Suzanne Leal's Blog, page 9

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
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All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
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Published on March 15, 2022 15:58

A sliver of sunlight amidst the rain

Dear Friends,

It's been such a difficult week for so many people and I hope you've managed to stay dry and stay wherever you are. In a sparkle of good news, here in Sydney, the rain held off for Mardi Gras and, after a long absence from the theatre, I went to see the musical, Girl from the North Country, at the newly re-opened Theatre Royal. The show showcases songs by Bob Dylan and stars Lisa McCune who was fabulous.

In a little more good news, I'd like to congratulate Thursday Book Club regular, Barbie Robinson, on the publication of her new picture book Charles the Gallery Dog (illustrated by Ian Robertson).

We had a good time at Thursday Book Club last week and I hope you can join us this week. Just click on this link at 8pm on Thursday: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343.

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

HOVERING Rhett Davis

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/hovering-9780733645624.do

This strange and beautiful novel won the 2020 Victorian Premier's Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. It blends a mix of narrative techniques - computer messages, split dual interactions, official notices - with the traditional third person, all to great effect. It's set in Fraser (read Melbourne/Geelong) a city that is repositioning itself. Literally. A resident may wake one morning and find their front door has moved. Or the entire house relocated to another part of the city. Roads no longer go where they were meant to. Buildings may be balanced on other buildings. Tourists visit for the thrill of discovery, and the occupants wearily accept and get on with the changes. Into this uncertain place, Alice returns from a long time overseas and lands on her sister Lydia's doorstep. Alice is secretive about her past, but she was part of a collective which launched cutting (and cutting-edge) artworks on unsuspecting cities. Lydia stayed home, dealing with their difficult parents and bringing up her son George whilst holding down a demanding data mining job. She doesn't welcome Alice reappearing in her life, but George, who has secrets of his own and has stopped talking, knows it will bring the spark back to his increasingly stressed mother. A novel full of ideas, of the disconnect in contemporary life from things once considered merely important and that reveal as essential, of secrets held and unleashed - and very beautifully written indeed. Lindy Jones

Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

THIS IS NOT AN EGG

Laura Bunting, Philip Bunting

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/this-is-not-an-egg-9781760976606.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Another witty and playful book from the Brisbane duo, starring a Bilby carrying something that the other creatures keep calling an egg. Bilby denies it's just an egg - it's a souvenir from Mexico, or a balloon filled with gravity, or a magic bean, or a host of fanciful things - until it meets another Bilby who understands that it's something special. Even the appearance of an Emu who knows the egg, doesn't sway the Bilbies' certainty... A picture book about the wonders of imagination, and finding someone else who not only indulges, but shares the joy of play. Lindy Jones

NEWS

Philippa McGuinness in conversation with Nicole Abadee at Gleebooks on 11 March 2022 at 6pm

Philippa McGuinness' new book Skin Deep explores beauty, ageing, imperfection, health and illness, all of which are closely related to skin, and interrogates whiteness, both historically, structurally and through current notions of white fragility and victimhood. She'll be in conversation with Nicole Abadee at Gleebooks on Friday. You can register here.

Emily Brugman The Islands online and in person at Avid Reader on 17 March 2022 at 6.30pm
Emily Brugman's debut novel, The Islands, is the moving story of Finnish migrants, Onni and Alva Saari, who become a fishing family on the remote Western Australian island archipelago known as the Abrolhos. It's a beautifully written work and you can hear Emily Brugman discuss it with Kristina Olsson at 6.30pm on 17 March 2022. The event is both online and in person at the Avid Reader store in Brisbane and you can register for it here.

Lynda La Plante in conversation with Sue Turnbull online on 31 March 2022 at 6pm
Travel online to the UK to hear Lynda La Plante (Prime Suspect, Tennison and many others) talk with Sue Turnbull about her latest novel Vanished. Presented by BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival, you can find all the details here.

Seizing Justice online on 25 March at 8 pm, courtesy of Sisters In Crime
The formal criminal justice system doesn’t always deliver for women, so what can happen when women decide to exact justice themselves? Jane Caro, Debra Oswald, and Nina D. Campbell will explore the moral dilemmas and much more with award-winning short story writer (and autopsy expert), Philomena Horsley. This online event is presented by Sisters In Crime and you can register for it here.

