Zena Shapter's Blog

How lucky am I? Last weekend, my wonderful hubbie drove the four hours from Sydney to Canberra to take me to a writing convention!

It’s been years since I’ve been able to get down to Conflux, the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild’s annual writing convention of literary greatness, what with the kids taking their HSC and life in general getting in the way. So it was well and truly time to join in and celebrate everything science fiction, fantasy and horror, as well as to share some of my knowledge and experience with others.

I lead an advanced workshop on worldbuilding, sat on two writing panels to discuss writing for different age groups and how to share the imaginative worlds you create with others, was interviewed by the Narratives Library, and chatted with anyone who wanted to know about my work or author life. When I first went to Conflux back in 2013, the writers I met were all so welcoming and open, so it was an honour to do the same for others.

I also got to visit a bunch of bookstores and see some local sights. See for yourself in this short 90-second video summary of my trip:

For the past ten years, I’ve not only judged the Mosman Youth Awards in Literature, but I’ve written a judge’s report to advise emerging writers how they can improve their writing for next time. I’ve then published that advice on my blog each year (apart from the first year):

Character Domination! MYAL 2017
Tips for Young Writers for Literary Awards @mosmanlibrary #MYAL 2018
5 Tips for Young Writers 2019
Winning Tips @mosmanlibrary #MYAL 2020
2021 @MosmanLibrary Literary Awards Judge’s Report #MYAL
What Matters In A Writing Competition #MYAL 2022
The Value of the Teenage Mind! #MYAL 2023
Exploratory Advice For Emerging Writers! #MYAL 2024 @MosmanLibrary

Since that’s a lot of writing guidance, this year I decided to take the opportunity to share with emerging writers how I frequently reflect on my life as an author through the concept of Ikigai.

I’ve mentioned ikigai on my blog before (here and here) – it’s a Japanese concept that suggests you consider your sense of purpose, or reason for being, through asking yourself four questions: (1) what do you love, (2) what are you good at, (3) what can you be paid for, and (4) what does the world need.

How you answer these questions can help bring joy, fulfilment, and meaning into your life.

For me, since launching my latest book, When Dark Waters Burn, I can definitely say that (1) I love writing (especially my science fantasy books!), and (2) I’m good at it – I’ve been called a ‘master of immersive worlds’, writing emotional reads that ‘don’t let go’, ‘timely epic futuristic quests, fast paced and absorbing, with slow burn romances that leave readers wanting more’. I’ve won a multitude of national writing awards myself, with both my speculative and contemporary fiction.

This means that – along with mentoring and editing other writers, teaching creative writing at festivals, in libraries and for schools, and giving author talks – I can indeed (3) be paid for my writing.

But what about (4) what the world needs?

Now, you might say that the world always needs more books. But does it?

–> There are millions of books in the world, and each new book that’s published has to compete with all the other books being launched that month, that year, as well as all the bestselling books still on the bookshelves from the previous months and years, which readers are still enjoying.

–> It’s the same for emerging writers when they write a story for publication, for a competition or an anthology, or even for school or university, there are plenty of other writers also entering or submitting stories. Good stories too.

Swarmed by so many MYAL writers (I’m at the back)! Dashing around the front to get a snap of all these proud parents – with Linda Lokhee, judge for the primary section.

So, why should I write another book? And what should I write if I do? And why should any emerging writer write another story? And what should they write if they do?

–> For me, some would say that, since the Big 5 commercial publishers ultimately determine what sells well or becomes a bestseller, I should write what they want to publish.

–> For emerging writers, some would say that, since judges, editors, and teachers ultimately determine what gets good marks or wins, they should write what judges, editors and teachers want to read?

My senior prose winners: Alicia Sparks, Georgina Denly, and Isabella Jurdeczka. Congratulations to all the shortlisted MYAL writers!

Well, I’ve been in the publishing industry for almost 30 years now, judging the Mosman Youth Awards in Literature for ten years, and teaching creative writing since I was in high school myself in the 1990s, and from all that experience, I can tell you that my answer to what the world needs from both emerging writers and myself is actually the same.

