The Writers Talk

Despite having parents who were writers, JC Burke didn't realise she had the gift until she was in her mid-30's. During a writing workshop with Libby Gleeson she began to develop a story that had been fermenting for some time, and submitted the opening chapters to the mentorship programme run by the Australian Society of Authors. To her surprise and excitement she was accepted. Mentored by YA author Gary Crew, she went on to complete her first published novel: White Lies

In 2006 her 4th novel The Story of Tom Brennan won the Children's Book Council Book of the Year. Her other titles are: The Red Cardigan, Nine letters Long, Faking Sweet, Starfish Sisters and Ocean Pearl with an eighth - as yet untitled - book to be released in 2011.

JC discusses her path to publication and offers some excellent tips for aspiring YA authors.

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Fiona Palmer grew up in Pingaring in Western Australia. She left school early and did odd jobs like mustering and driving tractors, as well as pursuing her hobby of Speedway driving, eventually training as a secretary.

Without writing experience or even a burning ambition to become an author, she nevertheless had an idea for a story set in the outback environment she loves.

She sat down and wrote 'The Family Farm' off and on while working full-time and caring for two young children. Next thing she knew, she was going to be published by Penguin Books.

Listen up and find out the secrets to her success!

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As young travelers, Annette and her husband Win drove their Kombivan from Calcutta to London and then later from London across the Sahara Desert to Africa. Being stranded and broke in Gabon, Africa, led to them meeting a local expat who set them up with jobs in an isolated mining camp in a remote mountainous forest.

The highlight of this often difficult experience was when Annette adopted a young orphaned gorilla called Josie. The experience turned into a vocation for Annette and she subsequently embarked on a new career as an anthropologist.

In this interview Annette discusses how she came to write her memoir with 30 years between drafts and how it came to be published - quite a story in itself.

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Susan was a high profile editor of two of Australia's top selling women's magazines with a 25- year career in journalism. Even after the deaths of her husband and brother in the same week, she soldiered on. Then one morning she couldn’t get out of bed.

She resigned from her job and struggled to begin a new life only to discover it might already be too late when she was diagnosed with cancer herself.

Susan's bestselling memoir, Salvation Creek, won the 2007 Nielsen BookData Booksellers Choice Award and was shortlisted for the prestigious Dobbie Award, part of the Nita B Kibble awards for women writers. Susan is now working on her first novel.

In this interview Susan talks about the experience of recording and revealing her darkest days in her memoir - and how it changed her life.

Susan Duncan Website

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A one time court reporter, Australian author Sydney Bauer left a career in television to move to London with her husband.

Inspired by writers such as Lee Child, David Baldacci, Dennis Lehane and John Grisham as well as many television scriptwriters she sat down one day and typed the words 'Chapter One'.

Sydney is now an internationally published best selling author with five books published: Undertow, Gospel, Alibi, Move to Strike and Matter of Trust.

In this interview she talks about how she started and the discipline it takes to keep going.

Sydney Bauer Website

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