A powerful story of love, family, identity and resistance, and how we make ethical choices in challenging conditions is a new historical fiction to hit the bookshops. Authored by Lyn Dickens, a South Australian award-winning writer, editor and academic, she says she’s truly delighted with the release and upcoming launch of her debut novel, Salt Upon the Water. Having done a lot of her early research and writing at the State Library of South Australia, we caught-up with Lyn to find out more about her new book, her writing process and what is next for her.
The inspiration for Salt Upon the Water came from Lyn’s personal experiences as a person of mixed Anglo Celtic and Singaporean heritage in Australia and her discovery that William Light, who designed the city of Adelaide, was of multiracial background. This led her to reflect on identity and national history. Lyn was surprised to learn that Light was of mixed English and Malaysian ancestry, and that he had travelled significantly in Europe, Egypt, and Asia before he started his role as Surveyor-General of South Australia. She started to wonder what his life and understanding of his identity would have been like 200 years ago, and this sparked the idea for the story.
In 2024, Lyn won the South Australian Literary Awards Arts South Australia Wakefield Press Unpublished Manuscript Award. Lyn describes winning the Award as:
“incredibly meaningful and life changing”
Having the recognition from her peers in the South Australian literary community has been a highlight for Lyn. With the shift in the publishing landscape over the past years, Lyn recognises that
“prizes such as these are so important in helping emerging writers take the next step in their writing journeys”.
Trying to write something poetic and lyrical but that still explores how power and prejudice operate on both a personal and broader social level, Lyn hope’s her new novel is enjoyable but also thought-provoking for readers.
Lyn's Writing Process
The hardest part of writing her novel was time and the solitary nature of the work. Being a mother of two toddlers, gone are the days of making focus time to write first thing in the morning. Lyn’s writing routine has shifted a lot to adapt to the busyness of life. She admits to now writing on her phone during her children’s nap and bedtimes.
When asked what advice she would give to aspiring authors, Lyn draws on some invaluable advice given to her: persist and be open to taking on feedback - advice she still follows today.
Lyn says,
“It always helps to have determination and a strong sense of confidence in your project, but to also keep an openness to editorial input, and be able to see your work from another perspective”.
So, what’s next for Lyn Dickens? She’s now working on her second historical novel which is set in early twentieth-century Malaysia. The novel explores some related themes to her first novel, including colonisation, identity and justice.
2026 South Australian Literary Awards
Calling all writers! Entries are now open for the 2026 South Australian Literary Awards. Whether you're an emerging talent or an established author, this is your chance to have your work recognised and celebrated by the South Australian literary community. For details on how to enter and different award categories, visit the South Australian Literary Awards website. But be quick, entries close Wednesday 12 November 2025 at 5pm.
Reflecting on her own experience as a previous winner, Lyn shares,
“I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to other writers being able to benefit from the prize in the future”.
Buy the book
Salt Upon the Water will be launched at the State Library of South Australia on Thursday 6 November but can be purchased now from Wakefield Press and bookstores.
Header image credit: James Field Photography, 2024.
Written by Tracey Parnis, Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Special thanks to Lyn Dickens for taking the time to answer questions for this article.