Sci-fi author JP McDonald might live in suburban Box Hill but his debut novel came to life in the Blue Mountains bush.
Many of the descriptive passages in The Invisible Tether had their first drafts written when the 35-year-old spent weekends trail running or bushwalking in the national park. Whether it was Glenbrook Gorge or Blue Pool, McDonald would pull out his iPhone during his Mountains getaways and make detailed notes about the experience.
"It became a really cathartic thing," he said. "A lot of what I've written in those moments in the Blue Mountains feature in the book."
Released in December 2021, The Invisible Tether is about a group of friends heading to Queensland for a sporting tournament when their plane is hijacked and crashes - events they soon discover are part of a much larger threat.
Fittingly, the self-published novel is available in the Blue Mountains at The Turning Page Bookshop in Springwood.
Getting the book into readers' hands is just as important as the long journey writing it, according to McDonald.
"If you're really passionate about something it's super important to get it out into the world, and put yourself out there," he said.
The novel has already garnered a series of favourable online reviews, with readers comparing it to the best-selling 1990s Tomorrow series by Australian young adult author John Marsden.
McDonald said his book should definitely provide a nostalgia hit for 30-somethings who spent their high school years devouring Marsden's popular novels.
Writing fiction is just one creative outlet for the HR worker who has also turned his hand to children's music under the name Mr ABC as well as pop-rock as Jayson M.
"I put my children's music together because I became a father and it helped me connect with my daughter a little bit more. She still requests it as we drive in the car together which is nice," he said.
But writing is definitely McDonald's main focus at the moment. With The Invisible Tether launched into the world, he is turning his attentions to outer space next for a series titled, The Gemarine Chronicles.
The Invisible Tether is available online from Amazon. For more information about JP McDonald visit his Instagram page, Facebook page or website.
