Whenever I’m asked what I write, I have to pause for a moment.
How do I say that I write my own fairy tales without the instant assumption that I write for children? That instant dismissal that what I write isn’t something to be considered serious. How do I convey that fairy tales are so much more than what people perceive them to be?

Fairy tales have been around for a long, long time. They were passed down from mother to child generation after generation, well before many people could read or write.
And with each telling, something would change. Small things. A new element would be added, or removed, day may turn to night, the cat becomes a dog, the humble hearth witch a hideous thing of nightmares. But always, the message, the lesson, the moral… remains the same.

Folklore has been an integral part of human civilization since the very beginning. A blending of the oral and written traditions and a merging of various renditions of the same narrative. For instance, the Cinderella tale can be traced back to ancient China and Egypt, with variations emerging based on the cultural background of the storyteller.
Even though fairy tales are often associated with children, they were originally something for both adults and children to enjoy.
While they can be cautionary tales for children, with important life lessons to be learnt (this is a whole other topic that I may just write about all on its own) most are quite dark, gruesome, and violent and if you have read many of the original Brother’s Grimm tales, you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

Fairy tales have always played such an integral part in our lives and these old tales that have been so carefully collected and preserved so that we can still enjoy them today, contain so much wisdom.
They speak to us of the mystery of this world and beyond. Of nature, of birth, of life and death. They are ruthless, they are brutal, they contain something in them which we cannot let go of. We are drawn to these old tales. Something about them compels us to continue telling them, to continue reading them, to twist them and put our own spin on them, whatever that may be. To try to recreate, to try to learn and above all, I believe it is to try to understand.

And they can still teach us so much if we only let them.

This is what I write. Tales to make readers think. To make them feel. To make them face hard truths and realities with hidden depths and layer after layer of meaning and thought and symbolism. I write with the intention of recreating the way old storytelling was once told. I like to think that A Stranger’s Tale would have been one of those tales that could fit so seamlessly inside a volume of a Brother’s Grimm collection.
My story, Old Mother, another tale that could seamlessly slip from the lips of one person
to another, travelling through the winds of this world and told and retold by so many, something changing ever so with each new telling.

This is what I write. This is where my heart lies. With the tales of old, brought into the present to remind us of the importance of the oral and written words and the power that they contain.

Oh, how I love libraries! Those beautiful, sacred buildings full of learning. Growing up, I loved visiting the library. I loved my school library the most and clearly remember our old librarian who would read to us, who made sure her library was kept clean and her books respected and who taught her students that same respect.
There's always a sense of nostalgia whenever I visit a library. I get swept up in it. The rows of books, the hushed, almost revered silence and of course, that wonderful smell of books. Something akin to walking into a bookstore.

Books.

​I discovered Christopher Pike's books in a library. R.L Stine, Caroline Keene's Nancy Drew mysteries and of course, Roald Dahl. 
Dahl enchanted me. Dahl may have been the very first author who inspired me to become one too. Keene made me want to be a detective and Pike and Stine... well, their books are the reason I always tend to lean to the dark side of reading. Every now and then, I love to pick up a good horror and even some of my own writing has some of those darkish elements to it. Gosh I loved their books.

So you can imagine my reaction when I received some lovely photos last week of A Stranger's Tale in its new home at the East Gippsland Shire Council Library in Bairnsdale. 
I can't begin to describe to you the feeling. Knowing that my book is freely available to all, that it rests upon a shelf waiting for someone to inspire as so many had once inspired me is just incredible. 

What an absolute honour.    

A huge thank you to the lovely people over at the Romsey Co-op for such a heart-warming display of A Stranger's Tale.

If you're visiting the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, pop by Romsey and check out this beautiful store which stocks all kinds of unique, handmade items from locals. Including yours truly. Perfect for those special Christmas gifts you won't find in the major stores.

​Buy local and support small businesses if you can this year. 

​I'm thrilled to say that there are now signed copies of A Stranger's Tale available at Birch and Bear in Northcote.
A huge thank you to Kim and Donna for supporting an indie author. I just love your magical store!

Adam's debut book arrived in the mail over the weekend and my goodness it is everything and more! I was so engrossed in the details that I almost missed something very special.
I've never been mentioned in a book before, I mean, it's not something I really ever considered would happen. So you can imagine my surprise when my own name jumped out at me from the acknowledgment page. 
What's more, it was the most beautiful thank you, formed in the most beautiful way, that I've ever received and safe to say, it had me in tears. 

This book is a treasure. Something to read and re-read for years to come. The pure magic of nature shines through each page as the story takes the reader by the hand and guides them through this surreal world. 
I read this book out loud and though I had read it before in its earlier stages, it felt like I was stepping into the story for the very first time and was in awe of where it took me.

I'm so damn proud of this man and this magical piece of art he's created. To order yourself a copy or to check out his artwork, head on over to his Instagram or website.
www.nomadicalley.bigcartel.com/
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BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH NATAŠA XERRI

​Hello! Tell us about yourself!
Hello, hello! My name is Nataša Xerri and I live in the beautiful Macedon Ranges in Victoria. I work as an Emergency Services Clerk in a busy hospital in Melbourne and when I'm not there, you’ll find me reading, writing, or attempting to try my hand at one of my many hobbies. I’m a winter person, forest lover and self proclaimed storyteller who likes to see the magic in the everyday things. I enjoy writing tales that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, that both enchant and give a moment of pause and contemplation. A Stranger’s Tale is my first book, with several more on the way.

