WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE
To There Featuring Vesna McMaster
Q. What brought you to Australia and when?
I moved to Australia four-and-a-half years ago, as a longheld ambition to live somewhere warm and easy-going.
Q. What are the advantages of living in Australia for a
writer?
The local writing scene in Newcastle is stuffed with talent,
much of it modestly understated to a shocking degree. It’s
inspiring to be in such company. On the other hand,
books are hard to come by, expensive to buy and nearimpossible to sell. As the population is relatively, small
the writing scene is quite close-knit.
Q. Has your writing output increased since you came to Australia?
Definitely. But this might be more due to lessening demands from family and breadwinning work than anything about Australia per se.
Q. Is there something you find hard to cope with in Australia?
Not much. As hoped, people are easy-going and (joy of joys) all like a good story.
Q. What impact has Australia had on you emotionally, sensorally or
intellectually and have you incorporated this into your writing? Can you
include characters and setting?
My last novel The Fastro Connection is based half in Australia and half in Italy.
Personally I think the Australian scenes are weaker, because of my relative lack of
familiarity with the country — but I still enjoyed writing them and the juxtaposition of
the two cultures in the book.
Q. What are local attitudes to writers compared to home?
I feel more accepted as a writer here. In the UK I felt one had to apologise for
spending one’s time creating fictional stori \