ELIZABETH GILBERT: BUCKET OF CRABS

Author Elizabeth Gilbert who is best known for her title Eat, Pray, Love has posted an interesting take on how we strive, or not to 'better' ourselves and what part friends and family can play in this endeavour.  I've attached her words here.

CASSANDRA CLARE

This author will be familiar to a number of local young people, she has presented three series of books that simply walk off the shelf.  Mortal Instruments, Infernal Devices and with Holly Black, Magisterium.

Cassandra Clare returns to the world of Shadowhunters in her newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the bestselling Mortal Instruments series. The series kicks off with Lady Midnight which will arrive in stores on March 8th, 2016.

 It may seem early to let you know about this series, however I know there are a few young people in town who'd like to know........and we will pre-order.

 

LOST WRITERS

We lost three of the best female writers this year.  Anne Rice, Ruth Rendell and Colleen McCullough.

Anne Rice is an American author of gothic fiction, Christian literature, and erotica. She is perhaps best known for her popular and influential series of novels, The Vampire Chronicles, revolving around the central character of Lestat.

Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries.  Rendell's best-known creation, Chief Inspector Wexford, was the hero of many popular police stories, some of them successfully adapted for TV.  But Rendell also generated a separate brand of crime fiction that explored deeply into the psychological background of criminals and their victims, many of them mentally afflicted or otherwise socially isolated.

Colleen McCullough was most well known for her sweeping family drama, The Thorn Birds, set on a remote sheep station in outback Australia.

The book, which sold 30 million copies worldwide, was sold for a then-record $1.9 million and a miniseries, starring Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward and Barbara Stanwyck became one of the most watched of all time.  But The Thorn Birds was just one of the many books McCullough wrote in a career spanning four decades.

 

 

HELENE YOUNG

Some of you will remember Helene Young who flew down from Brisbane one cold Friday night in July a couple of years ago to speak at the Twilight Talks we held at the Stockyard Gallery.  There's an interesting article on the Sisters in Crime website I thought you might like to read.

We always have her latest book on the shelf and we're very pleased to see her still going strong.
 

PHYRNE FISHER WINS HEARTS IN AMERICA

For those of you who love Kerry Greenwood's books on Phyrne Fisher you might like to know the character has won the hearts of American in the form of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries television series.  Take a look at the article that appeared in The Guardian.

 

JACKIE FRENCH LOVES WOMBAT

The new title from Jackie French is Wombat Wins which is the perfect companion to her other Wombat stories.  We'll have it on the shelf soon.

 

WHY DO THEY DO IT?

A Macquarie University author survey has found that Australian authors earn on average $12,900 from their writing, with educational authors the highest earners, followed by children’s book authors and genre fiction authors. Nearly half of all authors supplement their income with a job unrelated to their writing, and 37.3% are supported by their partner’s income.  

So they really do write for the love of it…………we knew that.

One of these, a ream of paper and away you go.................

STEPHENIE MEYER - TWILIGHT SERIES

The Twilight Series is now 10 years old and the author Stephenie Meyer has rewritten the book.  In the new anniversary material, Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined, the gender roles of the series’ main characters are reversed, turning Edward into Edythe and Jacob into Julie.  The new story is told through the eyes of Beau, the male equivalent of “Twilight” star Bella Swan.

 I only report this material..........!!!

HENNING MANKELL

Henning Mankell, known for the Wallender Series has died aged 67, far too young and with many books still to write.  His stories were all based in dark beautiful Sweden and his main character Kurt Wallender is probably better known through the television series.

 

MICHAEL ROBOTHAM WINS THE 2015 CWA GOLDSBORO GOLD DAGGER AWARD

Michael Robotham has won the 2015 CWA Goldsboro Gold Dagger Award for his bestselling 2014 standalone, Life or Death at a ceremony in London overnight. The Gold Dagger is awarded to the best crime novel of the year. It was originally created in 1955, under the name of the Crossed Red Herrings Award. It was renamed the Gold Dagger in 1960 and has been awarded ever since with variations in its name depending on sponsorship.

This is Michael’s first Gold Dagger win, though he was shortlisted in 2007 and 2008. Previous winners include James Lee Burke, Sara Paretsky, Ian Rankin and Minette Walters and Michael beat 2015 shortlisted authors including Stephen King and Robert Galbraith to the Gold. He is only the second Australian win, along with Peter Temple.

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.

LETTER FROM KALANGADOO BY BRYAN DAWE

We've had a number of inquiries about Bryan's book Letter From Kalangadoo; the paper version will be on our shelves in the coming weeks. On a radio program Bryan recently spoke about an audio version; this should be available some time in the coming month.  If you'd like a copy of either the paper or audio version, let us know and we'll put an order in for you.

 

THE WORST CHILDREN IN LITERATURE

This little item came into my inbox this week, it's about evil children created by authors, it's quite interesting.  Amongst others (and I'm sure you'll think of more) there's Kevin in We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver; Jack in Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Missie in The Innocents by Nettie Hilton.  Take a look at the page here.

