Join experts from Booktopia at The 2013 Sydney Writer’s Festival

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

Looking for things to see at The Sydney Writer’s Festival?

Come along and hear some experts from Booktopia chat about the wonderful world of books…

Caroline Baum

Lost and Found

What: Writers Ailsa Piper (Sinning Across Spain) and Cheryl Strayed (Wild) have both turned to travel in a bid to find redemption and connection. They talk with Caroline Baum about the call of the road and the journeys which led them to become who they are today. Ailsa trekked 1300 kilometres across Spain from Granada to Galicia in a bid to walk off the sins of others, while Cheryl trekked 1770 kilometres along the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in order to save herself.

When: Thursday, May 23,  10:00 AM - 11:00 AM.

Where: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $20/$14.

The 21st Century Author

What: Digital sharing and collaborative consumption are disrupting traditional economic models and reinventing not just what people consume, but how they consume. In this new environment how, can an author monetise their work and how will books transform as they compete for space in the digital world? Social innovator Rachel Botsman, (What’s Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption), who says we are ‘wired to share’, shows how technology will change the role of authors and looks at the potential impact on their ideas. She talks to journalist Caroline Baum.

When: Thursday, May 23,  2:30 PM - 3:30 PM.

Where: Wharf Theatre 2, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $20/$14.

Claire Messud: The Woman Upstairs

What: The New York Times bestselling author Claire Messud’s The Woman Upstairs is one of the most exhilarating reads of the year – the confession of a woman awakened, transformed and betrayed by desire for a world beyond her own. Messud speaks to Caroline Baum about this ‘scorching social anatomy, red-hot psychology, galvanising story’. Claire has been awarded both an Addison Metcalf Award and a Strauss Living Award by the American Academy of Arts.

When: Friday, May 24,  2:30 PM - 3:30 PM.

Where: Pier 2/3 Main Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $20/$14.

Rachael Treasure and Rural Romance

What: Author, mother, regenerative agriculturalist and ‘lover of life’, Rachael Treasure, talks to Caroline Baum about her latest novel, The Farmer’s Wife, and the phenomenon of rural romance that she kick-started with her first novel, Jillaroo. Her other bestselling books include The Stockman, based on her experience with working dog education, The Rouseabout, inspired by her wild times at Australia’s Bachelor and Spinster (B&S) Balls and The Cattleman’s Daughter.

When: Saturday, May 25,  1:00 PM - 2:00 PM.

Where: Pier 2/3 The Loft, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, Free, no bookings.

Kate Atkinson: Life After Life

What: What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right? Life After Life follows Ursula Todd as she lives through the turbulent events of the last century, over and over. Kate Atkinson, at her most profound and inventive, speaks to Caroline Baum. ‘Kate Atkinson’s new novel is a box of delights. Ingenious in construction, indefatigably entertaining . . . If you wish to be moved and astonished, read it’ (Hilary Mantel).

When: Saturday, May 25,  4:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

Where: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $20/$14.

John Purcell

Books to Live By

What: A great book recommendation is indeed a wonderful thing. Booksellers, with their wealth of knowledge and eyes on the most exciting new books, are often the best people to tell us what to read. Getting the right books to the right people is their special skill.

Three of Sydney’s most in-the-know booksellers and tastemakers, John Purcell, Morgan Smith and Barbara Horgan, share some of their secrets with Walter Mason and recommend their favourite books.

When: Thursday, May 23, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

Where: Sydney Dance 2, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, Free, no bookings

Haylee Nash

Forest for the Trees: Writers & Publishing in 2013

What: A one-day seminar looking at the current state of publishing for Australian writers. The seminar brings together writers, publishers, marketers and agents to discuss what is happening in 2013. The conversation includes digital and independent publishing, as well as the challenges the industry is now facing.

Self-published authors share how they manage being a writer, a publisher and a promoter of their own work. The day concludes with a case study looking at the creative approach one publisher is taking to promote a debut author. Hear from the writer, agent and author about their unconventional strategy.

When: Thursday, May 23, 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Where: State Library of NSW, Metcalfe Auditorium, Macquarie Street Wing, Macquarie Street, Sydney, $45/$35.

