A new novel by Steve Castley coming in August 2026

Paint, Passion and Promises is set in outback Queensland in the fictional town of St James. Three relationship narratives are interwoven throughout this novel. The story of Bess Willer, a famous Australian artist and her lifelong partner, Anne Samson, a successful lawyer, is one of these narratives.  The relationship between their gay nephew, Joe Willer and his partner, Ali is a second thread and the third is that of St James local identity, Birdie Watson. This saga spans seventy-five years from 1940 to 2015.

After fifteen years in Sydney, Joe Willer returns to his rural Queensland hometown to practice law in Anne’s firm. He remembers St James as a town full of people, expert at minding each other’s business. Little has changed. Nick’s Café thrives. The pubs do brisk business. Conversations begin with the weather. Nora still spreads gossip. Joe soon regrets bringing his long-term male partner, Ali, for a week’s visit, afraid locals will realise they’re more than friends.

Three days after arriving in St James, Joe finds his seventy-five-year-old aunts collapsed on their kitchen floor; Anne appears dead, Bess barely conscious. As Joe awaits information from the hospital, the story unfolds.

While recovering, Bess and Anne recall their early lives at boarding school, the tragic death of Anne’s family in a house fire, university and art school in Sydney. They reminisce about their life in Sydney, living together as young lovers, painting with Brett Whiteley at Sofala, road trips to visit Pro Hart and Charles Blackman, Bess’s first studio at Stanwell Park, years spent in Paris, friendships, property purchases, break-ups, reconciliations and their eventual return to St James.

While the town waits for news about Bess and Ann, Joe and Ali discover their secrets including an art collection worth millions. They meet Birdie and other town characters. Meanwhile, Joe’s relationship with Ali fractures as a result of Joe’s criticism of Ali’s flamboyant personality. Alone and conflicted after Ali flees to Sydney, Joe discovers friends and family already assume he’s gay and don’t care. Birdie assures him that the haters are in a minority and should be ignored.

Once Bess and Anne recover, they hatch plans to revitalise the dying town. Joe starts the ‘Art-in-the-West’ project, and rediscovers a love of St James which brings self-acceptance, and the courage and determination to win back Ali.

Narrated by the five main characters, Paint, Passion and Promises is about the anguish of forbidden love and relationships, rural life in Australia, acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness.

Paint, Passion and Promises will appeal to fans of the series, A Place to Call Home and to supporters of social justice and marriage equality.