Two families escape the rat race to holiday at a remote coastal retreat, but what lies are they telling themselves and each other?
‘The new family drama by beloved Australian storyteller Fiona Palmer.’
Read a few words from the author, read an excerpt and you can also enter the giveaway
*GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. Huge congratulations to the winner.
Ashley has recently lost her husband. Daughter Emily is being bullied online.
Best friend Nikki is holding a huge secret. And why is husband, Chris, receiving so many text messages lately?
Their teenage children are glued to technology, be it PlayStation, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat…
The two women hatch a plan: for three weeks, both families will stay in a rustic, remote coastal camp with no phone reception.
While the teenagers struggle to embrace this new world of self-entertaining in the rugged bushland, the adults are trying to maintain a certain facade. Soon, around the flames of the camp fire, their tiny white lies might just begin to be exposed.
A few words from Fiona Palmer
Tiny White Lies grew from having teenagers with phones and all the drama that goes with them. Especially as my two kids are at boarding school and it’s the easiest way to stay in touch with them….only it opens up a can of worms…big fat scary worms.
From the get go, I wanted families to decide to detox from technology and head to a coastal retreat. I decided to set it in Bremer Bay where I take my own kids every January holidays for their break (and mine).
They are so busy 4×4, surfing, playing games with their cousins and chatting around the bonfire that phones are forgotten about. (Not 100% but for 80% at least.) I think of it as a small win, a time where we all get back to connecting and having that personal time to just sit, be, chat, enjoy what nature has to offer.
I hope Tiny White Lies sets you down on the beach while you read, so you can feel the salty breeze and hear the crash of the waves.
Enjoy. xx
Buy Tiny White Lies
Buy from the publisher Hachette
Excerpt from Tiny White Lies
by Fiona Palmer
Ashley
‘U skanky bitch!!’
‘Why do u bother coming to school, nobody likes you!!!’
‘Stupid whore with a munted face like a dropped pie!! Go infect some other school.’
Ashley’s fingers were white as they gripped her daughter’s iPad. Waves of nausea hit her like rough seas slapping against the side of a boat as she read message after message on her fifteen-year-old daughter’s Instagram account. The more she scrolled through the obscene comments the more her face burned hot with rage.
Emily had begged to have an Instagram account last year and Ashley had allowed it, eventually. It was hard to resist her only child’s charms and persistent nagging, but it came with the caveat that the password never be changed so Ashley could keep tabs. Which she did and found it all to be innocent friend chatter. But after a while the checks grew further apart until they stopped all together. That was until today.
If Ashley Grisham allowed herself to be brutally honest, she had known for a while that something wasn’t right with Emily. But they were both coming to terms with overwhelming changes and she was trying to give her daughter time and space to grieve, to heal. She thought Emily would come around in time. But more and more, Emily returned home from school quieter and quieter, moving slowly through life, shoulders drooped, head heavy and her eyes so sad it was breaking her mother’s heart. And the distance, as if Em were on a boat drifting out to sea, seemed to grow between them with each passing day.
Of course, Ashley had tried to talk with her, to check in, but Emily’s reply was always, ‘I’m fine, Mum.’ Emily would flash her one of those smiles with her naturally red lips and straight teeth, the sort that could make the world believe she was the happiest, luckiest kid ever. Ash had been falling for it for too many years, or maybe she knew but was too scared to see the truth behind that smile. Because that smile was one Ash herself had worn on many occasions.
But it was in Em’s eyes that the truth lay. She had Ash’s blue centres but her father’s large, almost almond shape. They were stunning, lending a pixie look to her narrow face and pointed chin. It was when those eyes sparkled that Ash could believe that Emily was really smiling.
Ash dropped her head against the iPad, ignoring the mess of red waves that got caught up in her fingers. Emily was lucky not to inherit her hair colour and freckles, even though her husband had loved both.
Oh, Owen! Why did you have to leave us?
