DR RANJIT RAO: MEDITATION & MARTINI

On Saturday, October 10 we will be hosting a Conversation With Dr Ranjit Rao to talk about his book Meditation & Martini. 

Dr Rao came across meditation as a medical student and has included meditation, yoga, and fitness as part of his own routine over the last 20 years.  He completed a teacher training course but never had time to teach it because he was studying medicine.  Dr Rao has been a regular meditator, and that held him in good stead during university and training days, and now as a surgeon.

Dr Rao’s work as a surgeon gives him a unique perspective on matters pertaining to health and wellness and the choices we make towards a more vibrant more fulfilling life.  He is a keen promoter of this aspect of life and writes a daily blog.

The place for our conversation is the Community Health Centre, Station Road, next to the hospital, the event will start with afternoon tea at 2.30 and at 3.00 we will begin our conversation with Dr Rao.  Although the event is free we will need numbers for catering, you can book at Foster’s Little Bookshop, 4 Station Road, Foster, call 5682 2089 or send an email to flb@virtul.net.au.

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BOOK LAUNCH: JELLIE WYCKELSMA

Wild Waves is Jellie’s fourth novella and her seventh book in print.  When Rachel Lucas (ABC-Sale) launched her first novella Once upon … a night, she challenged Jellie to write ten more.  Last year Veering off course and Life’s better with a book were launched at the Inverloch Library.  Jellie has certainly taken up that challenge!

As a member of the Fish Creek Quills Writing Group, Bianca Biesuz-Stefani offered her Gallery as the launching pad for Jellie’s latest novella.

Jellie says “I love the format of a novella.  It has a set time span, doesn’t allow any “padding” it’s comparable to a poem, where every word counts.  The characters face a situation, or a problem from the past that needs to be solved.  I also believe many readers in their rare spare time prefer to read a shorter novel.”

Your welcome to the launch on Wednesday October 7th 1.00 pm for 1.30 pm at the Stefani Hilltop Gallery, 39 Keans Road, Fish Creek.  Please RSVP to Bianca Biesuz-Stefani at 5683 2253 by October 2nd.

ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH

For all the fans of Alexander McCall Smith there is a new book arriving in November and the title is Chance Developments: Unexpected Love Stories.

These are new stories from one of the world’s most popular authors, inspired by a bundle of vintage photographs.  The photographs which inspired each story will be reproduced throughout the book.  Each story is linked by the theme of love – romantic love, platonic love, passionate love, familial love.  Exquisitely produced edition with gold foiling make this a collectible addition to every book lover’s library.

MAGNOLIA TREE, FOSTER

There aren't too many people in Foster and surrounding areas who do not know the Magnolia tree that is planted outside the Foster IGA supermarket.  You will have noticed recently that there have been branches removed, this is the reason why.

This beautiful tree has been getting some much (pretty drastic) needed TLC. An arborist has examined it so the pruning is to save the tree as it has some sort of disease. The other good news is that the missing Plaque has been found and will be put back when the ‘operations’ are over . Let’s hope that this wonderful tree will survive, so go give it some extra TLC when you pass.

Thanks to Junitta for asking the right questions to get this information.

 

A CONVERSATION WITH: DR RANJIT RAO: OCTOBER 10

Our event for October is in the form of 'A Conversation with..........' and we will have the pleasure of interviewing Dr Ranjit Rao who is a surgeon with a difference.  In his book Meditation & Martini: The Subtle Cocktail of Balance he blends western and eastern; modern and ancient; physical and spiritual in a way that is easy to understand and apply to daily life.

On Saturday, October 10th we will be serving afternoon tea at 2.30 and at 3.00 we'll begin our discussion with Dr Rao, please come armed with questions.  The event is free and as we are catering we'd ask you to register your interest either by phone, email or at the bookshop.  We have stock of Dr Rao's book if you'd like a copy prior to the event.

 Foster's Little Bookshop, 4 Station Road, Foster 5682 2089 email: flb@virtual.net.au

DON ELGIN: ONE FOOT ON THE PODIUM

Our book signing for September is Don Elgin author, paralympian and motivational speaker.  He will be here from 10.30am on Saturday, September 26th.  Please come and say hello and hear him talk about writing his memoir and the experience of publishing.

