In Conversation with
Jo Tuscano
Tell us about your most recent publication.
Standing beside Elise’s grave, Siobhan Montrell remembers how her mother finally blew the perfect smoke ring on the day that Elise disappeared. Remembers the day that would change and define her life forever.
The toddler’s body was found in the river near Gables Guesthouse. Only eleven years old at the time, Siobhan has carried the guilt of Elise’s death with her since that day.
Twenty-eight years later, Siobhan returns to Rachley Island, having inherited Gables — guesthouse and family home — from her aunt. Cleaning the property to prepare it for sale, she discovers an old book in which her aunt used to draw and write, revealing the truth about the tragic drowning.
The River Child is a tale of grief and guilt, deceit and secrets, and ultimately forgiveness.
Published by ODYSSEY BOOKS
To an extent. When I was in primary school, a young girl went missing from the nearby migrant hostel. The whole community was looking for her and the police, and rumours were flying around at school, at the shops, everywhere. I remember lying awake, wondering where she was. This fuelled my imagination to write The River Child.
My novel Under Andromeda, coming out next year from Odyssey Books, was inspired by the visits I made with my mother to a psychiatric hospital. I set the book in a psych hospital and on a beach.
I definitely think for some writers, some events happen in their formative years that are so poignant and powerful that they live in a writer’s mind for years until the time comes when a writer just has to use them as a springboard to write.
Don’t hide it away! Write at least 3 chapters, and then get a professional editor/writer to look at it. They can point out the elements that are working well in your manuscript and also show you how you can improve your writing. This way, you find out early where your strengths and weaknesses are, and you don’t waste time (and money) having to re-write your whole manuscript. Get familiar with the basic tenets of fiction writing as well.
Is there much research that goes into your writing?
I have published non-fiction as well as fiction. With non-fiction, there’s a ton of research to be done. I spent a lot of time on my two co-authored books (Back on the Block, published in 2009 and the next one, This is Where You Have to Go, coming in the future), reading academic papers and government reports and legal documents. Sometimes, it does your head in! With fiction, there’s still research that has to be done. If you’re setting your novel in a real place (even a fictional town up north in NSW like I did), you’ve got to get the setting right –flora and fauna, the weather. With my second novel, Under Andromeda, I had to get it right because there’s some astronomy in there. You just can’t make up stuff about planets, so I read and researched a lot about planets and constellations. It’s best to go there if you can! If you can’t, there’s google earth, the State Library and talking to people who’ve lived there.Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives. Are you?
My novel Under Andromeda, coming out next year from Odyssey Books, was inspired by the visits I made with my mother to a psychiatric hospital. I set the book in a psych hospital and on a beach.
I definitely think for some writers, some events happen in their formative years that are so poignant and powerful that they live in a writer’s mind for years until the time comes when a writer just has to use them as a springboard to write.
Other than writing, what else do you love?
I love playing piano, guitar, singing, dog walking, wine and cheese with friends, theatre, talking about books, editing interesting manuscripts, teaching, creating resources for the company I do some work for and mentoring. At the moment, I’m mentoring an Aboriginal man in prison who is writing his second novel. He has an amazing imagination, and he can illustrate as well. It’s very fulfilling to mentor someone and watch them grow as a writer.Top tips for writer's?
Do you have any writing rituals you can share?
I start my day listening and singing along with a chant. It doesn’t matter what you pick; find something that suits you, be it Hindu, Islamic, Christian or non-religious. I have a Russian Orthodox monks-singing-chanting one. It is really soothing, and it’s been proven that a chanting practice is good for the brain. Then I do a daily crossword, find a word in the dictionary that I’ve never used before and use it, and then start writing and editing. When I’m writing novels, I set up my writing space surrounded by objects, aromas, pictures etc., to get my mind into the setting. When I was writing Under Andromeda, I had shells and sand strewn on the floor and giant posters of the planets and constellations on the walls.How did you get published?
With non-fiction, my co-authors, Bill and Des and I approached IATSIS. I knew there was nothing out there about a Stolen Generations member’s time in the notorious Kinchella Boys’ Home. It was published by them in 2009. With fiction, Odyssey Books picked me up through my agent/editor and I signed a double contract for two novels.How can we learn more about you?
Thank you for joining In Conversation this week. Remember to always
Dream Big ... Read Often.
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