As an Australia-based author, how did you proceed to approach the U.S. market for your books?

In writing, I didn't ever think of the 'US market', or the 'British market' or the 'Australian market' in writing: I wrote for me alone, not for any 'market'.

As for how did I achieve the U.S. sales? By sheer luck!

Tom Doherty (founder of Tor) had come out to the World Con in Australia in 1999, I think it was. He disembarked in Sydney, and decided to drop into the airport bookstore to see what was popular in Australia, and saw row after row of Sara Douglass books.

Puzzled, he then went off to Pan Macmillan, Tor's sister publishing house here in Australia, and asked Cate Paterson, the senior editor there, who was the one author Pan didn't have that she would die for. She, dear lady, replied, "Sara Douglass."

At which point Tom danced about a bit and said (in effect) "Who the *&!!#$! is this Sara Douglass?" Cate thereby enlightened him and, further, engineered a meeting between Tom and myself at the World Con. (I have a great deal to thank Cate Paterson for, particularly as she owed me nothing!)

Then the agents got involved, then deals were struck, and Tor has subsequently purchased some 15 (I think) of my books. These will all take a while to come out in the U.S.

Besides changing the name of the first book to The Wayfarer Redemption, and repackaging the two trilogies as one series, what other changes were made for the American release?

The spelling and style were Americanized, but I don't think much else was changed ... apart from publicity, which has focused on Faraday. (Much grinding of teeth!)

As artists and craftspeople, writers often see the flaws in their own work. Where do you see that you've made the most improvement since you started writing?

Sheer strength of characters, and stronger plot lines. I've lost most of the 'fluff', and pared my writing down to what I hope is a stronger style.

It's a bit too easy in fantasy to rely on 'special effects' to make people read on; I hope now that readers are challenged more by the conundrums characters present (or are) rather than the 'effects' they produce. There is very little 'magic' in my later books.

What do you see as your biggest weakness in your writing?

Never giving myself enough time to really produce 'the goods'. I'm always very dissatisfied with what is eventually published, and I always promise myself that I'll do better with my next book, give myself enough time to revise, revise, revise, but it never happens.

How is work proceeding on "The Troy Game?"

Book one (Hades' Daughter) is done and largely edited, and I'm just about about to start Book two, God's Concubine.

Thanks to Sara Douglass for taking the time to discuss her novels and her publishing success. You can purchase any of her books, through this site by visiting Amazon.com, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble or visit your favorite bookstore for more details.