Welcome to State Library Victoria's Tablo community – we're here to support emerging Victorian writers and provide a space for readers and authors to connect.

Black Rock White City by Alec Patric: 3 Feb, 2017

Black Rock White City is a novel about the damages of war, the limits of choice, and the hope of love. It’s the story of Australia’s suburbs and the attempts of two Serbian refugees— Jovan and Suzana—as they try to reclaim the hopes of a life left behind.

It was awarded the 2016 Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Alec Patric will join us for a Q&A on Friday, 3 February between 10 and 11am. Please leave any questions you have below. (And discuss the book at your leisure!)

Want to buy Black Rock White City? Receive 10% off when purchasing it from Readings at State Library Victoria. To receive the discount online, enter the promo code BOOKCLUB in the promo code box during online checkout. To receive the discount at our State Library bookshop, simply mention the Thursday night book club at the counter.

  • Created
← Currently viewing a single comment. Back to the whole discussion.

Hey Alec! Congrats on winning the Miles Franklin!! I can't wait to read your book, I'm going to be v broke by the end of the 10 week book club.

What was the first thing you did when you found out you won the Miles Franklin? Also, as an aspiring writer myself (who never seems to find the time to write) how long did it take you to write this book? Ie from the initial idea, to actually getting the words on the page, to pitching to publishers, to final print? And how did you stay motivated to write? Were you also working full-time? Did you receive an advance to write the book? I'm interested in all the nitty gritty details.

Hi Laura,

Thanks. Hopefully you can borrow a few of the books from a library. First thing? Danced around the kitchen with my wife and daughters. The Miles Franklin has meant a lot to us as a family. It took about six years to write BRWC. About four months for the first draft of the story and the rest of the time developing, editing and polishing. I also wrote two short story collections and a novella during that same time period. Almost finished a new novel, which has taken three years because I haven't been working on anything else, but a novel needs a lot of time just for reflection, gestation, forgetting and remembering, losing focus to regain focus. After the book I found it frustrating that no publisher was willing to even read the manuscript and in the end that only happened with Transit Lounge because they'd already published a previous book of mine - but that was perhaps less than a year after really being done writing. Which isn't long to wait in the publishing industry. Motivated is a tricky word. Most of the novel isn't driven by a motivation as much as a sense of necessity. You keep going with a novel for the years it takes to write it because you feel it's necessary on the level of being. That might sound a little grandiose, but honestly, it's not worth all the doubts and fears and the crazy odds of success if writing doesn't justify itself on that level. No, didn't receive any grants or advance, never have for anything I've written. Have always worked to support myself (had a lot of help from my wife) but worked as little as possible to be able to have enough time to write, so there's all the usual sacrifices that entails, like not knowing if you can afford to save a tooth because of the cost of a root canal. You get the idea. Best of luck with your own writing.

Reply arrow green
  • Anonymous