Lian Tanner is a children’s author and playwright. She has worked as a teacher in Australia and Papua New Guinea, a tourist bus driver, a freelance journalist, a juggler, a community arts worker, an editor and a professional actor. It took her a while to realise that all of these jobs were really just preparation for being a writer. Nowadays she lives by the beach in southern Tasmania, with a small tabby cat and lots of friendly neighbourhood dogs. She has not yet mastered the art of Concealment by the Imitation of Nothingness, but she is quite good at Camouflage.

The second book in The Keepers trilogy, City of Lies, won the Aurealis Award in 2011 for Children’s Fiction. Lian Tanner’s books are published by Allen and Unwin.

1. You do a wonderful job of portraying a world that has been protected to the point of not being able to function in a crisis. Where did you get the inspiration for that? Were you holding a mirror up to our world?

A: When I was thinking about this story, there was a lot of discussion in the Australian media about ‘bubblewrap children’, which I found interesting, because like most of my generation I had a very free-ranging childhood. I know it’s a different world now, but I think there are other ways of responding to it than over-protection, and the effect of keeping children too safe really bothers me. But it wasn’t just the media debate that brought it home to me. At the same time, there was a boy living in my street (a very safe little cul de sac where children regularly play cricket and footy in the middle of the road) whose parents worried about possible disasters so much that they hardly let him out the front gate. And on the rare occasions when he managed to escape, I noticed that he wasn’t nearly as physically competent as the other kids of his age. Nor was his judgement good. In protecting him so carefully, his parents had actually made him more vulnerable.

So those things were important as inspiration, and there was certainly a bit of mirror-holding going on – I like to have both depth and ideas in my books, so that they work on several different levels. But at the same time I thought that pushing this notion of over-protection to its natural conclusion – the guardchains – could make a really interesting and exciting story that would appeal to kids.

2 The main characters of The Keepers are thieves, and Toadspit starts off as such a hostile character. Were you worried about how they would be received by your readers?

A: Yes, I didn’t want kids to come away from the book with the idea that it was fine to go off and steal whatever they liked, just because they coveted something. In the end I used Olga Ciavolga to make it clear that there were certain rules, and that stealing was only all right if you used it for a good and selfless purpose. That seems to have struck a chord with people – those particular lines are the most frequently quoted from the book.

As for Toadspit, he has turned out to be a favourite character for many readers, so I guess his initial hostility doesn’t turn them off. I didn’t really think it would, mainly because he is also intriguing, which keeps people interested in him for long enough to start to understand why he is so hostile.

3. Lian, you studied earth sciences and have said that you draw much inspiration from the time you spend at the beach. What is it about natural environments that you find so compelling and how do they stir you, creatively?

A: I think one of the things natural environments do is provide mental and emotional space. Cities are full of things that clamour for our attention, whereas the countryside or the beach is much more restful. When I’m in the city, I find that I instinctively keep a tight hold on my physical and emotional boundaries. It’s a protective thing, even in a small city like Hobart. But on the beach, I can let go of that tight hold, I can let my thoughts swim in ever-widening circles, make odd connections, daydream. That’s a very creative state of mind!

4. Which of your fictional characters Burns Brightest in your mind and why?

A: I love them all, even the villains, but probably my favourite character is Mouse, a small mute boy who first appears in the second book, City of Lies. He tells fortunes with the help of his white mice, and has a very sweet nature, despite his hard life on the streets. I had the character of Mouse in mind for about six years before I found the right place for him, and ‘burns brightest’ really does describe him. He’s one of those people who affect the lives of those around him far more than you would expect for someone his age.

Jessica Shirvington lives in Sydney with her husband of ten years, FOXTEL presenter and former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington, and their two daughters. She has previously founded and run a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and been involved in managing the restaurants Fuel Bistro, Tow Bar and MG Garage in Sydney.

She is currently a full-time mum, author and co-director in the company MPS Investments Pty Ltd.

1. Firstly thank you so much for stopping by to say hi to all of us here at Burn Bright. Embrace has recently been released into the international market (congrats!) and Entice is also on its way to foreign shores. For readers who haven’t yet met Violet how would you best describe her?

Hi! Thanks so much for having me as a guest. Violet is strong, but flawed. She is just about to celebrate her 17^th birthday at the beginning on Embrace and she is struggling to hold a tight control over her life. She has a difficult past and it is very important to her to be strong and not to have to rely on other people. The problem is, that makes everything ten times worse when she discovers one of the few people she has allowed herself to get close to has actually lied to her and let her down. Ultimately, Violet is a fighter, even if she has to reach that conclusion whilst kicking and screaming! J

2. Throughout the series you have constantly kept me on my toes with each shock revelation and cliff-hanger ending. Have you ever surprised yourself by what direction her journey has taken?

Yes, my characters and the direction they steer the story constantly surprises me. I think as a writer the best thing you can do, is create characters that take on a life of their own and then it is our job to give them direction whilst allowing for their personality to shift the way they get there. In Entice especially, a few of the scenes were quite a surprise for me.

3. You’re currently working on book 4 in the series and I’m certainly on tenterhooks waiting to see what happens next. Is there a release date set and will there be more in Violet’s story to come?

The release will be in September, as far as I am aware. The final date is still to be announced. As for if there is more, I would like to think so. For me, I have always hoped that there will be a total of 6 books in the series, but we’ll see. Definitely if it continues on after book 4, it will take a slightly new approach and, as an author, I’m very excited about the potential.

4. Which of your fictional characters burns brightest in your mind and why?

Of my own characters, I think it would be Phoenix. He is so tormented and such a tormentor of others. He is one of those characters that you just want to fix, but at the same time, never want to change…

Jorge Duran from Spotlight Report interviews X-Factor winner Reece Mastin and asks a question on behalf of the Burn Bright team. See what his answer is!

