Author Interview: Averil Kenny

Averil Kenny, author of Those Hamilton Sisters took some time out to have a chat with Beauty and Lace.

Get to know Averil in this interview.

Tell us about Those Hamilton Sisters…

I’d love to! Those Hamilton Sisters opens in 1955, with a steam train rolling into the lush, tropical hamlet of Noah Vale in Far North Queensland, and three red-haired, orphaned sisters stepping down onto the platform. The Hamilton sisters – Sonnet, Fable and Plum – have come home to their unwed, outcast mother’s birthplace in the wake of her recent death.

Here, the girls hope to create a brand-new life, but instead, they will be confronted by their mother’s hidden past, long-lived grudges, small-town judgment, and the traditional strictures of 1950s Australia.

As the girls grow up and pursue their passions and aspirations, they’ll have to overcome old prejudices, and their own barriers too. This is a story of sisterhood, love, and finding your place in the world.

Who is your target audience?

In truth, I wrote the book I wanted to read, exactly the kind I search bookstores and libraries for. I wrote for readers fond of evocative language, stunning landscape, spirited women, juicy secrets and family dynamics, natural beauty, romance, a dash of adventure, historic settings, and a love of literature.

Although my novel features strong women – and women’s issues – I didn’t have an age or gender in mind when writing Those Hamilton Sisters, and indeed I’ve found fans from young women to older men.

This is a coming-of-age story, with a distinctly Far North Queensland flair, but it’s a book for any reader who enjoys a tale of plucky women blazing their own trail.

What advice would you give to someone writing their first book?

In the first instance; write what you love, and love what you write. You’ll spend years of your life finishing your book, so spend that time with the right story. If you ‘follow your bliss’ and write something you’re passionate about – your readers will feel that, and your novel will be infinitely richer for your sincerity, vulnerability, and enthusiasm.

You’ve also got to love what you write – this means curbing harsh self-criticism during early drafts (easier said than done), and writing in a voice and style which is authentic to you.

Secondly…read, read, read! Writers are readers first and foremost, and your writing skills will be greatly enhanced by the amount of reading you do. Read as widely as you can – including genres and books you mightn’t normally fancy. Revisit the novels which made you want to be a writer, to recapture the sense of magic which first enchanted you.

Thirdly, as I always say to my children: never, never give up!

What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?

Being a mum to four children, I’ve had to develop laser-like focus in the midst of mayhem. I’m quite well able now to tune out noise and mess and commotion – but I’d prefer not to. A beautiful view to stare off into is important for my writing stamina and creativity. (I work on a MacBook, so I can move around.)

My favourite place to write at home is overlooking my wild rainforest garden. The beautiful greenery is incredibly calming and inspiring, and we have a ‘butterfly patch’ which brings in the most gorgeous tropical butterflies.

I write with a cuppa tea at hand, and usually something sweet to nibble. I have mood-evoking music playlists and secret Pinterest boards full of relevant images to draw upon. I sometimes wear the perfumes, fashions, or colours my characters love, or burn a candle with particular scents.

Before I begin work, I try to do some breathing, and read a snatch of beautiful poetry/prose – this can be helpful toward achieving that magical creative flow. (Exercising first is also excellent.)

Writing rituals aside, it’s really about diligence: putting your backside in that chair daily – especially when things aren’t just the way you like them – and getting your words down on the page.

What was it like growing up on a farm?

Impossible to separate from who I am today. My childhood on our dairy farm was devoid of television and filled instead with books and endless time playing around the paddocks. Being the eldest child, with no neighboring children to play with, I developed a healthy enjoyment of my own company from an early age.

My imagination is inextricably linked to time spent alone in nature; those dreaming hours. My childhood was messy, adventurous and dirty, with beloved grandparents in a farmhouse just over the hill. We lived in a tiny house built by my father and grandfather, had umpteen pets – including strays that jumped off the back of the milk truck – and produced our own milk, eggs, meat, fruit and veggies.

As idyllic as farm life was for me as a child, it was a struggle for my parents. Ultimately, we left farming life for tourism work in Far North Queensland.

How do you juggle parenthood and writing?

Frankly, by dropping balls constantly! With so many busy kids, I simply cannot achieve everything I would like, and it’s very easy to become overwhelmed. I just try to do what I can, with what I’ve got, where I am.

My children are all now in school, which has freed up those precious school hours for writing – but the hours go by so fast, and have to be guarded against intruding obligations. When my kids were younger, I wrote late at night and early in the morning, on weekends when my husband was home, and while my babies slept on my chest, in a carrier.

I’ve had to make a conscious shift, since becoming a published author, from viewing writing as ‘my little hobby on the side’ to my career. When you work from home, in addition to being the primary caregiver, and an executive member of a school P&C association, many other commitments can take precedence.

I am still learning how to prioritise my own aspirations, without feeling it’s ‘selfish’ to work at something I find such a joy.

What are you currently reading?

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue. (I loved Room by the same author!)

Who are your favourite authors?

I read and love so many authors, but my most beloved authors are old favourites: L.M. Montgomery, Jane Austen, Robin Klein, Georgette Heyer, M.M. Kaye, Rosamunde Pilcher, Daphne Du Maurier, Elizabeth Gaskell, Louisa May Alcott.

In terms of modern writers, I always look forward to new novels by Kate Atkinson, Sarah Waters, Marian Keyes, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sarah Dunant, Paullina Simons, Geraldine Brooks, Anita Diamant, Joyce Carol Oates, Donna Tartt, Kate DiCamillo…I could go on and on!

Where can our readers follow you?

I am on Instagram, Facebook, and my website.

What is next for Averil Kenny?

My second novel – The Girls of Lake Evelyn – will be out in 2022, and I am currently working on the early first draft of my third novel.

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Thank you so much for this chance to chat, and happy reading adventures to all your lovely followers!

x Averil