For more details on these or any other events go to www.swf.org.au

Filed under: Australian Author, Book Recommendations, Coming Soon, Literary Classic, Literary Festivals, Thriller, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The allure of erotic romance – a guest blog from bestselling author Amanda McIntyre

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Haylee Nash

Bestselling erotic romance author Amanda McIntyre writes about getting hooked by the hot stuff.

I was asked to write a few words on what the allure of erotic romance is. I’ve written it of course, or a version of it that my editors seem to like at any rate. But what I’ve discovered is that between publishers and readers the definition of “erotic romance” is a bit blurred—or so it seems.

There is the term “erotic” which, by Webster’s definition, means, “having to do with sexual love.” Then you have “romance”—interestingly, there are a number of definitions for this one: 1) a medieval tale of knightly adventure; 2) a prose narrative dealing with heroic or mysterious events set in a remote time or place; and, the most popular in fiction writing, I think, 3) a love story or attachment or episode between lovers.

Now I’d like to make clear one thing, erotic romance is not to be confused with “erotica”, which is a horse of a completely different colour!

risky-businessSo, what is its allure? What keeps readers gobbling up romances that feature the sizzling heat between hero and heroine? I say it’s the same thing that has continued to make romance books the leading seller of over half of all book sales (at least in the United States)! Are we really so different as readers, searching for that fantasy hero, getting lost in the trials and obstacles of a story where the passion and emotion radiate off every page? It’s wanting that connection to what makes us feel good, makes us feel alive, makes us feel like anything is possible—if only for a few moments in the often chaotic and not-so-loving world we live in.the-master-the-muses

Erotic romance, in my opinion, is not about the euphemistic terms, the bondage aspects or other kinky aspects that are added to stories to create varied levels of heat. To me, the label was created to introduce the reading public to a stronger, more candid style of writing romance. These days, you can pick up nearly any book—save maybe YA and Inspirational—that features as much, if not in some cases more, of the sizzling sex between characters as those labelled “erotic romance.”

I think the important thing to do as a reader is to keep an open mind. Sample a wide variety of books, and see what heat level suits your tastes. Certainly, there are enough levels of erotic romance out there!

__________________________

Amanda’s passion is in taking the ordinary and creating something extraordinary. Her work is published internationally, in audio, in e-book and in print.  She currently writes steamy contemporary and historical romance.

Filed under: Book retailing trends, Book Talk, Booktopia, Erotic Fiction, Fiction, Historical Romance, Publishing, Romance, TRENDS, Writing Style | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

The 2013 Sydney Writer’s Festival In Focus – Part 2

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

In the lead up to the 2013 Sydney Writer’s Festival we’ll be featuring a few of the key events we’re really looking forward to.

We’ve also highlighted some great books to prepare you before basking in the warm glow of the festival.

Here’s a couple of events that caught our eye…

Obama: The Digital Campaign

Who: Joe Rospars, Michael Brissenden, Stephen Muller

What: Who can forget Barack Obama’s historic 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, with their groundbreaking use of social media as a powerful political tool and its record-setting online fundraising successes. Barack Obama’s Chief Digital Strategist, Joe Rospars, and Stephen Muller, the Obama campaign’s Video Director, offer an overview of how the campaign managed to unite and mobilise 13 million online supporters toward a single goal of electing President Obama. Following the talk, they will speak to Michael Brissenden, who was the ABC’s Washington correspondent leading up to the 2012 election, and is the author of American Stories.

Why: There are two types of people in the western world. Those who embrace digital media, and those who don’t realise they’ve embraced digital media. Digital media now acts not only as the catalyst towards world events, but also the source of news reported, and the manner in which they are reported. Get the full story from people responsible for all three.

When: Thursday, May 23,  8:30 PM - 10:00 PM.

Where: City Recital Hall Angel Place, Angel Place, Sydney, $32/$25.

More Reading: Barack Obama: The Making of the Man, The New Digital Age.

