By Michael Doran
Yarra Junction locals may recognise Karen Viggers as their former vet but may not know that she is an internationally acclaimed author, selling more than 800,000 copies of her books in France alone.
She returned to the Yarra Junction Library on Monday 25 February to talk about growing up in the Yarra Valley and her latest book, The Orchardist’s Daughter.
Karen said she wanted to be a writer in high school but was put-off by a family member who said ‘there is no money in that’. So she become a veterinarian and it was during a stint in Antarctica where her love of writing was rekindled.
“I was here in Yarra Junction for about a year before I met my husband, David Lindenmayer, over a leadbeater possum, and I went to Canberra with him. I moved for the love of a man, if it was love of a place I would have stayed here.”
“I am great lover of the outdoors and that comes from growing up here. I got my first horse when I was 11 and I grew up riding through the hills and forests of the valley.
“We’re really fortunate in Australia to have so many places that are relatively untouched that we can still escape to. Part of my purpose for writing is to remind Australians about what we have.”
Before heading to Antarctica she visited Bruny Island and it was there that her love of Tasmania began. “Because of my background as a vet I have a passion for wildlife and a fascination with wilderness. In my new book the Tasmanian devils and wedge-tail eagles are symbols of freedom that are central to the storylines.”
The Orchardist’s Daughter is her fourth novel and follows The Stranding, The Lightkeeper’s Wife and The Grass Castle. Her books have been translated into French, Italian, Norwegian, Slovenian and Spanish.
“A best seller in Australia will sell around 30,000 copies but in France The Lightkeeper’s Wife sold 100,000 in first month and more than 800,000 have been bought there. The French love rural landscapes, farmers, small towns and nuanced characters.”
After the presentation she spoke about the importance of books in childhood development. “Reading books together with an older person is how children learn about language, about ideas and words and develop a passion for books themselves.
“There is a lot of peace to be found in reading, a lot of headspace to think about issues whereas on social media it happens without thinking. Reading introduces different perspectives on the world to kids and that’s so very important.
“An easy way to get kids involved is to play audio books in the car instead of having their screens in front of them. Every library has a range of fantastic audio books available so that’s what parents can do.”
