Interview with Pamela Cook, Author of 'All We Dream'

My special guest today is Pamela Cook, author of All We Dream

Visit Pamela’s website for details on her writing ventures and teaching options.

Plus info on her books and how to purchase them.

Listen to her Writes4Women podcast

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Interview with Pamela Cook Author of All We Dream 

(Link to my review of All We Dream)

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Please share the publishing history of All We Dream and an overview (what is it about)?

All We dream is the second edition of Essie’s Way, my second published book with Hachette (2013). It was written to a very tight deadline and while I loved the story and characters it was always a story I would have loved to have taken more time with. After my first novel Blackwattle Lake was published in December 2012, my publisher wanted to know what else I had and the answer was ‘nothing’. I did have a couple of story fragments, one featuring a younger character and one an older one, which I decided to combine. I also had a vague idea I wanted to include something about a shipwreck. Researching, I discovered a newspaper article about a woman called Grace Bussell who rescued a man from a shipwreck off the West Australian coast during the 1800’s. That was the thread that unified all the pieces and the story came together.

The book’s title, All We Dream, is inspired by a line in a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” Can you explain how this quote is connected to your story?

The original story had a strong dream thread running through it which I wanted to strengthen in the rewrite. I was looking for a quote about dreams, or a line from a poem, and came across this line from Poe. I then remembered I had a copy of his collected works on my shelf and found the poem. It was perfect to use as it was no longer under copyright. There are two point of view characters, Miranda (turning 30 and soon to be married) and Esther (an 88 year old recluse who lives alone in a shack overlooking the beach). Both characters experience strange dreams throughout the story, and a dream Esther has as a young woman leads to a life changing event.

Of the three women in All We Dream, Miranda, Esther and Kathleen, which character do you feel closest to or identify with? 

Great question! While I loved writing all three, Esther was the character who came to me most easily, both the present time story and the sections written in her younger voice (when she was known as Essie). These are written in diary form, and I absolutely loved writing the scenes of Essie loving her life on the farm but feeling the pressure from her family to conform to the social expectations of a young woman at the time. Contrasting Esther’s early life with her life as an old woman, alone and vulnerable but also stubbornly independent, was such a joy. And as Esther is the same age as my mother, talking to her about her memories of growing up in the Depression and afterwards, made the research so special. Of all the characters I’ve ever written, I think Esther is my favourite.

Who is the main ‘villain’ of the story and provide three words to describe him/her/it?

The villain of the story is Esther’s nephew who I would describe as selfish, ruthless and mean.

What was your favourite scene to write in All We Dream?

Apart from the end scene (no spoilers) it was definitely the scene where Essie and Samuel, the farmhand she has fallen in love with, rescue a man from a sinking ship in a wild storm in the middle of the night. I love writing scenes that contain a lot of tension and emotion and this one absolutely did! Oh and to sneak another one in, there’s the scene where Miranda is standing on the beach and a horse swims through the waves towards her, closely followed by a very handsome shirtless man – Vincent.

There are some beautiful coastal scenes in All We Dream. Why did you choose the South Coast of NSW as the main setting? 

While I grew up in Sydney, I spent every Christmas holiday at Burrill Lake on the south coast and fell in love with the whole south coast. Just over 20 years ago we bought a family holiday house at Little Forest near Milton. The beaches, forests and lakes are all so beautiful – there’s a wild element that I just can’t get enough of!

What themes/ messages/ mottos do you hope your readers see in All We Dream?

The main theme is about being true to yourself, following your heart and instincts no matter what society expects you to do. It’s something that Esther sadly was unable to do as a younger woman. It’s also about family, forgiveness and finding a place to belong.

Would you say that the natural world (such as animals, sea, rocks, rain, wind, fire) play an important role in this story? If so, how?

Definitely! The ocean is a fairly constant presence throughout the story. Esther lives in a shack on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Miranda first comes across her in a cave on the beach after Esther has had a fall. There’s also the horse property where Esther grew up, and where Vincent now works as a horse trainer. It’s a completely made up property with a gorgeous colonial style home and lush green hills rolling down to the sea.