To be part of Better Reading's Top 100, simply vote for your all-time favourite adult fiction book and be in the draw to win a pack of 100 books. The top 100 books chosen will be stocked in Big W stores for the rest of the year. You can vote here until 13 March.

Wendy McCarthy in conversation with Jennifer Byrne online and live at Margaret Martin Library tonight at 6.30pm
Hear educator, activist, and agent of change Wendy McCarthy in conversation with Jennifer Byrne at 6.30pm on Wednesday 9 March 2022, live at Margaret Martin Library in Randwick and also online. You can register here.

WRITERS' CORNER

Writing Competitions
11 March 2022: Mascara Literary Review
Submissions are open for Mascara Literary Review’s very first print anthology, to be published with Ultimo Press.

17 March 2022: Peter Carey Short Story Award
Organised by the Moorabool Shire Council, the award is for short stories between 2000 - 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents.

18 March: Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition 2022
Submit fiction and creative non-fiction pieces between 3500 and 5000 words.

31 March 2022: The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is now open for entries. Open to writers under 35 years of age, the award is seeking unpublished manuscripts of fiction, Australian history, or biography. The winner will receive $20,000 prize money and publication by Allen & Unwin.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

31 March 2022: Flying Islands Manuscript Prize for Emerging Poets
$1000 cash prize and publication in the Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, with fifty free copies to the author.

31 March 2022: Best Australian Science Writing
The Best Australian Science Writing 2022 anthology is seeking published pieces that have appeared in print or online between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2022.

8 April 2022: Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes
Williamstown Literary Festival offers the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize ($500), Poetry Prize ($500), and The Young Adas ($250). $15 entry fee. Closes Friday 8 April. More info here.

12 April 2022: Scribe Varuna Fellowships
The Scribe Varuna Fellowships offers writers of literary fiction the chance to spend a week in residence at Varuna with editors from Scribe Publications.

22 May 2022: ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize:
For original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject and in any style. Total prize money of AU$12,500 – 1st, $6,000; 2nd $4,000; 3rd $2,500. Entry fee $15 – $25. .

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June 2022: Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 31 March 2022, my guest is author Michelle Tom whose beautifully written memoir,Ten Thousand Aftershocks, explores her experience of the Christchurch earthquakes in the midst of family upheaval.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
Wild Abandon by Emily Bitto
Your Recommendations
Kata K

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

Barbie R

Those Who Perish by Emma Viskic
Gunfire Lullabies by Nore Hoogstad
Ocean Warriors: The Rise of Robo Shark by Candice Lemon-Scott

Louise R

The Spy's Wife by Fiona McIntosh
Women Who Kill (TV series)
White Lotus (TV series)

Ravi S

The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry by Gabriel Levin
Never by Ken Follett
The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks

Hazel H

The Passengers by Eleanor Limprecht

Dina D

Case Study by Graham Macrae Burnet

Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the latest novel, The Deceptions

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Published on March 08, 2022 16:44

Stories have a way of making the ugly beautiful and therefore bearable - Aoife Clifford

Dear Friends,

It's been a distressing week for the world and my thoughts are with the Ukrainian people, and with those of you who have friends and family caught in the conflict.

On a happier note, I really enjoyed getting to know Marion Frith on Thursday Book Club last week. If you missed our interview, you can watch it here.

My next guest is Michelle Tom whose memoir, Ten Thousand Aftershocks, considers the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes. It's a beautifully written work and I'm looking forward to speaking with Michelle on 31 March.

Congratulations to Aoife Clifford whose new novel, When We Fall, is being released this week. Aoife will be my guest on Thursday Book Club later in the year. In the meantime, she's written a piece especially for us - please scroll down to read it.

I'm excited to be back on stage this week. Tomorrow night, I'll be at Wollongong Library to interview Maya Lee. Maya's book,The Nazis Knew My Name, is an extraordinary account of the wartime experiences of her mother. The event is sold out, but you can join the waitlist here.

Hope to see you at Thursday Book Club this week - just click on this link at 8pm on Thursday: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343.

