Quite often when I'm writing I'll recall a story my father told me, or dig through our archives and find a forgotten document as in the case of The Last Station, and presto. Rummaging through the past can yield fascinating information and it was while doing just that a few years ago that I recalled [...]
From the 1860s to the 1930s Afghan cameleers were indispensable in servicing Australia’s inland pastoral regions. Although known generically as Afghans these expert teamsters came from the North-West frontier province (then under British rule) now known as Pakistan as well as Iran, India, Afghanistan, Egypt and Turkey. ‘Harry’ the first camel to arrive in Australia [...]
A few people have messaged me about where to buy a copy of The Last Station so I have attached this handy link below courtesy of my publisher Penguin Random House. If you click through you'll be able to pre-order/buy from any number of outlets, but of course your fav bookstore will have it in [...]
Cover reveal! The Last Station will be out March 1st. It's been three years in the crafting, from initial concept to outline (6 if I count the initial idea), numerous drafts, a first chapter that I rewrote 14 times, not to mention the other chapters and a couple of characters who didn't make the cut, [...]
What an honour it has been to be Chair of judging for this years ARA Historical Novel Prize. Along with fellow judges Carmel Bird and Roanna Gonsalves it has been a fiendishly difficult task. The shortlist has recently been announced, and the three wonderful novels in contention for Australia's richest genre-based literary prize are noted [...]
Yesterday morning the Murki Homestead burnt to the ground. Four generations of Alexanders lived there, from my great-grandfather’s time through to my generation; 1893-2016. It was here that the early beginnings of our business were established, and over the years the house grew to accommodate successive families. Beneath its roof men and women discussed the [...]