 

PROM COUNTRY: A HISTORY ON 3MFM

From Saturday 26th September, for 14 weeks the stories from the Foster Historical Society publication Prom Country: A History will be read on our community radio station 3mFM on the Local Focus program between 1.00pm and 2.00pm.  If you'd like to hear these stories you can tune the dial to 88.1, 89.1 or 89.5.  Or if you're out of range visit 3mFM online here and listen to the program steaming live.  Many thanks to the volunteers at the radio station for their time to read some of these stories.

These stories were meant to begin on Saturday 19th, but due to a major virus attack on the radio station's computer system, they have been put back a week.

DR SEUSS NEW BOOK

Among Theodor Seuss Geisel's things set aside by his widow after his death was an unknown manuscript that would become a book being published posthumously under his pen name, Dr Seuss.

The classic children's author died on Sept. 24, 1991 at the age of 87. At the time, his widow, Audrey Geisel, was renovating their home in La Jolla, California, outside San Diego, and placed some of his work in a box. Years later, in 2013, she and his long-time assistant, Claudia Prescott, decided to have his drafts and sketches in the box appraised and discovered a project that would become his 46th book.

"What Pet Should I Get?" follows Dr. Seuss best-sellers such as "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Lorax." His first major success was "The Cat in the Hat," published in 1957.

Interestingly, even though information released about this book says it will be published by Harper Collins, sources say there is still some dispute about publishing rights in Australia.  We will keep you posted.

This may be the cover........then again it may not....!

 

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB

For those who enjoyed the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson, there is now a fourth book in the series.  Written by David Lagercrantz with the permission of the Larsson family, this book takes the main character Lisbeth Salander into fresh danger.  Early reports are it's a good read.  We have copies on the shelf now.

65-STOREY TREEHOUSE

The 65-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton was released last month and has broken sales records. The fifth title in the ‘Treehouse’ series is the fastest selling Australian book in the past 10 years.  It’s really heartening to see home-grown talent speak to Aussie children in this way.  Here's the full set, just in case you've been on Mars, or somewhere........!!!

I wonder if they will go for 78-Storey Treehouse???

DON ELGIN AUTHOR OF ONE FOOT ON THE PODIUM

We are very pleased that Don Elgin will be visiting the bookshop on Saturday 26th September to sign copies of his book.  An article will be in the Mirror next Wednesday and we will be sending flyers out in the next couple of days with details.  For now though we thought you might like to know a little about the author.

Don is a country boy who was born without the lower half of his left leg, and with fused fingers, missing thumbs and a serious heart malformation.  He is also a world athletics champion and triple Paralympic medallist, competed in the Beijing and Sydney Paralympics, and was team manager for the Australian athletics team at the London Paralympics. Don currently works nationally and internationally as a motivational speaker and manager of other athletes with a disability. His motivation in publishing his story relatively early in his career is to share his story of triumph over adversity, which he believes can motivate all of us to overcome our problems and be the best we can be. 

It will be a pleasure to have Don in the bookshop and we hope many of you will come to say hello.  His book is currently on the shelves and in the window.

 

WINNERS OF THE VIVA LA NOVELLA AWARDS 2015

A novella generally features fewer conflicts than a novel, yet more complicated ones than a short story. The conflicts also have more time to develop than in short stories. Unlike novels, they are usually not divided into chapters, and are often intended to be read at a single sitting, as the short story, although white space is often used to divide the sections. They maintain, therefore, a single effect.

Examples of famous novellas are:

George Orwell, Animal Farm

John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Grey

These are the winners of Viva La Novella 2015

Welcome to Orphancorp 
by Marlee Jane Ward

Formaldehyde 
by Jane Rawson

The End of Seeing 
by Christy Collins

THE ANTI COOL GIRL BY ROSIE WATERLAND

I was sent a copy of this title by my friend Mary Jane at Harper, it was such an easy read I finished it in a day (with breaks for sustenance, of course).  I say it was an 'easy read' because it is well written, however it isn't an easy subject to read.  This is Rosie's life and it has been very different to mine and perhaps to yours as well.  We have a proof copy if you'd like to read it and write a review for us.

A bit more about Rosie, she's a journalist with the online magazine Mamamia and is known for her reviews of the television program The Bachelor which she has been posting since 2013.  If you'd like to read some of her stories this is the link. 

 

CHILDREN'S BOOK: EMILIA MOUSE BY ELIZABETH HARDY

We receive copies of books from various authors and this little book came that way....in the mail.  It is an enchanting picture book about a little mouse who lives in an attic and finds a box full of musical instruments.  There is a great review on this website, click here and then scroll down to August 9 to read the review.