Veterinary Science alumna pens first novel
Press release
10 June 2008
Karen Viggers, who graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1987, has combined her life-long passion for words and love of animals to create an intriguing debut novel about a whale stranding that occurs near a small coastal village in New South Wales (NSW).
‘The Stranding’ is a poignant anatomy of loss, the deaths of two contemporary innocents, an infant and a whale. It is a memorable story of broken hearts trying to mend, of personal discovery and recovery.
The inspiration for the author’s first novel came to her whilst staying in a house overlooking the NSW South Coast. “Every time I looked out the window there were whales,” she said. “They were rolling and slapping their flippers. It was such an uplifting experience that it made me wonder what effect the whales would have on an individual, if they were at a really low point in their life.”
After graduating from the University of Melbourne, Karen developed an interest in native wildlife. Her PhD focused on wildlife health, and she even went to Antarctica to pursue her love in this arena.
“As a wildlife veterinarian I was often faced with the ethics of whether things should live or die,” said Viggers. “The climax of the novel comes when the male lead discovers a stranded whale on a remote section of a beach. I thought this stranding scene was an interesting way to get people to think about different sides of the argument, and whether it’s always the right thing to try to save an animal.”
This isn’t the first time author’s initial attempt at writing, the seeds were sown at the tender age of eight when she won her very first writing prize. By the age of ten she had written her very first play about convicts, which was performed at her school.
Her passion and determination to write are demonstrated by the fact that she completed ‘The Stranding’ in just under two-and-a-half years, whilst juggling family responsibilities, she’s married with two young children, and working part-time in a veterinary practice in Canberra.
Published by Allen & Unwin, the book is now widely available at most major book stores in the country. It is available in paperback and can be purchased at a price of $32.95.
For further information please contact Andrea Jones, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Tel: 8344 7844 or email: ajone@unimelb.edu.au