By JODIE SYMONDS
LOCAL crime writer Sandi Wallace’s dream of becoming an author has become thrillingly true.
The Mount Dandenong writer’s novel was recognised at the prestigious Scarlet Stiletto Awards for women in late November.
The Scarlet Stiletto Awards competition allows Australian female crime writers to enter short stories and win awards for their work.
Among 2500 entrants with competing short stories, Ms Wallace won the Best Investigative Prize out of 18 writers in her category.
More than a month after awards night, Ms Wallace was approached by publishing company Clan Destine Press wanting to publish her novel.
“I had been working on my novel for about five years because I really needed to work out my writing style,” she said.
Ms Wallace said she found her passion for crime writing as a six-year-old and had always wanted to become an author.
She entered numerous short story competitions and continued to write about crime, inspired by television and books she had read as a child.
“I always had an interest in crime. I started writing when I was a teenager then I just knew I wanted to publish a book,” she said.
Ms Wallace had previously submitted her novel before the Scarlet Stiletto Awards night but didn’t have any luck.
She said a publishing company was very interested in the concept of her novel but said she needed to work on her writing.
“It was so exciting when publisher Lindy Cameron and Clan Destine said ‘I want your book’,” she said.
“I really wanted to embrace Australian writing – not to be ashamed of it.”
“This experience allowed me to learn my own style of writing and be able to share the experience.
“I’m from Mount Dandenong so I’m really drawn to country Victoria with wider readership,” she said.
Her novel is based in Daylesford but has aspects which were influenced by her own life in the ranges.
Ms Wallace said the characters in her novel were derived by various traits and personalities of people she knows and reveals a darker side of police procedural in country Victoria.
“The main characters are all very different. Georgie Harvey is a writer from Richmond who is going through personal angst,” she said.
“Then there’s Susan who is a retired farmer who is still grieving over her husband who was murdered.
“They all experience different things, some are scared of change but would like to do something different and we then read what occurs.”
Ms Wallace is currently writing her third book that she said will feature as part of a series, with the first instalment to be released early next year.
