Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?

I once went for a job interview with ASIO.

Why did you choose the themes in your book and were you aware of them from the start?

The book began as my Masters project and was purely an account of my journey to Lo Manthang. However, when I was accepted into the Hardcopy Manuscript Development Program in Canberra in 2017, I was challenged to think more deeply about my motivation for the trip. From that grew the themes of home and impermanence

How difficult was it for you to write this book did you face any obstacles?

There was the obstacle of the trek itself which was overcome by getting a horse! But it wasn’t easy to write about my family. It was my editor, Nadine Davidoff who convinced me of the importance of my experience within my family to the story. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to read about that, but she said it’s exactly what people want to read about and I guess she was right. There was also the reaction of my family, but I decided it was time to let go of that fear, end the silence around events and to tell my truth about what it was like for me growing up.

Do you always write in this genre or do you like to break out of the box?

I don’t have a genre, especially since this is my first book. Throughout my career as a freelance writer I have written about diverse topics, but I do have a particular interest in travel writing and it’s probably my preferred genre to read.

What are your writing habits or idiosyncrasies?

I wish I had a writing habit! Like so many writers i’ll think of just about anything else to do than sit down and write, but I always feel better for having done so. I can only usually write in the morning, but if I stay up late i’ll sometimes get a burst of inspiration and have to get it down on paper before it disappears.

What would you do differently next time?

Not take ten years to finish a book.

With hindsight what would you say to yourself as a fledgling writer?

Stop doubting yourself, stop procrastinating, and sit down and write.

If you worked with a professional editor what was the experience like?

Australian author Patrick Holland was my Masters supervisor, so in a way he was my first editor and taught me an enormous amount. Then I had Nadine Davidoff do two edits of my manuscript and she really helped turn what was probably a pretty boring travel book into something someone might want to read. She was warm, supportive and really perceptive and I would definitely like to work with her again.

What’s next for your writing?

I have made a tentative start on a fiction book.