Writer of Escape

     1. Other than the theme for the anthology, what was your inspiration for your short story?

My inspiration for the short story, Escape, was a small village on the NSW north coast, not far from where I grew up. At Lowanna, the school is located about 50 metres away from the (now disused) railway station. I thought, how easy would it be to wag school and leave town? What if someone did? How easy would it be to just follow the old railway line and escape? What obstacles could the character face? And what would make them want to leave so much that they would never go back? So I had place as my starting point and changed the geography and environment slightly to fit my story.

     2. Did you learn anything from writing your story? Is there something you hope people will learn when they read it?

While writing this story, I researched the signs of domestic violence, as well as the different attitudes of people towards it.

The main thing I hope people learn when they read Escape is the importance of building resilience and adaptability; this is crucial in today’s changing world. Additionally, I hope city people will gain some idea of what it is like to live in a rural area.

     3. How did your character/s come to you? Were they difficult, were they easy?

The main character, Kate, came to me relatively easily. Once I had the location of a small mountain village, I wanted a schoolgirl who was capable of running away from home. Given the prevalence of domestic violence in today’s society, that became the motivation for her escape. Making Kate an only child in a single parent family made the plotline simpler and easier to write. I also wanted to set Escape in a rural area with a character who possessed skills associated with that, which is how I came up with the horse riding link. I used to ride horses myself.

It seems few YA stories are set on farms or in small towns unless it’s because the main character has moved with their family and it’s a ‘fish out of water’ story. I think my approach makes the story different.

     4. What kind of writing style or preferences do you have? Are they similar to your short story?

My stories are usually written from the first person point of view and in present tense, as is Escape. This makes the story more immediate and hopefully, engages the reader in the action. My stories are often inspired by real places or events and contain an element of danger. However, the plots vary markedly so my published tales have a variety of settings including a cemetery, Siding Spring Observatory, the Pilliga Forest at night, a family tennis match and a school excursion to a mega fauna exhibition.

     5. Do you have a favourite genre that you love to read? Or perhaps a favourite writing style?

I love to read Australian middle grade and YA novels, particularly if they involve mystery or action. My current favourite authors are Sue Whiting, Tristan Bancks, Kirsty Eagar and JC Burke. With adult novels, I like Australian historical fiction and crime. I’m reading Sulari Gentill’s Rowland Sinclair series and enjoy books by Chris Hammer and Jane Harper. Picture books are great too and my favourite would be Aleesah Darlison’s Little Meerkat because I enjoy the humour and truth of it.

     6. Without giving too much away, could you tell us a little about your short story?

Escape is the story of a teenage girl who runs away from home to escape domestic violence. It follows what happens on her journey and how she adapts to changing situations. Her goal is to find an old friend and live with her. You will have to read the story to find out what happens and if Kate achieves her goal.