Author talks stories behind the books

THE creator of the historical Maiden’s Creek trilogy, Alison Stuart, is coming to Golden Plains Shire.

Author of The Postmistress, The Goldminer’s Sister, and newly released novel The Homecoming, Stuart is on her way to Bannockburn Library to share her experiences as a writer.

A former lawyer, she said it took 25 years to become an overnight success.

“I’ve been writing all my life, but it took off four or five years ago when I was very fortunate to be picked up by Harlequin, Harper Collins to write my Australian series, the Maiden’s Creek series,” she said.

“I wanted to write a series set in Victoria, because I am a Victorian, and I was looking for a small town feel that I could wrap a number of books around. I like the goldmining era, but felt the Ballarat and Bendigo area had been done to death.

“I chose, as my inspiration, Walhalla in Gippsland, which in its heyday was one of the richest goldfields in Australia. The characters overlap a bit, but each book can be picked up and be read independently.”

Stuart said regional readers are hungry for these sorts of Australian stories told in an Australian voice, but she also writes historical mysteries set in Singapore in the early 1900s under the name A.M Stuart.

She said she is looking forward to meeting more readers and aspiring authors, having released three books during the pandemic lockdown period.

“It was soul destroying. Not being able to get out and meet readers, who are very curious… or see my books in the bookshops, it was awful,” Stuart said.

“I’m loving being out and having the opportunity to talk to authors, to tell people about my journey to publication, and about my life as a full-time writer these days.

“It’s my joy to be out with readers again, offering a bit of background to what I hope will be a great reading experience for them.”

The author talk is set for Thursday, 2 March from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at Bannockburn Library.