Q&A: Sue Whiting, Author of ‘Promises and Other Lies’

We chat with author Sue Whiting about Promises and Other Lies, which is a gripping middle-grade mystery, in which a small coastal town is torn apart by more than just a bushfire

Hi, Sue! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I am an Australian children’s and young adult author and former primary school teacher, who has worked in publishing for the past twenty-five years. I live in a small coastal village south of Sydney, surrounded by bushland on three sides and sand and surf on the fourth. Not surprisingly I enjoy bush and beach walks, swimming and kayaking. Reading of course is a passion of mine also and I am a strong advocate for encouraging kids to read for pleasure. Summer is my favourite season. Chocolate and pumpkin my favourite foods (not necessarily together).

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I have always loved stories, but I haven’t always been a writer. When I was young, I believed I was a terrible writer and had no imagination. I realise now that this wasn’t true, but it was the story I told myself. You can’t write. You’re not a writer. You aren’t creative. It wasn’t until I was in my late thirties, when deep down I really wanted to be a writer and had done so for many years, but felt I couldn’t, that I had a different thought: why not try? So I changed the story I told myself. You won’t know unless you try. You could learn how to write, do courses. Why not give it a go? I did give it a go and within two years I had my first book published. I have now published 70+ books for various markets, including 13 picture books and 14 children’s and YA novels. I think this anecdote is a great example of the power of story – especially the ones we tell ourselves.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Five Go Down to the Sea by Enid Blyton. This was the first book where I experienced the pleasure and joy of reading, and it is responsible for turning me into a lifelong reader.
• The one that made you want to become an author: As a young teacher in the 1980s, I fell in love with children’s books, starting with Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The power of that story (and others) to enthrall my young students sparked a burning desire to write my own books for kids – though it took me almost twenty years before I was brave enough to give it a go!
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Even though I read this many, many decades ago, I can still feel its power and message deep within me. It was probably the first book that made me think about social injustice.

Your latest novel, Promises and Other Lies, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A gripping, page-turning crime mystery.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect an honest exploration of the impacts of the aftermath of a devastating bushfire on friendships, families and communities. Readers should strap themselves in for some twists and turns and surprises, some emotional moments and some heart-thumping ones too.

Where did the inspiration for Promises and Other Lies come from?

This story was inspired by the Australian Black Summer Bushfires in 2019/2020 that destroyed 17 million hectares of bushland, caused 33 deaths, the razing of 3,000+ homes, and resulted in the tragic loss of an estimated 3 billion animals. The small village I live in was not directly affected, but we suffered through weeks of choking smoke and ash-filled skies, worrying how our friends and family were faring, and fearing that our own village would be next. In the February of 2020, I had to drive through many fire-affected areas and was struck by the utter devastation the fires caused. One question haunted me for the entire journey: How do these communities come back from this? That single question is what inspired Promises and Other Lies.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really enjoyed incorporating Bertie the camel into the story. The plot is often quite tense and deals with some traumatic events, and so I was on the lookout for something to provide some lighter moments to give readers a break from the trauma and grief and heartbreak. When the kids at a tiny country school I was doing a school talk at told me about the day a very angry, hissing, spitting, kicking camel had them locked down in their classroom for hours, I knew almost immediately that Promises and Other Lies needed that camel! My intention was for a few camel cameo appearances, but unexpectedly Bertie became an important part of the story and his relationship with Immie integral to her healing from the tragic loss of ther father.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Many! Dealing with the aftermath of a disaster like the devastating bushfire that destroyed Wangaroo Bay is traumatic, complex and plain sad. As the novel is for readers aged 10-14, I needed to find a way to be honest about the tragic events, but also provide some hope, without patronising my readers or downplaying the trauma and tragedy. One of the ways I overcame this was to ensure that both Fletch and Immie experienced personal growth during the course of the story, that for most of the story they each had support, someone to lean on (often each other), and that the ending highlighted the resilience of the human spirit, the community starting to heal and hope for a brighter future for Wangaroo Bay.

What’s next for you?

My next novel for middle grade readers is Hill End Gold – a historical novel set in Hill End, NSW, during the height of the town’s gold rush, when the world’s largest specimen of gold, the ‘Beyers and Holtermann Specimen’ was pulled out of the earth. It explores the question, ‘At what cost a golden future?’, and is due for release in mid 2026.

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

I have just finished reading A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles which was intriguing and charming and surprising. Earlier in the year, I really enjoyed Here One Moment, by Liane Moriarty. The premise of this book had me hooked and kept me guessing to the end. My current read is The Unquiet Grave, by Dervla McTiernan. It is a crime novel featuring Detective Cormac Reilly. I enjoyed the previous two in this series and this one is bubbling away nicely, thus far. My next read is YA fantasy novel, Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue.

Will you be picking up Promises and Other Lies? Tell us in the comments below!