Georgina Gregory

'Wajemup: Place across the water where the spirits go' started as more of a non-fiction project, detailing the brutal history of an island which is now a popular tourist destination. I had a conversation with one of my Mum's friends on holiday at the beginning of the year about her visit to Perth, and she told me a bit about the history of Rottnest Island. I couldn't believe that I had lived in Perth for nearly a decade without realising that this white man's playground used to be an Aboriginal prison. I had visited several times before, but there were no signs, no brochures, no acknowledgement. It's literally like the history has been wiped away so that people can get on and enjoy themselves. The more I thought about it and researched, the more I thought that a powerful critique could take a fictional form, and that's what I hope I have achieved.

I am an ESL teacher, so I spend a fair bit of time at work: preparing lessons and teaching English to multi-nationality adults. I also run my own business - freelance editing - and I'm on the committee of Editors WA. On top of all that, I've been studying for the past three years, so I haven't had much free time. When I do get some time off, I love going to the beach, food and wine, spending time with friends, and (of course) curling up with a good book. When I lived in Europe, I had the chance to travel a lot, which I really miss.