Lauren wrote an 'erotic' book under a pen name. Then she was arrested.

Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa was living an average life in Sydney's western suburbs.

The 33-year-old marketing executive worked for a religious charity. On the side, Lauren had a clandestine job as an erotic author, with the pen name Tori Woods.

According to Tori's Amazon profile, she's an Australian author who is "addicted to reading and writing contemporary romance."

"I'm married to my soulmate and we have two adorable kiddies together," she adds, writing that she'd used a different pen name prior to this. "It was Tori's time to shine."

Tesolin-Mastrosa issued a pre-release of her new book, Daddy's Little Toy, to around 20 advanced readers in March.

Police said they were notified about the book's contents, which allegedly involved child abuse material.

They searched the 33-year-old's Quakers Hill home and seized several hard copies of the book.

Tesolin-Mastrosa was charged with possessing child abuse material, disseminating child abuse material, and producing child abuse material.

The book at the centre of the case.

According to multiple reports, the novel tells the story of a sexual relationship between a "barely legal" 18-year-old woman and her father's best friend — with a disturbing twist.

The male character is depicted as having "desired the teen since she was three years old."

The book has incited a wave of controversy. Image via news.com.au

The book's title, Daddy's Little Toy, is stylised in colourful children's building blocks on the cover. It has since been removed from platforms including Amazon and Goodreads.

Police allege that the fictional content crossed the line into criminal territory.

The backlash — and her response.

Before deleting her social media, Tesolin-Mastrosa allegedly posted a statement to Instagram responding to the backlash over the book.

In screenshots shared by news.com.au, the author wrote, "I think there's been a huge misunderstanding. DLT is DEFINITELY NOT promoting or inciting anything EVER to do with (child sexual abuse) or pedophilia."

"What is being said is grossly disturbing and breaks my heart as well as makes me sick," she continued.

Since her arrest, Tesolin-Mastrosa's Instagram account has been deactivated, and her author pages have disappeared from book retail and review sites.

Tesolin-Mastrosa was reportedly stood down from her job following her arrest.

"I cut ties immediately": Cover designer speaks out.

Graphic designer Georgia Stove, who created the book's cover, told media she had "cut ties with Tori Woods, effective immediately," and said she wasn't made aware of the novel's content before the design process.

"All I had known about the book was the blurb, which read 'barely legal', and in my mind, I truly thought that was okay," she said.

"I am here to answer any questions you may have. Just please stop with the threats over something I had no say in."

Lauren has denied the charges. Image: LinkedIn.

The court rules Tesolin-Mastrosa can't hide.

Tesolin-Mastrosa's lawyer has been arguing for the author's identity to remain anonymous in the ongoing court proceedings.

On Wednesday, Tesolin-Mastrosa lost her bid at Blacktown Local Court to shield her identity from the public.

At a hearing on Monday, her lawyer Mickaela Mate said the allegedly offensive content was between fictional characters who were two consenting adults.

"(It) is a fantasy within a fiction and hence there are no victims," the solicitor said.

Tesolin-Mastrosa's husband Adam Mastrosa watched on as Mate argued that the order barring publication of her client's details or even the case was necessary.

Online threats made against the woman and her husband, including from a TikToker who referred to the electric chair, were high enough that her safety was at risk, the court was told.

Mate said Tesolin-Mastrosa had experienced distress due to these comments against her because child abuse material was seen as heinous.

"Being called a paedophile online is something that sticks in the community," she said.

She also argued that any magistrate who heard the matter in future could be influenced because they had read about the widely reported "memorable" case.

The case stuck out because her client worked for a Christian charity while writing about allegedly taboo material, the court was told.

"It is so memorable because my client is otherwise ... so ordinary," Mate said.

Barrister Matthew Lewis SC, representing News Corp, opposed any suppression.

He said details about the case had already gone viral worldwide.

"It's almost akin to trying to stop the tide — it's gone," he said.

Magistrate Rami Attia declined to make the orders saying there was no expert evidence that Tesolin-Mastrosa was at risk of harm or self-harm from further reporting of the case.

This was despite the author's "deep-seated fear" of attending court and her solicitor's genuine concerns for her wellbeing, the magistrate noted. Furthermore none of the online threats were elevated enough to warrant the court shielding her identity, he said.

What happens next?

Tesolin-Mastrosa did not appear in court for the hearings.

She has pleaded not guilty to possessing, disseminating, and producing child abuse material.

Her matter will return to court on June 5.

-with AAP

Image: LinkedIn.