realms, making them fall in love with fantasy for the first time or all over again. They now live in Australia with their husband and two young human primates, creating lovable fantasy characters and making ridiculous TikToks.
Photo Lauren Biggs Photography
AK Mulford
Sarah L Richhelm
Born and raised in sunny Australia, Sarah is a Brisbane-based author and lifelong bookworm with a Communications degree from the University of Queensland. A lover of slow-burn, high-stakes fantasy romance, her writing blends bonkers action scenes, emotional depth, and morally grey worlds, always with a strong heroine at the centre. Her debut novel, Control My Night, is set in a modern-day, reimagined Prague and follows Keanna, a young woman with a secret power, as she’s drawn into a dark criminal underworld. It mixes mafia vibes, the intrigue of the X-Men franchise, the Young Adult ensemble feel of The Mortal Instruments, and includes multiple (delicious) villains with a steamy slow-burn forbidden romance. Control My Night won ARRA’s 2024 “Favourite Debut Romance Author” Award and Romance Writer’s New Zealand’s “Best First Book” Koru 2025 Award.When Sarah isn’t writing, she’s planning her next…
Sarah L Richhelm
Stacey McEwan
Stacey McEwan is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of romantic fantasy. Her high school English teacher once called her writing “above year level standard” and she took that B+ very seriously. Stacey received a bachelor’s degree in education in 2012 and worked as a classroom teacher for eleven years. She is a content creator on multiple platforms, including Tiktok and Instagram. Stacey was born and raised on the Gold Coast, Australia, and still resides in her hometown with her husband, two children and one questionable dog.
Stacey McEwan
Jaymin Eve
Jaymin Eve is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Amazon Charts, and Amazon #1 Bestselling author of fantasy and romance novels filled with steamy love stories, adventure, and humour. HEA guaranteed. She lives in Australia with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Her books have sold millions worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages.
Jaymin Eve
Jodi McAlister
Jodi McAlister is both an author and scholar of romance fiction. She’s written eight romance novels for adults and young adults, including her most recent novel An Academic Affair. In her other life, she’s a Senior Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture at Deakin University and the President of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance.
Jodi McAlister
Karen Farrell
Karen Farrell is an author, commissioned writer and communications specialist with over two decades of experience developing and pitching stories across television, theatre and publishing. A former actress, Karen brings a performer’s insight to her 2025 debut novel, Stella’s Next Act, which blends her passion for acting, insight into the performance landscape, and belief that life’s second acts are gifts for reinvention. Karen trained at the Australian Theatre for Young People, performing in Romeo and Juliet at NIDA and in the co-written play Still Waters at Sydney Theatre Company. She received numerous Best Actress awards, including for her portrayal of a wayward youth in the two-hander Time Out, which toured acting festivals. Her love of storytelling led to a communications career. As Publicity Manager for Sydney Theatre Company, she oversaw the publicity strategy for the launch of its sister company,…
