Catriona Rowntree earned the title 'Australia's most travelled woman' after more than 18 years at the helm of Australia's favourite travel show, Getaway. In addition to her media roles, Catriona is always involved in community work. She is a passionate advocate for Australian wool, Landcare and children's charities. When not in an aeroplane, Catriona lives with her husband and two children on their farm in rural Victoria.

What were some of your favourite books when you were growing up?
Both my Nan and Mum instilled a love and value for reading in my brother, sisters and I. Weekend mornings would be bundled up in Nan’s big bed with a pile of books for her to read to us. Each night, Mum would read us a story then Dad would follow this up with ‘an imaginary (ie crazy, funny, bananas) story. My point is, we all just love to read whatever we can get our hands on. But I will admit, that at around the age of 9 I became obsessed with Ghost Stories. My favourite being a book The Phantom Cyclist that I was awarded as a ‘Good Progress’ prize one Speech Day (Mum gave them a tip off about my interest). I still have it, I still get chills and I love that!

What’s your favourite kind of travel/holiday read?
So much depends on the company and the location. Recently on a Getaway trip to South America, I needed a break from the heavy history I was devouring and dipped into the fantasy world of the Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho’s ‘Brida’. Just adored it’s message. But if I’m on holiday with my family, I kinda love a good memoir or biography, to learn from another’s life can be wonderful.

What can you tell us about your new book, A Grandmother’s Wisdom?
‘Cheat notes on life’, that’s what I believe you can attain when you are willing to listen and learn from our elders. Why not make the navigation of your journey easier, by picking up some tips from someone who’s already sampled it. My Nan was like the oracle of Delphi to me, offering guidance, advice and support, but in a completely non-judgemental way…so I thought maybe I’d share her story to you.

What inspired you to write A Grandmother’s Wisdom?
Don’t look at me. I thought I’d be writing a travel tips, or Lovely Lobbies of The World kinda book. But I had a publisher contact me and say she’d loved how over the years, I’d often refer to the advice my Nan would give me. I didn’t even know I talked about her so much, but we had such a symbiotic relationship…anyway, the publisher wondered if the two of us would consider writing a tips style book, sharing the advice, my Nan had given to me. We just thought we’d jot some stories down for my teenage nieces, I hoped the challenge would be a distraction from her ailing health, I prayed it wouldn’t end up being a memoir.

Considering the personal nature of your book, did you find it challenging to write at times?
Near impossible. Not only did my co-author and subject matter pass away half way through writing, but I gave birth to my second child soon after, I went back to work, my Father became ill. It was just too much. Everytime I tried to go to my room to write my babies would want to be magnetised to my thighs! It was an emotional and phyiscial challenge…but Praise the Lord I finished it! Allelulia.

What was your best experience while writing A Grandmother’s Wisdom?
Finishing it! Is that too honest? I just couldn’t bear to feel these strong emotions for another day, but I knew I had to honour my Nan, I had to document for my Mum and my own children the story of this remarkable woman.

Of all the wisdom you received from your Nan, which do you think has been the most valuable during your adult life?
In hindsight, her daily example of being so kind to others, her patience and dignity was so inspiring.  

What are you hoping that readers will take away from A Grandmother’s Wisdom?
That being loved by one person can be so empowering, love can make you bold. It doesn’t have to be a Grandparent; it can be the faith of a good friend, a wonderful colleague, but knowing you have that one person in your corner, being that one person is sometimes all you need.

Do you have any plans for another book in the near future?
That’s up to you, the reader. I’m keen if you are.

Honey Brown lives in country Victoria with her husband and two children. Her book, Red Queen, was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and won an Aurealis Award, and The Good Daughter was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011.

What were some of your favourite books when you were growing up?
As a teen I enjoyed trashy romance novels. Although I do remember reading Rich Man Poor Man and wishing it would never end. It swept me away and felt like my first grown-up novel.

After you suffered through a horrific accident that left you a paraplegic, what was it that drew you to writing?
Because it was such a dark period in my life I don’t remember my exact thoughts or making a firm decision to write. It was natural perhaps to use creativity as an escape and also as a way to connect again with myself.  

