Belinda Jeffrey

WRITING

I’ve been writing deliberately since my first year of University. I say deliberately because before that I would doodle words and sentences and ideas without knowing what I was doing and why (except for grade seven – read on). I even snuck out of bed one morning to my computer and madly started expanding an idea for a novel. After a while I thought ‘what the hell am I doing’ and then with equal horror, ‘I don’t know a damn thing about ships! How do I go about writing a scene on a ship when I don’t know what it looks like and what the names are for various parts and processes (I was in love with Wilbur Smith and his sensational adventures-land and sea- at the time)

The deliberate writing came later when I was studying teaching. I thought ‘it’s sane to be writing children’s books, I am a primary school teacher’. I ventured from children’s books to having my own children and leaving the teaching profession. It seemed to be a natural thing to allow myself to concentrate on writing good children’s books with a view to publishing them when my babies were sleeping. (I thought babies did this). I liked my children’s books but I was always trying to squash so much into so few words. I wanted to say more.

I began writing my first novel with a view to penning a short story. 8000 words later I realised it was the novel I had burning in my mind forever. Six years later I have written three complete novels, two partial novels and some short stories. I am still, however, trying to write that first novel to my own satisfaction. I am now re-writing it completely for the third time with a working title of Maquerel.

SUCCESS

I had written a short story called The Hallelujah Roof for the One Book Many Brisbane competition in 2006. When they called me in early 2007 to say that I had won, I couldn’t believe it. It was truly one of the most remarkable, humble, peaceful and exciting moments of my life. Yes I would get $6000 (it would buy me some more time to write) but more than that it said to me that people who knew what they were doing liked my writing. I was so excited (and couldn’t tell the world for another month) I did what any sane/pshco writer trying to break into the publishing world did. I wrote my second novel in 31 days. Big River Little Fish. It didn’t win (or even get shortlised) in the QLD Premiers Literary Awards (and I’d had a dream that it would) but it did get me my literary agent, Sophie Hamley from Cameron Creswell Agency. While I was waiting to hear about whether anyone would publish Big River Little Fish, I did what any sane/psycho writer would do, I started another two novels and finished one, Brown Skin Blue. By May 2008 I had a contract with UQP publishers and in June 2009 it was be released.

I completely re-wrote Big River Little Fish which will be released in September 2010.

WHAT I’M WRITING NOW

I’m currently working on two adult novels and a YA novel.

OTHER FACTS ABOUT ME

Here are some facts about me. Most of them are true…all but 1!

I was born in South Australia.

I once feasted with the King of Tonga.

I run author events in Brisbane – Tim Winton, David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs…

I have a dog.

I am married.

I was once a Professional Polynesian dancer.

I run training in alternative health practises and mind/body/spirit

At one time I was the ‘Queen of All Nations’.

I am intrigued by quantum physics insomuch as it relates to human consciousness, the biology of belief and mysteries of human intuition and spirituality.

I have two wildly wonderful boys.

In year 11 I melted the library photocopier.

I once spent a day in Boggo Rd Jail.

My grade seven teacher thought I was mentally disabled (to be fair I did spend all day writing and writing and writing. She said I couldn’t spell or manage grammar so it was a useless endeavor)

Brown Skin Blue is my first published novel.

I love movies – Last of the Mohicans, Gladiator, Lars and The Real Girl, Chocolat - epics and brilliant literary dramas.

Goat’s Cheese makes me vomit.

I would give up most things for a damn good coffee.

My son says I obsess.