Megan's Midas Touch
Words Andia Cally
In 2022, Uki resident and proud Kalkadoon woman, Megan Albany released her debut novel —The Very Last List of Vivian Walker. The hilarious and moving ode to the end of an ordinary life was critically acclaimed and beloved by readers and live audiences alike, after it was adapted into a one-woman play. The book is about to enjoy its third wave of success, with the news that an Australian production company has recently optioned it as a film.
The novel was inspired by Megan’s experience caring for her friend and fellow journalist, who had PTSD and required round-the-clock care when she got cancer. The two friends had talked about starting a publishing house together and after her friend died Megan describes feeling “almost bossed into writing the book”, by her dearly departed friend.
While her friend did leave a list of post-funeral tasks, Megan says she was more laid back and good humoured than the book’s central character, the highly judgemental, compulsive list maker, Vivian Walker.
“Initially I was asked to make Viv more likeable, but I pushed back on that because we all have people in our lives that we love but don’t really ‘like’ that much,” Megan laughs.
“All the hilarious things that drive us crazy about someone are also the reasons we love them.” The fact that Vivian is spending her last moments creating to-do lists, rather than a bucket list is what makes her so relatable.
Like many women, Vivian puts herself last on her to-do list. “Caring and love aren’t always wrapped up in a pretty package, and can look a lot like nagging but Viv’s just trying to make things better and keep her family safe after she’s gone.”
The other thing that people appreciate about this story is that it brings death out of the shadows. “I think the reason it worked for Viv to be so judgemental is that as a society we can be very judgey about death and grieving. We commend people for ‘coping’ well and not falling apart but that’s not necessarily coping. A lot of people we think are ok are actually just very lonely in their grief.”
As songwriters and musicians, Megan and her husband, guitarist Marc Mittag, decided to create a soundtrack to accompany the book. Originally available via a link on the book cover, the songs came into their own after a chance meeting with actress Madeleine West who brought the novel to life in a powerful one-woman play that toured the country, accompanied by a live performance of the soundtrack.
A non-disclosure agreement means Megan must keep mum about the upcoming film adaptation. She can share that “the producers have indicated they would like me to work closely with them on the adaptation of the screenplay”.
Somewhere amid the spinoff successes of her first novel, and the “curse of the second book”, Megan has been working on two new story ideas. The forerunner is another unlikely subject for a black comedy — the fight to raise the age of child incarceration in Australia. “Currently children as young as ten can be jailed despite calls from the United Nations to raise the age.” There are no release dates for the film or new novel, keep an eye out for updates on Megan’s website, www.meganalbany.com
We’re sure that they will both be worth the wait.
Andia Cally is a Murwillumbah-based artist and freelance writer. She has recently become the new editor of the Uki News, a 23-year-old, bi-monthly newsletter focusing on local issues, published by the Uki Residents’ Association (UKIRA).