To be authentic.

As the years go by, the world is becoming more and more fake, more templated, more forced into defined boxes of how we should live, what and how we should create, who we should be.

But the stories that speak to me the most as a reader and a judge, and the stories that inspire me enough to write them, are the ones that resonate deeply within me. And there’s only one way to write stories that resonate, and that’s to be authentic to life and to yourself.

So over the years ahead, as any emerging writers out there continue to write and hone their craft, I hope they endeavour to be authentic to themselves whenever they put pen to paper.

That’s what I intend to do with my next book and I hope they do the same. Because the world doesn’t need what it already has, it needs what it doesn’t even know it’s yet to have.

I recently found some old school reports from ages 8-10 years. It was of course interesting to read them, but even more interesting to contemplate the memories they prompted…

8 Years Old:•Reading age: 10yrs+•English: 32% above year average•Maths: 26% above year average•“Zena is working well and making steady progress.” Class Teacher•“A quiet, pleasant member of the class who is working well.” Head Teacher9 Years Old: •Reading age: 12yrs+•English: 8% above year average•Maths: 26% above year average•“Zena has maintained good progress this year. She does however need to slow down a little so that she has time to think about what the question is really asking. She is always reliable and helpful in class.” Class Teacher•“A good report in the main but she must pay attention to the quality of her work as well as the quantity. A very pleasant, helpful girl.” Head Teacher 10 Years Old:•Reading age: 12yrs+ (no older books in the school)•English: 22% above year average•Maths: 27% above year average•“Zena is a steady, competent and conscientious worker. She is well motivation, eager to learn and can always be relied upon to do her best.” Class Teacher •“A good report. Well done, Zena.” Head Teacher11 Years Old+

At 11 years old, I then passed the 11+ exam and went to Bournemouth Grammar School for Girls, a bit of a commute from where I lived, but worth every mile. My dad was a cook and my mum was a cleaner, so could only afford a second hand uniform and basic supplies, but I didn’t care – the library was extensive and was to become my sanctuary for the next seven years. It was a thrill just to walk through its doors, especially after having to use my local public library for so long.

My local public library was Boscombe Library, and I should have been elated whenever my mum offered to take me, because it also had an extensive book collection. But I was distinctly disenchanted, and have only just remembered why…

Because of my reading age. The books designated for my age group didn’t challenge me, reading as too young, almost babyish. Whereas the books that did interest me, which would have challenged me, always exceeded the age restrictions on my library card. So there was never anything interesting for me to read!

Once, I recall trying to sneakily borrow an older book. The librarian told me quite sternly to go back and pick another. I was so horrified with embarrassment I didn’t try again.

I’ve also recalled another memory, or rather a non-memory, about picture books – in that, I have no recollection of ever reading or being read them! These days, I know quite a few picture book authors and illustrators, and they often discuss their favourite picture books, or which picture books they read when they were children. Usually I just nod and smile and struggle to think of a title, so I can join in conversation. But nothing comes to mind, because the only books I remember reading were chapter books or magazines…

When I was about 7 years old, my parents did subscribe me to Story Teller magazine (Marshall Cavendish, 1982-85). They were both up before dawn and often went to bed past midnight, working to provide for my brother and me, so they didn’t have time to read to either of us. The Story Teller magazines meant I could listen to the stories recorded on cassettes and follow along with the words printed in the magazines.

The magazines had images of course, but they were more page decorations, not story aids, and it was the words I was interested in anyway. I still have my Story Teller collection!

I then moved on to read independently – Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, Earthstar Magic by Ruth Chew, Jennifer and Graeme Curry’s The Sausage Is A Cunning Bird, and a set of encyclopaedias my parents found for us, as well as my favourites: The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Jill Murphy’s Worst Witch series. All of which I still also have!

After those, I went straight to reading classics. At about eleven years old, my parents took pity on my insatiable reading habits and subscribed me to The Great Writers Library (Marshall Cavendish 1986-1993). And yes, I also still have those! They look incredible in my bookcase and they were of course even more incredible to read.

