Latest_Interview_femail.com.au

November 2011

Empire for Liberty


Interview with Terri Sedmak

Question: Can you tell us a little bit about Empire for Liberty?
Terri Sedmak: Empire for Liberty is the sequel to Heartland On the Side of
Angels and the second volume in The Liberty & Property Legends. It begins
where Heartland leaves off, in which there has been a tragic murder by an
unknown assassin. In Empire for Liberty you will find that the effect of this has
been profound not only on the victimised Alliance families, but on those trying
to investigate and solve the murder. Emmaline is a young reporter who is
determined to unravel all intricacies of the situation. She becomes deeply
involved in not only getting her story, but with the people she's investigating.
And of course at the heart of the novel is Luke, who has even more heaped on
his plate as he continues his quest. The novel has action aplenty, romance, lots
of new characters and more about Liberty & Property woven through the novel.
And loads more besides!

Question: How does it feel to have your writing style likened to Bryce
Courtenay?
Terri Sedmak: Bryce Courtenay is one of Australia's most successful
novelists, so it feels pretty inspiring. It's interesting that as a novelist you are
driven to find your own voice when you write, because you want that point of
difference and to be able to stand out, but often readers like to feel secure
when they start to invest in a new writer and a comparison to another and
successful author helps them take that all important step.

Question: What originally inspired you to begin writing?
Terri Sedmak: Reading a fantastic young adult novel when I was eleven. Ivan
Southall's 'To the Wild Sky'. I so wanted to write a book after I'd finished
reading it! I haven't stopped wanting to write since then. I remember when I
was in Grade 6 our teacher asked the class to write a poem about a river. She
was one of those teachers who really knew how to tap into the creativity of
children. You don't forget those teachers. We all wrote our poems about a
river, and when I read my poem, she said, "That's the kind of poem I'm
looking for." I don't have that poem now, nor do I have that rather pathetic
manuscript of my first attempt at a novel, although I certainly remember what
it looked like, scribbled on a hodgepodge of any spare paper I could find. But I
do have those first memories of what it felt like to create something with
words. It's always with me.

Question: How much of your inspiration comes from real life and real people?
Terri Sedmak: It's important for me to be historically accurate, although in
keeping with the series title, The Liberty & Property Legends, there is a
legendary quality to the characters and their exploits. However, for me,
whatever the era in which a novel is set or the genre, it is important for the
reader to make a real connection to the characters, so often I do like to draw
from people I know or real people and relationships when creating my
characters.

Question: Finish this sentence, The best thing about books is . . .
Terri Sedmak: that every book is an adventure and a revelation of the human
experience.

www.terrisedmak.com

Interview by Brooke Hunter

Read the full feature at  www.femail.com.au/empire-for-liberty.htm

Many thanks to Brooke for the great questions, and sincere thanks to editor Michelle Warmuz for featuring Empire for Liberty in her wonderful online magazine for women!