There’s no doubt New York Times best-selling author Matthew Reilly is a gifted storyteller.
More than eight million book sales, globally, attest to that.
But, the laid-back Australian, now based in the US, proved he was quite the entertainer himself during a fleeting visit to the former steel city on Wednesday 25 October as a guest of the Newcastle Writers Festival.
Reilly, with 20 novels behind him – and more to come, sat down with ABC Newcastle presenter Dan Cox for an hour-long conversion.
And, the pair had the sold-out crowd, at the University of Newcastle’s Callaghan campus, in the palm of their collective hands.
They discussed his famous characters Captain Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield (Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Hell Island, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves)and Jonathan “Jack” James West Jr (Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, The Four Legendary Kingdoms, The Three Secret Cities, The Two Lost Mountains, The One Impossible Labyrinth); their origins; the writing process; the challenges dealing with Hollywood studios; tips for budding novelists; his directing debut with Interceptor (starring Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky) and even his beloved DeLorean DMC-12, which remains in Canberra, before opening the floor to the audience for questions.
Of course, his latest offering, the epic thriller Mr Einstein’s Secretary was also a major topic… and a source of pride.
“It is one of those ones, which is just every now and again, you surprise yourself,” Reilly said.
“I’d never done anything like it before.
“However, I put a good five years into it, so it better be brilliant,” he added with a laugh.
Then, after spending two hours signing everyone’s books and posing for photos, Reilly took a slight break to acknowledge his good fortune.
“This brief [Aussie] tour has been somewhat overwhelming, I can’t believe the amount of people who have turned up to meet me,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.
“But, it makes me very happy.
“I just love what I do.
“So, I can’t thank them enough for coming on this journey with me.”
The event also gave the Newcastle Writers Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, a chance to promote its 10FOR10 fundraiser.
“This milestone has been reached because of the generous support of our audience, artists and sponsors, though our reliance on government funding also makes us vulnerable,” director Rosemarie Milsom said.
“Rising costs are also having a significant impact on our ability to present a bold and engaging festival program featuring the best Australian writers.
“As we look ahead to the next decade, we are seeking donations in increments of $10 to enable us to confidently plan an exciting future.
“We appreciate how tough the economic challenges are at the moment.
“But, every dollar has an impact.
“Donations will be used to ensure that our Story Hunter program for primary students can continue in 2024 and the Fresh Ink Prize for an emerging regional NSW writer reaches its fourth year.”
For further details, go to www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au
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