Sane New World

Who: Ruby Wax

What: Ruby Wax – comedian, writer and mental health campaigner – shows us how our minds can jeopardise our sanity. With her own periods of depression and now a Masters from Oxford in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to draw from, she explains how our busy, chattering, self-critical thoughts drive us to anxiety and stress. If we are to break the cycle, we need to understand how our brains work, rewire our thinking and find calm in a frenetic world. Helping you become the master, not the slave, of your mind, here is Ruby Wax’s guidance to saner living. Followed by a conversation with Jude Kelly, Southbank Centre’s Artistic Director.

Why: Ruby Wax has been an award-winning writer and performer for over 30 years all over the world. Her past events in Australia have been met with sweeping acclaim and her honest and endearing style have made her a household name to millions.

When: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM.

Where: Sydney Opera House, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Bennelong Point, Sydney, $45/$35

More Reading: Sane New World

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we look at more events that have caught our eye. To pick up tickets to any events featured or for more info go to www.swf.org.au

Filed under: Australian Author, Book Recommendations, Coming Soon, Literary Festivals, Non Fiction, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The 2013 Sydney Writer’s Festival In Focus – Part 1

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

In the lead up to the 2013 Sydney Writer’s Festival we’ll be featuring a few of the key events we’re really looking forward to.

We’ve also highlighted some great books to prepare you before basking in the warm glow of the festival.

Here’s a couple of events that caught our eye…

Opening Address

Who: Daniel Morden

What: Daniel Morden is one of Europe’s greatest storytellers. For 23 years he has made his living telling traditional stories: from gypsy tales to the Iliad. He has collected and told stories all over the world, from the Arctic to Haiti, performing at London’s National Theatre, the Getty Villa and on Broadway. For the 2013 Opening Address, Daniel will blend traditional tale, anecdote and insight, while examining the place of story in our lives.

Why: To visit a time where the bard reigned, where stories where told as well as read. Daniel Morden is slowly taking over the world of storytelling with his passionate, colourful and evocative performances of classic tales. Widely tipped to be the water-cooler event of the Festival, don’t miss your chance to catch a performer at the peak of his powers.

‘To experience Daniel Morden in full flight is an amazing thing. He combines the skills of the Troubadour, the actor, the bard, the standup comedian and the preacher in the pulpit’ (BBC)

When: Tuesday May 21,  6:30 PM - 8:00 PM.

Where: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $30/$25.

More Reading: The Adventures of Odysseus, Tree of Leaf and Flame, The Adventures of Achilles.

Women On The Run

Who: Michael Robotham, Tara Moss, and Lauren Beukes

What: Australian authors Michael Robotham and Tara Moss, and South Africa’s Lauren Beukes all have one thing in common: they have put their female protagonists in grave danger. Do these feisty femmes manage to outwit their pursuers and escape from their novels alive? Find out in this compelling session with Matthew Condon, speaking to three of the best thriller writers in the business.

Why: An all-star panel look at a welcome new trend in contemporary thrillers. Matthew Condon is a fine author in his own right and an old hand at these events and should keep the pace moving beautifully as three wonderful writers share their thoughts and philosophies on novels today.

When: Friday, May 24 2013, 4-5pm.

Where: Pier 2/3 Main Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $20/$14

More Reading: The Shining Girls (Beukes), Assassin (Moss), Say You’re Sorry (Robotham).

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we look at more events that have caught our eye. To pick up tickets to any events featured or for more info go to www.swf.org.au

Filed under: Australian Author, Book Recommendations, Coming Soon, Literary Classic, Literary Festivals, Thriller, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Tiffiny Hall, author of Red Samurai and White Ninja in the Roxy Ran series, answers Six Sharp Questions

Posted on May 3, 2013 by hayleys2013

red-samuraiThe Booktopia Book Guru asks

Tiffiny Hall

author of Red Samurai and White Ninja in the Roxy Ran series

Six Sharp Questions

——————–

1. Congratulations, on completing your new book. What is it about and what does it mean to you?

RED SAMURAI is my second book in the Roxy Ran trilogy for readers aged 10+. Roxy is now the White Warrior and in this book she meets her match da da da – the Red Samurai. Roxy is an ordinary 13-year-old girl with awesome powers plus a secret crush she is desperate to keep secret and the school bully to deal with. This book is more about Roxy’s sister Elecktra and the trouble she causes in Lanternwood with her magic. Red Samurai is a fantastic read for anyone dealing with bullies or struggling with their confidence. Red Samurai continues my fight to empower kids to feel stand up for themselves.


