Featherstone 
Crime writer Ber Carroll (B.M. Carroll) shares some thoughts on writing and publishing
‘Australian writers are having a moment. It’s good book, after good book, after good book,’ said author Ber Carroll (B.M. Carroll) today.
It was great to hear her speak with Leanne Wright, Port Macquarie Library’s events librarian, about her latest thriller One of Us is Missing.
To a packed audience, Ber shared she had published her first book, 20 years ago.
‘You learn how to write by writing what you know, by leaning heavily on your life and experiences,’ she said.
When Leanne asked her about her experience with five different publishers over 12 books, Ber replied:
‘It’s great to write books just for the joy of writing because the publishing industry is extra level tough, it takes a great deal of grit to survive. It’s even tougher on the publicists, I’ve never worked with the same publicist twice. It’s so tough, they move on the quickest.’
Ber spoke about how since Covid authors have really been getting out and supporting each other at launches – and can you believe it – she’s lucky enough to have fellow crime writer Petronella McGovern (who will also be giving an author talk in Port Macquarie, August 16 at 10.30am) as her first reader!
It was interesting to note there were more men in the audience than usual for an author talk, and Ber shared her thoughts that 80% of fiction books are bought by women, but that some crime writers are able to attract various genders to their writing, even though it’s not something she sets out to do.
And even though the industry is tough, ‘most writers I know want to keep writing,” said Ber. ‘They just can’t get it out of their system.’
You got that right!
Thanks for coming to town Ber and congrats!
And my tip: if you’re writing with an eye to publication, be sure to get yourself to as many author talks as you can – there’s always something to soak up and it’s energising to be surrounded by fellow book lovers!