Publisher Blaise van Hecke talks about some favorite books of fiction and some interesting autobiographies…

READERSVOICE.COM: Can you mention some of your favorite fiction books of all time?

BLAISE van HECKE: That’s a little like asking me who is my favorite child, but books that come to mind are Perfume by Patrick Suskind. This novel is set in Medieval Europe and is essentially about a serial killer. I love this book because it’s very evocative and dark and scent is a very big part of the imagery. I think I’ve read it at least five times.

Another book I love is Cloud Street by Tim Winton. I’ve also read this a few times. This book is also very evocative and very Australian; a family saga that spans 20 years and is very much about the Australian battler. I like writing that evokes emotion and makes me think. You know — those books you close at the end of reading and carry in your head for a day or two later, mulling over the characters and story.

RV: What are some favorite nonfiction books?

BvH: I love memoir. At the moment I’m listening to the audio book of Magda Szubanski’s memoir, Reckoning. I don’t usually listen to audio books, because I find it hard to stay focused, but audio is easy to get with book stores closed.

Open by Andre Agassi is another great book that is raw and honest. Some other recent books have been Big Magic [How to live a creative life, and let go of your fear] by Elizabeth Gilbert; and Zen in the Art of Writing [Essays on Creativity] by Ray Bradbury (an old book). Also The Trauma Cleaner is very eye opening, by Sarah Krasnostein; and Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch.

RV: What are some future courses Busybird will be offering?

BvH: We also run How to Write a Self-help book; Book writing boot camp; and writers retreats in Kinglake (Victoria) and Bali when we’re allowed to travel!

-see busybird.com.au

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