Click here to buy Red Samurai from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore


2. Time passes. Things change. What is the best and moment that you have experienced in the past year or so?tiffiny hall

Best moments have been releasing my fiction and visiting schools to talk about reading and writing NINJA STYLE! Best moments are always when you are true to yourself. I’ve always had a thirst and passion for creative writing but it took many years to have the courage to share it. The truelly best moment is when kids see me as an author not a TV personality. The worst is dealing with injury. I have chronic plantar faciitis that cripples my feet and stopped me from being active and doing Taekwondo. I’m still rehabilitating now but not being able to walk was very frustrating – although I did get a lot of writing done because I was forced to put my feet up.

3. Do you have a favourite quote or passage you would be happy to share with us?

I was lucky enough to be taught by John Marsden at school. He lit the flame for writing when I was in Grade Five. I won a John Marsden award for creative writing and my heart was set – I wanted to share stories too. John inscribed one of his books for me ‘to Hall-of-fame’ writing and the book sits on my writing desk for inspiration. He always said writing is “bums on seats”. Whenever I’m struggling with motivation or inspiration I remember that I have to sit down and just get on with it. Writing is 80% grit and determination. It’s a hard gig. You really need to be self-disciplined.

I also have a few fitness quotes I live by to keep my mind and body healthy.

“For every diet there is an opposite binge,” – Geneen Roth

“You have your body for life; you might as well get along with it.” – Sandy Kumskov.

4. Writers have often been described as being difficult to live with. Do you conform to the stereotype or defy it?

Deny deny deny! My writing means I work from home so meals are cooked on time, washing gets done, I’m able to multi-task. I’m a big believer in doing Writing Sprints. So I write hard for 30-40mins then take a break and do something menial for fifteen minutes to help myself think before the next sprint. If there are errands to run – I’m your girl. I’m home to even answer the home phone! I have a writing room at home that no one comes into, they respect my writing space. But I’m definitely not in a bad mood when I’m writing. My writing room consists of a messy desk with a collection of 20 ninjas standing at attention beside my computer. There are piles of manuscripts, a patchwork of post-its and stacks of kids books swallowing up my big Mac.

tomorrow-when-the-war-began5. Some writers claim not to be influenced by the needs of the marketplace, while others seem obsessed by it. Would you please describe how the marketplace affects your writing (come on, tell the truth!).

Ha! Lying if you say you never think about this. Series are so popular now with kids, it’s as if you can’t just think of writing a stand alone book anymore. White Ninja was a solid idea but I was influenced by the phemonemon of series and committed so committed to the trilogy. But when it comes to content I don’t care. When I started writing White Ninja four years ago there weren’t many martial arts series on the market, especially by female authors. I didn’t know if kids would love or hate martial arts adventure books. They were a blast to write and I hoped this would mean kids would enjoy to read them.

6. Unlikely Scenario: You’ve been charged with civilising twenty ill-educated adolescents but you may take only five books with you. What do you take and why?

David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day – to teach them how to be economical with words, that life shouldn’t be taken so seriously and to prove that great writing can make you LOL in public.

John Marsden’s the Tomorrow When The War Began series – it will give them that ‘yeah-baby!!’ feeling of being hooked in by a series and not being able to put a book down.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude – because it is an example of exquisite writing, wise and blooming with mind-expanding ideas.

Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl – to show how you can experiment with language and the power of the imagination.

Lord of the Flies, William Golding – as an example of how themes work in writing: loss of innocence and the confronting conflict between civilisation and savagery that exists in all of us.

Tiffiny, thank you for playing.

Click here to buy Red Samurai from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Roxy Ran Series by Tiffany Hall

White Ninja – Book 1

white-ninja

Will Roxy reveal her true fighting spirit?