Maybe Ashley had been leaning on Emily too much? Too much pressure for a fifteen year old? Emily had always been her rock, so much stronger and only still a teenager. Was it all just finally wearing her down?
Yesterday had been a turning point.
Em’s brushed but still scraggly blonde hair had hung limp over her shoulders when she came home, but this time there was something stuck in it, smeared through it. Ashley had reached to pluck it out when the wet mess clung to her fingers.
‘Oh, ew, Em, what is that?’
Emily had shrugged, making her oversized school polo shirt move like a flag in the wind. She hated clingy clothes and made Ash buy the next size up every time. If Ash even tried to buy something that would fit her nicely it would just end up kicked under her bed.
Ash had left her hand on Emily’s shoulder until she finally spoke.
‘It’s banana.’
‘How did banana end up in your hair?’
‘Don’t worry about it, Mum. It’s nothing.’
Again she’d given that smile, the one that didn’t reach her eyes.
‘Emily?’ Ash had taken her hand and held it between hers, eyes locked and waiting for the truth.
A huge sigh had escaped Emily’s lips. ‘It’s nothing. Just some mean girls who like throwing food. I just got caught in the crossfire.’
That smile again.
‘I’ll go and have a shower.’ Then Em had pulled away and headed off to her room in that slow, steady crawl.
Ashley knew she had only got a half-truth, just enough to ‘Keep Mum Off My Back’, and after stewing about it for most of the night and most of this morning she had finally remembered the Instagram account. And suddenly it was all coming together.
Emily was being bullied. Her beautiful, amazing daughter. Abuse was being hurled at her for no reason and she had been hiding it, putting on a brave face for her mum.
Ash lifted her head and touched the iPad again. She scrolled through more of the hurtful messages. Each one worse than the previous.
‘If you died, no one would care.’
‘Do it, do it, do it!!’
‘Just kill yourself already u know u want too just like your daddy!!!!’
Clang!
The iPad smacked against the floor at her feet. Ash felt as if she were teetering on the edge of the cliff again, huge waves licking up the rocks reaching for her, pulling at her feet. The prickling on her skin started; the waves of dizziness.
‘Oh god,’ she murmured before collapsing back against the chair in the lounge room. It had been hard enough having to tell Emily how her father had died let alone see Owen’s suicide being used to taunt her.
Fiona Palmer
Bestselling Australian Author
Stories set in Australia that paint a vivid picture of life from the inspiring landscapes to the salt-of-the earth characters
Read more about Fiona and her books and discover where to find her on social media
GIVEAWAY
*GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. Huge congratulations to the winner, Steffi!
Simply leave a comment for Fiona and you’re in the draw to win a paperback copy of
TINY WHITE LIES
Good luck!
*Giveaway open to Australian postal addressees only.
*Giveaway ends midnight AEST Saturday 1st August 2020. Winner notified by email.
pa.ausficauthors@bigpond.com 
Can not wait to read this. Have quite a collection of your books and can’t wait to add this one to it.
Congratulations on your new book.
It sounds like a wonderful read.
This sounds like a great read, I can completely empathise with being bullied at school, I’m so glad social media wasn’t around, because it was bad enough without it. I feel sorry for kids these days, and adults. I’ sure this will be another great read by Fiona Palmer.
Oh I can’t wait I love all your books
Writers are now adding Facebook Twitter Instagram to their books now sign of the times looking forward to reading it
I can’t wait to read it ! I 💕 LOVE your books!
I look forward to reading this – live my Aussie authors!
Love love love all your book . I start to read and just can’t put it down . Can’t wait to read Tiny White Lies .
I’m sure this book will be as good as all of your books Fiona, so relatable & hard to put down! I always look forward to some me time to read your latest❤️📖🍾
Love your books 🙂 can’t wait to read this
Congratulations on your new book 📘. I can’t wait to read it x
Simply WOW!! Having 2 daughters myself 16 and 24 growing up in a world of technology and mental health it never gets easy. Thank you!
