C.A.A. Tasam: Finding Solace Amidst the Trees

Indeed, writing is a journey, and as they say, it’s about the journey, not the destination.

I began my two-week residency at Aldridge Cabin, set on the slope of a hill abundant in natural beauty. White gums sway gently in the breeze, quendas run through the tall brown grass, there is a bougainvillea bursting with bright pink flowers, and magpies wander amidst the green foliage. From my cabin at night, I could gaze out upon the twinkling lights of the city far below, mesmerised by this place where so many before me sojourned to put pen to paper.

A typical day would look like this: Rise whenever I woke up, write for an hour, have a coffee outside my cabin whilst basking in the glory of nature in the morning, continue writing until lunch, wash my dishes in Katharine’s house, do some more writing until late afternoon when I’d return to my own house up the road to assist my wife with our eight month old son’s night time routine, then return to my cabin for a final session of late writing. Some nights, I’d be up till twelve, and would rise at nine the next day. I really do think I’m more a night owl than a morning person. But as a new father, these two weeks were the best sleep I’ve had in eight months!

One of the most pleasant surprises for me was discovering the three journals left in my cabin from prior residents. These are a treasure trove of wisdom and experience for all budding writers. I took much solace from the knowledge that, like me, almost every other writer suffers doubt and goes through long periods of staring into empty space. Yes, that’s part of the creative process. Some great wisdom I took away was that a high word count was not the mark of a successful residency, but rather, it was how you felt when you reached the end.

Over these past two weeks I finished my fourth draft, sent it to beta readers, and have begun querying agents. I also received my first rejection. It has all been part of the journey, but what a journey it has been, and I owe a great deal of thanks to the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre, Sofija and Emma, and the Caruso Writer-in-Residence Program.

Indeed, writing is a journey, and as they say, it’s about the journey, not the destination. I have loved writing this book. I have lived in my secondary world. I have been those characters. I have loved and laughed and cried with them. They are me and I am them. To write is to experience many other lives. And such an experience enriches our own.

C.A.A. Tasam crossed the Indian Ocean in his mother's tummy, to be raised on the sun-blessed shores of Western Australia. He's climbed the tallest mountain in Africa, written (and starred in) a play for the Perth Fringe Festival, and has proudly served in the Australian Army Reserves. His debut novel, Across the Lunar Sea, is the first in an epic fantasy trilogy about eastern and western worlds colliding amidst questions of death and resurrection. He currently lives in Perth with his wife and their collection of pot plants.