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

THE WAY IT IS NOW
Garry Disher

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-way-it-is-now-9781922458162.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ---- With this novel, Garry Disher has marshalled all of the considerable skills he has amassed across his long career. The mystery is compelling - the cold-case of the disappearance of Charlie Deravin's mother 20 years ago. As a policeman, Charlie has spent a lot of his spare time investigating the mystery while many suspect his father (a retired detective) was the murderer despite having been cleared at the time.

Over the top of this is a rich layer of family dynamics, and Charlie's personal journey with relationships, failed and new, running alongside challenges in his employment - on suspension for assaulting a superior officer. All of which is delivered with a warmth and empathy for our human flaws.

The finishing touches are Disher's acute eye for the minutiae of daily life and of Australian culture, both current and times past. The dialogue is pitch-perfect and I can see actor Patrick Brammall inhabiting the role of beleaguered Charlie (if a screen adaptation were to come). Craig Kirchner Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

EARTHQUAKE Jackie French, Bruce Whatley

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/earthquake-jackie-french-bruce-whatley-9781743834817.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- This is the latest in the duo's series (Flood/ Fire/ Cyclone etc) of historical Australian natural disasters, and covers the Newcastle earthquake of 1989, with mention of the Meckering WA quake in 1968. Told in rhyming couplets and digitally illustrated in a watercolour style of muted hues, this captures the shock of the quake, and the community efforts that followed. It is also reassuring, explaining that earthquakes might happen anywhere, but humans have adapted by making buildings stronger. A gentle introduction to one of the forces of nature. Lindy Jones
NEWS

Congratulations to those writers longlisted for the 2022 Stella Prize. You can find all the details here.

To be part of Better Reading's Top 100, simply vote for your all-time favourite adult fiction book and be in the draw to win a pack of 100 books. The top 100 books chosen will be stocked in Big W stores for the rest of the year. You can vote here until 13 March.

Hear educator, activist, and agent of change Wendy McCarthy in conversation with Jennifer Byrne at 6.30pm on Wednesday 9 March 2022, live at Margaret Martin Library in Randwick and also online. You can register here.

Writing NSW's First Friday conversation with an industry professional offers the chance to learn more about the writing and publishing industry. On 4 March, Ali Green, co-founder and CEO of Pantera Press, will share her insights on how writers can best engage with publishers. You can find all the details here.
[image error]
Festival director, Jo Dyer, has put together a terrific program for Adelaide Writers' Week which will take place from 5 to 10 March Amongst the guests are Kathryn Heyman who was our guest on Thursday Book Club last year and Emily Bitto who will be our guest later this year. For those who can't make it to Adelaide, the festival will also be live-streamed. You can find the full program here.

WRITERS' CORNER

Writing in the time of COVID

by

Aoife Clifford My new novel When We Fall was written over a series of lockdowns in 2020-21 in Melbourne, but it very nearly wasn’t. In March 2020, I was conducting my first lockdown bookclub on Zoom for a group of Year Nine students at a local high school. Their lovely teacher, keen to raise spirits, asked me to tell them how it was a good time to do some writing. Before 2020, the idea that I would be locked in my house, and all I could do was write, would have been a dream come true. However, the reality was scary and exhausting, and it was impossible to concentrate with my family at home. I tried to mumble something inspirational. The kids looked unconvinced, and I decided that I needed to try harder and so I got to work.

One of the great attractions of being an author is when the writing is going well, I am a god at the desk, in charge of a world I control. No one dies or gets ill unless I say so and even then I can raise or heal on whim. My characters don’t ask me to make their lunch, tell me they’re bored or almost finish the milk and then put the empty bottle back in the fridge. When I shut the laptop, my characters patiently wait for me until the next day.

Fiction does not solve our problems but it rather, in the words of Anton Chekhov, can ‘formulate them correctly’. Since the arrival of COVID in Australia, more people have returned to reading and those who were already readers have been reading more. That may be the merest sliver of a silver lining in a very dark cloud but it comforts me. Stories have a way of making the ugly beautiful and therefore bearable, even the last two years. I hope you add When We Fall to your to-be-read pile.

Writing Competitions
11 March 2022: Mascara Literary Review
Submissions are open for Mascara Literary Review’s very first print anthology, to be published with Ultimo Press.

