In the quaint Australian country town of Warbol, a faded B-grade actress, Faith Farmer, dares to dream again. With a heart full of passion and a pocketful of savings, she revives the local cinema, The Rex, and invites the community to fall in love with the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Interview with SARAH HAWTHORN
What is your favorite part of the book?
Omigosh, that’s a hard question. Love. Camera. Action was such a passion project for me, and I loved writing every piece of it. The characters were so much fun to write! But I think my favorite part was using the story arcs of famous classic old movies to inform the chapter narratives. Lazing on the sofa watching countless movies all in the name of research was absorbing and then finding a film that really worked for my storyline was thrilling, too.
Does your book have a lesson? Moral?
I think the takeaway is that no matter what your age, or the hurdles you’re encountering, there’s always opportunity for a second chance at happiness – you’ve just got to be prepared to step outside your comfort zone and go looking.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
I make up all my characters. It’s easier. You can’t offend anyone, and there’s so much scope to say and do things one would never dare in real life. Although having said that, I’m certain each one has little bits of many people who’ve passed through my life.
Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?
I adore Petronella. She’s sassy, tactless and tells it like it is, yet has a good heart hidden under her brash exterior. She was tremendous to write, and so much fun giving her some of the best lines in the book.
What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?
I don’t think I would find much in common with Nancy – the wife of Jock the vet. She’s such a sour puss and complainer, I’d get fed up with her whining and doubtless be unable to stop myself lecturing her. And of course Nancy would find some bitchy ways to get back at me and make my life miserable.
What would the main character in your book have to say about you?
I suspect Faith would be delighted that I’m an author, and no doubt she’d graciously offer herself – as a great favor to me – as the subject for a biography.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
My books are all stand alone titles. But I’d never rule out writing a sequel, or featuring character/s in another novel.