One final memory that’s come to me since finding my school reports, was reading Stephen King’s Pet Cemetery… when I was far too young! The book scared me so much I had nightmares and felt a type of fear I’d never experienced before. Maybe those library card restrictions were a good idea after all! For many years afterwards, I found myself wishing I’d never read it.

Then again, on reflection, perhaps I was the exact right age to start feeling afraid. If it hadn’t been that book, something else would have undoubtedly triggered such emotions, because I was growing up and becoming more aware of the world around me – all its evils and dangers. There were certainly plenty of evils and dangers to come!

And, clearly, reading whatever and whenever I could benefitted me greatly – just correlate those reading ages and year averages on my early school reports! Because of course it really doesn’t matter what or how you read, only that you do.

P&N Daily Scoop, North Narrabeen

Writers are well-known for enjoying a drink while they write. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway were practically alcoholics, apparently. Most writers I know prefer a tea or coffee. As for me, I like a sparkling water, coke zero, or a proper hot chocolate.

There’s something about chocolate. Probably the naturally occurring chemical compounds it contains (alkaloids) that have physiological effects in humans, like cocaine and morphine! There’s more about my love of chocolate over here.

But hot chocolate also has a special place in my heart, if it’s made the right way – with real chocolate!

In fact, I recently went on a hunt for the best hot chocolates on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, which encompasses a total of about 250 square kilometres and a population of about 270,000 residents. It started with a Facebook post. “Hi all,” I asked my local communities, “I’m on the hunt for a proper hot chocolate… made with real chocolate melted by hot milk (no chocolate powder in sight!). Please let me know so I can go rate them!”

I got almost 50 recommendations!

That’s a lot of hot chocolate! And of course I had to go try them all. Just look at the yumminess…!

Aggy’s Corner, Balgowlah Choc et Moi, Dee Why Lindt Chocolate Boutique, Warringah Mall Mary’s Cafe, Dee Why

With each tasting I became more discerning, more of an expert, so started rating them all. After a few months, I had the beginnings of a favourites list.

Lighthouse Specialty, Mona Vale Two Siisters, Fairlight Roseberry Street Cafe, Balgowlah

Some places were a disappointment of course, claiming to use real chocolate, then spooning out powder or using a chocolate-flavoured syrup. Chocolate will naturally solidify if left at room temperature, so what is in those syrup bottles? Not melted chocolate!

One place even had several delicious-looking chocolate fountains on display, yet moments after telling me they used real chocolate in their hot chocolates, the barista reached for a syrup bottle! When I asked what was in it, she admitted she had no idea!

The best places all used hot milk to melt fresh chocolate buttons or chips, or kept warm melted chocolate ready to ladle into a cup. Oh what a delightful fuel for my writing!

Redstone Cafe, Warringah Mall Frankie’s, Terry Hills Showbox Coffee, Manly

There were about 25 of these, but since I wanted to know which were the absolute best I returned to my highest ratings to ask more questions and observe how each drink was made.

Sunrise Cafe, Warriewood Beach

This time I realised that some baristas were leaving it up to their customers to stir in the melted chocolate. But stirring a hot drink invites in cold air, and by the time I’d stirred in mine, my drink was no longer hot! When I asked these baristas to do the stirring while the cup was only half (or less) full, then top it up with hot milk, some happily obliged.

But others insisted that melted chocolate should remain on the rim or glass of the cup for aesthetic purposes. Since I was after a tasty hot beverage, not a cool photograph, I couldn’t keep them on my list. Some hot chocolates were also weaker on subsequent visits, with baristas admitting they’d used less chocolate than before.

Finally, a whole year later, I had a Top 12. And what did I do with that list…?

I wrote about it of course!

I sent my list to a local magazine, The Tawny Frogmouth, so others could enjoy the results of my efforts, and so the local businesses could get more customers. After all, they deserve them – none of the places I visited ever knew I was rating them!

Read the article I wrote over here.

What drink would inspire you to write? Do you have a list of your favourites? Have you checked out all the delightful books I wrote while drinking mine?