Which authors do you believe have been the most influential on your writing style?
JM Coetzee, EB White, Tim Winton, Hemingway.

What have been some of your most memorable experiences as a writer so far?
Winning the Aurealis Award, attending the Miles Franklin Literary Awards dinner, and answering the call that started it all – from the ABC, telling me that my story (Red Queen) was runner up in their unpublished manuscript competition.

Do you have any quirky writing habits that surface when you write?
If I’m writing dialogue I often mutter the conversation, or make the same gesture as the character. I imagine that would look pretty weird to anyone watching me work. I wish I wrote more light-hearted stories because I’m giving myself some serious frown lines.

What can you tell us about your new book, Dark Horse?
It’s about a woman and her horse trapped on a mountain with a dangerous stranger. I wanted to explore the idea of having to survive alongside a person you are afraid of. If fleeing or fighting isn’t an option, what sort of games would you play, and what lies would you tell, to stop the dangerous person knowing that you are afraid?

What inspired you to write Dark Horse?
I’m always inspired by lots of things – visiting local wilderness, reading about real life crimes in the paper, conversations, images, small things and events that come together to form an idea.

What are you hoping that readers will take away from Dark Horse?
I hope they’re entertained, and the characters seem real to them, the story feels true, and that my writing creates strong visuals that linger in their mind.

Do you have any plans for another book in the near future?
I’m writing my next book at the moment. While I’m in the creative mode I don’t like to talk about the story, I find that if I tell too much it takes the heat out of it and I lose the burning desire to get it down on the page.

Do you have any advice that you would like to offer aspiring writers?
Respect your reader. Write a ripping yarn.

View the book trailer for Dark Horse here:  http://youtu.be/sbkGjjary8g

Maurilia Meehan lives in a country town in south-eastern Australia, where she feeds red rosellas in the mornings and chases away huge white cockatoos at dusk. She is the award-winning author of five novels and many short stories, and her work has been translated into French and German. Her first novel was a finalist in The Australian Vogel Award and her second novel was a finalist in the prestigious Miles Franklin Award.

Why did you decide to become an author? Is writing something that you have always been passionate about?
I read so much that writing seemed a natural overflow, a way of continuing conversations with the authors. Then one day I clearly pictured a non-existent book I’d like to read, and so I started writing it myself. Writing was the best way I found to lose myself in another world.

What were some of your favourite books when you were growing up?
Alice in Wonderland, The Famous Five, What Katie Did (I named my daughter after the heroine) and from the age of eight The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley. I kept reading it over and over until I got to the part where a character says that you shouldn’t hit children. That was the climax for me. It was accepted back then to hit children, but here was someone who said it was wrong and I loved him for it. Perhaps unconsciously I learnt from that to give voice to ‘minority reports,’ the points of view of sidelined voices either from the past or the present-- usually women.

Do you have any quirky writing habits that surface when you write?
The smell of fresh ink in a bottle makes me want to sit down to write. I love to write first drafts with a thick-nibbed fountain pen, not the cartridge type. Then I use a retro orange type-writer for more drafts so I don’t get headaches from the screen. And I have a very small writing table otherwise I fill it with too many distractions.

What have been some of your most memorable experiences as a writer so far?
The joyful opportunity to follow up any type of research I feel like, with no restrictions. And then the conversations with so many interesting readers, book enthusiasts and other writers. Such conversations as this one!

What can you tell us about your new book, Madame Bovary’s Haberdashery?
We meet best friends, Odette and Cicely, who share everything, from being fans of Madame Bovary, the first sex and shopping novel, to sharing the same boyfriend in a ménage a trois. The two women live far from the Great World of brilliant marriages, career success, and getting and spending, in a world where everyday reality may be illusion. Cicely is an obsessive knitter and erotic novelist with no knack for relationships with men, Odette is a potter whose romantic adventurism puts her life in danger. Odette goes missing, and Cicely, who has read far too many Miss Marple stories, sets out to find her. It is not a straight detective novel, be warned, but rather for those readers who enjoy a joke about detective novels…and other things literary.