Roxy Ran is an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl who doesn’t know anything about her ninja powers until a confrontation with the school bully unleashes them.

When new boy Jackson Axe introduces Roxy to the world of martial arts, she learns about the legend of the White Warrior and the powers that are trapped in the Tiger Scrolls. The White Warrior is hunted by both the ninja and samurai clans, and now Jackson and Roxy must find the Tiger Scrolls and unleash the powers of the White Warrior before the samurai do.

And in order to survive, Roxy must unleash her inner ninja.

“Dazzlingly different… a novel about transformation that has the power to transform every reader. Tiffiny Hall is the new voice in children′s fiction.”
- John Marsden

Click here to buy White Ninja from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Red Samurai – Book 2

In this second sensational title in the Roxy Ran series, Roxy is now The White Warrior. She has released the powers of the Tiger Scrolls – and the wrath of the Samurai, the centuries-old arch enemies of the Ninja. Roxy now has to take on the

red-samurai

Samurai, not realising that their leader, the Red Samurai, is closer to home than she ever could have imagined.
Praise for WHITE NINJA:

′Dazzlingly different… a novel about transformation that has the power to transform every reader. Tiffiny Hall is the new voice in children′s fiction.′

- John Marsden

Click here to buy Red Samurai from
Booktopia, Australia’s Local Bookstore

Filed under: Action, Adventure, Australian Author, Author Interview, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Eccentricity – Curse or Ally?

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

The 19th century British philosopher John Stuart Mill once remarked, “The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of the time.”

The world of writing is filled with just the eccentric folk Mill was talking about. We’ve picked 10 examples of some of the greatest writers having some strange sides to them. Enjoy.

J.M Barrie

The creator of Peter Pan would always order Brussels sprouts for lunch, but he never ate them. When asked the reason for this, he replied, “I just love saying the words.”

Samuel Johnson

Once called “the most distinguished man of letters in English history”, Johnson often shaved all the hairs off his body and document how long it would take for them to grow back again.

Charles Dickens

One of the greatest writers to ever live, Dickens used to get so excited performing his own work in front of audiences that he would faint.

Rudyard Kipling

The much-loved writer behind The Jungle Book would paint all of his golf balls red so he could play in the snow.

H.G. Wells

The father of Science-Fiction always carried two pens with him; a big one for long words and a smaller one for the little words.

Dorothy Parker

The Queen of Satire once bought herself a new typewriter for no better reason than the fact the ribbon on her old ran out and she didn’t know how to install the new one.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Despite his writing being one of Gandhi’s greatest inspirations to the path of passive resistance, Shelley hated cats so much that he once tied one to a kite in a thunderstorm in the hopes of seeing it electrocuted. (Poor Kitty!)

Giacomo Casanova

Literally the original Casanova, the womaniser used to grow the nail on his pinkie extra long specially so he could pick earwax out with it.

Thomas De Quincey

Would be so immersed in his writing (and perhaps other things) at night he set himself on fire more than once from the candle at his desk.

Samuel Beckett

Once said to an actor in one of his plays (regarding a pregnant pause in his script): “You’re playing two dots at the moment, the script calls for three!”

Do you know any other examples of writers going a bit balmy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Filed under: Book Talk, Booktopia, Fiction, Non Fiction, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Natasha Walker, author of The Secret Lives Of Emma series, answers Six Sharp Questions

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

The Booktopia Book Guru asks

Natasha Walker

the Australian author of the bestselling
Secret Lives of Emma series…

Six Sharp Questions

_______

1. Congratulations, on completing your new book. What is it about and what does it mean to you?

Thanks. Unmasked is the final book in The Secret Lives of Emma trilogy. At the end of book two, Distractions, I was a bit mean and left readers hanging right at the point where nothing was going right for my heroine, Emma Benson. In geekspeak – it was my The Empire Strikes Back.

I can’t say much about Unmasked. I don’t want to spoil it. What I can say is Emma ends up on the southern coast of Italy in midsummer.

Unmasked is my favourite of the three. It’s a happy ending. But only those who know Emma well can possibly predict what a happy ending for Emma means.

