Claire Corbett author of Hostile Takeover What inspired you to write this story? I’d been working in the NSW Cabinet Office, which provided policy advice to the Premier. It was a unique and intensely hierarchical workplace and I wanted to capture the sense of intrigue and behind-the-scenes machinations before my deep understanding of it faded. Our … Read More
interviews
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with Belinda Rule
Belinda Rule author of The Road North From Toodleton What inspired you to write this story? The first thing was that Olga Lorenzo assigned Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping in Novel 2 class (at RMIT), which for me is one of those books that is playing the violin in a minor key inside your chest cavity and you … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks … Maree Dawes
1. What inspired you to write the verse novel, brb: be right back? My usual inspiration is to be immersed in something .. the day.. history…music..art or the environment and write about that in my journal. I write really freely in my journal complete with spelling mistakes. I imagine being other people and write as if … Read More
The Great Unknown: Alex Cothren
The Great Unknown Q & A with Alex Cothren Our first interview with a contributor from The Great Unknown anthology is with Alex Cothren, whose story, ‘A Cure’, won The Carmel Bird Award 2013. See the judge’s comments on his winning story below. 1. What did you enjoy/find challenging about writing to this particular brief … Read More
The Great Unknown interviews
We are very excited to be publishing this collection of stories edited by Angela Meyer. Inspired by such TV shows as The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits and the X Files, these are stories set in Australia which explore the uncanny, spooky and downright weird. You can read more about how the book came about and … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with E. Ratnam Keese
E. Ratnam Keese, author of The Fence What inspired you to write this story? In writing ‘The Fence’, which is based on an actual event —conflict over the demolition and installation of a fence between two properties— what inspired me was the theme that finally emerged: that to love is to be supportive. This philosophy is … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with Sue Goldstiver
Sue Goldstiver, author of Empty Rooms What inspired you to write this story? I was staying in a deserted unit block on the Gold Coast and it began to feel increasingly isolated, and eerie. At night, I’d sit down to write with lightning flashing onto black water out to sea, and the story of a … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with Sue Booker
Sue Booker, author of Beware of the God What inspired you to write this story? ‘Beware of the God’ grew from an idea that formed years before I wrote a draft. The jumping-off point was ‘It could never have worked. But that doesn’t excuse what I did.’ All I knew was that a stranger would hassle … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with Marjorie Lewis-Jones
Marjorie Lewis-Jones, author of Shooting Star What inspired you to write this story? “Shooting Star” was inspired by a word and a pact. The word was Hilo. Hawaiians in the past named each of the thirty nights of a lunar month. The first night was called Hilo — to twist — because the moon was like … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects: Interview with Joanna Atherfold Finn
Joanna Atherfold Finn, author of Jesus Sandals and Anchovette and Something for a Rainy Day What inspired you to write this story? Jesus Sandals and Anchovette The story has an autobiographical dimension so it was inspired to a degree by life events (yes, I was sent to a book parade dressed as a Gumble). It is also a … Read More