What was your most enjoyable experience while writing Madame Bovary’s Haberdashery?
My research. For my other titles this was more academic. Fury involved women in the French Revolution and The Sea People an early settlement at Sorrento, Victoria. But research for MBH was a dream. It involved rereading and thinking about Madame Bovary, and researching the life of Agatha Christie. Also, in the name of research of course I had to read all Christie’s novels. Before that I had never read any mysteries and it was a real pleasure for me to discover them.

And the worst?
About halfway through I was always tired in the day because of waking up at night with ideas that I had to write down. I have a special pen with a built-in light by my bed, but I always forget to put paper there. And then all the scraps of paper with illegible notes from the night before that I have to sort out!

What are you hoping that readers will take away from Madame Bovary’s Haberdashery?
That sounds a bit as if a novel is a class or a self-help weekend doesn’t it? It will differ according to what each reader brings to the novel, and that, hopefully, will include a suspension of disbelief and a sense of humour. Reading is a two-way process.

Do you have any plans for another book in the near future?
Oh yes, quite a prolific period for me-- for a change! I have Princess Diana and the Poison Pen on the go, and after that Mary Magdalene and the Bridal Chamber. I would also like to see Adultery reprinted under its original title, A Woman’s Guide to Married Men.

Do you have any advice that you would like to offer aspiring writers?
Chain read both fiction and non-fiction. Read books mentioned in the book you have just enjoyed, or books by the same author. There are plenty of Lists online too, other people’s favourites, to work through. And while you are actually writing, disconnect your computer from the internet, especially from pop-up messages! Even go retro and try using a typewriter—it will slow you down so much that your writing will necessarily become more concise and thoughtful.

Jenn J McLeod quit Sydney’s corporate chaos to buy a little café in a small town and now spends her days running a unique, dog-friendly B&B on her NSW property and writing life-affirming novels about friendship, family and small towns in which country roots run deep.

What were some of your favourite books when you were growing up?
I don’t remember being a big reader as a child. With my dad a multi-disciplined musician, it was music – not books – flowing through my veins. I was the all-dancing, all-singing brat who, when not being pushed into impromptu performances, was hiding in my bedroom singing into a hairbrush.

On reflection, my earliest writing attempts were probably lyrics – those ‘angsty’ country ballads that tell an entire story of heartbreak and betrayal in a single song. I love how lyricists manage to squeeze so much emotion into a song. It’s called making every word count, which is something a novelist must do. So, except for a few thousands words, novels and lyrics aren’t too different. (There’s a joke I love – that if you play a country song backwards, the guy gets his girl and his job back, finds whatever he’s lost, quits crying and leaves the bar sober. Not sure that works for an author though!)

What led you to a career in writing? Was it something you have always wanted to do?
If you were to ask any of my teachers they’d tell you I was a born storyteller. (One of my earliest stories was: ‘How my dog ate my homework’!) A teenager when colour TV arrived, I was hooked on the box for entertainment, mesmerised by Hollywood (blame that brainwashing test pattern) and dreaming of my name up in lights – a Rogers and Hammerstein musical on Broadway perhaps; never on a book cover. Writing fiction didn’t make a blip on my radar until much later in life. I recall a couple of attempts in my post-pubescent years but just like my musical aspirations then, I had lacked the required discipline. (Although looking back at those now faded first writing attempts, there was no lack of hormone-heavy purple prose and , thankfully, life has helped me wrangle that self-discipline.)

Which authors do you believe have been the most influential on your writing style? 
These days I’m drawn to authors for their specific styles: Lisa Heidke’s witty dialogue; Posie Graeme-Evans’ stunning scene setting, Sara Foster’s wicked weaving of plots and characters; Monica McInerney’s eclectic cast and clever characterisation; the mischievous Marian Keyes for the giggle factor, and Jodi Picoult’s tackling of real-life issues. 

Authors who influence my writing are generally the ones whose books sustain my interest to the end – but mostly the ones whose books don’t (because they are the books that teach me what not to do.)

Did you notice any quirky writing habits that surfaced when you began writing?
Hmm, how many words do I get for this article?!