Click here to buy The Secret Lives of Emma : Unmasked from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

2. Time passes. Things change. What is the best and moment that you have experienced in the past year or so?

The past year has been completely bizarre. The best moment was getting a publishing deal. The worst moment was not being able to tell the whole world I finally got a publishing deal. For the sake of my family I decided to publish under a pseudonym. I was the tenth highest selling Australian novelist in 2012 and my proud mum can’t tell any of her friends!

3. Do you have a favourite quote or passage you would be happy to share with us?

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness – Bertrand Russell.

4. Writers have often been described as being difficult to live with. Do you conform to the stereotype or defy it?

I work full-time so all my writing is done at night, in the early hours of morning and on weekends. This can put a strain on relationships but thankfully, when I am writing I write quickly, in intense bursts of inspiration and so far have hit all of the brutal deadlines set by my publisher. (I’ve had three books published in under a year)

5. Some writers claim not to be influenced by the needs of the marketplace, while others seem obsessed by it. Would you please describe how the marketplace affects your writing (come on, tell the truth!).

The marketplace did not influence the writing of The Secret Lives of Emma but the publication of it was very much influenced by it. After the sudden initial success of Fifty Shades publishers worldwide were scrambling to publish other erotic novels as fast as they could. Luckily enough for me at that precise moment my agent had just read the draft of an erotic story I had written. The rest is history!

6. Unlikely Scenario: You’ve been charged with civilising twenty ill-educated adolescents but you may take only five books with you. What do you take and why?

Why would I want to civilise a bunch of adolescents? Age and responsibilities will civilise them soon enough. I’d prefer to keep them uncivilised.

If I really had to take some books with me I’d take – The Philosophy of the Bedroom by The Marquis de Sade, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss. Though I think very soon they would be used to fuel the fire we made to cook the smallest of the group.

Natasha, thank you for playing

Click here to buy The Secret Lives of Emma : Unmasked from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Filed under: Australian Author, Author Interview, Fiction, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Carrie Tiffany wins the inaugural Stella Prize for women writers.

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

Carrie Tiffany, author of the acclaimed Mateship With Birds, has been awarded the inaugural Stella Prize for women writers.

Named after one of Australia’s most important female authors, Stella Maria Miles Franklin, the Stella Prize is worth $50,000, and both fiction and non-fiction books are eligible.

The Melbourne based writer said after her win she would share part of her prizemoney with the five other shortlisted writers.

The Stella Prize was established to raise the profile of women authors.

“I don’t write particularly for women, I don’t write for any particular reader in mind,” Tiffany said.  “I write for myself, I think.”

But she welcomed the co-operative spirit of the Stella Prize, saying that women writers were supportive of each other.

She will share $10,000 of her prizemoney with Courtney Collins (The Burial), Michelle de Kretser (Questions of Travel), Lisa Jacobson (The Sunlit Zone), Cate Kennedy (Like a House on Fire) and Margo Lanagan (Sea Hearts).

Judging panel chairwoman Kerryn Goldsworthy said Tiffany had told an “original, tender, frank and funny version of the oldest story in the world: how a man and a woman get together.”

You can see our complete wrap of all the authors longlisted for The Stella Prize here.

You can also see our exclusive interview with Carrie Tiffany here.

_______________________________________________________________

Mateship With Birds

by Carrie Tiffany

On the outskirts of an Australian country town in the 1950s, a lonely farmer trains his binoculars on a family of kookaburras that roost in a tree near his house. Harry observes the kookaburras through a year of feast, famine, birth, death, war, romance and song. As Harry watches the birds, his next door neighbour has her own set of binoculars trained on him. Ardent, hard-working Betty has escaped to the country with her two fatherless children. Betty is pleased that her son, Michael, wants to spend time with the gentle farmer next door. But when Harry decides to teach Michael about the opposite sex, perilous boundaries are crossed.

Mateship with Birds is a novel about young lust and mature love. It is a hymn to the rhythm of country life – to vicious birds, virginal cows, adored dogs and ill-used sheep. On one small farm in a vast, ancient landscape, a collection of misfits question the nature of what a family can be.