The locals are always friendly back home, England 2025

One of the last checks I do in a novel before I send it to my publisher is a voice check. I read through every main character’s dialogue from beginning to end, and only that dialogue, to make sure they each sound consistently like them. Because how a person speaks not only reflects their mindset and personality, but also their individual background and upbringing.

I was reminded of this myself on a recent visit to England. It was so lovely to hear people in my hometown not only sounding like me (though having now lived in Australia for over twenty years, I have a clear Aussie twang), but communicating like me too – with questions rather than statements or opinions.

My Australian born/bred family are a lot more direct. For example, when discussing what to watch on TV of a night, I might say, ‘We could watch Planet of the Apes?’. What I mean of course is ‘I would like to watch Planet of the Apes’, and when my kids and husband realise this a few comments later, frustration abounds. 

‘Why didn’t you just say so?’ 

‘I did.’

‘No, you made a suggestion.’

The ways we speak can be oceans apart, Bournemouth Pier 2025

But that ’suggestion’ was just my polite way of expressing what I’d like to do! And when I was back in my hometown, I found myself surrounded by hundreds of people all communicating in the exact same way!

‘You might just want to mind your back there a moment?’ they’d suggest, instead of the more direct Aussie version: ‘Scuse, mate.’

‘There could be somewhere closer to town?’ is how my brother replied when discussing whether to stop at a service station, instead of the Aussie: ‘Nah, let’s keep going.’

‘Shall we just park here if it’s not too late?’ I suggested, instead of shouting out: ‘There’s a park!’

What am I describing here? Wordiness? Meandering? A polite meandering wordiness? Whatever it is, I like it. It feels like home. It’s what I was raised on, and I find it decidedly delightful.

Characters have their own ways of talking too. Sometimes the differences can be subtle, and sometimes they can be more dramatic. Still, differences are always there, offering us resonance with our own lives. Indeed, I wonder if our favourite characters are the ones who speak similarly to the way we do ourselves?

Have a think and let me know!

Launched! When Dark Waters Burn is officially out in the wild for those with an adventurous spirit and a warm heart. Just watch out for the water-ants, snap snap!

– “Cements Shapter’s reputation as a master of immersive worlds.” Tawny Frogmouth Magazine

– “An emotional read which doesn’t let go.” Bookworm for Kids

– “Fast paced and absorbing, with a slow burn romance that will leave readers wanting more.” CBCA Notable author Pip Harry

– “Held me captive from page one!” USA Today Bestselling Author Dionne Lister

– “A fascinating and utterly original world; a great adventure.” Ian Irvine, bestselling author of the Three Worlds fantasy sequence.

Here’s a short video recap of the launch for you!

Cover Blurb

Stay out of sight. Stay hidden under the lake. Even as giant water-ants scout the surface, and deadly trees slop their hungry roots along the shoreline. For unrest surges in the swamps, getting closer and closer… Sala will only be safe for as long as their ship’s location remains a secret.

But when a horrifying threat ignites close to home, and the lakeside hillfarms are forced to reveal a desperate truth, it unleashes a wreckage of terror and destruction on the world of Palude. What Sala fears most becomes irrelevant. All she can do is run, and make one irrevocable choice after another. If she’s to have any kind of future, she must fight to accept the collapse of her past.

Hiding from it was never an option.

AVAILABLE NOW…
EVERYWHERE!

Thank you so much Midnightsun Publishing, Harry Hartog Warringah Mall, and all my dear readers – I hope you enjoy the ride!

Oh, and please spread the word if you do! It really does make all the difference. Send me your ‘In The Wild’ photos too!

Teachers’ Notes and Book Club Notes are also available, so do let schools, libraries and book clubs know. Thank you so much!

#loveozya #sciencefantasy #youngadultfiction #palude #WhenDarkWatersBurn

2004 Redwoods

This question recently came up during edits for my upcoming release, another book set in the fascinating world of Palude.

Palude is dominated by carnivorous tree swamps, and these ‘wyann’ trees are gargantuan. Think giant redwoods (Sequoiadendron giganteum) but with tentacle-like roots trying to stab anything that passes. Giant redwoods can grow up to 100m high, and if you were at the top of one, or even halfway up, your view of the ground would be understandably obscured and imprecise.

