A Geelong author is achieving international success with her debut novel, which was only released early this year.
Amy van Rijthoven has received six international awards since launching her novel Shadows and Black in the Light in May.
Ms van Rijthoven said she never thought that the story she started writing 10 years ago would achieve the success that it did.
“It’s been surreal and very exciting to receive this feedback, as I expected it would have a positive reaction with the public, but probably not this much,” she said.
“Sometimes I get little daydreams that come to my head while doing random things, and I just had to write them down one day.
“I probably wrote two or three chapters and didn’t think anything of it as it was just me putting words on paper and years later, I picked it back up again and once I started, I couldn’t stop.”
Ms van Rijthoven said Shadows and Black in the Light was a tale that delves into the complexities of family, love and self-discovery.
“It’s a dual narrative, which can be a difficult thing for anyone to write and also writing from the male perspective while not being a male was a challenge,” she said.
“I managed to do it and had some positive reactions, so that’s given me a lot of confidence to keep going… and I do currently have a second book that I’m working on.”
Ms van Rijthoven’s novel received the International Firebird Book Award Winner in the categories of best chapter titles, best speculative fiction, and best in death/dying.
It also received New York Book Festival runner-up on a wild card, Readers’ Favourite Award – 5×5 star reviews and Literary Titan Silver Star Award in June.
