Who/what inspired you to begin writing?

The inspiration came from reading, specifically in Latin. In grade school, I started studying Latin and enjoyed translating. Ovid and Virgil were favourite Latin writers. I liked looking at the technicalities of language and trying to understand the plot and theme.  It was thrilling to look at stories of gods and goddesses and analyse the mechanics of language. I had a translation of a Latin poem published when I was in high school.

Later, I did a film degree in New York City and intended to move to LA to become a screenwriter or director, but then life happened, and I moved to Australia. There, I studied playwriting with Hilary Bell, a famous playwright. Fiction came after I moved to the Netherlands and started participating in writing workshops.

Which authors do you admire?

Joyce Carol Oates, Patricia Highsmith, Danez Smith, Ovid, Virgil, Murat Isik. I’m also into Sally Rooney lately. 

How many books have you written?

One novel, two full-length plays and a slew of one-act plays and short stories. Some of the short stories have been published, and I’m looking for an agent for the novel. 

What inspires you to write?

I keep a digital journal of ideas and news articles. Many times, the ideas are a combination of both. The first novel I wrote is a detective story with a political subplot. The whole idea came from a speech I watched many years ago that I couldn’t stop thinking about. Inspiration often happens when you don’t realise it. The ideas that stay stuck in your mind are always worth pursuing.

Do you have any particular writing habits or routines?

I always start with character: biography, physicality. I spend a lot of time working through them as people, and then I can start seeing what happens to them in certain situations. This is probably because of my film and theatre training. In those media, everything is about transitions – i.e. how is this next scene different from the previous one?

          When you work with actors, you see how they approach change – they take a script and imbue it with physicality, and over the course of two hours, they often transform themselves. Actors are magic. And I often think about my characters as if they were in a play.

          In terms of process, I like to outline. I tend to write complicated, multi-character stories, so I need to keep track of everything. The outline also helps me look at the larger story.

What are your future writing plans?

I would love to sell the first novel and finish the second. Also, I would love to experience the whole process of writing, producing and directing a play!

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on the second novel and setting up the creative writing centre in Italy. I also have a blog that I write about travel and writing.

What inspired you to set up the creative writing centre in Italy?

The pandemic. A friend recommended I visit Puglia, and during one of the reprieves from lockdown, I went and fell in love with a town she recommended. I have always loved being in workshops and writing groups. I wanted to recreate this in Italy – giving people a chance to see a part of the country that isn’t well-known.

          I also believe it’s essential for writers to commune with other writers in person. Retreats can foster camaraderie and great energy. After the pandemic, I decided to seek out experiences and focus more on the social aspect of writing. Put all three ideas together, plus the fact that I couldn't find anything similar, and I decided to set them up myself.

          The first retreat was held in November 2023, then we held another in March this year and there'll be another in the autumn. 

How is the retreat organized and what can prospective visitors expect?

The retreat is a blast! The key objective of the week is to create a fully-realised, revised scene critical to the writer’s story. We start with deep character work – creating three-dimensional characters in the scene. Then we work on the scene setting, conflict and structure. Each day has a theme and builds on the previous day’s work.

          It’s a retreat, so there are also fun activities, excursions, excellent Italian meals together and downtime. “Piano, piano,” the people in the town say. “Take it slow.”  A retreat is also a holiday: the writers need time and space to themselves. The last thing you want is to be exhausted at the end of it.

          Regarding location, the writers stay in a fabulous 900-year-old palazzo that’s a destination in its own right. The rooms are large and comfortable. It’s such a great space to write in. The palazzo is in a small city near the sea ­– lively, but also relaxing and safe. It’s the perfect week for writers to give themselves the gift of working on their craft, being present in the moment and having a digital detox.

Finally, do you have any tips for new writers? 

I have two:

1. Understand your characters first. Write their biographies, interview them, how (if) they vote, and what they eat. The more detail you have about them, the more situations you can put them in. It’s also great fun to learn and invent. Even if they’re 'bad' people, they can be interesting.

2. Join a writing group where you receive and give honest feedback. In addition to helping you improve your craft, you’ll be less alone.

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