Behind Pearl Beach: Inspiration, Family History and Writing in Verse

Step into the sun-soaked world of Pearl Beach, a moving verse novel about friendship, growing up and the stories that connect generations. In this Q&A, the author shares the real-life Australian beach town that inspired the setting, the deeply personal family history behind Aunt Edith’s story, why verse was the perfect way to tell Billie’s journey, and what they hope young readers will take away from the book.

You can buy the book, complete with an exclusive Pearl Beach bookmark and activity pack, here.

What first inspired you to write Pearl Beach, and how did the idea begin?
Truthfully, I opened my laptop one day and the story just sort of poured out of me! I started writing with the scene of Billie wetting the bed and being absolutely MORTIFIED. For the first while I was discovering the story as it came out onto the page! After a while, I began thinking about the character of Edith and felt inspired to share her story in a meaningful way.

Pearl Beach itself feels vivid and memorable throughout the book. Was it inspired by a real place?
YES. Pearl Beach is a real place about an hour away from Sydney, where I grew up! The
Pearl Beach in the book is similar to the real Pearl Beach, not exactly the same, but it is just
as wonderful. Growing up, I went to lots of little beach towns like Pearl Beach and wanted to capture their essence.

Aunt Edith’s diary plays such an important role in the story. What drew you to including a historical storyline alongside Billie’s experiences?
The character of Edith is based on my Grandmother, Debora.
Nanny, as we called her, was a Holocaust survivor and spend her childhood in a
concentration camp. Before she died a few years ago, we sat together and she shared her
testimony with me. I grew up surrounded by Holocaust survivor but now, most have passed away and there are only a few left. As time passes, the importance of sharing their stories only grows.

Why did you choose to tell Billie’s and Aunt Edith’s story through verse rather than prose?
I am a poet first, and writing in verse comes naturally to me!

I think verse is so beautiful to read and more accessible to readers who might be
overwhelmed by a page filled with hundreds of words. It’s a growing genre and I’m really
excited to see all the wonderful books in verse coming out.

Which character did you find the most challenging or rewarding to write, and why?
I found Edith’s diary entries the most challenging to write, given that they were written in
verse and diary entries most often are not!It was also the most rewarding, taking the real life experiences of Nanny during the war and turning them into Edith’s story, something accessible for young readers. br>
What do you hope young readers take away from Pearl Beach after finishing it?
That the joys and pain of growing up are timeless and universal, so you should never feel
alone. That listening deeply is at the foundation of every friendship. And that older people
are wise, wonderful and brilliant and we all have much to learn from them.

If you could describe your novel Pearl Beach in just three words, what would they be?
Friendship, summer, growing-up.