Who Is Bianca Santucci?

1. What inspired you to write a book?

My work inspired me write. I have always been one who enjoys working and networking with my community. I do enjoy volunteering my time when I can to the local community. And being an animal lover and previous Working with kids, I wanted to write a book for both. Plus also wanted to show the community who I am as an individual. 

2. Who is your favourite author and why?

Dr Chris Brown would be my inspiration. Being a vet and an animal lover. I follow him and his stories. I enjoy watching his tv show and I enjoy him on the living room. 

3. What is your favourite food?

Having an Italian background, I have always loved my culture and food. Anything Italian is my favourite, especially home made pasta.

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I enjoy the outdoors and being in nature. I love the beach and spending time relaxing and taking in nature. 

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I have always wanted to help and care. Originally I wanted to be a dance teacher, having a passion for dance. Then paths change and I then worked in childcare for over 10yrs before finding my real passion of caring for animals and pets and helping educate people about their pets.

6. What do you think makes a good story?

A great story comes from true passion and Sharing the journey of someone.

         7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned from writing your book?    

How easy it actually was. Before I knew it, it all came together. 

8. When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

I have always wanted to write someone at some stage. It was only with the Passion of my business that the idea came about. And how I had so many clients and people in my community behind me telling me I should do it.

9. How long does it take you write a book?

Only took a couple of weeks as it was only a short story.

10. Can you share with us what your next book will be about?

My next book, will be the journey of my own personal dog and his life.

Who Is Michelle Richardson?

1. What inspired you to write a book?

Its was my childhood of super hero's and caring for others. my mother always taught me to love and honour others, to share hope and dreams, this book is dedicated to my beautiful sister who wanted so much to be a superhero, now she is flying the skies as a free sprit 

2. Who is your favourite author and why?

My favourite author I don't really have one, as a child I never read as I couldn't read until very late in life, but my favourite books would be a cat in a hat by Dr Seuss very funny and enchanting books that lets a child be 

3. What is your favourite food?

My favourite food is roast chicken. Why? It means family time of sharing stories and laugher 

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I am a healing practitioner, support to shift old habits to new ones, been a teaching a educator of health and well-being 

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

As a child I always wanted to be a super hero a police women fighting villians and bringing the badies to justice, wonder women was my hero even though she was a fiction she was me.

6. What do you think makes a good story?

What makes a great story, adventure, a story that makes you wonder what is coming next a mystery that could be anything.

         7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned from writing your book?    

Let your mind go and drift into your heart and speak from your heart.

8. When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

I wish to share my wisdom with children, I was an adult around 40 years old I thought how cool i would be to help change people lives through reading i could possible do that.

9. How long does it take you write a book?

Once I go going everything flow and my experience came to life in my book not long, the thought process a few years but actually writing it a few weeks.

10. Can you share with us what your next book will be about?

I have a 10 chapter book ready to go to paper on my third book a series of Ricki the robot, with toys for kids to hold and share!

Who Is James Dempster?

1. What inspired you to write a book?

The story formed in my thoughts and dreams - so I went with it till I knew it had to be fully formed so I could share it with the world. 

2. Who is your favourite author and why?

Many - but I have a particular soft spot for Gerald Durrell who often wove humour and sincere concerns for animals and the planet so effortlessly. Also Spike Milligan - because he is the first author that made me laugh out loud when reading one of his books, and so often thereafter. 

3. What is your favourite food?

I am a vegan.  A couple of favourites include, aloo baingan (indian eggplant curry), the wonderful baked beans on toast (simple and incredibly nutritious) and a good old cuppa of hot black tea.

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Walk with dogs out somewhere natural, read, watch movies, think about stories. 

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I didn't really know - vaguely something to do with the movies, which is a form of storytelling.  In the end I think writing chose me. 

6. What do you think makes a good story?

It has to have a good interesting engaging narrative no matter what the  genre, have some deeper spiritual meaning that is often not apparent if done correctly, and a good moral lesson or three - all subtly woven together and the story is so good, you don't even notice them . 

