J. Mary Masters's Blog

I believe in this crazy world we all need little islands of solace. That's why I write fiction. Something that's easy to read with a cast of people who seem real. A world you can inhabit for a few hours as you share their journey.

A writer's house is exactly what you'd expect - filled with books. Here's a snapshot, literally ... well some of the recent books that have made their way into our living room.

This is how I began my journey of writing a multi-generational family story. I began with a family tree. Over the course of seven books, the family tree grew new branches and became even more diverse but to reveal that would reveal all the secrets of the books. I'd rather you read about them.

In the final instalment of the Belleville series, "Winds of Change," family secrets threaten a child's future. The series concludes after ten years and seven books. In a final sign off, the two book Duval series receives updated covers to highlight its close connection with the Belleville series.

From the first book to the fifth book in Belleville series, "Winds of Change," (due for release in Nov 2025), Julia continues to play a major role in the Belleville family. Her life story also plays out in the Duval series.

The first in the Belleville series, "Julia's Story", is produced as an audiobook for the first time. With its fantastic narration, the audiobook format caters to multitasking readers. The story begins in 1942 in Queensland and leads to a series of seven books about Julia's family.

You may dream of award nights and red carpets but I can tell you there is enormous satisfaction to be gained by engaging with a group of readers in a small town and talk about your life experiences and theirs.

In visiting the city recently that was the inspiration for my Belleville series, I took the time to record the real places my fictional characters visit. At one point, Richard Belleville looks out at the river from his accountant's office. We can see in real life what inspired this moment of fiction.

Take a look at the magnificent guardian I've appointed to protect my work from AI. He eats people; asks questions later.

The author discusses the writing process, drawing inspiration from BBC's Maestro series, particularly Ken Follett's engaging lectures. The focus is on creating captivating characters and maintaining reader interest from the start. Curiosity is highlighted as essential for discovery and storytelling, prompting readers to embrace curiosity for an enriching life.