Q&A with author Catriona McKeown!

1. Catriona, congratulations on your latest YA release "Good Luck And Other Lies". How did you get the idea for the story? What was the process of writing it and then finding a publisher like? 
 
The story of Good Luck and Other Lies came from a conversation I had with my daughter, who was unwell at the time. We were discussing what it would be like to win a lot of money. We had recently moved to the Sunshine Coast and were renting a house at the height of the rental crisis in Queensland. My eldest and her partner could no longer afford their rent, so they had temporarily moved in with us. But then the owner needed our house back for a relative, and we couldn't find an affordable house big enough for us to all move into. It was a difficult time for our family. I guess finding the money to buy a house was prominent in all our minds. As we discussed what it would be like to win a lot of money, I suggested I should write a book about a group of teens who win the lotto, and my daughter thought it was a great idea. So, using our situation in the midst of the rental crisis, I started writing Good Luck... 
 
It can take a long time to write a YA novel, and it can be complicated keeping the story in your head! In Good Luck..., there were a lot of characters to keep track of, research to do about AI, and a lot of research to do about what teenagers can and can't own without an adult's input. It was also complicated to find out legally what would happen if teenagers did win the lotto, since there were no case studies I could find in Australia where it had happened. 
 
I submitted the novel to my publisher, they appraised it, and agreed to publish it. It can be a bit easier to get something published once you're already established as an author, as the publisher you're with is already familiar with your writing style, and knows it generally matches the type of stories they publish. 
 
 
2. Your YA novella "Ways to Die Right" is a part of the Rhiza Shorts series. Can you share with our readers a little about what prompted the idea for "Ways to Die Right"? What was the process of writing and rewriting it like as well as a part of the Rhiza Shorts author 'stable'? 
 
Ways To Die Right is about a teen who is putting together a science project about the environmental damage traditional burials can cause. I got the idea not long after my mum died, and I was contemplative about death and burials. Somehow, I came across a Ted Talk about Green Burials; I found the concept fascinating. I guess I was also thoughtful of the volunteers in our society who keep our cemeteries clean, as we were visiting the local cemetery a bit. I wrote the first couple of chapters and submitted them to the other authors in our Rhiza Shorts team, and they thought it was a great idea. Joel, my main character, has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so that made the story idea pretty interesting as well. 
 
 
3. What do you know now about the publishing and writing industry that you wish you knew when you first began? 

I guess I have become increasingly aware of what a wonderful community it is. I had to learn pretty early on that you can't write in isolation. You have to put yourself out there, joining groups, attending workshops and seminars, and you need to talk writing with other writers. The same continues once you're published; it doesn't stop, the circles can just change a bit. But you still need other writers and authors in your boat, so to speak. 
 
 
4. Do you have a typical writing routine? And what is your writing space like? 

I actually don't have a typical writing routine! I listen to a lot of podcasts and read other authors' books which inspire me, so I write when I'm feeling that inspiration. I often write the bulk of a story in the school holidays, so I can have a block of time to concentrate and pour into the story. 
 
My writing space is just my lounge room. I have a laptop, so I can move to other areas of the house if I need some space to concentrate on a difficult piece of writing when I need to. But mostly I love to write with my family around me. If I hide myself away in a room somewhere, I feel isolated and I don’t like to be interrupted. So I write where I expect to be interrupted, and am happy to be interrupted, and that works for me!
 
 
5. You have another Rhiza Short "The E-Revolution" coming up. What else is in the pipeline? Can you share anything else you are working on next?

I'm really excited about my E-Revolution novella. I studied History and Politics in my Bachelor of Arts, so this story gave me the opportunity to do a little underlying teaching about the Australian political system, and how teens can be advocates for change.  I use the issue of e-scooters to give teens a voice and hopefully some tools to stand up against decisions they don't agree with at the government level. 


My current work-in-progress also gives me scope to draw on my university studies, as it is a time-travelling adventure! It is historical fiction, set during the Vietnam War. It is an intrusion fantasy, which basically means it doesn't use your typical science fiction mechanisms for time travel. Its working title is Private. My main character, Lenny, is sixteen years old. He would rather game or hang with his deadbeat mates than deal with real life—especially now that his estranged grandfather has moved in, disrupting his space and privacy. While his mates encourage him to make money stealing from shops, Lenny thinks he might make a quick buck from his grandfather’s Vietnam memorabilia.

But when he puts on a set of identity discs he finds in a box marked Private, Lenny suddenly finds himself transported to Vung Tau, Vietnam, 1970. Far from home and far from his gaming console, Lenny is forced to face the real human cost of war. His experiences challenge him to take responsibility and think beyond himself. Nicknamed ‘Private’ by his RAAF squadron, he begins to learn the true meaning of mateship. But it's only when he shows courage and self-sacrifice that he is returned to 2026. Back home, Lenny begins to see his grandfather differently—and realises the one of the most important bonds he made in Vietnam was with someone he already knew: his grandfather.
 
 
6. You are passionate about writing authentic neurodiversity and inclusivity into your stories. Why is this important for teen readers? Are there misconceptions about neurodiversity you wish to counteract by way of writing about it in your books? 
 
I think teens love to read about themselves and their friends in books. They like to see the world in a different light, from a different perspective, and then align it to their own - even if they're not aware that's what they are doing! By including teens with different forms of neurodiversity in my novels, I'm giving them that option. Medical specialists today are increasingly aware of the ways neurodiversity impacts people, and hence, more people are finding they are neurodiverse. So having neurodiverse teens represented in my novels is just normal, everyday life that teens can relate to. The neurodiversity of the teens in my novels is not the focus; it's just a part of who the characters are. It's not something to be solved or overcome, but understood. Which is the way it needs to be in general, everyday life, too. 

If anyone wants to discover more about how I write about inclusivity and neurodiversity into my stories, they can look at my website, which has a page dedicated to it: catrionamckeown.com
 
 
7. Anything else at all you would like to add?

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be interviewed, Brenton, and I wish you all the best with your own writing and publishing journey. Thanks for having me!