By Lucy Waldron
In the intimate setting of St Mark’s Hall, approximately 20 people gathered to delve into the creative journey of local author Georgia Harper.
Harper, a psychologist with a background working with both offenders and victims of crime, shared insights into her debut novel, What I Would Do To You, a provocative exploration set in a near-future Australia.
The narrative of Harper’s book navigates a chilling premise: the resurgence of the death penalty, contingent upon the victim’s family carrying out the execution themselves.
This premise served as the focal point for an engaging conversation during the event, prompting attendees to reflect on the moral quandaries posed within its pages.
As part of her Q&A style conversation with the attendees, Harper said a lot of her book was written in the cafes dotted around Warwick and the early hours in her home before the sun rose and she had to go to work.
Written amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the book reflects a lot of emotions that were running through Harper and includes many links to how she has lived in a rural town after coming from Brisbane.
The transition from working as a psychologist in prisons in Brisbane to writing a book in the small town of Warwick was not one Harper wanted to do but something she needed to do.
“This thing happened to me, that I never had happen before. It was a voice outside of myself telling me a very clear message,” Harper said.
“‘This voice is loud for a reason, listen to it, follow it, it will lead you places, be brave’ is what the voice said.
“I sent in my resignation to the prison that night and the next morning the voice said ‘You’ve always wanted to write a book before you die, get up and start now.’ So I did.”
No matter what was happening in her life, Harper would write, even if she didn’t want to, she would write. She had made a commitment to herself and she needed to keep going.
After a year of writing and a year of editing, the book was complete but then came the question of what to do with it.
Harper said she never wrote with a reader in mind but when she sent the book to publishing houses and it was well received the idea of it being on people’s bookshelves and in stores was incredible.
A long four-year process and that time is finally here, the book is available to be devoured by readers.
Harper has spent April travelling throughout Queensland promoting her first book, telling its story through her own and connecting with the readers, but she finds solace in returning to the setting that inspired her story.
“There was this thick smoke that hung over Warwick after the fires and the drought, it showed climate change in a way and farmers felt a lot of anxiety,” Harper said to a nodding crowd.
“I was writing during that period so there are a lot of environmental themes throughout the book.”
The audience listened to what Harper had to say about the book’s plot, its characters and how they all formed from her mind, and had many questions about the entire process.
Several were fascinated by her work as a psychologist and how that has found itself in the book through the psychologist characters, while others wanted to know if Harper made up her mind about capital punishment while writing the book.
In response, Harper said she intentionally wrote the book open-ended, with arguments both for and against the death penalty so the reader can go on the journey with the characters about whether what they intend to do is the right decision.
As well as the previously mentioned environmental themes, the book delves into the societal themes of gender roles, domestic and family violence, mental health issues and grief.
“The book is very much about what happens when the powerless become powerful,” Harper said.
Harper will continue to take her book, which subtly showcases life on the Southern Downs, all throughout Queensland and even to New South Wales gathering readers along the way.
What I Would Do To You by Georgia Harper is available to borrow at Warwick Library and to buy at Big W, Dymocks, QBD, Amazon and Booktopia, as well as an audiobook.
Delve into the cattle farming family faced with an almost impossible decision and ask yourself what would you do?
