When Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane decided to pursue a career outside of journalism, she knew, without any doubt, where her heart lay. She was so sure that when she sat her magazine editor down to resign, she felt no reservations or hesitations. The time had come to take the leap into publishing of a different kind – not only writing for herself but helping emerging authors to tell their own stories.
Six years on, Roxanne has won five awards for her nonfiction ghostwriting business, written two (almost three) of her own books and earned the Amazon gold award as a bestseller in the authorship and creativity self-help book categories.
“I love that we express so much of who we are by simply stringing together words in a particular order,” she explains as we chat about our favourite topic – writing and authors.
“I love that we can create suspense, excitement, anger and even fear. We can give readers a front-row seat into the lives of people they have never met before and they will come away feeling as if they’ve known them their whole life. Words are so powerful, and when you wield that power with good intentions, they can make a real, lasting change in the world.
“Half the battle is getting aspiring authors to recognise that what they have to share is worth sharing,” Roxanne adds. “Once someone knows they have a story to tell, the only other ingredient they need to unearth it is a strong foundation: knowing the purpose of their book, who they are writing it for and what the structure is going to look like. With that in place, they become unstoppable.”
Through her business, Roxanne has worked with authors from all walks of life. And many of these authors are based right here on the Sunshine Coast.
While the region has always been celebrated for its natural beauty and tourism industry, in recent years, it has also become a key destination for writers.
Roxanne says the region’s vibrant creative scene and support networks form the ideal hub for literary talent.
From bestselling novelists to debut authors, the Sunshine Coast is home to a range of literary voices that are shaping the future of the Australian – and global – literature scene.
Among these voices are some of the country’s most successful authors. Take, for example, Anna Campbell. Known for her historical romance novels, she has captivated readers worldwide with her engaging storytelling. With numerous award-winning titles like Claiming the Courtesan and Tempt the Devil, Anna now thrives as a bestselling independent novelist, writing Regency-era stories that have reached global audiences.
In November, she released her 50th title, The Duke Says I Do.
Then there’s fellow Caloundra author Jessica Townsend, who has taken the literary world by storm with her Nevermoor series, loved by children and adults alike. Her debut book, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, became a bestseller and was heralded as one of the biggest Australian children’s debuts in over a decade. The series has won numerous prestigious awards, has been compared to the Harry Potter series and is set to be adapted into a film.
Another Coast author who we can’t overlook is Lynette Noni, a leader in the young adult fiction genre who continues to mesmerise readers with her captivating series, The Prison Healer. A former journalism and human behaviour student, Lynette’s work has earned her multiple awards, including three ABIA wins and a Gold Inky Award. Her books are published in more than 20 countries, marking her as a leading voice in young adult fiction.
And then there are the other big names, like former UniSC student Candice Fox – who has penned seven novels with celebrated author James Patterson (all seven of their collaborations have topped The New York Times bestseller list) – and Hachette-signed author S.R. White, who has called the Sunshine Coast home for almost a decade.
So, with the summer holidays upon us – the perfect time to unwind with a good story – we thought we’d turn to those in the know to learn more about what makes a good book.
Candice Fox: The queen of crime fiction
In addition to her partnership with James Patterson, Candice Fox has forged a stellar solo career. She has penned 12 solo novels, three of which have won Australia’s prestigious Ned Kelly Award.
The former Sunshine Coast resident says she began focussing on a career in writing from the age of 12 – when her family got their first computer. “I started submitting novels and getting rejected at age 16,” she says. “It took me until I was 25 and over 200 rejection letters to finally get through. It’s my dream job.”
Candice’s latest book, High Wire, takes readers on a thrilling ride through the unforgiving Australian outback. The story follows Harvey Buck, a man caught in a deadly game on a lawless stretch of road. As Buck and a stranded traveller are taken hostage, they’re pursued by Edna Harris, an outback cop determined to stop the bloodshed.
“The high wire is a secret outback road that cuts through the middle of the country, making a b-line through slabs of lawless land where there are no cops, no satellites and no people,” Candice tells salt. “It’s used by serial killers, drug runners, long-haul truckers and other nefarious types.” Her inspiration for the novel is drawn from Australia’s current rural crime wave, with a nod to the likes of Jack Reacher. “The whole thing is a bit of a love letter to Lee Child and a very Foxy take on the current rural crime wave we’re having in Australia,” she says.