OMG – Every parents’ nightmare. I reckon this will be a keeper on my shelf (along with the other Fiona’s that I own)
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS Steffi! Your name was drawn as the winner. Fiona will be in touch very soon – and a huge thank you to everyone who left a comment. We appreciate your ongoing support 🧡
I am looking forward to read your latest book Fiona.
Very excited
I just finished Sisters and Brothers & I loved it. What a beautiful story full of different personalities and life stories. I was actually wondering if it might be based on a real story. Cant wait to read your new book! Leah
I thoroughly enjoy your books Fiona and this one sounds compelling to read.
Bremer Bay 💙💙
Your books bring me great escape time and that is what I need now being in lockdown once again.
So looking forward to reading this as the early reviews have been great. Thank you for writing another wonderful entertaining book for us Fiona.
As always, your books are outstanding. We await each new release with a touch of both impatience and anticipation. Thank you for sharing your world with us.
Reminds me of the years my kid were growing up such a worry.Cannot wait to read this book
This sounds like a great read I’m sure I will relate to. I’ve been there with one of my daughters and it’s so distressing.
I can totally relate to this with two girls. Fiona’s books always leave wanting to read more by her.
Looking forward to another “can’t put it down” book , thanks for keeping them coming
Love all of your books Fiona and can’t wait to read this one too
Soooo looking forward to reading this! I experienced bullying as a child and unfortunately one of my daughters has also experienced it too 😞 I loved all of your previous books, Fiona and I know I will love this one too xxx
Nice to see a book written in today.s speak and with a great story attached too
With teenage children myself and the pressures of technology ever present, I am so thrilled to see one of my favourite authors acknowledge some of the issues. And to also see that escaping to a place where there’s no mobile phone reception is not just my own crazy idea! We could all use the occasional detox. Looking forward to reading this Fiona
It is an interesting book to read during lockdown in Victoria
Can’t wait to read this one!
Sounds fabulous, congratulations Fiona
I’m looking forward to reading your book at my favourite place which is at the Pieman Heads West Coast of Tasmania as it’s so peaceful here. Thanks for the chance to win one
Congratulations Fiona!!
Yes please.
I have heard a lot of things about this fantastic book.
Love to read it for myself.
Thanks for the chance.
I love the plot. I would love to go to that coastal camp for a while too! It must be so refreshing. For the body and for the mind!
This books sounds riveting and one that will truly be a book that will make us aware of true life issues. Can’t wait to read it. Congratulations Fiona on another release. Thank you for the chance.
Love your work. I am looking forward to reading this book.
Can’t wait to read this book! Congratulations on the new book. 🥰
Would love to read your new book I have brought it already though can’t wait to recive it thanks fiona
Congratulations on your new release. Hope you sell millions of copies as your style of writing is so relatable.
Fantastic excerpt. It confronts a fear all us parents with teenage children have. Congratulations and best wishes for another success!
This sounds like a great story. I can’t wait to read it.
Oh my goodness can’t wait to get my hands on this, my book shelf is going to love having another one to go with my collection.
Keep it up Fiona love your books
Well done Fiona on what looks like another great book. Have read all your books and love every one of them. Looking forward to reading this one too. Keep up the good work.
Congrats Fi on another successful book to add to the collection, yours are the only books i just cannot put down, i love your respect and understanding of the land and how it shines through in your stories. Big hi from us and Duke xo
Can’t wait to read this! Congrats on another great story 🥂
Really looking forward to reading your latest book……
Congratulations Fiona on your new book! All your books are just amazing and this one is no exception. Cannot wait to read this one and add this one to my ever growing “To be Read” pile (it is getting bigger by the day!!!) – a perfect addition to my collection of your books
Your love of the land really shines through each and every book you have written and write about subjects that are so relevant in this day and age and can easily relate to. Keep up the fantastic work! Cannot wait for your next one!
Looking forward to reading this one!!
Congratulations on the new book Fiona. Can’t wait to read it.
Thank you all for stopping by and leaving a comment! Congrats to the lucky winner. Thank you all for supporting Aussie Authors xxxx