Author Isobel Blackthorn releases The Drago Tree

Published in September, The Drago Tree follows her previous book Asylum, released in May.

“I've always wanted to write novels,” Ms Blackthorn said. “When my daughters left home and I found myself with time on my hands, I made the decision to fulfill this wish.” 

After moving to Melbourne to chase her dream, she found her muse preferred the tranquility and natural beauty of the country – especially the Bega Valley. 

The Drago Tree is a tale of betrayal, conquest and love, set against a backdrop of dramatic island landscapes and Spanish colonial history.

In the novel, haunted by demons past and present, geologist Ann Salter seeks sanctuary on the exotic island of Lanzarote. 

There she meets charismatic author Richard Parry as well as Indigenous potter Domingo and together they explore the island.

In 2009, Ms Blackthorn wrote the first sentence of the novel, but did not get much further until 2012, when she wrote a story in a different setting but with a similar character. 

“All I knew when I began writing was that I wanted to escape from my life for personal reasons, and I could think of no better way than to conduct intensive research on Lanzarote,” Ms Blackthorn said. 

“I used to live there, back in the late ’80s, so it was a place I could convincingly write about.” 

She wanted the story to be accurate so delved into the history, the geology and the culture of the island.

“In many ways The Drago Tree represents an unlived life of mine,” Ms Blackthorn said. 

“So in a sense, I was writing for myself.”

However, after Ms Blackthorn made a friend - a writer and researcher from Perth - who resonated with the character Ann, she began to write for her. 

The Drago Tree will be launched at Cobargo Hotel on November 15 from 2-4pm and at the Bega library on November 16 from 6-8pm.

It is available on paperback and e-book at Amazon, booksellers and can be ordered at Candelo Books. 

For a signed copy, contact the author via her website www.isobelblackthorn.com.