So what about my wyann trees?

While I have visited the giant redwoods of California, I didn’t climb one. That visit was also over twenty years ago!

2025 Singapore supertree

So, to understand the perspective of being in the branches of an extremely tall tree for my book, I popped over to Singapore to experience the ‘supertrees’ at Gardens by the Bay.

They’re not actual trees, but tree-like structures covered in sustainable vertical gardens. Among them, the gardens feature over 162,900 different plants and 200 species!

Visitors can walk between the tallest trees via the Supertree Observatory walkway.

The tallest tree in the grove is about 50 metres high (about the height of a 16-storey building), so being on the walkway was at least comparable to being in the lower branches of a wyann tree.

Supertree walkway Sturdy handrail

And yes, the ground was indeed far below, prompting the occasional visitor to grip tightly onto the sturdy yellow handrail!

Looking down from the Supertree walkway

But I could see further than I thought, and more than I thought. No details, but enough to make out distinct impressions, colours and shapes.

I could see the container ships chugging past in the distant ocean I could see all the different shades and shapes of the trees below I could watch this fountain bubbling in the lake beyond

Everything changed at night of course, when the trees lit up and the Supertree Grove offered a free nightly ‘Garden Rhapsody’ light show.

Such pretty lights!

Still, the evening bushes and lawns below were the same as in any garden – dark with silent creatures rustling, creating a suitably ominous atmosphere to act as inspiration for my book.

What was that rustling?

So, as soon as I was back at my editing desk, I made sure my characters’ visions across Palude matched my own real-life experiences in the trees – sticking to impressions rather than details, shapes and colours rather than decisive features, and suitably ominous at night…

I hope you enjoy the experience when you read it!

Thank you, Singapore!

Wow, what a wonderful review of my upcoming release When Dark Waters Burn in this month’s The Tawny Frogmouth magazine! The full review is over here (on p44), but here’s how it begins:

“When Dark Waters Burn… cements Shapter’s reputation as a master of immersive worlds.”

Funnily enough, I love creating immersive worlds!

I usually start by (i) posing a ‘what if’ question about our world today, then (ii) imagining what kind of place would make that question central to everybody’s lives.

—> For example, (i) what if scientists discovered that when we die the electrical energy in our brains converts into another form of energy? (ii) A place that might make that central to everybody’s lives would be a country living exclusively by a scientific life-after-death theology, such as in my book Towards White.

—> Or (i) what if property was so expensive that people struggled to find a place to live? (ii) A place that might make that central to everybody’s lives would be a world covered in carnivorous tree swamps, making habitable land incredibly scarce. Such as in my Palude books, starting with When Dark Roots Hunt, and now with When Dark Waters Burn.

Out on 1 June:

This process of asking and imagining usually then leads me to envisage the types of people who might thrive in such a place and who might struggle, which introduces me to my main characters – what their personal journeys might be, what their goals and dreams might be, even how they might fall in love.

Then the worldbuilding really starts! How are my characters’ daily lives even possible in this new world – how does their access to the basic physiological necessities differ from our contemporary world, what about their ability to work, wash, sleep and eat? Who has power over whom and why? What kinds of technology and medicine would be present? How would people travel around and pay for things?

I recently had to ask similar questions of myself. I used to travel a lot, before having children who thrived on the routines of weekday school and weekend sport. Now that they’re older, I can venture overseas again and have been reminded that worldbuilding isn’t just a skill for the writer, it’s also a skill for the traveller.

For example, I wrongly assumed that everywhere these days would readily accept payment by card. Well, yes, during my recent visits to the UK, France, Greece and Singapore, I could use bank cards as easily as in Australia, even when travelling on the metro or by bus. No additional card fees either.

Time to shop in Paris! Heading into the Singapore metro

But then in Italy, I was suddenly faced with a motorway toll booth that only accepted cash!

