Relocating from Brisbane to country Victoria was the best move Jennifer A Moore ever made, at least in terms of her literary career.
For the UQ Speech Pathology graduate, farm-life provided the inspiration for three published novels – The Waterdogs, The Copper House and, most recently, Mountain Ash Road.
“People always say you should write about what you know,” Ms Moore said.
“When I moved to the farm with my husband I felt I had something interesting to write about.”
The three novels, which, together, form the Waterdogs series, were all published within the past five years.
Ms Moore said the writing process began much earlier, however.
“I started writing the first one about 12 years ago, around the time my eldest daughter was born,” she said.
“They’re about a city girl who moves to the country to teach and falls in love with a farm boy.
“I have a strong Christian faith so there’s quite a strong spiritual connection as well.”
Ms Moore grew up in Brisbane and studied at UQ between 1986 and 1989.
After working as a speech pathologist in Toowoomba for two years, she moved, with husband Bruce, to a farm in the small town of Beulah, located about 380km northwest of Melbourne.
Eighteen months later the couple moved to Melbourne, and returned to Brisbane in 2002.
Mountain Ash Road, Ms Moore’s third novel and final instalment of the Waterdogs series, was launched on October 27 at the Westside Church of Christ in Jamboree Heights.
“Book launches tend to be reserved for famous authors.
“This was my first launch and it was great.
“It’s nice to have such supportive friends there to celebrate with you,” she said.
While her friends are her biggest fans, Ms Moore has yet to win over her three primary school-aged daughters.
“They really find the whole thing quite embarrassing,” Ms Moore said.
“The books have a few too many ‘kissy’ bits for their taste.”
On top of her writing commitments, Ms Moore is a part-time Children’s Ministry Coordinator and this year re-trained as a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
Ms Moore’s novels are available via the publisher’s website, www.arkhousepress.com or from Koorong Books in Woolloongabba.
Media: Further information, Ms Moore (bjmoore@bigpond.net.au) or Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)
