Other creative people. Art. Music. Great movies and TV shows - paranormal, of course! If it doesn’t have a vampire, a shifter, some kind of parallel universe, fractured fairytale, blood, sex or gore, chances are it’s not going to be my thing.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
The Pariah by Graham Masterton.
The Dark Half, Pet Semetary and Salem’ Lot by Stephen King.
Anything by Robyn Peterman.
My cats purring. Spending time with my family and friends. Eating great food. Going to concerts. The ocean. Seeing my loved ones succeed. Writing. Listening to music. Stationery. Acrylic paint, pastels, pencil…any art supply, really.
Dialogue, twisty plots and humour.
Generous.
Creative.
Funny.
Kind.
LOUD.
It’d have to be Dracula, wouldn’t it? I mean, the stories he could tell! Of course, I’d have to wear a lead-lined neck brace, but otherwise, I’m all in.
MMMbop.
There. I said it. Now, let’s move on.
Soooooo many things! The characters are hilarious, the plot is super-twisty, it’s fast paced and really, it’s just lots of fun. I also love that it’s set in my home town, Melbourne, and has an authentic Aussie voice.
Oh, God, I’m so much a night owl, it’s not even funny. If it was up to me, days would start at 10am and finish at 2am.
Silly as it sounds, my husband bought me a Dulux fan deck (you know, those things that show all the colour swatches for every paint colour they have), and I just love it. I can look at it for hours.
Stay true to your own voice.
Find a system, method or routine that suits you, and stick to it.
Read. Read. Read.
Don’t worry about trends. Just write the book you want to read.
Oh, and keep a notebook or writing app with you at all times because you won’t remember that great story idea you dreamed about last night, or that tantilising snippet of dialogue you overheard in the cafe, no matter how much you tell yourself you will.
Fast. Funny. Clever. Quirky. Cool.
Iron Maiden in Melbs.
Robbie Williams in Melbs.
Coldplay in Melbs.
Devin Townsend in Brunswick.
Sting in Italy.
A bloody good time! I’m not even kidding, my books are fast-paced, easy to read - yet surprisingly complex and jam-packed with twists and turns you just won’t see coming. They’re laugh out loud funny, and the characters are just so relatable and multifaceted, you’ll actually believe they’re real!
You’re never going to believe this, but when I was a kid, I really wanted to be a coroner! There used to be a TV series called Quincy M. E. and I was obsessed with it. I think I would have been about eight-years old when I started watching it and I was like, “Wow! How cool is this job? You get to solve mysteries and help people and catch the bad guy…what more could you ask for?”
Of course, that was before I realised just how much science and maths you needed to become a coroner, so those dreams were dashed in about year ten. Of course, im totally cool with that now, mainly because I get to write about solving crimes (well, mysteries, at least), helping people and catching bad guys. Win-win for me, yeah?
Well, most people would be surprised to learn that I’m an introvert, mainly because I’m very outgoing and love to chat and make new friends.
I love being around people (actually, I love being around people I like), but if I’m out and about and socialising too much, I get drained pretty quickly.
It’s a balancing act for me. The outgoing social part of my personality absolutely needs quiet, down time to recharge and decompress.
Once upon a time, I fancied myself a pantser, all footloose and fancy free and going with the creative flow, and such.
But, after I shelved my third manuscript because it had so many plot holes you could drive a freight train through it, I bit the bullet and tried plotting.
Needless to say, I’ve never looked back.
#teamplotter
RAIN! I’m a total pluviophile.
Horror movies about GIANT animals. You know, like Jaws or Lake Placid or The Meg.
The smell of Dencorub or Deep Heat (or any mentholated rub, really).
Arnold Schwarzenegger, baby! I met him at the opening of a gym, here in Melbourne. Best. Work. Day. EVER!
Steven King (yes, I know everyone says SK, but he really is my favourite!)
MaryJanice Davidson
Ken Follett
Robyn Peterman
Graham Masterton
Janet Evanovich
Julie Kenner
Lindsey Kelk
I have lots of favourites, really, but they top my list.
Lots of different things. Depeche Mode, Chris Isaac, Iron Maiden, The Bee Gees, U2, Ultravox, Metallica, Eagles, Australian Crawl, Foo Fighters, Cold Chisel, Pink Floyd, The Police, John Denver, Guns ‘N Roses, Tina Arena, Tom Jones, Zucchero, a lot of 80s and 90s dance/techno, The Smiths, The Cure, Ozzy Osborne, Devin Townsend, tonnes of classical music and opera…what you won’t find a lot of, though, is hip hop, rap and R ‘n B.
My phone - not kidding, it’s a sickness! I’m on it ALL THE TIME!
My husband, my family and friends.
Laughter.
The rain.
Movies and good TV shows - I’m looking at you, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ghostbusters!
Music and concerts.
Do I ever!
I have a pretty chronic fear of water (aquaphonia), which is weird because I love the ocean, we have a cabin right on the Murrat River in NSW, and I adore the rain!
Just don’t ask me to go into or near a large body of water, because Iwill freak-out and totally hyperventilate.
I’m not real keen on Huntsmen (or any hairy spider, tbh) either
#shudder
Like, pie-in-the-sky, dream big success?
Well, being a full time writer would be pretty high on my list; having a beautiful house by the sea would be up there, too; being so successful that Graham Norton would want to interview me…oh, and a Netflix limited series for each of my novels.
I don’t ask for much, hey?
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