Writer of Silencing the Storm

1. Other than the theme for the anthology, what was your inspiration for Silencing the Storm?

A recent meeting with some old friends from high school gave me pause to reflect. Knowing what you know now, would you change things? Would you change how you behaved or how you reacted to difficult situations? Would you act or perhaps choose not to? I wanted to explore that in Silencing the Storm, while also exploring the idea of choice—we have the choice to make amends, to do better, to step forward into a new day despite mistakes made in the past.

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

Yes, working with the editorial team from Rhiza Edge, really helped me to dig a little deeper with this story, to find its true core. I’d recommend submitting to anthology call outs (I’ve sent one in to their latest: Dust Makers https://wombatrhiza.com.au/dust-makers-entry-fee/and am crossing fingers and toes). The editorial to-and-fro is a fantastic learning process for writers to be involved in and it’s always a buzz to see your story in print.

I’d hope readers get the sense that every day is a fresh page, no matter how hard the days that have come before, and that you get the chance to write your own future.

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

My main character’s voice developed fairly naturally, though I did feel a little bad for putting her through such a difficult journey. Given the significant time jump Jolie makes, I enjoyed showing the changes of the other characters in her world (as viewed from her perspective).

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

I love writing speculative fiction stories, stories that are a little Black Mirror-esque, exploring the ethics of futuristic technology and asking questions. Questions like: Just because we can, should we? What would happen if we could manipulate time? Would it be good or bad? Would we change anything if we could?

There’s a slight spec fic bent to Silencing the Storm, and some ethical questions raised, though it takes place in a more realistic than futuristic world.

5. Do you have a favourite genre you love to read?

I read books from a wide variety of genres, mostly fantasy/speculative fiction, magic realism, suspense/thrillers/crime.

My favourite books as a child were Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five (my nickname is Georgie, and I was a bit of a tomboy as a kid, so I immediately related to the character of George).

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

Faced with a difficult situation, Jolie Wyndham runs. She runs from life and from disaster, only to end up fast-forwarding thirty-two years into the future. But life now isn’t much better than it was back then. Even worse, she’s forced to face up to the choices and decisions she made that have affected others throughout time.

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