Dec 01 2023 38 mins
Back in 2009, when Amanda won the Scarlet Stiletto with her story, “Persia Bloom”, the ex-hairdresser was busy being mum to three young boys and helping to care for her terminally ill father. Winning the award on her first attempt gave Amanda the courage to continue writing, going on to be short-listed in the Stilettos a further three times, participate on the judging panel for two years and co-write a novel with Kylie Fox – another Scarlet Stiletto frequent flyer – which was published by Clan Destine Press in 2010, along with a number of other short stories in various anthologies over the years. She also wrote for online magazines, worked as a book reviewer and participated in Sisters in Crime 20th anniversary convention SheKilda, as both a panellist and conducting a workshop on 'How to win the Scarlet Stiletto'.
These days, Amanda works full-time in a primary school, encouraging creative young minds and taking on artwork commissions, while also studying to become a counsellor. However, her hairdressing alter-ego, Persia Bloom, is still knocking around, nagging for her chance to be a fully-fledged novel sometime soon.
Credits
Concept designer, co-producer and narrator: Susanna Lobez
Co-producer: Carmel Shute
Announcer: Leigh Redhead
Production Manager: Tim Coy
Graphic Designer: Caz Brown
Music: sampled and inspired by Prokofiev
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