Writing is in my blood. My grandfather was editor of the newspaper at Wood’s Point in its heyday. My mother, Alice, was a great story teller. My great aunt, Mary Fullerton, was a novelist and poet, and a friend to Miles Franklin. But a greater influence was my father, Doug Scoullar, who had been a jackeroo in Queensland. Later on he began a nursery specialising in native plants, long before it was fashionable to do so. Dad was a man ahead of his time. He passed on to me a lifelong love of horses and the bush.
As a child I was an avid reader, and felt a very special, secret connection with animals and plants. I wrote stories and poems, beginning my very first novel when I was eleven years old. I think it was some sort of a plagiarised version of Elyne Mitchell‘s The Silver Brumby. Anyway, I thought it was terrific. I wrote three chapters, before I lost the manuscript, and cried for at least a week. I knew I’d grow up to be a writer.
But things change. I think every one of us, has something important, deep down inside, that we always meant to do. Then life takes over, and you don’t do it. That was how it was for me. I went to university and graduated in law. I married, had kids, got divorced, became a foster mother to many more children … and all the while that little, annoying, nagging voice – that voice of me as a child, reminded me that I was supposed to be a writer. I’m very grateful for that voice. In his wonderful essay Why I Write George Orwell says, “… if he [a writer] escapes from his early influences altogether, he will have killed his impulse to write.”
One day, out of the blue, I picked up a pen. It was like I’d come home. I loved the rhythm of the prose and the pleasure of getting a sentence just right. I loved how everything happened exactly the way I wanted it to, in my imaginary world. Now I live with my family at Pilyara, the beautiful property in the mountains that was left to me by my father. The lovely photo on the front page is of the old stables he built. My house is on a hill-top, overlooking valleys of messmate and mountain ash. A pair of old eagles live here too. Black tailed wallabies graze by the creek. Eastern Spinebills hover among the callistemon. I gave up working in the law a long time ago. I’d rather write.
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sorry to be a bit late but I have had about 5 colds in as many weeks I won “brumby’s run I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it —-lyn
Thank you so much Lyn! Reading a comment like yours, is a lovely way to start my Sunday …
G’day Jan,
I’ve found about you by chance. I’m very much pleased to read that You’ve passion for animals, flora and Fauna. I’m also very much interested in these things, and have recently finished a children fiction that deals animals and birds’ quality, assisting humans. But I’m just wondering there is no Contact’ page on your site. Good Luck with your new project.
Mox
Hi Jennifer. Happily, I chanced upon your blog, which is a delight – so positive, supportive of other writers & with such loving descriptions of rural life. My structural edit has been choking on its own ambition (it’s a new story every time I sit down to it) and time/life just hasn’t been kind. Perhaps your next stream of author interviews could incorporate Getting out of the bog 101 (or Growing good stuff outta manure)
Pleased to see you have bb to work with – she’s top shelf.
I’ll look out for your books. Best wishes,
Theresa
Thank you so much for your lovely comments! I feel for you on the structural edit front. This stage of manuscript development can indeed be a nightmare! Good luck, and thanks for your suggestions for future author interviews. Getting out of the Bog 101 has definite possibilities!
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Hello Jennifer,
I stumbled upon your blog through the Olvar Wood blog sites listing and felt an immediate sense of kinship with your writing goals and interests. I’ll enjoy following your blog and as Olvar Wood has also listed mine, you may care to drop in. http://marymageau.wordpress.com
Happy writing,
Mary
Hi Mary,
Thank you. I’ll definitely drop by for a look!
Cheers,
Jenny
Hi Jennifer, wasn’t sure how to contact you about the guest blog article. If you’re still interested could you email me on info [at] triptychacf [dot] com. Cheers, Meeks
You just described a journey that many writers take before they finally say, “Screw it, I’m gonna write.”.
Absolutely! I’m treading a well-worn path …