Candice believes the key to unearthing a good story is “getting to the point; fast, effectively and with so much skill that you ram that point home hard in a way that emotionally exhausts the reader”.
“That’s what I like, anyway,” she adds. “I like a story that hits you in the face like a sledgehammer.”
As for her creative process, Candice says she’s a “nibbler”.
“I tend to write for a couple of hours in the morning, then spend my afternoons pottering around. I do animal rescue, I oil paint, I go to the gym – whatever takes my fancy.”
For now, she will continue writing from her Sydney base. But she says that her connection to the Coast remains strong. “I was just there, staying in Montville for the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival. I miss the weather, the price of beer and people. I have a lot of friends still in those parts.”
For her summer recommendation, Candice suggests reading one of Anna Downes’ novels, calling her work “hilarious and very dark, tense. Shades of horror in there, and ambitious storytelling.”
S.R. White: Weaving emotions into words
This Coast-based author’s debut novel, Hermit, was a top 10 bestseller in Australia and nominated for the Crime Writers’ Association award for the best crime novel by a first-time author.
S.R. White draws inspiration from the 12 years he spent working for the UK police force – before he followed his heart and undertook a Masters in Creative Writing.
“Writing is my main creative outlet – I can’t dance, sing, act, paint, draw, sculpt, or breakdance like Raygun (okay, maybe we can all do that last one). It’s slow enough to really dig deep into emotions and ideas but immediate enough to punch in the gut when it needs to do so,” he tells salt.
“Unearthing a great story, in terms of novel-writing, is largely about knitting ideas together. We can all identify a great crime story by just reading about bizarre or fascinating real-life cases, but can we knit that together with a dysfunctional family, a town riven by jealousies, an age-old vendetta, an environmental crisis?
“Great novels – whether crime or not – have multiple strands and multiple themes: entwining those in an authentic and riveting way is the key.”
His latest offering, White Ash Ridge, is set in a small country hotel during a heatwave. The novel features Dana Russo, a determined detective, as she navigates a web of social media backlash and public pressure to solve a murder.
“White Ash Ridge is inspired by women thrust into the public eye by events they wish had never happened – Rosie Batty, Grace Tame, Brittany Higgins,” S.R. explains. “It appeals not only to crime readers wanting to solve the puzzle before Dana can but also to a wider audience absorbed by Australia’s recent wave of women thrown into the spotlight.”
When it comes to writing, he follows a routine of editing and refining, always striving for authenticity. “I always like to read all my dialogue out loud. It’s often the first part of a scene to be written, and because it’s pivotal, it has to ‘sound right’ in the reader’s mind,” he says.
For summer reading, S.R. recommends two gripping novels: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles and All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. “The Lincoln Highway is a beautifully paced road trip of a novel with multi-layered characters, and All the Colours of the Dark is the best novel of the past couple of years,” he says.
Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane: Mastering the art Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane is a seasoned writer and mentor, and her latest book, The Structured Author, is the second in her award-winning Ignite & Write series. It provides aspiring writers with the tools to transform their chaotic thoughts into compelling narratives. With practical advice on structure and purpose, The Structured Author is ideal for anyone hoping to take their writing to the next level.
Roxanne’s writing process is a blend of creativity and chaos, aided by her love for music. “Because my writing skills were first exercised in the newsroom, I actually need a little bit of chaos in order to be creative,” she says.
“It is interesting that when ghostwriting for others, I get a musical vibe around their project and will often favour listening to certain artists while writing. I find this can enhance the tone and vibe of the manuscript.”
Though she spends much of her time reading manuscripts for work, Roxanne enjoys audiobooks during her solo drives. “I’ll tune in to celeb autobiographies or memoirs that capture my interest. It’s market research, in a way, to see how people are crafting their stories.”
Roxanne recommends two books as great summer reads. The first, Legless, is the work of fellow Coast author Paula Gowland, who recounts her fight to triumph over heartbreaking trauma. The second is the bestselling Greenlights by actor Matthew McConaughey.
As for this writer, I have three summer go-to: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and Letters to Billy by Sunshine Coast mum Leah Polwarth. Each one brings something unique – whether it’s the beautiful storytelling of Memoirs, the emotional depth of A Thousand Splendid Suns, or the heartbreaking and inspiring Letters to Billy. They’re all books that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. Happy reading!