Marianne loved Sarah Snook in TV series Spirited, and so, thanks to Spotlight Report, we got to ask the Aussie actress some questions!

Jorge:  Speaking of this transition – you were working on Spirited, which was a big hit in Australia, to film.  So, how did you feel when you were going to take the big step from working in TV to films?

Sarah: Uh huh. I think when I was working on Spirited, I was very fortunate to be just a semi-regular character. So I was able to learn a lot from the people around me, without much pressure on myself as an actor. So, I didn’t have the responsibility of a lead. So, therefore, I could watch Matt King and Claudia Karvan and Rodger Corser, and the people who I’d been working with for a while, and see how they approach things and how they go about a character. So – making the leap to films…that challenge of holding together a feature film was still great and big, but I felt like I had a lot more experience, you know, had had some training, I suppose, in a way, to approach that.

Jorge: A friend from another site, who’s a science fiction writer (ahem that would be Marianne!) who also runs a young adult blog, also asked me to ask you what kind of advice you’d give to young, aspiring actresses.

Sarah: I’m not sure that I feel like I’m … One thing that I’m learning, I guess, is that everyone has a different journey and a different path. So, where people might compare you to someone – which has been happening a lot lately – and that’s fine. But, you know, I’m a different person and I’ll have my own journey, whatever that is. However that happens, it’ll happen in my way. And, I guess, for people who are starting out, that it’ll happen for you in your way.

Jorge: My friend from the Burn Bright blog also wants to know if you have a favourite book, or what the last book you read was.

Sarah: Right now I’m reading the Game of Thrones. ‘Cause I used to really like all that kind of fantasy stuff when I was a kid. And I haven’t read it for a while, so I’m getting back into it. But I think my favourite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. My favourite book is ‘100 Years of Solitude’. I just really loved that book.

**Many thanks to Bec Stafford for transcribing this interview.

On Ixion, the island of ever-night, revellers are treated to sumptuous dark clothing in velvets, lace, and leather. If you don’t live on Ixion you’ll have to do it yourself – starting with make-up.

Which Goth look is ‘you’?

Romanti-Goth

This look references Victorian-era mourning garb with elegant flowing skirts, lace and velvet; the atmosphere is poised and refined. The make-up is dark, sombre, sweeping, and occasionally features eyeliner decoration at the outer eye corners.

Industrial Goth

Modern, tough, and dystopian, it draws ideas from industrial music. The look incorporates PVC, metal plates, spikes, and sometimes militaristic influences. Make-up is dark and more likely to feature colours like green or electric blue.

Death Rocker

Think gore and zombies, then for maximum shock-value incorporate fake blood, black or coloured mohawks and dark highlights under cheekbones!

There are many more Goth looks and you can mix elements – I have added resources at the end for your perusal.

Once you have selected a style, the range of products can be dismaying! Read on for some suggestions.

Face

Protect your skin with sunscreen before attempting to disguise a tan or freckles; and for Goth’s sake make sure it won’t rub white onto your lovely blackclothes. My current products are Olay complete defence, Neutrogena ultra-sheer body mist and Nivea ultra-beach protect spray.

Now select a foundation up to 3 shades lighter than your natural colour, a concealer and a light powder. Mine are the palest shades of Innoxa line-defying foundation, Innoxa loose powder and concealer stick. Use a green concealer under natural concealer for spots. If you have a lot of red-tone there are green primers available (I have never used them so cannot recommend any).

Eyes

The essentials are mascara and eyeliner. My minimum is a thick black line following the top eyelashes and sweeping up and out at the corners, then the lower eyelashes and inner eyelid are lined. Never cover your tear-duct; this can cause eye infection. Eyeliner needs to survive the Australian summer. Revlon colour-stay retractable pencil rarely lets me down. My favourite liquid eyeliner is Ecriture de Chanel. It has a ‘wind-up’ ink dosing mechanism for precise control over line thickness. As for mascara – I cannot pick a favourite but Revlon is reliable.

There are so many expressions of Goth eyeshadow. Colours include black, grey, red, blue, purple and even silver or green. For colour staying power use a primer. I love M.A.C Paint Pot (which now comes in black!!!). My black eyeshadow is also M.A.C (black-tied) but I’m not 100% happy that it takes a lot of layers to get the darkness I want. I love my intense M.A.C blues and sombre greys. Fyrinnae make nearly any colour you can imagine, including shimmery dual tones (like red/black, blue/purple). This product can flake off but Fyrinnae sell a pixie epoxy (which I haven’t tried). My favourite purple eyeshadow at the moment is Yardley ‘plum seduction.’

A thin, elegantly arched black eyebrow says a lot in the Goth world. You can enhance your eyebrows with a pencil or you can moisten a slanted brush then wipe it across black eye-shadow and apply. You can also shave off your eyebrows and re-draw them in black, green, blue or whatever takes your fancy.

Lips

Black lipstick is classic but sadly black does not suit everyone (like me, and so I don’t have any recommendations for you). Other gothy options are blood red, deep blue, dark purple, or silver and neon colours if you’re cybergoth! I’m still searching for lipstick the colour of venous blood. My bold bright red is M.A.C ‘Russian red,’ my blue is Manic Panic ‘midnight blue’, and my purple is M.A.C ‘cyber.’ Lip liner in matching colours can be impossible. Black eyeliner works for black lipstick, but I use a slanted eye-shadow brush with my dark colours as the edge provides a sharp line.

My favourite resources:

–      The Lady of Manners – Gothic Charm School (the book is best!)

–      Voltaire’s books ‘What is Goth?’ and ‘Paint it Black’

–      Amy Asphodel

–      Fyrinnae

–      Dark music festival, Wave-Gotik-Treffen