         7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned from writing your book?    

How long it became from my initial rough calculation on length - being all the 'corners' of the segments of the narrative that filled in during the process, and how the characters became more real inside my mind as they acted out their parts - and when I observed how all the characters were actually different segments of my character/personality given form somehow. 

8. When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

When I was participating in amateur theater - I discovered the power of the text over all other aspects of any possible final production.  

9. How long does it take you write a book?

Depends on the story - 'Stripes in the Shadows' took about 10 months from first word to last.  Sometimes you have to put a story aside for a while then come back to it, so it depends.  And in the end all stories (or whatever type of creative works of/or art) are subject to a version of what  Paul Valery famously said about poetry 'A poem is never finished, only abandoned.'

10. Can you share with us what your next book will be about?

That is a hard one as I have many novels, and shorter children's stories all percolating inside me.  When it dominates I will do it, and when it is done, then I will be the first to know.  

Who Is Millie Jackson?

1. What inspired you to write a book?

I felt the need to tell my story and to let others know that out of tragedy, hope is more often than not, just around the corner.

2. Who is your favourite author and why?

I have many favourite authors. I loved Liane Moriarty’s earlier work. I am inspired by Eckhart Tolle and many of the Buddhist teachings.

3. What is your favourite food?

My favourite food is seafood especially prawns and crabs

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Walking by water, coffee with friends and browsing shops especially bookstores. I love attending book launches and writers’ festivals.

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I always wanted to be an actress or a singer. I started writing when I was very young and also wanted to keep doing that.

6. What do you think makes a good story?

I enjoy pace, humour and honesty as well as a good plot twist.

         7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned from writing your book?    

I learned that it doesn’t just flow every day, that creativity comes in bursts. I also learned that slumps can be hard but can be worked through if you have the right people and tools around you.

8. When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

From a very young age, but more seriously after attending a writers’ festival in Ubud around four years ago.

9. How long does it take you write a book?

To do it properly it can take years. I believe at least one year with all of the multitude of edits etc.

10. Can you share with us what your next book will be about?

My next book is a murder mystery set on the northern beaches.

Who Is Joesy Knibbs?

1. What inspired you to write a book?

I have been fascinated with stories ever since I was a child, I would get lost in books and pretend I was the characters and living their stories. The stories inspired my imagination and allowed me to be creative using mine.

2. Who is your favourite author and why?

This is a hard question to answer as I have had many over the years. I have loved J.R Tolkien, C S Lewis, J K Rowling, May Gibbs, Roald Dahl, and now these days I am not reading as much , but when I do I like Melissa Marr and Stephanie Meyers. I think I like these authors because their stories are outside of the normal life we live today. Anything is possible within the storyline , even things I wouldn’t ever think of, so I am able to step into the characters to feel what they feel and stand in their shoes for awhile.

3. What is your favourite food?

My favourite food is chocolate or ice cream.

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

When I am not writing I like to spend time with my family watching my grandsons play football or being creative with my granddaughters.

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

As a child I wanted to be a Dancer or a singer.

6. What do you think makes a good story?

I think what makes a good story is the ability to take the reader to another place and inspire their creativity and imagination even for a little while.

         7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned from writing your book?    

The most surprising things for me was to see what my imagination had created and to turn it into reality. It was like I made it come alive.

8. When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

As a child I think it was just a gift that I had and taken it for granted. It wasn’t until I came to Author Academy that I became aware of my gift. Meeting Sue Kennedy and the other authors gave me the space and feedback to recognise the gift in my stories, and that is what made me realise that I wanted to be a writer.

9. How long does it take you write a book?

Once I believe in the idea that my stories are something worth reading it takes about a year.

10. Can you share with us what your next book will be about?

At the moment I am playing around with ideas and haven’t decided on the subject of my next book yet.