Lesley Mooney Author Interview

The Three Lives of One follows an island girl named Patches after a tsunami sends her life spiraling into directions she never imagined. What was the inspiration for this heartfelt globe crossing story of one woman’s life?

This story was imagined completely, after seeing a scene on television about a tsunami. I put myself in a child’s place, wondering what would become of her, then I wrote the rest. This was the first story I ever wrote without doing a synopsis first. Once I began to write, ideas filled my head and I continued on to the end.

Patches, I felt, was a well -developed character that continued to develop layers as the story progressed. What were some obstacles you felt were important to her characters development?

As I went through her life with its many hardships, I portrayed some of many unusual events which occurred as a child, then added the scenes I imagined might be part of the life in some loving families; and when that changed and the worst happened, I included some drama and showed the effect on the girl as she grew older. Being kidnapped into prostitution is something I’ve heard of and which happens all over the world today. That is why I included that in the story. It shocked me and is a warning to young girls to beware of this danger.

Patches is faced with many hardships in her life, but I felt the book was about hope in the face of adversity. What were some themes you wanted to capture in this story?

From when she was rescued by the Missionaries, Patches retained an inner belief in God and the church , which was eventually returned by Nickolas Morakai, the orphaned missionary she met during the war. I guess I wanted her to really hope for and find a true love to share with, sustain and comfort her, after all she had endured in her life. I might mention that in the review it said that Japan was a country in the story, and that is not true. It was only in New Guinea that the Japanese entered the story, when they invaded Singapore and the islands there. The other places I did include were some of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean, where she was born and returned to later on. I like my stories to have some twists to make them more interesting. Please note that nothing in that story pertains in any way to my own life, as I had a quiet but interesting life, first in College and then in the outback in two states, as seen in my own biography at the end of every book.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

My next two books are completed, one published as I said, Fire in the Heart –a Scottish love drama; the other one flight from fear is not, and is a vastly different story to my other ones. My next full novel is well on the way but i have not yet found the right title for it. At the moment it is called Shades of Reality. Or can love endure reality (of life and death or whatever. Another smaller completed story is Cookin in a Teacup, a biographical true story of mine  which happened in the Queensland outback. I am still checking and editing this story.

I have others to write and complete.

Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads

An epic adventure story set on the coast and inland, detailing life in Western Australia in 1948 on a sheep and cattle station. This is real outback living where dramatic events can occur and unforgotten shadows effect the everyday lives of others. When the meatworks were in Wyndham, escaped prisoners strike terror… a family and a stockman with unhappy pasts… the mailman finds a strange body on the road… an accident in windy weather… a shearer with talent… a tragic death daunts natives… a minister’s plane crashes… cattle rustlers cause a stampede… three girls lost in the mountain range discover the past… and even love alters lives…