Australia’s first circus opened in Launceston, Tasmania in 1847. Three evenings a week, in the yard of Radford's Horse & Jockey Inn, Robert Radford's company presented feats of horsemanship, dancing, vaulting, gymnastics, acrobatics and clowning. Circus-like exhibitions had been given previously, however no-one had ever seen anything quite like this before. This circus launched the [...]
Australian rural literature is steeped in tradition. Although historically only a small portion of our population have lived outside the major cities, many of Australia’s most distinctive stories and indeed legends, originate in the outback. Beyond the urban fringe are the characters that populate our vast nation, they include; drovers and squatters, farmers and graziers, [...]
A new year, and the force awakens... if you're a Star Wars fan, then like me you've probably already seen the next instalment, and yes, the audience did cheer when Han Solo (Ford looking ruggedly aged but distinguished) made his first appearance. Spoiler alert - Luke Skywalker, who makes a fleeting appearance, didn't fare so well over [...]
Are you a writer interested in trying your hand at historical fiction? Here are my top 5 tips: 1. Choose an exact time and place for your book. For example Sydney in the colony of New South Wales, Australia, 1837. Then start reading. 2. Read lots of historical fiction on your chosen time and place so [...]
When I began thinking about my new novel, Wild Lands, as always I was mindful of my own rural background and the pioneering spirit required by my family when they first selected land in the northwest of New South Wales. Ive always drawn on my familys history for inspiration when it comes to writing my [...]
When I began thinking about my new novel, The Great Plains, I was mindful of my own rural background and as with my previous works I wanted to be able to draw on rural Australia and our fascinating history. My aim was to write an epic narrative that told the story of two lands, two [...]
Being a writer has its positives and negatives. The negatives include a healthy amount of doubt about the quality of your work, a feeling that, hopefully drives you to refine and polish your words until they shine. But my main quandary is one of twin passions competing for my time. When I'm holed up in my [...]
HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY AUSTRALASIA INAUGURAL CONFERENCE 2015 Love Historical Fiction? I do. I'm delighted to be one of the speakers for this inaugural conference to be held in March 2015. I'll be joining the likes of Kate Forsyth, Colin Falconer, Toni Jordan, Sophie Masson, Blanche DAlpuget and Isolde Martyn, and many more historical novelists. The Historical Novel Society [...]
I'll be conducting a writing workshop at the Goondiwindi State Primary School Conference Room from 9.30 to 4pm on Saturday August 23, 2014. Course Details - The fundamentals of writing. Learn the craft of writing in this lively, interactive session which will introduce you to both the fundamentals of writing and the joy of storytelling. By [...]
A sneak peak at the cover of my new novel. The Great Plains will be published November 2014. I'm really excited about this work. As part of the research for the book I toured Texas and Oklahoma on a research trip last year. My mum came with me to help out with the note-taking as I [...]
