Travel author’s latest journey a trip in Paris

ONE of Alli Sinclair’s friends once called her a “literary travel agent” in that she takes people to places they’ve long dreamt to go.

The Geelong author, who has previously written about solving mysteries in Spain and tango dancing in Argentina, has now turned her attention to Paris.

Beneath Parisian Skies follows the story of dancer Lily Johansson, an Australian woman who returns to Paris, the city that broke her heart and destroyed her ballet career.

Sinclair says the protagonist moves to France in the hope of easing her guilt over her fiance’s death and to make amends with estranged sister Natalie, a ballerina with the Boheme Ballet.

“I’m a real history buff and there’s so many interesting elements in the history of ballet that have an Australian connection,” she said.

“The research I did prior to the actual writing took me to Canberra, to the National Gallery of Australia, and I was given a behind-thescenes look at Russian ballet costumes, original sketches, other material that was just fascinating.”

Sinclair has long been surrounded by the written word, having worked as a compositor at the Geelong Advertiser in the late-1980s.

Since then, she has lived and worked in Canada, Argentina and Peru — drawing inspiration from each nation and its people.

“One of my friends called me a literary travel agent and that’s what I like to do. I like to send people to different places,” she said.

Beneath Parisian Skies will be officially released on July 1, with Sinclair taking part in a public discussion of the novel at Geelong Library on Tuesday, August 15.

Tickets for the free event can be booked on the library’s website.