JULIET MARILLIER is celebrating 25 years of writing. She is best known for the ‘Sevenwaters’ series, the ‘Warrior Bards’ trilogy, and her ‘Heartwood’ duology.

She sat down to chat with RACHEL DENHAM-WHITE about her book The Amber Owl and its new sequel The Hidden Way.

MEET JULIET MARILLIER

Juliet Marillier, like many writers, has always been an avid reader. Born in the sweeping, awe-inspiring forests and mountains of Aotearoa, New Zealand, she grew up with a children’s library right down the street. She told me she had special permission from the librarian to check out extra books, with the ‘Moomin’ series by Tove Jansson being some of her favourites.

After many years working in an office in a public service job, Juliet decided her life needed a change and started her first proper attempt at writing a novel. Despite facing rejections, as publishers decided her manuscript had ‘too little romance’ to qualify as a romance book, Juliet was determined to write the story she wanted to tell. This story would become Daughter of the Forrest, a fantasy romance set in early Medieval Ireland and based on the fairytale of The Six Swans. Finally, she got a call on the day of her 50th birthday, offering to publish her first book. Juliet has released over 20 novels and is one of the most loved Australian fantasy authors writing today.

Like T Kingfisher and Naomi Novik, Juliet is famed for her fairytale re-tellings. Daughter of the Forrest is based on a Germanic folk tale from the Brothers Grimm. However, she has a very clear idea of how she writes her stories – grounding the fantastical elements in reality.

‘When you’re listening to a fairytale, the characters aren’t distinct. You hear “the girl, the stepmother, the brother”. They’re not individuals. So, my basis of writing Daughter was that the characters were going to all feel relatable and unique – how would this terrible tragedy impact a realistic family?’

Juliet’s first book in the ‘Heartwood’ duology, The Amber Owl follows Stasya, a young, introverted woman living with her shapeshifting dog, Flip. Her world is uprooted when the Ruler of the land, the Lady Elisabeta, begins searching for a vein of amber with fabled healing abilities, but the sacred Heartwood forest stands in her way. Stasya and a small band of rebels set out to find the People of the Forest and through them, counter Elisabeta’s destruction of the natural world and the community of the Heartwood.

The Amber Owl is a story very close to Juliet’s own life. As a member of OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids) the author wound the three core druidic beliefs into her book.

Firstly, the power of storytelling.

‘Stasya doesn’t say what’s politically convenient, but when she tells a story, there’s always wisdom in it. She might not be saying what you want to hear, but she’s always telling you that you need to listen.’

Secondly, ‘Look after your environment because you are a part of it.’

Unsurprisingly, The Amber Owl is a clear parable of environmentalism. As climate change ravages our world, Juliet believes wholeheartedly that we need to protect and respect our planet.

‘The natural world contains the stories of our past and our ancestors; it is part of the collective wisdom that makes us function as human beings.’

Despite the pressing theme of environmentalism, the third belief felt all the more poignant for our times.

‘Do not think of god/goddess/spirit as a separate entity, but as something inside of us, an inner flame of home and goodness that allows us to relate to others.’

Ultimately, The Amber Owl is a story about community and connection. Even Elisabeta has her own spark of goodness, but it’s buried deep because of her blinkered mindset. Whereas our heroine, Stasya, is uncomfortable about being others, but she uses her stories to bring people together in beautiful, meaningful ways and inspire rea change.

Stasya is not your typical outgoing and charismatic heroine. When asked, Juliet says that she interprets Stasya as being on the spectrum. But when asked about sensitivity readers, she stressed the importance of consultation and taking advice when writing an autistic character. The book is set in a time and place where neurodivergence wasn’t recognised; Stasya is just perceived as an outsider and ‘a bit weird.’ Juliet states that she fundamentally wanted to communicate ‘how being different might not be a burden, but a blessing.’

In her sequel The Hidden Way, Stasya and her companions are being hunted as fugitives, facing everything from shipwreck to supernatural monsters on the journey back home. Stasya also develops a conflicted relationship with her own magic and her shapeshifting dog, Flip, as any suggestion of witchcraft can lead to a death sentence. The stakes are high, but Stasya will always have her storytelling to rely on.

Juliet says that the two books form a ‘there and back again’ journey for the central characters, but she is very excited to introduce some new members of Stasya’s party – allies from the Forrest Folk and the true heir to the throne. Plus, The Hidden Way has more insights into Elisabeta’s true nature and the motivation behind her desperate hunt for amber.

When writing the ‘Heartwood’ duology, Juliet said that ‘as an arch-planner, generally I have an overall series plan worked out before I start writing. That includes themes, settings, broad storylines, major characters, timeframes. And I try to give each book in the series its own satisfying shape. Having said that, I did leave The Amber Owl on a note of question. I hope that means people will want to read on.’

Fantasy fans don’t have to wait, as The Hidden Way is releasing this month.

Read our review of The Amber Owl here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Juliet has been a full-time writer for over twenty years. She was born and educated in Aotearoa New Zealand but now lives in Western Australia. Juliet’s novels combine historical fiction, folkloric fantasy, romance and family drama.

Juliet has won many awards for her writing, including five Aurealis Awards and four Sir Julius Vogel Awards; the American Library Association’s Alex Award; the Prix Imaginales and the 2019 Sara Douglass Book Series Award for the Blackthorn & Grim series. In 2025, Juliet was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fantasy convention in the UK.

She is active in her local writing community, mentoring aspiring writers and giving workshops. She is a regular contributor to genre writing blog Writer Unboxed.

Juliet is a member of the druid order OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids) and her spiritual values are often reflected in her work – the human characters’ relationship with the natural world plays a significant part, as does the power of storytelling to teach and to heal.

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