About Sue Oliver
I have always been an avid reader of all genres, but I especially love a good crime story. I was born in the UK but came to Australia over forty years ago. I currently live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where I have been for the last twenty-five years.
I love crime fiction, history, true crime, cooking, podcasts about crimes, puzzles, movies about crime, gardening and all things crime (except, of course, the criminals – but I do find their motivations and psychology fascinating).
I’m the mum of two adult children and (even though I’m really a dog person) a beautiful ragdoll cat named Ollie.
Why I write and where I write
I have always dreamed of being a writer. In the last few years I have studied the craft through many different courses and discovered my passion for writing. I just love it.
I write everywhere – at home at an untidy desk with yellow sticky notes everywhere; on walks (dictating as I go or stopping in the middle of the path to tap ideas into my phone); in coffee shops or sitting in the park typing into an Ipad.
Inspiration comes from snippets of overheard conversations in checkout lines or on the ferry, from people-watching as I walk on the beach or around Narrabeen Lagoon, from true crime documentaries sometimes and from memories of my life and people I know and have known.
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Two of my favourite sayings:
It’s Never Too Late and You’re Never Too Old.
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Time Passes… It will pass whether you follow your dreams or not.
Courses I’ve done
The Year Your Book Gets Written (Northern Beaches & Mosman College – Zena Shapter)
Advanced Fiction Writing (Ed2Go)
Anatomy of a Crime (AWC)
Novel Writing Essentials (AWC)
Structure Essentials (AWC
Write your Novel (AWC)
Cut Shape and Polish (AWC)
Crime Writing Masterclass (Australian Society of Authors with Jack Roney)
Writing Divergent Characters (ASA)
AWC Focus On… series – Pace, Developing Characters, The Second Act, Climax and Resolution
Some of My Favourite Authors...
Karin Slaughter
Val McDermid
Michael Rowbotham
Kate Atkinson
Chris Hammer
Fiona McIntosh
Harlen Coben
Jane Harper
Tess Gerritson
Gary Disher
Lisa Gardner
Lisa Jackson
Melinda Leigh
Ann Rule
Truman Capote
Elizabeth Strout
Fredrik Backman
Sandie Docker
Tessa Bailey
Sally Thorne
Julie James
Julia Quinn
and too many more to list, tbh!​