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Ask the Author: Graeme Simsion

“The Oasis, sequel to the Glass House, published in Australia on 26 Feb 2025. Questions e.g. whether particular mental health topics that might be confronting / triggering are covered, just ask.” Graeme Simsion

Answered Questions (35)

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I have just finished reading The Rosie Result and I don't have a question. Just utter praise. As a father of a son on the autism spectrum, and whose psychologist says she wouldn't at all be surpised if I were somewhere on the spectrum myself, I found your novel absolutely inspiring, and so, so funny. I knew nothing about the book, but am so happy I read this book. Amazing work and thank you for this truly great work?
Graeme Simsion Hi Adam
Thanks so much for being in touch and for your kind words. The Rosie Result is my personal favourite in the Rosie series, and the greatest satisfaction I get from my work is finding that something I've written has resonated with a reader. May autism be a positive in your son's life, and, if it's in yours, a positive too!
Best
GCS
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What are some books that have inspired you or changed your life in some way?
Graeme Simsion That's a huge question: I've learned so much from books and been inspired by both fiction and nonfiction. The full list would be overwhelming. Here are just 3!
The Unkindest Cut by Joe Queenan inspired me to make a movie, which led to me studying screenwriting and then to writing novels.
The Plague by Albert Camus (read when I was 15) helped shape my philosophy of life - and how to live.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving was one of many books which shaped my own writing ambitions.
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What is your writing process like? I'm one of those people who will sit and go for everything in a rough draft. I like to discover where I plan to go and not be bound by a set story. I normally will slowly shape the characters and story from this first draft. I really enjoyed The Rosie Project and the Don Tillman character, does that character share some of your traits or flaws?
Graeme Simsion Hi Brendan
I posted a bit about my writing process on my blog earlier this year: http://graemesimsion.com/?p=658
There's a bit of me in all of my characters- but I'm no more Don than I am Gene or Rosie!
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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
Graeme Simsion Hi Ani
I think we can deduce from his response to the student who doesn't believe in evolution that Don is not a fundamentalist! Don's a scientist and sees everything through a scientist's eyes - a strength and a weakness for him. So without (scientific) evidence, he's not likely to believe....
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i love the rosie project! i think it's the best novel ive ever read. may i ask though, why rosie was like wonderwoman in the first book (i honestly thought she was the best female lead ive ever read) to total bitch in the second book??I get that she was pregnant, but so was sonia, and she didn't act that way at all. although, i honestly have to say that i loved don more because of his efforts despite rosie's behavior.
Graeme Simsion Thanks for your kind words about the books. . You're not the first reader to find Rosie less than endearing in the second book! But remember, she's not only pregnant but under heaps of pressure with her study, had her supervisor (who she detests, with good reason) living with her and keeping her husband up drinking, AND she suspects (correctly) that Don is hiding something from her. Plus she's away from home without family support... We can all get a bit tetchy sometimes. And, as you observe, it gives us a chance to see what Don does under pressure. Nancy Reagan once said that marriage is never 50-50, it's always 90-10 and we get to see Don putting in the 90%....
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Where did the inspiration come from for the central character in The Rosie Project? When I read the book the main character reminded me so much of Sheldon Cooper from the TV series "The Big Bang Theory". It was like being stuck inside of Sheldon's head. Good job!
Graeme Simsion Not The Big Bang Theory! I've never watched it - deliberately, because I'm conscious of working in the same space. You're not the first to draw the comparison with Sheldon and I'm sure he and Don share some important attributes - but equally it's important to see their individuality. I was inspired by people I met from an early age when I had an interest in science, then studying physics, working in information technology, teaching and doing research in a science faculty. And I have this one friend...
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Dear Mr. Simsion, As a fan of the of the Don Tillman series, will you be writing a third book?
Graeme Simsion Yes, definitely a third book, but it's not in the Don Tillman series. It's called THE BEST OF ADAM SHARP, and I'm just finishing it now. Then, a love story set on the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain and... then... maybe... a third book in the Tillman series.
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Dear Graeme, as someone who has Asperger's I'm impressed of your book. So accurate, interesting and optimistic – I loved it!! I think that Asperger's is a very interesting topic to write about, I write a romantic novel (also about Asperger's) and your book gave me some inspiration. It written incredibly good, you did a great job! Did you do some research about Asperger's? Do you have personal interest in it? Thanks.
