A light on the rocks

Join writer Dr Helen Edwards for a special Stories from the Stacks talk as she shares the research behind her historical fiction novel A Light on the Rocks.

Set across two timelines and connected by place, mystery and magic, the novel explores survival, self-belief and the wild beauty of the sea. With a ghost horse, a singing whale and real events woven through the narrative, the story brings to life the dramatic maritime history of the SS Admella and the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse.

Helen was awarded a mid-career fellowship at the State Library of South Australia, supported by Writers' SA, and received a grant from the South Australian History Trust to research and write this beautifully crafted maritime tale. In this talk she will reflect on her time in the Library’s collections and the process of transforming historical research into fiction.