Authors share inspiration

LITERARY inspiration, the creation of characters and writing habits were among the subjects explored by two leading writers of contemporary fiction at an authors’ evening presented by Friends of the Noosaville Library last week.
Helene Young and Jenn J McLeod, both writers of country-themed novels that are currently on a popularity roll in Australia, shared the stage at the library to discuss all aspects of their books with an audience of more than 40 who participated in a spirited question-and-answer session.
Helene, who writes in the romance suspense genre, is currently working on her sixth novel which will take readers into the underworld of drugs with a fictional methamphetamine lab deep in the outback.
Earlier this year, her publishers, Penguin, launched Northern Heat, a racy tale of murder and love under the scorching sun of Cooktown in Northern Queensland.
Describing her technique Helene said she was an organic writer.
“I start and just go; story plots develop and I produce a rough draft of about 50,000 words,” she said.
“Then the joy comes in – adding texture, layers, connecting characters and polishing up the entire novel, always based on my real-life experiences.”
Jenn, who is currently completing the fourth and final novel in her Seasons Series for Simon and Shuster said her storylines often came from “left field”.
“It may be a tag-line or a throw-away comment in the news or on Facebook, or could come from a phone call from a friend with a suggestion or observation that captures my attention,” she said.
“I never know when a story plot will present itself, and I love that element of surprise.”
Jenn read an excerpt from her novel Season of Shadow and Light, and Helene, who lives on a catamaran, took the audience ‘arm-chair sailing’ as she read a passage from Northern Heat.