Visiting Author 

Cate Kennedy

By Tilly Burke

On the 9th of February, the Year 12 VCE cohort met the author Cate Kennedy, who wrote Like a House on Fire. This was incredibly special as it is one of the books we are studying for English. She spoke to us about a variety of topics surrounding her book, such as themes in her stories, how she gets her ideas and advice on how to write short stories successfully. 

To Kennedy, she wants to write about people we don’t see, the cleaner at the hospital or the woman in the waiting room. She also writes a scene in this person’s life, rather than the whole story, instead focusing on the aftermath of an event, such as a death or a breakup. This way, she can explore how people cope with a problem and how they change throughout the scene. 

This experience taught me a lot about her writing and has certainly inspired me to write more. She gave wonderful advice that has helped me and others prepare for our upcoming SAC. This opportunity was inspiring and gave us so much insight into her as a writer and a person. 

I would like to thank Kennedy for coming to speak to us and for teaching us about her writing and for being so helpful. It was amazing to have met such a nice and down-to-earth person. I would also like to thank the staff for making this experience possible, as it was a valuable experience for our education.