I’d always been fascinated by Australia (must have been the Neighbours and Home and Away influence!) but had never been there. So in 2000, at a time when my workplace had changed a lot and I wasn’t enjoying my job as a computer programmer, I handed in my notice and bought a one-way ticket down under. I didn’t know a single person and landed in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, to retrieve a key from under a mat from an apartment in a Melbourne suburb. Looking back I can’t believe I did it, but it was an awesome experience. I stayed in Australia for 14 years, 9 of those in Melbourne and 5 in Sydney, but returned to the UK last year to spend more time with my family.
I was a late starter to writing. I waited until I became a permanent resident of Australia and then studied journalism part time. I finally made the leap in 2003 and left my I.T. job to write freelance for magazines. I started writing fiction in 2011 and I haven’t stopped since. I love it!
I love setting my books in Australia and both The Friendship Tree and Handle Me with Care are based there. The majority of The Friendship Tree is set in a town called Brewer Creek, which is a fictitious town in the Central Coast of New South Wales. I based Brewer Creek on towns that I have visited in Australia (not necessarily New South Wales). I have also included Sydney and London, both of which I have visited and loved. Handle Me with Care (to be published June 30th 2015) is set in Melbourne, a city I absolutely fell in love with. Again, I have a fictitious setting, this time a suburb called Huntley but many scenes are set in Melbourne itself and in its surrounds.
Australia is an amazing country that I hope to visit again soon, but for now, I bring readers to Australia in my novel s J I hope they fall in love with the country as much as I did!
I love setting my books in Australia and both The Friendship Tree and Handle Me with Care are based there. The majority of The Friendship Tree is set in a town called Brewer Creek, which is a fictitious town in the Central Coast of New South Wales. I based Brewer Creek on towns that I have visited in Australia (not necessarily New South Wales). I have also included Sydney and London, both of which I have visited and loved. Handle Me with Care (to be published June 30th 2015) is set in Melbourne, a city I absolutely fell in love with. Again, I have a fictitious setting, this time a suburb called Huntley but many scenes are set in Melbourne itself and in its surrounds.
Australia is an amazing country that I hope to visit again soon, but for now, I bring readers to Australia in my novel s J I hope they fall in love with the country as much as I did!
Helen J. Rolfe's books - Handle Me with Care (release date June 30th) and The Friendship Tree.
I really like the synopsis I have read of this book.#
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you began writing and pursued what really interested you in life. Both of your novels look wonderful and I am sure they are great reads.
ReplyDeleteBlue Books and Butterflies
You would love them, I've read The Friendship Tree and enjoyed it very much. I can't wait to read Handle Me with Care.
DeleteWOW I must say No guts No glory!! How brave of you to just pack your bags and go to Australia! I absolutely want to go there sometime. I will be looking up your books! I hope you will be and stay an very successful writer!
ReplyDelete