WordRoom podcast – Whenever You’re Ready – Trish Bolton – Australian writers on writing

Lizzie, Alice and Margot. Three women torn between the past and the future.

Whenever You’re Ready, by Trish Bolton

Podcast Notes: :

Cover of Trish Bolton's novel Whenever Youre Ready — Whenever You’re Ready by Trish Bolton

Trish Bolton’s remarkable debut, Whenever You’re Ready had a well attended launch at Readings Carlton in Melbourne in February, and I was not the only interstate traveller to join in. The response from the audience demonstrated not just an appreciation for Trish’s approach to writing but to her gentle personality, her warmth and inclusiveness – which shows up not just in her writing, but in the verge gardens she has made in her neighbourhood and in the solid community of writers that has built around her. Her debut is described as a love letter to the lives of older women, and uses a touch of humour to show how we deal with loss.

In this novel Trish Bolton brings a fresh perspective to rusted-on stereotypes of who and what women are presumed to be as they transit through life, with a particular focus on how ordinary women become more of themselves over time. Her older characters are colourful and strong, just as they always were, only more so. On the page, they appear in a way that novelist Lucy Treloar says achieves a sense of social commentary that is shot through with wicked humour.

Pre-covid, Trish secured a mentorship with the Australian Society of Authors, where Trish was paired with Australian editing powerhouse, Nadine Davidoff. In this interview, Trish says this was an incredible, life changing experience. After they met in a café before Melbourne’s notorious lockdowns, Trish came away with the sense that Nadine knew the characters even better than Trish knew them. She left the meeting feeling confident to go away and redraft her work.

Despite fears of imposter syndrome, the support from Nadine helped Trish to go on to complete a novel that is now described by novelist Suzanne Leal as engaging, moving and full of heart.

In this interview, Trish discusses structural edits, surviving the inevitable rejections from agents and publishers, and the importance of Varuna residencies.

She is also part of the #DebutCrew24 – a group of inspiring new Australian writers who will share the rollercoaster of first time publishing this year, supported by Lisa Kenway, whose own debut will be released by Transit Lounge Publishing in August.

The Australian Society of Authors mentorships run in January each year.