-I sometimes find myself unconsciously deconstructing movies and books out loud, which takes the enjoyment out of reading and makes me a very annoying movie companion!
-I refer to myself as a ‘method writer’. I become my characters. By acting out scenes I can more confidently convert actions, expressions and emotions into words. (I guess my writing satisfies the latent actor in me after all. Thankfully the all-dancing thing died with disco and the singing…? Well, I now save that for long car trips, but only ever with the windows wound up tight and the music on LOUD!)
-I can also confirm I talk to myself a lot when I write – especially heated arguments or those big reveal moments. I’ve also been known to use anything remotely human (or breathing) to assist me: the partner, the dog, the budgie (or as a last resort the bathroom mirror).

Quirky enough?


What can you tell us about your debut novel, House for all Seasons?
In order to claim an unexpected inheritance – the century-old Dandelion House on the outskirts of Calingarry Crossing – four estranged school friends return to their hometown and each stay a season to fulfil the wishes of their benefactor, Gypsy.

-Poppy, a tough, ambitions journo still craving her father’s approval;

-Sara, a breast cancer survivor afraid to fall in love;

-Amber, a spoilt socialite addicted to painkillers and cosmetic procedures;

-Caitlin, a third generation doctor frustrated by a controlling family and her flat-lining life.

It’s a story of unravelling friendships and of ties that will forever bind four women to each other and to the century-old Dandelion house.

What do you think was your best experience while writing House for all Seasons?
I think it was when someone read the entire novel for the first time and actually cried, despite me sitting barely a metre away from them the entire time asking repeatedly, “Where are you up to now? Are you crying yet?” (On reflection, maybe that was the reason for their tears!)

I also loved how the editing process pushed me to expand and grow the story and characters well beyond what I ever thought I could. I surprised myself when it came to dealing with structural changes and editorial suggestions. I wasn’t at all precious about it. I think because my aim was to provide readers with the very best experience, so anything that would do that was all right by me.

And the worst?
Realising after the first rough draft of some 50,000 words that I had sent my four characters off to an isolated house for a season each ON THEIR OWN! Oh for goodness sake! What was I thinking? Nice initial concept on paper, but solitary confinement hardly makes for engaging dialogue. Lucky for me the way forward came to me. I enjoyed the challenge and loved hearing my publisher describe the unique structure as ‘brave for a debut novel’. Yes, she had me at ‘brave’!

What are you hoping that readers will take away from House for all Seasons?
Mostly I want readers to remember the story (or a particular scene or character) and talk about it with friends in much the same way people talk about a favourite movie. House for all Seasons is four separate journeys of the heart: Surviving Summer, Tall Poppy, Autumn Leaves and Wynter’s Way, in which readers witness both the unravelling of friendships and a tightening of family ties. There are definitely lessons to be learned and should a reader discover something about themselves from a particular character’s journey, I think that would be pretty cool.

Do you have any plans for another book in the near future?
I had written two books before submitting to Simon & Schuster. The Simmering Season will be released next year. I am currently working on book three of my ‘Seasons Collection’.

Do you have any advice that you would like to offer aspiring writers?
Just do it! Join a writing group, attend a conference, believe in the dream, read widely, and don’t be afraid to get online. There is so much information and support. It's never too early to start writing and it’s never too late. Look at me! I’m a Linkedin, blogging, tweeting, Facebooking 53-year-old starting out at a time when fifty shades of grey makes me think about my hair colour rather than my love life. And if you're going to tell anyone you’re writing (and show them your work) toughen up to criticism and feedback. Oh, and learn patience. The publishing business is a long process with lots of blank spaces and scary silences.

Website: www.jennjmcleod.com

Facebook: /JennJMcLeod.Books

Twitter: @jennjmcleod

Maria Goodin studied English Literature and French at the University of Kent and then trained as a teacher and as a counsellor. She now works at University College, London and also volunteers as a counsellor for a mental health charity. The Storyteller's Daughter is her first novel and was published under the title Nutmeg in the UK. Maria lives in Hertfordshire with her husband, son and cat.