17 March 2022: Peter Carey Short Story Award
Organised by the Moorabool Shire Council, the award is for short stories between 2000 - 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents.

18 March: Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition 2022
Submit fiction and creative non-fiction pieces between 3500 and 5000 words.

31 March 2022: The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is now open for entries. Open to writers under 35 years of age, the award is seeking unpublished manuscripts of fiction, Australian history, or biography. The winner will receive $20,000 prize money and publication by Allen & Unwin.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

31 March 2022: Flying Islands Manuscript Prize for Emerging Poets
$1000 cash prize and publication in the Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, with fifty free copies to the author.

31 March 2022: Best Australian Science Writing
The Best Australian Science Writing 2022 anthology is seeking published pieces that have appeared in print or online between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2022.

8 April 2022: Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes
Williamstown Literary Festival offers the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize ($500), Poetry Prize ($500), and The Young Adas ($250). $15 entry fee. Closes Friday 8 April. More info here.

22 May 2022: ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize:
For original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject and in any style. Total prize money of AU$12,500 – 1st, $6,000; 2nd $4,000; 3rd $2,500. Entry fee $15 – $25. .

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June 2022: Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 31 March 2022, my guest is author Michelle Tom whose beautifully written memoir,Ten Thousand Aftershocks, explores her experience of the Christchurch earthquakes in the midst of family upheaval.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
The Nazis Knew My Name by Magda Hellinger & Maya Lee
Marion Frith's Recommendations
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghey
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Daré
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the latest novel, The Deceptions

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on February 28, 2022 17:00

Marion Frith is my guest on Thursday Book Club this week

Dear Friends,

Few things give me as much pleasure as ocean swimming. There is something extraordinary about taking to the water with a mask and a snorkel and watching the underwater unfold. Last week's shark attack on swimmer and dive instructor, Simon Nellist, at Little Bay has left so many of us reeling. My heart goes out to his family and friends.

Little Bay is the former site of Prince Henry Hospital. The hospital treated infectious diseases and included a lazaret, where patients with leprosy were kept in isolation. Author Eleanor Limprecht's new novel, The Coast, to be released in May this year, is set in this lazaret and tells the moving story of its patients. The Coast is a beautifully told, sobering tale of this hidden part of Sydney's history.

In the meantime, please join me this week when I'll be welcoming author and journalist, Marion Frith, as my guest on Thursday Book Club. Marion will be speaking about her novel, Here in the After, which explores the unlikely friendship between two damaged people brought together in unusual circumstances. To be part of the conversation, just click on this link at 8pm on Thursday: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343.

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

CHAI TIME AT CINNAMON GARDENS

Shankari Chandran

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/chai-time-at-cinnamon-gardens-9781761150319.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Anji runs the nursing home, Cinnamon Gardens, that her 80-year-old mother Maya technically owns in one of Sydney's western suburbs. It is a caring place, and though there are hierarchies amongst the multi-cultural residents, yet they are a cohesive and vibrant community. While it is exactly the sort of place you would want your elderly relatives to live out the last of their days, there are problems - money, staff and worst of all, community. When the home, and one of the staff in particular, is targeted by vile racists, it is the catalyst for devastating developments… The story weaves backwards and forwards in time, with shifting viewpoints and complicated relationships. It takes in the appallingly tragic consequences of the civil war in Sri Lanka - some of the most affecting parts of the novel show the horrors that occurred there, and the dreadful choices people had to make. Despite an innocuous title that seems to indicate a feel-good story, this is a strong and powerful novel that deals with a multitude of themes - our treatment of the elderly, of refugees and migrants, and the bonds that make families and the stresses that destroy relationships - and the damage politicians (and the media that report their actions) can inflict without thought and with unlooked-for consequences. Well worth reading, and thinking about…  Lindy Jones
Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

HOW SPACESHIPS WORK

Clive Gifford, James Gulliver Hancock
https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/how-spaceships-work-9781838694623.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- This is the next in the Lonely Planet Kids series of How things (Cities/Airports/Ships/Trains) Work, and is every bit well researched and presented, and absorbing! There is slightly more text, indeed, but it follows the same format - lift-the-flaps and foldout pages bursting with information and detailed interesting illustrations contributed by James Gulliver Hancock. It covers topics such as leaving earth, satellites, rockets, people in space, probes sent out into the solar system (and beyond), landers, moon missions, rovers, space centres, life on board space stations and the future of spaceships. Marvellous for readers 8-12 (and the sort of book that adults can learn from if they share with younger readers!) Lindy Jones
NEWS

