Entertainment
20 August, 2026
Mystery inspires new book
AWARD-winning Victorian author Shivaun Plozza has published her eighth book, ‘Running in Circles’, a heartfelt coming of age story set in Tully and inspired by the town’s famous Tully saucer nest crop circle mystery.
The 256 page novel follows 12-year-old Dell, a budding climate scientist who trusts facts over fiction.
When crop circles appear in Tully, Dell is certain they’re a hoax, especially when her estranged mother returns to town armed with alien conspiracy theories and a dazzling smile.
As ‘alien fever’ spreads and her mum’s claims grow wilder, Dell must navigate truth, science and family while trying to protect her father and sisters from further heartbreak.
Ms Plozza said the idea began after she stumbled across an article about the Tully Saucer Nest.
As a child she had been fascinated by crop circles and learning that the 1966 Tully event inspired later hoaxers sparked her curiosity.
At the same time, she was thinking about the rise of disinformation and how difficult it is for young people to sort truth from noise, themes that became central to the book.
To capture Tully authentically, Ms Plozza travelled to the town, visiting local schools, meeting residents and spending hours in the Tully Library’s extensive archive of reports, letters and articles about the saucer nest.
She also interviewed a woman who visited the site as a child in 1966. The experience, she said, made her “a little more open” to the mystery.
Ms Plozza hopes the book taps into readers’ emotions. “I hope they enjoy the humour and heart of the story, while reflecting on bigger questions about belief, truth and knowing when a battle isn’t worth fighting.”
A writer since the age of 14, Ms Plozza said she always loved English and visual arts at school.
She often wrote and performed plays with friends, penned short stories and “always had a book on the go”.
Inspired by ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, she realised early she wanted a job where she could make up stories and move readers.
She grew up on a sheep farm in south west Victoria before moving to Melbourne for university, later spending two years in London.
Ms Plozza has worked in health administration, secondary teaching and publishing, and now teaches creative writing through Faber Academy.
Her award winning books include ‘Frankie’, ‘Tin Heart’, ‘The Boy, the Wolf and the Stars’, ‘A Reluctant Witch’s Guide to Magic’, ‘Meet Me at the Moon Tree’, ‘The Worst Perfect Moment’ and ‘Summer of Shipwrecks’.
Her accolades include the Davitt Award, multiple CBCA Notables, and short listings for major national awards.
Her books are published internationally, including in the USA, France, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Russia and Sweden.
Running in Circles, published by University of Queensland Press, is available through independent bookstores, online retailers, local and school libraries and www.shivaunplozza.com.
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