About The Author

Carrie Tiffany was born in West Yorkshire and grew up in Western Australia. She spent her early twenties working as a park ranger in the Red Centre and now lives in Melbourne, where she works as an agricultural journalist. Her first novel, Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living (2005) was shortlisted for numerous awards including the Orange Prize, the Miles Franklin Literary Award, the Guardian First Book Award and the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, and won the Dobbie Award for Best First Book (2006) and the 2006 Western Australian Premier’s Award for Fiction. Mateship with Birds is her second novel.

Click here to buy Mateship With Birds from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

_____________________________________________________________

Filed under: Australian Author, Author Interview, Book Recommendations, Book Talk, Competitions, Fiction, Literary Prizes, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Booktopia TV: Caroline Baum interviews award-winning writer Ashley Hay

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

Booktopia’s Editorial Director Caroline Baum sat down with award-winner Ashley Hay to discuss her new book The Railwayman’s Wife.

In a small town on the land’s edge, in the strange space at a war’s end, a widow, a poet and a doctor each try to find their own peace, and their own new story.

In Thirroul, in 1948, people chase their dreams through the books in the railway’s library. Anikka Lachlan searches for solace after her life is destroyed by a single random act. Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. Frank McKinnon is trapped by the guilt of those his treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle with the same question: how now to be alive.

Written in clear, shining prose and with an eloquent understanding of the human heart, The Railwayman’s Wife explores the power of beginnings and endings, and how hard it can be sometimes to tell them apart. It’s a story of life, loss and what comes after; of connection and separation, longing and acceptance. Most of all, it celebrates love in all its forms, and the beauty of discovering that loving someone can be as extraordinary as being loved yourself.

Click here to buy The Railwayman’s Wife from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

About the Author

Ashley Hay is the author of four books of non-fiction – The Secret: The strange marriage of Annabella Milbanke and Lord Byron, Gum: The story of eucalypts and their champions, and Herbarium and Museum with the visual artist Robyn Stacey. A former literary editor of The Bulletin, her essays and short stories have also appeared in anthologies and journals including Brothers and Sisters, The Monthly, Heat and The Griffith Review. Ashley’s first novel, The Body in the Clouds was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize ‘Best First Book’ (South-East Asia and Pacific region) and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.

Click here to buy The Railwayman’s Wife from Booktopia,
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Nick Falk, author of Troggle the Troll, answers Ten Terrifying Questions

Posted on February 18, 2013 by John Purcell, The Booktopia Book Guru

Click here for details or to order... The Booktopia Book Guru asks

Nick Falk

author of Troggle the Troll, Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch, A Pterodactyl Stole My Homework, The Very Naughty Velociraptor and An Allosaurus Ate My Uncle

Ten Terrifying Questions

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1.    To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

Hi there! I was raised and schooled in London, and spent most of my childhood battling imaginary dinosaurs in Hyde Park or flying imaginary dragons over Trafalgar Square. I left the UK after I finished University, and spent a good ten years working a    nd travelling in different countries around the world. And then, in 2004, I ended up in sunny Australia!

2.    What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

When I was twelve I strongly believed I was going to be an astronaut. I even built my own spaceship out of tinfoil. Sadly, it didn’t reach the moon. At eighteen I was fairly sure I wanted to be a Doctor of some Falk, Nickdescription (which I am now – a Doctor of Psychology), and at thirty I was pretty excited about trying to become a writer. I’m only 36, so it’s gone pretty well so far!

3.    What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?

Hmmm… Good question. I can’t think of any beliefs I had at 18 that I don’t have now (although I’m sure there are loads). But I do clearly remember when I was 8 being certain that dogs could communicate with each other telepathically. I am not so sure about this now. Cats can do it. This we know to be true. But dogs? Maybe not.

4.    What were three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?

There were three books that changed the way I approach writing – Mark Danielewski’s ‘House of Leaves’, David Mitchell’s ‘Cloud SaurusSt4_CVRAtlas’ and Haruki Marukami (pretty much everything!) These books, for me, broke all the rules of writing. They dealt with complex topics in an exploratory, rather than explanatory, manner, and, in terms of story and plot, went precisely where they wanted to go (they didn’t stick to any predefined rules regarding structure). These books helped me learn that writing is not about ‘getting it right’, but about just writing for the love of it.