Win tickets to BAD Online with Dinuka McKenzie: Thursday 24 February, 6 pm – 7 pm. Just send me a book recommendation by 12 noon this Thursday to be in the draw. A heavily pregnant police detective is the star of Dinuka McKenzie’s debut novel book, The Torrent. Hear Dinuka talk about her Banjo Prize winning book (described by Val McDermid as ‘such a good read’).

The Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival presents Diana Reid, author of Love and Virtue (Ultimo Press, 2021), in conversation with Intan Paramaditha. The event will take place on Wednesday 23 February 2022 at 5:30pm for a 6pm start. You can find the details here.

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Small Towns, Big Crimes! Friday 25 February, 8pm. Live online.
With host Jacqui Horwood, Emma Viskic, Aoife Clifford and Maryrose Cuskelly will discuss why they chose to set their crime fiction in small towns. You can find more details here.

Writing NSW's First Friday conversation with an industry professional offers the chance to learn more about the writing and publishing industry. On 4 March, Ali Green, co-founder and CEO of Pantera Press, will share her insights on how writers can best engage with publishers. You can find all the details here.
[image error]
Festival director, Jo Dyer, has put together a terrific program for Adelaide Writers' Week which will take place from 5 to 10 March Amongst the guests are Kathryn Heyman who was our guest on Thursday Book Club last year and Emily Bitto who will be our guest later this year. For those who can't make it to Adelaide, the festival will also be live-streamed. You can find the full program here.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of competitions to inspire your writing:

28 February 2022: Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

11 March 2022: Mascara Literary Review
Submissions are open for Mascara Literary Review’s very first print anthology, to be published with Ultimo Press.

17 March 2022: Peter Carey Short Story Award
Organised by the Moorabool Shire Council, the award is for short stories between 2000 - 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents.

18 March: Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition 2022
Submit fiction and creative non-fiction pieces between 3500 and 5000 words.

31 March 2022: The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is now open for entries. Open to writers under 35 years of age, the award is seeking unpublished manuscripts of fiction, Australian history, or biography. The winner will receive $20,000 prize money and publication by Allen & Unwin.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

31 March 2022: Flying Islands Manuscript Prize for Emerging Poets
$1000 cash prize and publication in the Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, with fifty free copies to the author.

31 March 2022: Best Australian Science Writing
The Best Australian Science Writing 2022 anthology is seeking published pieces that have appeared in print or online between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2022.

8 April 2022: Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes
Williamstown Literary Festival offers the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize ($500), Poetry Prize ($500), and The Young Adas ($250). $15 entry fee. Closes Friday 8 April. More info here.

22 May 2022: ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize:
For original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject and in any style. Total prize money of AU$12,500 – 1st, $6,000; 2nd $4,000; 3rd $2,500. Entry fee $15 – $25. .

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June 2022: Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 24 February 2022, my guest is journalist and author, Marion Frith, whose novel Here in the After explores the unlikely friendship between two damaged people in a story that is both moving and ultimately uplifting.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
Here in the After by Marion Frith
Your Recommendations

Noela A

The Islands by Emily Brugman

Ravi S

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) by Anita Heiss
The Muse by Jessie Burton
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

Libby G

Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Miranda B

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
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Published on February 21, 2022 20:00

Next week, Marion Frith is my guest on Thursday Book Club

Dear Friends,

When I was at uni, I became friends with Sophie Blackall, an artist who left Australia for New York to work for The New Yorker. Later, she began to illustrate children’s books, including the bestselling series, Ivy and Bean, before starting to write her own books for children, for which she has twice won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children.