No ATMs around here, Italy

And while bank cards were fine on the Dubai metro…

Leaving the Dubai metro

…in the city’s souks many shops were cash only, or shared a card machine with a shop around the corner, which charged a fee to use it.

Shop anywhere, but actually pay at a shop all the way down the other end!

In Cambodia and Thailand, while cards were welcome in some hotels and restaurants, it was not welcomed by markets, guides, taxis, tuktuks, activities and street stalls, which all wanted cash. I was back to using the ATMs and Currency Exchange shops I thought I’d left behind in the early 2000s!

Cambodian markets – cash only!

Of course it is these little differences that make the ‘worldbuilding’ of each country unique. Not just the complex interplay of language, culture, history, geography, societal norms and political systems – but the way we have to adapt to the practical intricacies of visiting somewhere different.

Learn how to navigate the Paris metro and get anywhere in or around the city with ease!

It’s the same for my characters, because not only do I create unique worlds for them to inhabit – worldbuilding all the intricate little details that might be different for them – but my characters often have to travel to somewhere new within their worlds as part of their personal journeys, and it’s their ability to immerse themselves in and adapt to their new environment that charts their growing resilience and inner strength.

That and all the action, drama and romance my characters have to navigate! Which you could also say is true of anyone adapting to the little differences between one place and another in the real world. After all, it’s only once you have worked out how to use and pay for the metro that you can catch a train to the next landmark, then navigate the action, drama and romance of what you find there.

As with my books, an exciting adventure always awaits!

We all know that experiences change a person – their outlook on life, how they process thoughts and emotions, how they interpret events and places. But I have personally never felt this as starkly as when I recently returned to Greece after a gap of twenty years.

Parts of Athens and the Cape of Sounion appeared familiar, especially travelling down the coast to the Temple of Poseidon. But retracing my steps all these years later gave me an entirely different perspective of those places.

On my first visit, the thrill of exploring somewhere new was overwhelming. Everything was exciting. Every sight was precious. I took a lot of photos!

On my recent visit, however, since I knew what to expect, that thrill wasn’t there. Instead it was replaced with a settled admiration for the Greek people and their beautiful country. Everywhere I went, I was greeted with smiles, a gratitude for visitors and an enthusiasm for co-operation across language barriers. Thankfully similar sounding words like chocolate and σοκολάτα (pronounced sokoláta) helped a lot!

The last time I was in Greece, I was also a vegetarian, whereas this time I could eat all the gyros and moussaka I wanted! I delighted in every local dish I could find.

On my first visit to the area, landmarks such as the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, the Temple of Hephaestus and the Temple of Poseidon were impressive testaments to the architects of Ancient Greece. On my return I was still in awe, yet I also moved past that to seek out more background details.

Here are some ‘then’ and ‘now’ photos back-to-back…

2004 Parthenon

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2025 Parthenon 2004 Temple of Hephaestus

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2025 Temple of Hephaestus 2004 Temple of Poseidon

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2025 Temple of Poseidon

For example, at the Cape of Sounion, I found myself fascinated by its strategic importance in controlling the sea passage to the Aegean Sea, Piraeus, and the rich silver mines that enabled Athens to become such a major power in the 5th century BCE…

2025 Cape of Sounion – still a great view! 2025 Cape of Sounion – old fortifications

Given the importance of trade by sea to the ancient Athenians, of course they built a temple of Poseidon on the headland – Poseidon being master of the sea!

And of course the theatres of the country’s ancient storytellers and philosophers held my attention more tightly than ever. Oh, the importance of story across the epochs!

I can only imagine the exhilaration of attending any production in these incredible structures, the true origins of dramatic art!

And of course stories themselves are all about change, so what better country than Greece to appreciate how much a person can change over time and experience? The character who enters a story on page one is always different from the character who enters that story’s climax, and that’s what makes all the difference. If it were not for their change, that character would likely fail against the odds.

Sometimes, my characters do still fail! Such as in my darker fantasy and horror short stories.

But the characters who succeed against the odds are always those who overcome the challenge of change and grow – an important thought for when we face change in our own lives… However hard it might be to come to terms with new realities and let go of old expectations, change can also offer us a wealth of wisdom, personal growth and success if we let it.

