Picture a New Zealand-born storyteller who crafts heartwarming tales that linger long after the final page—meet Jane Riley! Now calling Sydney, Australia, home, Riley has captured readers worldwide with her poignant literary fiction, blending humor, heartache, and hope. Her debut novel, The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock, shortlisted for Kindle bestseller in the US and UK, showcases her knack for creating deeply human characters who feel like old friends.
With a background in publishing, public relations, and a passion for teaching English to adult migrants, Riley’s journey to authorship is as inspiring as her stories. Let’s dive into the life and works of this remarkable writer whose uplifting narratives are winning hearts across the globe.
The Making of Jane Riley
Born and raised in New Zealand, Jane Riley grew up surrounded by the lush landscapes that sparked her imagination. She graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Arts in French and English Literature, a foundation that shaped her love for storytelling. After a European adventure to hone her French, she found herself in Germany before settling in Australia. Her early career spanned public relations, television publicity, and publishing, where she honed her writing craft as a feature writer and editor. Riley’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to launch Who’d Have Thought, an online store showcasing upcycled homewares, paired with a design blog where she interviewed creatives—a prelude to her fiction’s focus on human connection.
Jane Riley’s Unforgettable Stories
Riley’s debut, The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock (2020), is a feel-good novel about a funeral parlor owner navigating love and loss with quirky resolutions. Its universal themes of hope and reinvention earned critical acclaim and translations in Italy and Germany. Her follow-up, Geraldine Verne’s Red Suitcase (2021), follows a widow honoring her husband’s dying wish to scatter his ashes somewhere exotic, delivering a moving tale of grief and rediscovery. Riley also penned nonfiction works like Flavored with Love, a cookbook celebrating community, and Solomon’s Porch, a story of family ties.
Riley’s writing style is warm and witty, with a keen eye for the small moments that define us. Her characters—flawed, relatable, and endearing—grapple with life’s big questions, from love to legacy. Themes of resilience and connection run through her work, making her stories a comforting yet thought-provoking escape for readers seeking emotional depth.
Why Jane Riley Matters
Jane Riley’s impact lies in her ability to craft stories that resonate across cultures, offering solace and inspiration in a fast-paced world. Her novels, celebrated for their emotional authenticity, have touched readers from Sydney to London, proving that small, human stories can have a global reach. Beyond her books, Riley’s volunteer work as an English tutor for the Adult Migrant English Program in Sydney reflects her commitment to community, mirroring the empathy in her writing. As she continues to write, her influence in literary fiction grows, inspiring readers to embrace life’s imperfections.
- Born: New Zealand
- Key Works: The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock, Geraldine Verne’s Red Suitcase, Flavored with Love
- Notable Achievement: Shortlisted for Kindle bestseller in the US and UK
- Fun Fact: Riley is learning piano and Italian in her spare time!
Ready to fall in love with Jane Riley’s heartfelt tales? Grab The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock and dive into her world of wit, warmth, and wonder!