When I started follow Sophie on Instagram, I discovered that she and her partner, the playwright, Ed Schmidt, had bought an abandoned farmhouse in a valley in the West Catskills of New York State with plans to turn it into a retreat for the children’s book community. There’s no way they’ll be able to do it, I thought when I saw the state of the place and then, as the Covid pandemic continued, I became more curious and found myself tracking its progress. It became a bit like travelling at a time when venturing anywhere at all overseas still seemed like a fantasy to me. I began to delight in the restoration of this farmhouse I’d never even seen and now that it’s finished, have been dreaming of a time when I might be able to stay there myself. If you’d like to see for yourself, here’s where you can find it: Milkwood Farm. Make sure you read Ed Schmidt’s bio on the website - for all the writers out there, it’s a gem!

Hope to see you at Thursday Book Club tomorrow night. Just click on this link at 8pm: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. And save the date next Thursday night when author Marion Frith will be joining us to talk about her new novel, Here In The After.

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

THE MAID
Nita Prose

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-maid-9780008435738.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Molly the maid works at the Regency Grand Hotel. She's a quiet and very methodical worker proud of her efforts in cleaning up after guests who never notice her, though she certainly knows a lot about them! She's also inclined to take everything very literally, which doesn't make her many friends at all, and at the same time, she is unworldly and socially awkward - and quite lonely now her beloved Gran, who raised her and inculcated strict routines and methods of cleanliness, has died. Molly's landlord is pestering her for the rent, her one and only boyfriend defrauded her of the lifesavings that were meant to send her to college to study hotel management, and then one ordinary day she finds a Very Important Guest (rather a nasty character in reality) dead in the penthouse suite… It gets worse before it gets better! A delightful read, with a character who is by no means clueless (no matter what those around her believe) and as it turns out, definitely not powerless. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant, then you'll enjoy Molly!  Lindy Jones
Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

NO WAY!
Dan Marshall

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/no-way-9780648677024.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Come with KLAUS (Knowledge Learning and Understanding System) for a tour of little known but totally fascinating and mind-blowing facts! From Space to Earth, Humans to Animals, Science to Maths, KLAUS (an expressive little robot character) will help the young reader discover new and wondrous things about the world around them. It's the sort of information that begs to be shared (cicadas use prime numbers! bananas are radioactive!! humans glow in the dark!!! the Amazon River has no bridges!!!!) Attractively designed, with a good balance of text to coloured illustration, this is perfect for any enquiring mind, ages 9-12 Lindy Jones NEWS[image error]'

Small Towns, Big Crimes! Friday 25 February, 8pm. Live online.
With host Jacqui Horwood, Emma Viskic, Aoife Clifford and Maryrose Cuskelly will discuss why they chose to set their crime fiction in small towns. You can find more details here.

Writing NSW's First Friday conversation with an industry professional offers the chance to learn more about the writing and publishing industry. On 4 March, Ali Green, co-founder and CEO of Pantera Press, will share her insights on how writers can best engage with publishers. You can find all the details here.
[image error]
GENRECON 2022, which is taking place from Friday 18- Sunday 20 February, will feature an impressive line-up of leading names in Australian and international genre fiction across a spectacular weekend of panels, workshops, and special events. Click here for more details.

The Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival presents Diana Reid, author of Love and Virtue (Ultimo Press, 2021), in conversation with Intan Paramaditha. The event will take place on Wednesday 23 February 2022 at 5:30pm for a 6pm start. You can find the details here.

[image error]
Festival director, Jo Dyer, has put together a terrific program for Adelaide Writers' Week which will take place from 5 to 10 March Amongst the guests are Kathryn Heyman who was our guest on Thursday Book Club last year and Emily Bitto who will be our guest later this year. For those who can't make it to Adelaide, the festival will also be live-streamed. You can find the full program here.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of competitions to inspire your writing:

21 February 2022: deadline to enter the 2022 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing
Open to published and unpublished writers of all ages writing either fiction or non-fiction, the winner receives a publishing contract with Text and a $10,000 advance against royalties.

21 February 2022: deadline to apply for the Copyright Agency UTS New Writer's Fellowship
The Copyright Agency - UTS New Writer's Fellowship is now open for applications. This unique opportunity, worth $40,000, provides a writer with the financial security to complete a new work. Open to writers who have had one or two book-length works of fiction, poetry or non-fiction with a commercial publisher since 2017.

28 February 2022: Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

17 March 2022: Peter Carey Short Story Award
Organised by the Moorabool Shire Council, the award is for short stories between 2000 - 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents.

