In an era where swiping right may be the norm, university lecturer Rachel Matthews adds a twist to the tale.
Unveiling her new novel, Never Look Desperate, Dr Matthews serves up a fresh take on online dating for the mature while grappling with the realness of today’s online facades.
The Shepparton-born author and former student of Shepparton High School said her home town inspired her first novel.
“My first novel was based on Shepparton. I grew up in Shepparton, and the novel was written while I was doing the (university) course that I now teach,” she said.
Dr Matthews said the novel had already been stamped as a tragicomedy, with many describing it as “darkly funny”.
“In essence, it’s about recovery from despair and the vulnerability of relationships and dating in life,” she said.
“I really wanted to tackle those narratives.”
One aspect of her writing approach is its spontaneity.
“It’s really strange because I never have a plan for the story or a plot line,” Dr Matthews said.
“I draw a lot of inspiration from the students in my classroom — it’s a privilege to be around people who do what you love to do.”
Her novel doesn’t shy away from confronting societal norms and expectations, especially concerning identity and gender roles.
Dr Matthews said she was particularly interested in depicting marginalised groups that often didn’t receive adequate representation in media or the arts.
“The three main characters in my book don’t follow all the societal rules in terms of how they live or who they love. I love to rip apart stereotypes,” she said.
Themes of isolation resonate in her work, influenced by her own experiences during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“Isolation seems to come up, especially with this one, because I was living in isolation while I was writing it,” she said.
Dr Matthews’s novel also discusses the facades people put up online.
“People sometimes believe the persona they’ve created about themselves online, but everybody’s the same, whether they’re male or female,” she said.
Having a multifaceted career, it took Dr Matthews over four years to write this novel.
“Between teaching and working in student welfare, I don’t write every day. But sometimes, during a holiday break, I might stay in a hotel and write 17,000 words in a week,” she said.
The work over four years proved worthwhile, as the book has received many positive reviews, most notably in publications such as The Guardian and The Australian.
Despite this, Dr Matthews said the feedback she cherished most was from readers who connected personally with her work.
“Someone from Traralgon thanked me for creating a book where they felt represented as a single woman who is in her midlife. It meant a lot to me,” she said.
Dr Matthews is focusing on setting up writing workshops in libraries and bookshops, including two upcoming sessions at Shepparton Library: an author talk on Thursday, November 9, at 7pm and a writing workshop on Thursday, November 30, at 7pm.