 | Di Morrissey is the author of some 17 novels, starting with Heart of the Dreaming in 1991. Along the way she has published such works as Blaze, The Reef, The Valley, Monsoon and The Islands. Her latest novel is titled The Silent Country, and as it appears in local bookshops she has been interviewed by Madeline Healy for "The Courier-Mail": |
Morrissey, a former journalist, has written 17 books, most of which have made it to the Australian bestseller lists and a number of which are set in the Outback."Once I've got the place I just go there and people generally tell you stories and you hear stories," she says.
She has travelled to, and set her books in, Hawaii, South America, Vietnam and throughout Australia many times.
"You can't write about a place if you haven't been there," she says. "It's my journalistic background."
Morrissey began her writing career as a cadet at Consolidated Press before heading to London's Fleet Street. She spent eight years working on TV's Good Morning Australia, putting the writing career on the backburner, until she took the plunge and moved to Byron Bay to write.
"I have a writing cabin in Byron Bay with a little wooden hut out the back and I also have a house on the river about four hours out of Sydney," she says.
"I can work anywhere but it is nice to have a space where there are no distractions. You are more focused."
Morrissey's books are steadfastly set outside of major cities, a choice she has made because of her love of rural landscapes.
"I like to write about the colours of the Outback," she says.
"Getting off the bitumen and walking to the special places with indigenous guides is what I like. And to see it through their eyes is a real honour."
