Because it’s such a small town, this is kind of a local joke. In this series, four kids are all born on the same Valentine’s Day in a small town. Then I was thinking about the way the bush is portrayed in Australian literature – Picnic at Hanging Rock is a great example – and how much overlap there is, and from there, the series sprang. I was thinking a lot about the woods in fairy tales, and how they’re full of danger but also magic and possibility. Can you tell us a little bit about each book in this paranormal romance series and what inspired you to write it? Maas meets Holly Black with an OzYA twist. You’ve just released the final novel in your Valentine trilogy – described as Sarah J. I also gravitated a lot towards fantasy, particularly fantasy which began in the real world: I loved Susan Cooper, for instance, and Labyrinth is one of my all-time favourite films.
I’ve already mentioned my childhood love of Enid Blyton, but there was definitely a very intense Babysitters Club phase (which definitely made me think about the ways in which female friendships can be messy and complicated!) as well. I still re-read it regularly, and it makes me so so happy. I picked it up when I was nine years old and it blew my mind and changed my life. The book that has most shaped who I am as a writer is Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody. What were your favourite books/films/shows growing up? What kick-started your creativity? I’m not sure I would know how to stop, to be honest! I started writing at the age of six – I wrote an Enid Blyton mystery knockoff which was two pages long and had twenty chapters – and I’m not sure I’ve ever really stopped.
For as long as I can remember, my dream was to see my name on the spine of a book.
So, Jodi, how did you come to be a writer? Was it always something you were interested in or did you fall into it? She’s just released the final book in her Valentine trilogy, so it was the perfect time to invite her onto the blog to introduce her to you! I first met Jodi briefly at a Continuum convention in Melbourne a couple of years back, then more recently we toured together for the Supanova Adelaide and Brisbane events. My special guest today is Jodi McAlister! Jodi is an Australian author and academic.
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