20 March 2022: Mascara Literary Review
Submissions are open for Mascara Literary Review’s very first print anthology, to be published with Ultimo Press.

31 March 2022: deadline to enter the 2023 The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is now open for entries. Open to writers under 35 years of age, the award is seeking unpublished manuscripts of fiction, Australian history, or biography. The winner will receive $20,000 prize money and publication by Allen & Unwin.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

31 March 2022: Flying Islands Manuscript Prize for Emerging Poets
$1000 cash prize and publication in the Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, with fifty free copies to the author.

31 March 2022: Best Australian Science Writing
The Best Australian Science Writing 2022 anthology is seeking published pieces that have appeared in print or online between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2022.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June 2022: Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 24 February 2022, my guest is journalist and author, Marion Frith, whose novel Here in the After explores the unlikely friendship between two damaged people in a story that is both moving and ultimately uplifting.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
Ten Thousand Aftershocks by Michelle Tom
Your Recommendations
Barbie R

The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly
Gunfire Lullabies by Noor Hoogstad

Noela A

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Ravi S

Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Cloud Cuckooland by Anthony Doerr

Kata K

Four Hours in My Lai by Michael Bilton
The Second Son by Loraine Peck
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Pattersoni

Hazel H

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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Published on February 15, 2022 19:23

May this week bring you the solace of sitting with a book

Dear Friends,
For anyone who missed the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival in December, I have some good news. In this month's BAD All About Crime podcast, we're bringing you a recording of What Lies Below The Surface, a panel I hosted with writers Barry Maitland, Anna Downes and Wendy James. You can find it here or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Now that school is back, it's been exciting to find book events popping up everywhere. I'm looking forward to interviewing writer and journalist, Garry Linnell, as part of the Words on Wagstaffe literary event on Saturday 26 March. The day will also feature Jane Caro, Dianne O'Brien, Grace Karskens, Patrick Gallagher and Andrew Menken.

I'm also looking forward to being in conversation with Joanne Fedler for the launch of Gagman, the novel she co-wrote with her father, the much-lauded cartoonist, Dov Fedler. You can join us for the launch at the Sydney Jewish Museum at 6pm on 24 March. The event is free but you'll need to register here.

Finally, I'd like to wish you a safe, happy week. May you find time within it to enjoy the solace of sitting with a book. And if you can make it to Thursday Book Club, we'd love to see you. Just click on this link at 8pm tomorrow night:https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

SCARY MONSTERSMichelle de Kretser

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/scary-monsters-9781761065101.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Two novellas with a slightly gimmicky flip binding so there are two covers for the two stories and no indication which one to read first. Not that it matters, as they are quite different in one respect but share common themes, and it doesn't matter which one you happen to start with. Lyle is set in the near future, in a Melbourne that suffers from extreme climate conditions and an Australia that suffers from a sinister doublespeak racism.

Lyle is married to the aspirational Chanel, who he has placed on a pedestal, and allowed his devotion to her to become her control over him. His mother Ivy lives with them, their patriotically-named two children are polar extremes (one skirting on the edges of outlawed environmental activism, the other fully embracing a life lived on social media). Lyle is struggling in all sorts of ways; his life is one of quiet and unacknowledged despair though he keeps a façade of ultra-compliance in a society where consumerism has become all-too-consuming... Lili is set in France in the early 1980s, and follows an Australian girl of Asian heritage who aspires to live a Simone de Beauvoir kind of life. Teaching in a lycee, perpetually broke, yearning for greater things but delighting in smaller ones, Lili forms a friendship with the extravagant but self-absorbed Minna. In a place of many cultures, racism is still a ruling force, and a bright and beautiful woman is really only a target for the forces of entrenched misogyny… As always, thought-provoking subjects expressed with piercingly accurate and polished writing. Lindy Jones Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

