Ask the Author: Jane Smith
Answered Questions (8)
Jane Smith
That's easy! Why did my grandfather leave his home town to live on the other side of the country, change his identity and start a whole new life for himself?
Jane Smith
Isobel and Jamie from Alexander McCall Smith's 'Sunday Philosophy Club' series.
Jane Smith
Hi Craig. Thanks for your question. Frank Gardiner was at Cockatoo Island from 10 April 1854 until late Dec 1859, and Fred Ward (the first time) from August 1856 until August 1860, so their prison terms would have overlapped from August 1856 till Dec 1859. I agree, it seems very likely that they would have been familiar with each other but I haven’t come across any evidence to prove it. Neither man, as far as I know, mentioned the other publicly afterwards. Official records from Cockatoo Island include things like admission records, visitor books and punishment books. These would not be likely to show evidence of contact between them – unless, for instance, they were punished for an offence committed together, which doesn’t appear to have been the case. However this is not something I’ve set out to look for, so a more targeted search mind uncover something. To me, they seem to have been very different men with different personalities and different ways of operating – although both were reputed to be quite charming. Gardiner, I think, was much more calculating. Who knows whether they would have enjoyed each other’s company!
Jane Smith
Good question. I don't think so; I remember as a child hearing highly romanticised stories about American outlaws like Jesse James and Billy the kid. I am not a fan of stories that make bushrangers out to be heroes. However they were an important part of Australian history, and I think that we should understand the social conditions that led to the spate of bushranging in the gold rush era, as well as the effects of the bushrangers' actions. In other words, I think it's important to tell their stories as impartially as possible, using primary evidence to distinguish fact from fiction. Some of the bushrangers (eg Thunderbolt) appear to have had more engaging personalities than others but were still capable of some pretty heavy crimes. Others (eg Frank Gardiner) were extremely charismatic but also very dangerous, in that they not only harmed their victims but drew other reckless young men into lives of crime and, by doing so, ruined their lives too. I have been asked in radio interviews about whether my books romanticise these characters, as if just writing about them means that I am making them out to be heroes. That was not my intention, and I hope that it is not the result. I certainly don't view them as heroes myself. I hope that these stories simply tell the truth about an important period in Australian history. Thanks for your interest!
Jane Smith
Being completely absorbed in your own little world. Learning things and sharing them with others.
Jane Smith
Persevere! Keep practising, keep reading, keep revising. If you're looking for a publisher, make sure you research them thoroughly to find the one that suits you and your genre.
Jane Smith
I'm currently researching the story of a ship called 'The Emigrant'. It sailed from Plymouth in 1850, carrying English and Irish emigrants to Moreton Bay, QLD. Typhus broke out on the ship so on its arrival it was quarantined at Dunwich on Stradbroke Island, which had recently been declared a quarantine station but not yet equipped. The passengers and crew suffered terrible hardships. The ship's surgeon fell ill and more doctors had to be sent out from Brisbane. They also succumbed to the illness. It is a story of tragedy and sacrifice and I thought that some of the main players deserved to be recognised. The story follows the fate of some of the people involved: the captain and his wife, the surgeons and some of the passengers.
Jane Smith
My most recent book, 'Captain Starlight: the strange but true story of a bushranger, impostor and murderer' is due to be published in August. I became intrigued by him when I was researching the bushrangers for the children's series. He was a serial impostor and a pathological liar, which made his past quite a mystery. He was responsible for some outrageous crimes too; I felt that his life was a story that was just begging to be told.
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