Five Quick Questions with Léonie Kelsall
Léonie Kelsall, bestselling author of The Willow Tree Wharf, sat down with us and answered our burning questions!
Léonie's latest novel, The Willow Tree Wharf, is the intriguing tale of a cafe owner looking for a fresh start after the end to her abusive marriage; and a city restaurateur looking for inspiration. Together they concoct a plan for a destination restaurant. But, with their personalities like oil and water, will old hurts and hidden truths destroy the new business before it's afloat?
What was your inspiration for this book?
I took my Dad for a cruise on a restored paddle wheeler for his 80th birthday, along the Murray River, where I grew up. The Kid and I sat out on the deck - despite the blustery weather - and brainstormed a very basic idea for a story that would showcase the majesty of the Murray.
The Willow Tree Wharf features a character from an earlier novel. Are there any other character cameos in this book?
There are always cameos of familiar Settlers Bridge characters in my books. The Willow Tree Wharf has pop-ins by Roni Krueger (The Farm at Peppertree Crossing), Lucie and Jack (The River Gum Cottage) the redoubtable Christine Albright (The Farm at Peppertree Crossing) and Gabrielle and Sharna (The Wattle Seed Inn), along with a host of others. There are also often cameos by characters who are in the next book - in this one you’ll meet the lovely, lonely Lachlan MacKenzie and get a little taste of what’s going on in his life.
You describe your books as romance with a hint of darkness. What is the shadow that is cast over this story?This story explores the issue of domestic violence and coercion, but also touches on how people can be unintentionally forgotten by their community, their problems overlooked or needs minimised.
What project are you currently working on?
I'm currently working on multiple projects. I have a two-book-a-year contract with Allen & Unwin, so at the moment (let's see if I can get this straight!) I've done last checks on The Blue Gum Camp, January 2024’s book, which is now off to print, and I’ve reviewed the proofread for The Homestead in the Eucalypts, which just happens to be the book of my heart - a historical dual-timeline set in the 1880s and 2010. I'm also working with my American publisher on structural edits for a book under my pen name . . . and, of course, somewhere in there I’ve managed to submit book number seven to Allen & Unwin, which will publish in January 2025. I'm loving number seven, which is Heath and Amelia's story!
What is the weirdest thing a reviewer has ever said about one of your books?
I think the sole one-star review I received for The Farm at Peppertree Crossing, which states: ‘In the beginning it was like the author just tried to use as many big words as she could.’ I promise, I know SO many more big words!