The SFBC's Edith Cohn recently interviewed Sara Douglass in conjuction with the publication of Crusader, and the whole thing is up on the SFBC website.

But, since you're such a great audience, I'll give you a special treat: the first question.

Q: You grew up in Australia on a sheep farm; then you moved to the city when you were seven. Do your varied experiences of country life versus city life find their way into your writing?

A: In terms of attitude to life, yes. (I should also say I kept in close contact with country life as my sister and her husband remained on the farm.) I was and remain very close to the natural world, attuned to the seasons, etc. Death and pain don't worry me like they do others (country life exposes you to them far more). You also learned to tell it like it is country people don't dissemble like city people can. All of that is reflected in my writing.