EVER since her first book Daughter Of The Murray was published in 2016, Australian best-selling author Darry Fraser has carved out a niche for herself writing female-centric historical dramas set against the backdrop of the Australian bush and rivers.
Fraser is now touring for her 10th published book, The Night on the Darling River, and will be visiting Swan Hill Regional Library on Wednesday at 7pm.
Set during the shearers’ strike in 1894, the book follows the main character on a tumultuous journey on the PS Rodney along the Murray and Darling as she tries to escape the turmoil in river towns and sheep stations.
Fraser said she has been drawn to the rich history of the river from a young age and she takes the time to extensively research the places her novels are set in.
“I think I try to bring as much authenticity to my novels as I can,” Fraser said.
“There is no setting in any of my books that I have never been to.”
“It’s important that I can tell you what the dirt looks like, or what the water smells like.”
Fraser said moving to Swan Hill as an eight-year-old was the first spark that stoked the flame of creativity for the rest of her life.
“When I first saw the river, I was just taken away and it was a moment I could never forget,” she said.
“At the time, the Pioneer Settlement also opened up a portal for me.
“Swan Hill just had a huge impact on me and my imagination.”
Ever since then, stories inspired by the river landscape would circulate in her head, and for decades the story of what would become her first book Daughter of the Murray sat as handwritten drafts on her desk.
“Becoming an author was a long journey for me,” Fraser said.
“I was always thinking of stories for a long time but never got brave enough to do anything about it.
“But one day, I decided that I had to commit myself to actually writing the book.
“And when my first book came out in 2016, the first place I wanted to visit to talk about the book was Swan Hill, because it’s the place that inspired the book.”
Fraser said she was looking forward to talking to people at Swan Hill Regional Library next week.
“I’m looking forward to chatting to locals, whether or not they have read my books,” she said.
“The mine of information about local history that some people have is astonishing and I sometimes get my information from them.”
The Night on the Darling River will be available for purchase at the library during Fraser’s visit.
Fraser will also be available to sign copies and answer questions from attendees.