PAMELA IS A KEEN HORSEWOMAN!

Please provide a brief summary of your publishing journey; its highs and lows?

After completing a Masters of Writing, I spent 7 years writing a literary style novel which I was subbing around at the time. I threw my hat in the ring for Nano and wrote a 50K novel in a month. That novel was Blackwattle Lake and poured out of me, I think because I had found my voice and all the things I’d learned about writing in the previous 10 years was up there in my subconscious. I was fortunate to be accepted into the Queensland Writers’ Centre/Hachette Manuscript Development Program and subsequently had that novel accepted for publication in December 2012. I then had three more rural fiction novels published with Hachette before independently publishing my fifth novel Cross My Heart in 2019 and revising and publishing All We Dream in 2021.

Can you remember a point in time when you knew you had to be a writer? Was there a book, author or special event/moment that inspired you to take this path? 

I’ve always loved writing but it was never something I even considered I could do as more than a secret hobby when I was younger. It wasn’t until I did my Masters and got ‘hooked’ that I took it more seriously. And when I read The Hours by Michael Cunningham, I remember thinking ‘I want to write a book like that’. Not that I have!

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever been given about writing that helped you on your own journey? 

Make things worse. My first, more literary style novel didn’t have much of a plot. But when I read this advice from writing guru Donald Maass and implemented it, I learnt what it means to have a plot that keeps readers turning the pages.

Share a bit of your writing process: are you a plotter or pantser or both?

I’m a pantser at heart. I really believe you need to trust your instincts and the power of your subconscious when it comes to creating characters and plot. But having been contracted for a few novels up front, and having to provide a synopsis, taught me the value of having at least a vague outline and knowing your turning points in advance. So I guess I’m now a bit of both, even though I wish I could plot more. As much as I’d love to say I write every day, it doesn’t happen. I tend to write in bursts when I’m working on a novel and then have breaks between books.

If you could meet an author from the past you most admire, who would it be and how have they influenced you?

Daphne Du Maurier. I absolutely adore her novel Rebecca. So much suspense and the sense of place she creates in this book, as well as the mystery of the title character has me turning the pages every time I read it. It never gets old. One of the things I try to do is get tension on every page and Du Maurier is a master at this.

What books have you read recently that you would highly recommend?

I’m a huge fan of Australian authors and with the Writes4Women podcast I am lucky enough to receive advance copies from publishers. I’m currently devouring The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer. Loved On The Same Page by Penelope Janu, and also enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo on audio by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 

Are there any foods you like to eat while writing or activities that you like to do that help with your creative process?

I drink copious amounts of tea and a daily coffee while I write. I tend to just eat main meals as I don’t have time to snack, and I do like a relaxing wine at night.

Please share the importance of the writing community and what part you play in supporting it?

I would not still be writing if it wasn’t for my writing group. I know some writers prefer not to be in a group, but my buddies in The Inkwell (and prior to that The Writers’ Dozen) are always there to share ideas and inspiration, commiserate at the rejections and celebrate the wins. The wider Australian community of women writers is also so supportive and I’m lucky to count many of them amongst my friends. Chatting to authors on the Writes4Women podcast provides a space for them to promote their books but also gives me continual inspiration. I’m a big believer in paying it forward and sharing what I’ve learnt along the way with newer writers and I’m so grateful to be part of such a vibrant community of writers. 

What is your greatest aspiration as an author?

To continue to be part of the Australian writing community and to write heartfelt books that connect with readers. Anything else is a bonus!

Are you working on a new novel? If so, please share a little blurb about it or at least 5 words to describe it!

I’ve recently completed a women’s fiction novel about parental alienation and coercive control. It’s about a woman’s fight to reconnect with her alienated children and to find a way to continue to be a mother in their absence. I’m also working on a ten year anniversary project to celebrate the publication of my first novel Blackwattle Lake in 2012.

Thanks so much Pamela for being my guest! Readers check the links above and definitely get a copy of All We Dream and other books by Pamela. Also, check out her wonderful podcast: Writes4Women.

Thanks so much, Cindy!

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Link to my review of All We Dream.