Anywhere But Here
by Rian Birch
Released: Mar 27, 2026
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Why this book and why now?
I was ready to take The Tradie Lady series on an adventure, and what better way to do that than with a road trip! I had the idea of wanting these complete strangers to end up on the holiday together and it’s always fun to play with opposites attract.
What is a significant way your book has changed since either the first draft or the way you thought it would turn out when you first had the inspiration?
I was stuck for an incredibly long time on the middle of the novel. I had no idea how Brooke and JJ were going to end up together… or when they’d get together. But like all good stories, they ended up dictating when everything happened just as it needed to. What resulted in the end was an incredibly fun slow tease that was an absolute ball to write.
Did any real-life events or personal experiences influence the story?
My wife and I had been hiking around the Flinders Ranges many times. One weird thing that happened is that “Nancy the Goat” came to me in a dream that I’d scribbled into my phone’s notes app months before I’d written much past the first chapter. And after I’d written the scene that featured her, I was hiking in the Flinders with my wife, and lo and behold, we ran into a bunch of wild goats on the trail! I couldn’t believe it.
Is there anything you wish readers knew before diving into this book?
This slow burn is just as much a tease for the reader as it is for the characters—sorry not sorry.
What 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
JJ would 100% have a stash of BBQ shapes, Brooke would have her day pack and maybe deck of cards to while away the hours.
One of your main characters is planning a romantic night. Tell us about it.
For *reasons*, I’d have this romantic date night to be organised by Brooke. It would probably be planned to a point – the travel, the place(s) and then she’d make sure there was time to be spontaneous with the plans throughout the night. Knowing Brooke, it’d end up being something like go-karts down the side of a mountain, followed by hot chocolate and cinnamon donuts at a cabin with a log fire.
Were there any scenes or characters that surprised you as you wrote?
I didn’t expect the first kiss scene, that was all entirely off the cuff.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Brooke is tipping her glass of pinot grigio in the air, while JJ is wincing at her glass and reaching for a beer.
If your book had a scent, what would it smell like?
Eucalyptus trees.
Do you outline your books in detail, or do you prefer to discover the story as you write?
I’m a discovery writer to get the first draft down, then I work on the outline, character / story arcs etc. I like to be surprised as I write, and find I’m most entertained and motivated to keep writing when it feels like I’m almost “watching” the story as it pours out onto the pages.
What are you currently reading?
I’ve just finished chowing through the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series. If you’re a video game nerd like me, and want to try LitRPG as a genre, this does feature an epic cat character called Princess Donut.