5.    Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a novel?

Partly because I have few other artistic talents! My seven year old draws better than me (although I draw a mean dragon), and my singing voice can kill a nested bird at fifty paces. I have worked professionally as an actor, but it’s not quite the same (you’re saying other people’s lines, not your own). Books, however, have been my friend since I was five years old. And I’ve been writing for just as long. So I guess I didn’t choose to write. Writing chose me.

97817427565546.    Please tell us about your latest books…

I have four children’s novels coming out in early 2013, all about dinosaurs! It’s a series called Saurus Street, about a leafy suburban street that just happens to house a few Thunder Lizards. How did this happen, you ask? Well, I shall tell you. A scientist, terrified of growing old, experimented with time to try and stop the aging process. But instead of stopping time, he bent it… and now modern day Saurus Street sits right next to the late Cretaceous Period.

In Book 1, ‘Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch,’ Jack sees a shooting star and wishes for his very own T-rex. And Hey Presto, next morning there it is, lying right in the middle of Mum’s veggie patch. Great news for Jack. Bad news for the carrots… At first Jack’s delighted. Who wouldn’t be? But when the dinosaur sets its sights on Charlie the dog (a fine breakfast if ever there was one), Jack realises his new pet might have its downside. So he builds a time machine (simple really – all you need is some time and some machines. A few clocks and a robot claw should do), and makes a plan to send the T-rex home… What could possibly go wrong?

Click here to buy Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

I also have a book coming out for younger children called ‘Troggle the Troll.’ It’s all about a young troll who won’t eat his tea. Every night Mummy Troll prepares him a delightful dinner – policeman pie, fireman fritters, cook crumble. Click here for details or to order...What culinary delights! But Troggle turns his nose up. Says he won’t eat it! Says he wants vegetables instead. YUCK! What’s wrong with him? People taste delicious!! And when Daddy Troll is sick, and Troggle is sent out to catch dinner, he gets a chance to trick his parents into a change of diet…

Click here to buy Troggle the Troll from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

7.    What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?

A sense of fun and adventure I hope! And free reign to imagine whatever they want… The books are fast moving, easy to read and beautifully illustrated (by the wonderful Tony Flowers), so my biggest hope is they will bring kids the same sense of wonder and excitement my first ‘self-readers’ gave me…

SaurusSt3_CVR8.    Whom do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?

In terms of adult books, I’d go back to David Mitchell and Haruki Murakami. Every book they’ve written extends my own horizons as a writer, and for that I’m extraordinarily grateful. In the world of children’s books, it would be Paul Jennings. I must have read ‘Uncollected’ to my own kids a hundred times – every story takes you somewhere you weren’t expecting to go. And that’s precisely where a bedtime story should take you…

9.    Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

Hmmm… I’m not sure my goals are that ambitious. I have a number of other book series I’m working on, and I’d certainly be excited to see them follow Saurus Street out into the wild. But I’m not expecting to do a JK Rowling! So my ambitions are hopefully fairly grounded. Of course, I’d also like to finish that space rocket and make it to the moon (“never give up” is my motto!) but I realise that’s probably a bit over-ambitious. A successful orbit of the Earth will probably suffice.9781742756561

10.    What advice do you give aspiring writers?

When I started writing, I went to a lot of different people and places to get help. I went to courses and workshops and writer’s centres. And I received all kinds of good advice on story structure, characterisation, appropriate language etc… And I have to admit, it didn’t really help!! I kept on trying to write stories that followed the rules, and were ‘well written’. Invariably, I failed. And then I decided to forget all the rules and just write the silly stories I wanted to write. And it worked! So that’s the advice I’d give aspiring writers – talk to people and get all the advice you can. And then ignore all that advice, and write whatever and however you want! Writing because you love it, that’s the secret.

Nick, thank you for playing.

Click here to buy Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Click here to buy Troggle the Troll from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Filed under: Author Interview, Writing Style, Writing tips | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

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