For decades, the traditional literary world treated poetry as an exclusive, high-brow pursuit locked inside academia and antique anthologies. Over the past ten years, however, a quiet revolution has completely dismantled that barrier. Emerging from digital spaces, a new wave of modern writers began stripping away archaic rules, offering raw, accessible comfort for everyday human emotions.
On the latest episode of the Current Conversations Podcast, host Kurtis Ocean paddled out with internationally best-selling Australian author, poet, and South Coast local Courtney Peppernell. Courtney skyrocketed to global acclaim after her self-published collection, Pillow Thoughts, became a runaway international publishing phenomenon. With nearly a decade of writing, millions of copies sold worldwide, and an expanding catalogue spanning novels, poetry, and children’s literature, Courtney shares an open-hearted masterclass on backing your own voice, navigating creative pressure, and grounding yourself in the natural rhythms of the Illawarra.
From Tumblr to Global Phenomenon: The Accidental Poet
Courtney never set out with a grand masterplan to become an international literary headliner. Approaching the ten-year anniversary of Pillow Thoughts, she candidly admits that she simply fell into poetry by accident. Growing up, traditional school syllabuses framed verse as something rigid, detached, and elitist.
Seeking a personal outlet to articulate love, heartbreak, and identity in her early twenties, Courtney turned to the blogging platform Tumblr. She shared brief, unvarnished reflections on everyday vulnerability. The response was immediate: a global community of readers began sharing her words, eventually prompting her to compile them into a physical manuscript.
When designing the cover, Courtney deliberately avoided putting her own portrait or identity front and centre. Instead, she chose the simple, floating silhouette of a jellyfish. Translucent and free-floating, the creature became an open canvas where any reader could project their own lived experience.
Backing herself through independent self-publishing, Courtney learned every aspect of the indie book trade—from cover design and typesetting to digital conversion. When Pillow Thoughts organically caught fire online, traditional publishers took notice, leading to a major international acquisition that permanently reshaped modern commercial poetry.
Recommended Local Spot: If you are seeking a quiet, meditative stretch of water to unplug and journal, take a morning walk along the foreshore of Lake Illawarra near Windang. Watching local cormorants perch on exposed posts, spreading their dark wings to dry in the coastal breeze, offers a peaceful environment to decompress.
Routine, Rest, and Managing the Weight of a Bestseller
Achieving multi-million-copy success in your early twenties brings an immense, unspoken creative burden. Courtney speaks openly about the mental trap of worrying whether your earliest release will forever overshadow the work that follows.
To safeguard her creativity, Courtney discarded the romantic myth of only writing when struck by spontaneous inspiration. Instead, she built a grounded, professional routine:
Dedicated Office Structure: Sitting down at her desk for focused two- to four-hour writing blocks every morning.
Moving the Body: Walking her dogs daily and training at the local gym, using weightlifting as a physical circuit breaker to quiet mental noise.
Releasing Perfectionism: Stepping away from the manuscript when words feel forced, replacing panic-driven deadlines with steady creative pacing.
Nature Immersion: Hiking local bush tracks to reconnect with the simple joy of storytelling rather than commercial metrics.
“You have to remind yourself that you can write purely for the joy of writing," Courtney reflects. “It doesn’t always have to carry the pressure of performance."
Recommended Local Spot: When creative blocks hit, head up the walking tracks beneath the Mount Keira Escarpment or climb the steps through the rainforest canopy of the Minamurra Rainforest. Shifting your physical environment into the bush strips away digital noise.
Branching Out: Fiction, Grief, and Magic
Rather than boxing herself into a single corner of the publishing industry, Courtney views her career as an ever-expanding dining table. While poetry remains her foundation, she has stepped boldly into long-form fiction:
The Last Poem: Her recent novel follows Ren, a grieving author who relocates to a quiet Colorado town and joins an ensemble grief group, exploring how community forms around unexpected life detours.
Country Music Storytelling: Her upcoming novel follows Savannah and Aiden, exploring sacrificed dreams within the music scene—a project for which Courtney wrote original country music lyrics intended for studio production.
Whimsical Fantasy: An upcoming fantasy project inspired by childhood memories of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, centered on uncovering magical doorways and alternate dimensions.
Children's Literature: Crafting illustrated stories and developing concepts for younger readers to help them navigate "big feelings" without fear or shame.
Throughout her work, Courtney personifies abstract emotional states. By treating anxiety or grief like a living character rather than an enemy, she encourages readers to respond to their internal struggles with gentle curiosity and patience.
Universality, Queer Visibility, and Escaping the Highlight Reel
Coming out at 21, Courtney found early belonging within digital writing communities. Today, she stands as a proud, visible queer author married to her wife, Rhiannon, an early childhood educator. While her romance poetry features female pronouns, readers of all backgrounds frequently message her to explain that her words capture their own heterosexual marriages or relationships. Love, longing, and grief remain universal human conditions.
The conversation also touches on modern "choice fatigue" and the toxic comparison traps of social media. Platforms bombard everyday users with the highlight reels of hundreds of acquaintances—showcasing exotic European holidays or luxury lifestyles while concealing the 51 weeks of ordinary routine behind them.
Kurtis and Courtney agree that true success is found offline. It lives in simple, recurring rituals: tending a small Friday afternoon campfire in the backyard with family, sharing a quiet flat white at a local cafe, or sitting down with a great book. Looking ahead, Courtney and her wife are working toward opening an independent bookstore, with long-term dreams of converting a vintage caravan into a mobile bookshop to host community readings and literary evenings across regional New South Wales.
Recommended Local Spot: For book lovers who appreciate vintage pages, quiet nooks, and a good brew, spend a Saturday morning browsing through the shelves of independent local shops in Thirroul or Wollongong, followed by a coffee stop along the Blue Mile foreshore.
Catch the Conversation
To hear Courtney Peppernell discuss the origins of her dinosaur tattoo, her experiences connecting with readers across international book tours, and upcoming appearances at the Sydney Book Fair, stream the full episode, “Modern Poetry, Big Feelings & Breaking Rules // Courtney Peppernell," on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite audio platform.
You can explore Courtney's full collection of poetry and novels online at peppernell.com or connect with her on Instagram at @courtneypeppernell.