Born in the UK to Irish parents, Lynsey grew up living above a pub in the north of England before emigrating with her family to Western Australia in her teens. Her fascination by what (and who) it takes to shift from feeling untethered and uprooted to feeling ‘home’ feeds into the themes of her novels.
As a chartered accountant and chief financial officer, Lynsey’s work has taken her across several industries and countries, but her passion has always been books. She is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Creative Write Your Novel course and a recipient of a Katherine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre Fellowship.
Bailey Street is set to be released in 2026.
What inspired you to be a writer?
I always knew I’d write a book one day. It's all Enid Blyton's fault really. I have loved escaping into stories for as long as I can remember, and had dreams of creating my own.
Once this story came to me, I became more intentional - taking courses, joining webinars, attending writing festivals. For a couple of years, I learned the craft as I researched for my novel. From there, the magic of writing kept the inspiration burning all the way to ‘The End’.
What prompted you to write 'Bailey Street'?
I wanted to write the kind of story I love to read—a story with heart, with characters who stay with you long after the final page. I love a dual timeline novel – it lets you step into history but leaves no room for boring bits. The similarity of themes against contrasting eras fascinates me. So much has changed, but our hearts are still the same.
As for this specific story, it was the culmination of three things:
1. In 2018, I read an article about the 150th anniversary of the last convict ship to arrive in Western Australia, carrying Irish Fenian soldiers on board. One of them was John Boyle O’Reilly, who I fell in love with a little bit. When I learned that he had an affair with the warder’s daughter while he was stationed in Bunbury, my imagination wouldn’t let go!
2. Around the same time, I became obsessed with this tiny colonial cottage nestled within Fremantle Port, and the story of its owners refusing to sell up over the years. This became the setting that would connect the past with the present.
3. I found out I have a half-sister. Like my present-day protagonist, my sister learned that her dad wasn’t really her dad and travelled to Australia to meet her biological father – my dad. This was the final piece of the puzzle I needed to ensure my contemporary story was as compelling as the historical.
Do you have any more books in the pipeline?
Yes! It’s another dual timeline, but the historical setting isn’t so far back. This one is set in Liverpool, England in the 1970’s. Both timelines are set in the same Georgian home, once a slum and now re-gentrified. It’s a story about family secrets, quiet revenge, and love. Always love.
What is your professional background?
I’ve been a chartered accountant for 25 years. Through my profession, I have worked in Ireland, Micronesia, and across Australia. I’ve worked in radio, casinos, financial services and community services (all excellent breeding grounds for future stories!). My current role as CFO for a large not-for-profit organisation is the one that has held me the longest, because of the meaningful work we do and the incredible people I work with. I also get to write a lot, whether through papers and submissions within the sector or nationally published articles advocating for reform in aged care and disability.
Creative accounting is generally frowned upon—hence novel writing as a creative side hustle!
Any advice you’d like to give to aspiring writers?
Finding time in your already-full day to write is like finding a separate stomach for dessert. Dessert is magic. Writing is magic. If you’re struggling to find the time, go hunting for magic. I find it in a sunrise, a sunset, amongst the trees, underwater, at a writer’s festival, in the pages of a book. It’s in the answers to the questions we ask of people who were alive before we were born. It’s everywhere, if you’re looking for it.
Who/what inspires you?
Creative people sharing what it took to get their stories or art out into the world. It’s a tough nut to crack and I admire the tough nuts who crack it. They have often been beaten down by rejection but are full of enough irrational self-belief and resilience to keep getting back up. Their art survives rejection. It squeezes into the spaces between their day job and other responsibilities. It won’t be ignored or neglected. These people gave me hope throughout my journey to publication.
What are your hobbies, interests and favourite books?
Exploring as far north and as far south as we can go in the caravan, getting underwater and into nature with the family—that’s my happy place.
My favourite book of all time is The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. She is an auto-buy author for me, along with Amy Harmon, Kristin Hannah, Jodi Picoult, JoJo Moyes, Mhairi McFarlane, Kate Quinn, Kate Morton, Marian Keyes, and Gillian McAllister. Then there are my favourite Aussie authors—Emma Grey, Tess Woods, Dervla McTiernan, Candice Fox. That list is growing all the time, along with my TBR!
Yes, I read a lot. Yes, I have a street library. My superpower is ‘prescribing’ your next book—just ask me!
How can readers contact you?
Come for book recommendations, follow my journey to publication, and judge me for the chocolate and wine that accompanies most of my writing.