How did you decide to become a writer, and who or what are major influences on your work?
I don’t remember when it was that I decided. I don’t think it was a decision I ever consciously made. I just knew, from a very early age, that I wanted to write my own stories and could always be found scribbling away madly in a notebook. I was enchanted by so many amazing stories growing up and I knew from somewhere deep inside that I wanted to be a storyteller. I wanted to write tales that would enchant readers of all ages just as I was enchanted as a child. But it took me many years to feel confident enough to take the next step with my writing and publish.

The greatest influence on my work would be the traditional folktales and mythology from around the world. I find these ancient tales beyond fascinating and have spent many years researching and gaining much inspiration from them. There are also many writers who have influenced me and it’s hard to only name a few but JRR Tolkein, Neil Gaiman, Kate Foryth and Juliet Marillier would be my biggest inspirations. I’m also a visual person and have a great love for art. I like to map out my stories and use various images to aid me. Rackham, Dulac, Nielsen and Waterhouse are just some of the most inspiring artists whose work always manages to take me to far off worlds.

What was your favourite book as a child?
This is a really hard question! I was an avid reader as a child (and still am!) and would read just about any book I could get my hands on. Growing up I always had one of those Golden Books in my hand and would carry one with me everywhere I went. As I grew older, Roald Dahl and R.L Stine became my two favourite authors whose books I devoured. I read widely as a child, books were magic to me and still are. But there are just so many books I loved, each one taking me on new and exciting adventures. How could I possibly choose just the one?

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
As a new author every little milestone is rewarding to me. It’s always the little things that make me smile and make me want to do a happy dance. But I think the most rewarding part would be hearing from my readers. It’s a surreal feeling when people from all over the world begin posting photos of your book, leaving reviews and even getting in touch to tell you their thoughts. I’m beyond grateful for each and every one of them.

Since we're all library lovers here, how has the library played a role in your life?
It’s played a huge role in my life. Growing up, libraries were a place of solitude and escape for me. A place of silence where you could take your time to browse through their many shelves before choosing that one book to curl up with and take home. I clearly remember my primary school librarian who would read to us, who always had new books to share and who seemed to me, to know each and every book in her library. She was just wonderful and as a child, she seemed to me a keeper of all those many books. A guardian who ensured there was a revered silence about her place, who made sure we all knew how to take care of each book we took home with us, and who would even (sometimes) allow us to take several at a time. Each time I visit a library, a feeling of nostalgia wraps itself around me. It’s a warm feeling, a feeling of safety and utter awe of the magic these places of learning hold.

Plug time! What's your latest book and where can fans stalk - I mean follow - you online?
Agh! Fans, my fans. Again, just such a surreal feeling. Ok, so I’ve been working hard on a piece I was invited to submit for an anthology titled Creating Cinderella. It’s a project I’m really proud to be a part of and features not only myself, but several amazing writers who have conjured up tales that will leave you in an utter daze. It’s a YA anthology and is due for release in August. The proceeds will go toward the Australian bushfire relief so I feel quite honoured to be a part of it.
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​I always love to hear from my readers!
Instagram is mainly where you’ll find me @natasa.xerri. I'm a visual person so I love that I can express myself through images that are accompanied by text. You can also reach me on my website where you can have a read of my blog, stay up to date on where I am and what I’m doing or browse through the gallery of photos sent through from my readers. I can also be found on Facebook and Goodreads.

To see the interview for yourself or to find out more about ALIA head over to
their website 

​The August issue #133 of Aurealis magazine is out now and I’m super happy to announce that A Stranger's Tale received a bit of a glowing review by Eugen Bacon.
The Aurealis Magazine is one of Australia's most iconic Fantasy/SF magazines, so to get an honest review and a glowing one at that, is a big achievement for my little book.

As with all reviews, there's always that dread that it will be negative. But reading is very subjective and while I’m quite blown away that A Stranger's Tale has yet to receive any bad reviews, I’m also quite realistic in the fact that it will happen at some point. Although I dread the day, I like to think I’ve mentally prepared myself for it.

So when I read this wonderful review, the two sentences that I homed in on were the negative ones and I’m please to say, I took it very well. In fact, I felt almost relieved and have taken the feedback and used it to fix up some errors I didn't know existed. For that, I’m grateful.

All in all, these are the kinds of reviews to be proud of, the kind of reviews to learn from and I’m so happy to be able to share it with you all.

It's not every day you walk into a butcher shop and see them selling books. But the amazing fellas over at Burnbrook Fields in Romsey have a few signed copies of A Stranger's Tale out on display!
I live in such a beautiful and supportive community. Never imagined I'd see my book sitting on an old butcher's block or above the meat displays, but damn it looks good! 

​Oh, and yes, that is a Hannibal cookbook... 

​ATTENTION FOLKS! I have some big news! Signed copies of A Stranger's Tale are officially available for purchase at Red Door Books in Lancefield. 
This is a dream. Not only to publish my own book, but to see it on the shelves of a bookstore. 
A big thank you to John and Emma for their support during such an uncertain time. Because of COVID-19 I haven't been able to approach any bookstores and now that Victoria is back in lockdown while we ride out this second wave, my book has had to take a back seat once again. But that's ok, my little tale will get its chance to shine soon.

For those of you who are from the Macedon Ranges, head on over to this beautiful bookstore located in the heart of Lancefield. Have a browse, buy a book or two (mine preferably!) and support a wonderful, indie business.