Graeme Simsion Dear Vered
Thanks so much for your question. I'm always pleased to get feedback (especially positive feedback, and most of it has been positive) from the Aspergers' community. I did virtually no research on Aspergers as a condition: rather I drew on people I knew (colleagues and friends) from my days in amateur radio, studying physics, working in information technology, doing a PhD in a science faculty... I also read a couple of memoirs, but I was interested in individuals, not generalizations. I think that helped me keep it real, and make Don less of a stereotype. Aspergers' is only one aspect of him.
Good luck with your own book.
Graeme
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Looking forward to reading The Best of Adam Sharp! Question: Would you consider Rosie and Don equals in their relationship?
Graeme Simsion I don't think that's ever a simple question: relationships operate on many dimensions and sometimes one partner does more in one area than the other, but that may be compensated for in other ways. Don's the king of the kitchen, but it's Rosie who cooks a special meal for the wedding anniversary, something Don would not have bothered with. The complement each other, there's mutual respect; so broadly my answer is 'yes'!
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Graeme Simsion THE BEST OF ADAM SHARP was inspired by an ex boyfriend of my wife's getting in touch again. We all got on fine but I thought... what if...
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How do you get inspired to write?
Graeme Simsion By life. I experience or hear a story and I work from there.
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Graeme Simsion If you want to be a commercially (or critically) successful writer, imagine it's your dream to be a neurosurgeon. Unless you're very lucky, you'll need to put in the same amount of work or more. There are more jobs for neurosurgeons than fiction writers...
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Graeme Simsion Putting back into the pool of art that I've taken so much from.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Graeme Simsion I'm a planner, a plotter, so I have my story laid out in outline before I start. I don't get writers' block in the normal sense because I know where I'm going and I just keep going (go back and fix later!). I do get planner's block, and sometimes I get stuck on a paragraph or a sentence or a word.
When I do, I just do my best and move on. Then I let it sit. I studied creativity theory for my PhD so it's something I'm quite deliberate about. Best advice: notice what works for you and do it deliberately.
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Was there a couple in real life who inspired the Rosie/Don relationship, or is it purely fictional?
Graeme Simsion Yes and no. My jogging buddy and his wife inspired an early version called THE KLARA PROJECT but then the story changed dramatically. So it's not them at all! (We're still friends - went jogging today)
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What are you currently working on?
Graeme Simsion My new novel is THE BEST OF ADAM SHARP, about a relationship rekindled after 22 years. No publication date yet but getting close...
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What's it about? -k-
Graeme Simsion Hmmm six months ago. Sorry about that. Hope you've read it by now! But 'Socially awkward genetics professor sets out to find the perfect woman.'
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What's the most romantic line you've ever read?
Graeme Simsion You know, it's 7 am here and that's a hard question without a coffee. I'm going to do that, go for a jog with my friend to whom The Rosie Project is dedicated and think about it. It's embarrassing for an author to say, but when it comes to romance, I'm more of a song guy... Can I count a line of lyrics I read in a book?
Ah, inspiration... It'll have to be a line from a poem. In my latest book THE BEST OF ADAM SHARP I quote from an Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem; Go from me yet feel I shall stand henceforth in thy shadow....
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What’s the most romantic thing you have ever done for someone?
Graeme Simsion You'd have to ask my wife... (I HOPE she's the right person to ask...). Probably the most dramatic thing was getting Peter Sarstedt to record a special version of "Where do You Go to My Lovely", his 1969 no 1 hit for her birthday - it was a favorite song of hers. But I have to thank him for being equally romantic in agreeing to do it. I heard recently that he's very ill: I'd hoped to send him a copy of the Rosie books as a real thank you.
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My husband LOVED The Rosie Project, he was hooked (as I knew he would) from the first page. So, thank you for that. Question: Do you believe in soul mates? Do you have one in real life? Can people have more than one?
Graeme Simsion Delighted that your husband enjoyed it - can be difficult getting men to read fiction - especially about relationships / love stories - but I've got a good and growing readership of males from all walks of life. Bill Gates has been a big help in spreading the word.
I have to believe in soulmates, as I've had one for the past 27 years - my wife, writing partner, best friend etc. But I think it's something you make / work on rather than leaving to fate! I'm sure you can have more than one, but the practical consequences of two at the same time may be an issue...
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