{"id":17081,"date":"2011-07-29T12:00:43","date_gmt":"2011-07-29T02:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/?p=17081"},"modified":"2016-03-01T09:51:06","modified_gmt":"2016-02-29T23:51:06","slug":"susan-duncan-author-of-the-briny-cafe-answers-ten-terrifying-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/2011\/07\/29\/susan-duncan-author-of-the-briny-cafe-answers-ten-terrifying-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Susan Duncan, author of The Briny Caf\u00e9, answers Ten Terrifying Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\"\"<\/a>The Booktopia Book Guru <\/strong>asks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Susan Duncan<\/strong><\/h1>\n

author of The Briny Caf\u00e9<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ten Terrifying Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

——————<\/p>\n

1. To begin with why don\u2019t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was born in Albury, on the NSW and Victorian border and raised until the age of ten, at nearby Bonegilla Migrant Camp. Later, I attended Clyde School, a girls\u2019 boarding school at Woodend,\u00a0 that has now been amalgamated with Geelong Grammar.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

I can\u2019t remember if I had a specific ambition at the age of twelve. But at eighteen, I wanted to be a journalist and at thirty, I was quite happy as a journalist and couldn\u2019t imagine doing anything else.<\/p>\n

3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

At eighteen, I just wanted to have fun. Now, I want to work hard but doing what I feel passionately about.<\/p>\n

4. What were three works of art \u2013 book or painting or piece of music, etc \u2013 you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure whether they fit into the \u2018art\u2019 category, but the writing that really rocked me when I was young was Raymond Chandler<\/a>, whoever wrote the Onion Field<\/a> (bit hazy on the author and title but it was a fiercely powerful book that reeked of truth) and currently, I think Kate Atkinson<\/a> is a wonderful writer.<\/p>\n

5. Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a novel?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delusions of grandeur? Seriously, I wanted to keep writing about the environment where I live but I couldn\u2019t prevail on the kindness of my neighbours once more time in a work of non-fiction.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>6. Please tell us about your first novel\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Briny Caf\u00e9 <\/a><\/em>is set in a water-access-only location (no surprises there!) and it\u2019s about the power of strong communities, friendship and finding the courage to have a go. It\u2019s also about learning to recognise miracles when they appear and, of course, the pleasure of food.<\/p>\n

(BBGuru:<\/strong> Publisher synopsis – Brimming with warmth and wit, Susan Duncan’s first novel is a delicious tale of friendship and love, and the search for a place to call home…<\/p>\n

Ettie Brookbank is the heart and soul of Cook’s Basin, a sleepy offshore community comprising a cluster of dazzling blue bays. But for all the idyllic surroundings, Ettie can’t help wondering where her dreams have disappeared to.<\/p>\n

Until fate offers her a lifeline – in the shape of a lopsided little caf\u00e9 on the water’s edge.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When Bertie, its cantankerous septuagenarian owner, offers her \u2018the Briny\u2019 for a knockdown price, it’s an opportunity too good to miss. But it’s a mammoth task – and she’ll need a partner.<\/p>\n

Enter Kate Jackson, the enigmatic new resident of the haunted house on Oyster Bay. Kate is also clearly at a crossroads – running from a life in the city that has left her lonely and lost.<\/p>\n

Could a ramshackle cafe and its endearingly eccentric customers deliver the new start both women so desperately crave?)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope they\u2019re entertained, get a glimpse into a radically different way of life, and that the book inspires people with a\u00a0 passion to get back in the kitchen to cook up a storm for family and friends.<\/p>\n

8. Whom do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t know where to start \u2013 so many wonderful writers\u2026\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life comes first, so my main aim is to stay healthy. Then whatever falls into place\u2026<\/p>\n

10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be unafraid, never give up and read everything you can get your hands on.<\/p>\n

Susan, thank you for playing.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0The Booktopia Book Guru asks Susan Duncan author of The Briny Caf\u00e9 Ten Terrifying Questions —————— 1. To begin with why don\u2019t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Albury, on the NSW and Victorian border and raised until the age of ten, at nearby Bonegilla Migrant Camp. Later, I attended Clyde School, a girls\u2019 boarding school at Woodend,\u00a0 that has now been amalgamated with Geelong Grammar. 2.\u00a0 What did you want to be when you were<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[4,84],"tags":[5090,5184,5364],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17081"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17081"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57676,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17081\/revisions\/57676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}