In 1996, Isla published two novels, titled Bewitched and Seduced by Fame, with the help of her romance novelist mother. Find out more about them in here and order your own copies to keep!

“I started when I was 18 with my first book. But, before that, I was always in special writing classes after school, and I had always written. My mom wrote, and I had always wanted to be a writer. But, then I just realized that I liked to play dress up too.”

“Writing is great, but you guys all know it’s also a bit anti-social. Not anti-social, but you’re alone in a room. It’s isolating. I’ve discovered that with age. I was very young when I wrote, and I wrote with my mother, so it was more collaborative, and I had a lot of help. I really love creating characters and I love following a structure. It’s exciting, writing. Acting, you’re told where to stand, what to say and you’re always being cut out of the exciting bit, where you could go anywhere and do anything with any character. Ultimately, I’m too gregarious.”

When asked about the success and popularity of the books, Isla admits “they did really well, at that time, for me.”

Isla has often been asked if she ever plans to return to writing, and in 2005 stated that she “can’t wait to get back and do more writing”, but as of the start of 2012, we haven’t had anything new from her! In 2011 she said that she really enjoys writing, and would “fulfil the writing urge” in her by developing material for films now – as evidenced by the screenwriting projects she has been working on.

Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books (September 26, 1996)
ISBN-10: 0140255753
ISBN-13: 978-0140255751
Purchase: Amazon.com/ Amazon.co.uk

Valentina, a talented young dancer, is destined to be the next Fonteyn. Manipulated by her mother’s ambitions, she has allowed Madame Galliano to dictate her life. Defying her mother, Valentina begins to search for her father in Russia, and becomes bewitched by Alexei, a Kirov dancer.

From the Author

From Sydney to Moscow, Valentina is living the fantasy. The story of a young Australian ballerina of Russian descent, who goes back to her homeland to dance like her mother never had the chance to. It is a romance for teenagers.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books (June 6, 1996)
ISBN-10: 0140254315
ISBN-13: 978-0140254310
Purchase: Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk

Jade is determined to be an actress on TV where life seems glamorous and families seem happy – unlike her own. After working as a waitress to pay for acting lessons, Jade finally gets a part in Sunshine Coast, and starts to learn about life in the limelight and the bitchiness of the studio.