Clan Destine Press is bringing out a new anthology And Then, and you can read interviews with the authors here over the next few weeks. The indiegogo campaign might have ended, but you should still check out the authors and their stories.
Tor Roxburgh
Today’s And Then author is Tor Roxburgh.
What inspired “The Boudicca Society”?
My older sister and my aunt inspired “The Boudicca Society”. I was looking for a real world scenario that was full or adventure and fun, searching for a time and a place to set my story. My aunt told me about the wild times she had when she was a teenager in Albury in the 1960s and my older sister told me about going jazz and folk clubbing in Melbourne in the early 60s.
At the time, my older sister worked at Norma Tullo, which was a very, very groovy fashion house. She and my aunt both had teased hair and wore shell pink lipstick, pale foundation and false eyelashes. I made one of my characters, Mags, look like that and gave her a passion for fashion.
But the 60s also had a 1950s shadow. I made my other character, Brownie, more outwardly prim, secretarial and serious.
Then I sent them on a real world adventure.
What appealed to you about this project?
The Clan Destine Press brief asked for an adventure story with two equal protagonists. I really liked that challenge. Not just the conceptual challenge of creating fictional equality but also the technical writing challenge in terms of point of view. I wrote my story in an all-seeing but not all-knowing point of view.
What advantages does a long-short form offer?
I’m in love the with long-short form. I’ve always been a long form writer and have only just awakened to the beauty and wonder of shorter forms. I’m working my way down from 150,000 words so the long-short from is a great starting place.
The future of short fiction is
I can only speak about myself. I’m a writer who used to make a living from writing before the digital revolution disrupted the world. I’m finding a new, post income way to write. It involves short fiction because I’m earning my money elsewhere and can no longer give years of solid thought to a single story.
You can lament that or follow it down a rabbit hole. I’m going to follow it down a rabbit hole.
What’s next for you? 
I’m writing a short story about a violent death in my partner’s family history. Even though it’s short fiction, it’s taking me a long time. I’m thinking my way into another culture’s past and doing some historical research. I’m enjoying the process.
Tor Roxburgh is a writer and an arts and craftswoman.
Her non-fiction titles include Taking Control, one of the first successful Australian books about family violence, and The Book of Weeks, a tale of the complex story of the weeks of pregnancy. She was a senior writer and researcher on the National Inquiry into Youth Homelessness. She is also the author of 12 teen romances.
Tor’s latest book, The Light Heart of Stone, is an epic fantasy novel that explores many contemporary themes. The Australian Broadcasting Commission’s, Prue Bentley, calls it “very Australian”.
Tor’s arts and crafts practice includes upholstering, painting and sculpture. Her public sculpture is created in collaboration with Velislav Georgiev.