What inspired the idea behind your book?
We all have something we cling to, whether it’s our profession, status in life, role as a friend or family member, our interests, our talents . . . so I wanted to explore what would happen if something we loved and was a big part of our identity was challenged or taken away. I started with one of the main characters, Laura, a professional violinist who uses her instrument as her ‘voice’. She also has synaesthesia, an ability to see music in colour, and as music is so intrinsically woven into every area of her life, I decided to steal it from her life to find out what would happen. Mean, I know! Without her precious violin, the comfort of the colours she always saw in music, Laura lost an integral part of her identity and her main way of communicating her emotions.
It was fascinating to go on the journey with Laura as she grapples to discover who she truly is. Along the way, she meets other characters who, after years of bowing to social expectations, are now questioning whether conforming to other people’s beliefs is robbing them of the joy of their true selves. I also wanted to find out what would happen if one person had the courage to embrace their true self and find their voice, would it inspire others to do the same? Would many individual voices combine to become a symphony of change that transforms an entire community? The answers even surprised me!
What was your research process like for the book?
My research process is hands-on and immersive as I love throwing myself into the world I’m creating. I love weaving fact into fiction, and the research phase is where my stories come alive. I seek out experts in whatever field I’m exploring because one-on-one conversations with people are the best way to access knowledge that isn’t always in text books. Whenever I’ve approached someone about their area of expertise I’ve been met with enthusiasm because they have a captive audience in me who wants to know even the minutest details to bring extra layers and richness to my characters and story.
For A Woman’s Voice my research took me into different eras and parts of the world. I have wonderful friend in Vienna who is a conductor and violinist. He introduced me to his luthier who guided me through the intricate process of violinmaking, and I immersed myself in Vienna’s classical music scene. I attended concerts, interviewed other musicians and music historians, meandered through cobblestone streets and took a lot of photos of gorgeous buildings, especially those with elaborate doors (I have no idea why I am obsessed with them!). Later, I travelled to Berlin to explore the classical music scene and delve deeper into the suffragette movement in 1912, reading translated documents, finding photos and newspaper articles that helped me shape the story. I did the same in England, absolutely fascinated by the real-life stories of women who worked so hard to change the future.
I do love a fish out of water story, so it was fun to place my English character, Laura, into outback Australia in 1965 where the setting is a character with its own moods and rhythms. Anyone who has read my other books know how much I love this part of the world and any excuse to explore different parts of Australia’s outback is the perfect research for me!
For years, I’ve been collecting all these pieces of information knowing I’d write this book someday, so finally bringing it together and placing the puzzle pieces in their rightful place means I can now share this with my wonderful readers! Hooray!
Does the creative process get easier with each book?
I wish it did! I find each book has its own personality, and most of that comes from the characters living within the pages. Take Ida, one of the main characters in A Woman’s Voice. She’s naturally quiet, and with an overbearing father intent on crushing her spirit, she finds it difficult to express her thoughts and feelings. It took three drafts before she finally opened up to me because there had to be trust first, a safe space for her to be vulnerable. Just like people in real life.
After seven books, I have gotten better at organising my research. I can also now sense when a scene or character isn’t working. The solution doesn’t always come easily and sometimes I have to wander down a few dead-end streets before I find my way, but I’ve learned to trust the process even if it can be frustrating at times!
The first draft for me is always the same rollercoaster of pain and joy. When I find myself complaining to my writer friends about how the story isn’t working and I should start over, they always say ‘Ah, you must be at 30,000 or 70,000 words. You do this with every single book! Keep writing through it. You’ll end up loving it’. And yes, they are always right! I guess this is the one consistent thing with my creative process!
I much prefer the editing phase, where I get to work with incredibly talented editors who push me to dig deeper and make the story sing. But even when I know the manuscript is ready to leave my desk for the last time, I still cringe when I hit send because there can’t be any more changes. I don’t think I’ve ever met a writer who hasn’t wanted to go back and tinker with their published book. We can’t help ourselves!
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers what would it be?
The best advice I can give is to find your writing community and nurture those relationships. We spend so many hours alone at our computers, wrestling with stubborn characters and plot holes, that having fellow writers to celebrate the wins and help us navigate the challenges is essential for our heart and head.
Great places to connect with other writers are at book launches, writer and reader conferences, workshops, or joining organisations like Romance Writers of Australia, Australian Society of Authors, or state organisations like Writers Victoria. Don’t be afraid to befriend established authors as well as they are usually happy to share advice and answer questions, especially about how the publishing industry works. Every established author was where you are now, too, and we understand how daunting it can be to enter the writing world.
One of the best things about writing is the community and you will find a lot of supportive people, no matter what stage you are in your career. Don’t worry if it takes a bit of time to find your people, because when you do, it will be some of the most rewarding and special friendships you can ever have.
What are you hoping the reader will take away from reading your book?
While the main storylines of A Woman’s Voice delve into women’s rights in 1912 and 1965, there are many other characters who are also standing up for who they are and what they believe in. As I wrote this story, it was interesting to see how far and, unfortunately, how little, we’ve come in rights for equality across the board. That’s why there are characters in this story who fight for the right to choose who they love, who try to find their place in a world that doesn’t accept them, who stand up for their choice to be a single mother, who battle racial discrimination, who challenge what society thinks masculinity should look like. These characters represent some of the countless real people who’ve fought, and are still fighting, for the freedom to be themselves and live with dignity and respect. And what connects us all is the understanding that when rights are denied to any group, it diminishes us all.
Ultimately, I hope A Woman’s Voice encourages readers to find their own voice and to lift others as they find theirs. When we create a world where everyone can be authentic, we all flourish. We break boundaries, we transform society, and we write new chapters of possibility that even the bravest suffragettes could only dream of.
relx infinity
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