Born and bred Sunbury local author, Michael Prewer, chats to Zoe Moffatt about living in Sunbury and his new book.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
By night I am an author, by day I am a Paediatric Speech Pathologist, living and working in Sunbury.
What’s your connection to Sunbury?
I was born in Sunbury, went to school for 13 years in Sunbury, but then left Sunbury to go to university and begin my career. However, when it came time to raise my own family we chose to return to Sunbury. I also work at Village Therapy in Sunbury, and am privileged to support clients and families in this beautiful community that has supported me and my family for the last 30 plus years.
What do you like about where you live?
I love the green wedges Sunbury has. I like to go running, and the fact that I can largely avoid main roads to run besides creeks and through beautiful scenery is something that I am forever grateful for.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I know progress is necessary, but I do fondly remember days gone by when Sunbury was a lot smaller. We used to have the local sheep near McDonalds that everyone knew, and then the donkey near St Annes. Bring back the farm animal celebrities!
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
Growing up we had a back fence that led onto Blind Creek. So I am always at home anywhere on that trail. Preferably climbing trees or rock hopping, however we seem to do those things less as we grow older.
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you?
I don’t read many books. As an author you would think that it comes with the territory, but I’m actually a woeful reader. My wife is always incredulous that she’s the one in two book clubs and I’m somehow the one who has written a novel.
Your book, R.E.Generation, is just about to be published. Tell us about it and your writing journey?
R.E.Generation is my love letter to this beautiful planet that we are pushing to the brink. It is a dystopian novel set 50,000 years in the future after climate change has wiped out humans (and the earth as we know it). However, now Earth has had enough time to reset and rebirth itself.
I first had the idea in 2015, wrote most of the manuscript in 2019 and have been editing it ever since. It was definitely a journey to find a publisher who saw the value in it, but now MidnightSun has made my dreams come true by bringing it to your bookshelves.
I am also super excited to be having Sunbury local and talented voice actor Casey Withoos do a live reading of the book at the Mount View Theatre on Friday, July 8. Details: trybooking.com/CRHOJ