 

WRITERS FORUM - VIKKI PETRAITIS

Join best-selling author Vikki Petraitis for a ten week Novel Writing course catering for both beginning writers and those already working on developing a novel. Components include: plotting, character development, narrative structure, and description. This longer course will give writers the chance to refine a piece of work, and the opportunity to share their work with other people with the same goals – to write a novel.

Saturday October                 10, 17, 24, 31

Saturday November               7, 14, 21, 28

Saturday December                5, 12

11.30 – 1.30 pm

Beaumaris Library, 96 Reserve Road

$200 (all ten sessions). Bookings essential

www.trybooking.com/146422

CLIVE JAMES - LATEST READINGS

In 2010, Clive James was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. Deciding that "if you don't know the exact moment when the lights will go out, you might as well read until they do," James moved his library to his house in Cambridge, where he would "live, read, and perhaps even write." James is the award-winning author of dozens of works of literary criticism, poetry, and history, and this volume contains his reflections on what may well be his last reading list. A look at some of James's old favourites as well as some of his recent discoveries, this book also offers a revealing look at the author himself, sharing his evocative musings on literature and family, and on living and dying.

Opportunities to interview Clive are limited however an interview with ABC journalist Phil Williams has definitely been confirmed.  ABC is recording August 7^th with air date to be advised, this will be an interesting interview.

CAROLYN LANDON EVENT

There were plenty of people at the event on Saturday 18th July to listen to Carolyn Landon talk about the biographical memoir she has just released.  The subject of the book is Celia Rosser who is a much loved local South Gippsland resident and has been known for years as The Banksia Lady.  The title of Carolyn's book is very apt, Banksia Lady: Celia Rosser Botanical Artist.  

Thank you to everyone who came and made the day a great success.

 

CAROLYN LANDON

The author event with Carolyn Landon on July 18th is something we've been waiting for, it seems forever.  Carolyn has brought her biographical talent to capturing the life and times of our most beloved artist, Celia Rosser.

This is not a first for Carolyn, she has also recorded the lives of Daryl Tonkin in Jackson's Track: Memoir of a Dreamtime Place and the sequel Jackson's Track Revisited, Bet Boyanton in Cups with No Handles, and Eileen Harrison in Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life.  When you look at the amount of reference material and bibliography listed for each of these memoirs it gives you an understanding of the way Carolyn immerses herself in the background of the people whose portrait she creates. She has now added Banksia Lady: Celia Rosser, Botanical Artist to the list.

Carolyn came to Australia in 1968 as a traveller, hitchhiking by small aeroplane throughout the far north. She was a teacher in Australian state schools for almost thirty years, and withher husband, Larry Hills, she has written and published several musical plays. 

CELIA ROSSER

We are looking forward to the launch of Celia's book on Sunday and hope to have some photos for this blog to share.  Arrangements to have an event with Celia in Foster are on the go and as soon as we have a date I'll shout it from the roof top.  No one needs to be concerned they won't hear about it.  Thank you to every one who has come in to ask if they will see Celia here soon...........yes!!!

Some of you have ordered copies of Celia's book and I've been assured by the publisher that they will arrive sometime towards the end of next week.  I think they've been surprised with the demand for her book.  We have two orders in with the publisher and have just found out it will be a couple of weeks before the second order arrives.  One way or the other we will get a copy of this book into every hand that wants one.

 

E L JAMES AUTHOR OF FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

June 1, 2015 – London – On social media earlier today bestselling author E L James announced that she will shortly release a new version of her worldwide bestselling novel Fifty Shades of Grey -- this time written from Christian Grey's point of view. The new book, titled Grey, will be published on June 18th – a date that devotees may remember as Christian’s birthday. 

Since the publication of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2011, thousands of readers have written to James requesting Christian's point of view. On the opening page of Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told By Christian, James writes, “This book is dedicated to those readers who asked…and asked… and asked… and asked for this." In the new work, she will offer her fans the opportunity to see the world of Fifty Shades anew through the eyes of its intriguing and enigmatic protagonist.

If you'd like a copy of this title please let us know so we can have adequate copies in stock.

CELIA ROSSER

We have great news, finally the book we've been waiting for from Celia Rossa is due to be launched.  As soon as we have stock we'll send out an alert.

To be launched by The Hon Dr Kay Patterson on 21 June at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne.

This is the story of Celia Rosser, internationally acclaimed Botanical Illustrator, who ultimately dedicated her life to painting the entire genus of Banksia, the only artist to have done such a thing. Her dedication to the task put her at the centre of the Monash Banksia Project underwritten by the University for twenty-five years and culminating in the production of an extraordinary three-volume florilegium that became one of the great books published in the twentieth century. In telling this story of Celia Rosser’s unparalleled talent and extraordinary achievement, this book explores the history of Botanical Illustration, Botany, academia, gardens and their herbarium and Australia’s place in changing the shape of the world.