Bendigo Writers Festival

You can tell when a writer enjoys researching the past. The history embeds itself not only in fictional events but in the minds and manners of the characters they create. We use words such as “vivid” and “gripping” to describe the result – stories that transport us back in time while speaking to us about who we are right now. Kelly Gardiner is joined by Kate Forsyth and Ilka Tampke to discuss what happens once they find themselves falling headlong into a past time and place, how they go about gathering what they need to ensure authenticity, and then how they develop their people and their stories within the framework of that history.