2004 View over Athens 2025 View over Athens

Thank you, Greece!

This weekend I was at the 2025 Manly Writers’ Festival, talking on a panel, presenting a workshop, enjoying book signings, literary trivia, mingling with readers, and more! It was so much fun!

I also learnt a little about myself as a writer. While on the panel, I had the pleasure of talking about romance in speculative fiction, along with the talented Amy Hutton (who has a paranormal romance coming out for Halloween) and Ingrid J Adams (whose third book in the paranormal romance Descended series is out this April).

With my next book coming out on 1 June, When Dark Waters Burn, we certainly had a lot to talk about!

Through our discussions, I also realised I have a certain approach to writing romance, which I’ve clearly subconsciously developed over the years…

Ingrid J Adams, me, and Amy HuttonRomance Has To Fit In

Because my books are usually so packed full of action and death-defying intrigue, romance has to fit in where it can. I like this, though, because it resembles real life: when you have a lot going on, love has to fit in around all the intensity.

Of course, intense scenes can also prompt intense emotions, so deep feelings abound, which I really enjoy writing.

Romantic Heroes

While Amy and Ingrid really enjoy writing the ‘attractive but broken’ type of romantic hero, I definitely favour love interests who are more self-assured, and who my protagonist (main character) finds attractive. Usually:

1. They’re someone who’s already done a lot of work on themselves, such that they know roughly what they want, personally and professionally.

2. But they’re not 100% where they want to be yet. They still have personal growth to do and aspire to be ‘more’, which means they can grow along with my protagonist.

3. As such, they’re either already a good communicator, or will become one throughout the novel.

4. And finally, they’ve got to see my protagonist as a flawed individual, and love them anyway. After all, if a love interest doesn’t see our flaws, how can they love us for who we truly are?

Closed Door Intimacy

Because anyone might read my work, I tend to write intimate scenes with innuendo – such that if you’re reading as an adult, you’ll know exactly what I mean, and that will stir your own thoughts and feelings. If you’re reading as a young adult, you’ll probably know what I mean, and it will stir you in your own way. But if you’re a younger reader, you’ll perceive those sections more innocently, and be perfectly happy to read on.

Connection Matters

When we read about relationships, especially those that evoke strong emotions, it activates similar brain activity as memory recall, particularly the limbic system and other areas associated with emotion and memory formation. Thus, when we read about personal connections between characters, we often feel like we’re experiencing those connections ourselves, which not only adds to a story’s tension, but personally invests us in the outcome – we need to see how those connections turn out.

Perhaps this is why there’s been a recent resurgence in romance stories during these ever more difficult times, making us crave connection and hope; and why horror has also seen a resurgence, given its cathartic nature. Ordinary people can become extraordinary and overcome evil, just as ordinary people can be loved.

And perhaps this is also why I so often blend horror and romance tropes in my books. After all, there’s nothing like a horrific crisis to show you who you really are, and to heighten all the meaningful bonds my characters might be forming with others.

Entertainment First! Gleebooks at The Manly Writers’ Festival 2025

Each novel I write usually starts with a deep and meaningful ‘what if’ question about our world today, then imagining what kind of places would make that question central to everybody’s lives.

However, when I start to write I tend to leave that question as a simmering thought in the background, while I focus on the drama taking over my characters’ lives. I can’t help but prioritise entertainment – the action, adventure, thrills and romance! I love keeping readers on the edge of their seats!

The ‘what if’ question that inspired the story will always be there for those who wish to explore it, given it was so fundamental to the world’s creation, and I often write book club discussion notes and teachers’ notes to highlight all the fascinating themes that invite readers to see the world differently.

But I want the rest of my readers to simply devour the page-turning experience on offer, and let the deeper speculative issues bubble away in the background of their own minds.

A Fabulous Festival!

I had such a glorious few days of talking writing and books, surrounded by tribes of readers. Thank you so much to the festival sponsors, particularly Fair Play Publishing the TAG Family Foundation, and the Northern Beaches Council, for enabling the festival. You rock!