Novel milestone for emerging author

BANNOCKBURN’S Marley Betts has dabbled in writing poetry and short stories throughout her life.

But after the aged care worker gave birth to her twin boys in 2020, she decided to take her beloved hobby further.

Betts began self-publishing, releasing novellas as e-books, before penning her debut novel, The Silver Sheep, which has just been released in paperback.

“It’s a coming-of-age story about a young girl called Cleo. It’s the first book in a duology, which is a family saga,” she said.

“I’ve been inspired by a couple of shows I’ve watched; Dopesick and The Earthing Movie, and have brought those concepts together.

“It’s about a society that gets fed lies by some big organisations and ends up rather prejudiced. It’s also about a dysfunctional family and their role in it all.”

Three diverse locations in the story are based on parts of Geelong; Norlane, the waterfront CBD, and Torquay.

“There are contrasting social differences and lifestyles in The Silver Sheep, from lives of poverty, to lives of wealth,” Betts said.

“Everything I write has meaning. I’m hoping it will get people thinking about what they believe, and thinking for themselves.

“The ultimate message is the opposite of the prejudiced society; to love one another.”

Betts is working on the next book in the duology and plans to keep “churning out” books.

“I’ll aim to have messages people can learn from in all of my books, and to continue to write about women, and their journeys,” she said.

Visit marleybetts.com for more information.