Goldie Alexander: A few of my favourite things...

The next author in the ‘A few of my favourite things…”  2015 HNSA Conference interview series is Goldie Alexander, who will appear on the panel: Can Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Compete with Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies on the 21 March 2015.

Goldie Alexander

Goldie Alexander’s short stories, articles and 80 plus books for adults, young adults and children are published both here and overseas.  Her historical fictions for young readers include: "My Australian Story: Surviving Sydney Cove” (First Fleet, 1790), “Mavis Road Medley”(Melbourne, 1933), “The Youngest Cameleer” (discovery of Uluru,  1873), “Gallipoli Medals” ( past and present), and “Body and Soul: Lilbet’s Romance”(Melbourne 1938). She facilitates creative writing workshops, and mentors emerging authors.

Her latest book, That Stranger Next Door, is set in the McCarthy era in the US. Her new book, My Holocaust Story: Hanna is set in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1939, and will be released in March 2015.

You can find more about Goldie’s books on her website here.

You might also like to follow her blog where she writes fascinating posts about her research. And connect with her on Twitter.

Could you please share with us what is or was your favourite –

Book as a child and as a teenager?

As a very small child Milly Molly Mandy and A.A. Milnes’ poetry eg ‘Christopher Robin’. Then the usual Enid Blytons. I seem to have skipped anything in between apart from lots of Georgette Heyers and Agatha Christies.

Period of history?

I think I would have liked to have lived in Paris in the 1920’s. Such a glamorous epoch.

Character in one of your own books?

I have a weakness for crippled Lilbet, in Body and Soul- Lilbet’s Romance.

She was my classic anti-hero and very manipulative.

Scene you enjoyed writing?

That’s too hard to say. Too many historical fictions and others. But I have always liked the last part of The Youngest Cameleer’ where Ahmed in William Gosse exploratory party stumbles on Uluru.

Place to write?

At my desk in the city and every second weekend in the country. 

Steps in the process of writing? E.g. researching, drafting, editing etc

The idea for a book always comes first. Then in that order.

Featured book:

That Stranger Next Door

In 1954, Melbourne is still reeling from WWII, the Cold War sees suspicions running high and the threat of communism and spies are imagined in every shadow.  15 year old Jewish Ruth is trying to navigate her own path, despite her strict upbringing and the past that haunts her family. A path that she wishes could include her first love, 17 year old Patrick. But the rich, Catholic boy is strictly off limits.

When a mysterious woman moves in next door in the dead of night, Ruth becomes convinced that she is none other than Eva or Evdokia Petrov, a Soviet spy and wife of famous Russian defector, Vladimir Petrov…

Goldie Alexander will be appearing at the 2015 HNSA Conference on the following panel:

21 March 2015
12.15 -1.15 pm  Session Four

Can Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Compete with Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies?

In a world where the Twilight and Hunger Games series dominate the CYA shelves, how can historical novelists capture young readers’ imaginations? Sophie Masson explores the issue with Belinda Murrell, Sherryl Clark, Pamela Rushby and Goldie Alexander. 

For more information on all our panels, please visit our site for programme details. And you can buy your tickets here.

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And please take a look at our FREE BOOK OFFERS!

The first 30 ticketholders to purchase a ‘Standard’ Whole Conference Ticket will receive a free copy of either The Lace Balcony by Johanna Nicholls, The King’s Shadow by Barbara Gaskell Denvil or The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans.

All ticket holders will receive a Momentum ebook bundle in celebration of Felicity Pulman’s launch of Unholy Alliance.

The first 50 fully paid ticket holders will receive a copy of Sherryl Clark’s new book Do You Dare – Jimmy’s War in celebration of her launch.