Why did you decide to become an author? Is writing something that you have always been passionate about?
I started showing an interest in writing novels when I was a teenager.  I loved Christopher Pike books, and I remember wanting to write a book along similar lines, but after writing a few pages I busied myself designing the cover instead. I was just stalling as I had no idea how to start the actual writing process. I made a better attempt when I was about seventeen, and half completed a novel about vampires. I tried to set my novels in the US, and they were full of misplaced Americanisms. There was nothing authentic about my writing; I was just trying to imitate another writer. I didn’t write any fiction again until I was approaching thirty and decided I really needed to knuckle down and see if I had any chance of becoming a writer.  I scribbled a few short stories and had some success, then when one of my short stories won a writing competition I decided to turn it into a novel.  I really enjoy writing when it’s going well, but like anything in life you’re striving to accomplish it can be hard work and frustrating. It’s the satisfaction of seeing my writing published that spurs me on

Which authors do you believe have been the most influential on your writing style?
I find it really hard to say who has influenced me. I no longer aspire to be like any particular authors, so any influence just happens at an unconscious level. I suppose as you read you are absorbing other people’s styles and ways of doing things without being aware of it. Tony Parsons has been my favourite writer over the last few years but I’m not sure he has influenced my style of writing in any way.

Do you have any quirky writing habits?
No quirky writing habits, but I envy those people who can scribble a few paragraphs here and there, on the bus or in a cafe. Unless I know I have at least three hours to myself I don’t even bother starting to write. It takes me a good half an hour to get ‘in the zone’, and most of that is spent reading what I have already written. It took me a year to write my first novel but I would work on it for an entire day every few weeks. That’s just how I prefer to write.

What can you tell us about your first novel, The Storyteller’s Daughter?
The novel is about a complicated relationship between a mother and daughter. In an attempt to deal with the harsh realities of life and protect her daughter, Meg’s mother, Val, has created a fantasy life for them both, based largely on her love of cookery.  But the consequences of this leave Meg confused, desperate for the truth and clinging desperately to logic and reason. In the face of her mother’s terminal illness, Meg finds herself torn between discovering the truth before it’s too late, and remaining in the protective bubble of her fantasy life. It’s a novel about lots of things: how the unconscious mind fights to protect us from psychological pain, how we create our own reality, the lengths we go to and the things we tolerate for the people we love; the pain of loss; the legacies people leave, and the complex bond between mother and daughter.

What do you think was your best experience while writing your first novel?
I really enjoyed writing the fantasy parts of the book, the short self-contained stories that Meg ‘remembers’ from her childhood. It was fun to let my imagination run wild, and challenging to find ways of making these stories about food or cookery. It’s also nice to have a break from thinking about how the plot needs to progress.

And the worst?
The worst moments for me were starting a new chapter, because I only ever had a vague idea of what was going to happen next. That first line is going to shape how the chapter progresses, so it’s quite important and takes some thinking about. More generally, I would say the moments of writers’ block are the worst part of writing a novel, when you just can’t think how to go forward. That’s when the process gets really frustrating, when you realise two hours have gone by and you have written three lines!

What inspired you to write about the curious life of Meg May?
I was out one day when I thought I overheard someone say something about a baby being caught in a frying pan. I’m sure that’s probably not what they said (after all, why would anyone ever say that!), but it got my imagination going. Because I was training to be a counsellor at the time, the story was also influenced by my interest in psychological defences and the question of whether there is such as thing a reality, or whether reality is self-created.

What are you hoping that readers will take away from The Storyteller’s Daughter?
There is a line in the book that I think about often, where Meg is reflecting on the nature of time. She wants time to stop because she knows her mother will soon be gone, but of course her attempts are futile, and she describes time as slipping through her fingers like sand. This line often pops into my head at the end of the day. One more day gone, my children one day older, a day I will never get back. It sounds sad, and it is a bit, but it’s also important because there is no rewinding the clock in life. Someone who reviewed my book said it made them think about what was important in life, and if people take that away from the book that feels like quite an achievement.

Can we expect another novel in the near future?
I would love to write another novel soon. Watch this space!

Do you have any advice that you would like to offer aspiring writers?
Why not start out small? So many people want to write a novel but never even get started and I think that’s because it is such an overwhelming task. But my first piece of published work was a poem I entered into a competition run by an online writers’ forum. That gave me the boost to then go on and write a few short stories, and when some of those got published I wrote my book. Taking little steps and gaining some success is better than being paralysed by indecision and procrastination.