THERE'S A GHOST IN THIS HOUSE
Oliver Jeffers
https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/theres-a-ghost-in-this-house-9780008298357.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- A new Jeffers is always a wonderful thing, but this one excels in terms of design! The story concerns a young girl who knows there are ghosts in the old rambling mansion she lives in, though she is yet to actually see one. She thinks they might be white with holes for eyes, but as she's still looking for them, she isn't sure and invites the reader to help her look. This is where the cleverness of the book's design occurs: interleaved between the illustrated pages are translucent waxed parchment tracing pages with splashes of white paint and pairs of tiny black dots that almost fade into the background. But when seen from the other side, the white blotches are transformed into ghosts, and the dots into eyes! The illustrations are a clever collage from architectural reference books and old furniture catalogues, drawn-in details and 'a bit of paint' plus a lot of skill. Great fun for readers of all ages! Lindy Jones
NEWS

Congratulations to the winners fo the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards
Victorian Prize for Literature
Prize for Indigenous Writing
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilience by Veronica Gorrie

Prize for Fiction
Smokehouse by Melissa Manning

Prize for Non-Fiction
The Mother Wound by Amani Haydar

Prize for Drama
Milk by Dylan Van Den Berg

Prize for Poetry
Trigger Warning by Maria Takolander

Prize for Writing for Young Adults
Girls in Boys’ Cars by Felicity Castagna

Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript
Fauna of Mirrors by Keshe Chow

People’s Choice Award
Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim
[image error]
Festival director, Jo Dyer, has put together a terrific program for Adelaide Writers' Week which will take place from 5 to 10 March Amongst the guests are Kathryn Heyman who was our guest on Thursday Book Club last year and Emily Bitto who will be our guest later this year. For those who can't make it to Adelaide, the festival will also be live-streamed. You can find the full program here.

I met Dinuka McKenzie at the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival last year and she was excited about the forthcoming publication of her debut crime novel The Torrent . Well , The Torrent has now been released and to celebrate, courtesy of Avid Reader, Dinuka will be in conversation online on Thursday 17 February from 6.30pm. Zoom in to hear Dinuka then join us at Thursday Book Club straight afterwards. You can find the details here.

In his new book, The Shortest History of Democracy, political thinker, John Keane, traces the history of democracy, beginning in Athens and moving forward to where we find ourselves now. Join him online on Wednesday 9 February when he'll be in conversation with Professor Tim Soutphommasane, courtesy of Gleebooks. You can find the details here.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of competitions to inspire your writing:

21 February 2022: deadline to enter the 2022 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing
Open to published and unpublished writers of all ages writing either fiction or non-fiction, the winner of the Prize receives a publishing contract with Text and a $10,000 advance against royalties.

21 February 2022: deadline to apply for the Apply for the Copyright Agency UTS New Writer's Fellowship
The Copyright Agency - UTS New Writer's Fellowship is now open for applications. This unique opportunity, worth $40,000, provides a writer with the financial security to complete a new work. Open to writers who have had one or two book-length works of fiction, poetry or non-fiction with a commercial publisher since 2017.

28 Feb: 2022 Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

31 March 2022: deadline to enter the 2023 The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is now open for entries. Open to writers under 35 years of age, the Award is seeking unpublished manuscripts of fiction, Australian history, or biography. The winner will receive $20,000 prize money and publication by Allen & Unwin.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June: 2022 Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 24 February 2022, my guest is journalist and author, Marion Frith, whose novel Here in the After explores the unlikely friendship between two damaged people in a story that is both moving and ultimately uplifting.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
Ten Thousand Aftershocks by Michelle Tom
Your Recommendations
Barbie R

The Islands by Emily Brugman
Questions Raised by Quolls by Harry Saddler
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
Dead Horse Gap by Christine Lee
The Branded Ones by Joanna Beresford
Anything Could Happen by Lucy Diamond

Noela A

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Ravi S

After Story by Larissa Behrendt
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

Aoife C

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Love Marriage by Monica Ali

Gillian H

The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnottt

Dina D

Love and Virtue by Diana Reid

Libby G

The Covered Wife by Lisa Emanuel
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
Crossroads by Jonathon Franzen
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
The Wife and the Widow by Christian White
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the latest novel, The Deceptions

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on February 08, 2022 17:57

School's back!

Dear Friends,
Are they over yet? This was the question that woke me yesterday morning. For us, the school holidays had begun in early December with two weeks of isolation as close contacts. Christmas saw us back in the world with family while January was peppered with more time at home in isolation, as my son spent his 18th birthday in his room with COVID. Fortunately his symptoms were mild.

Then yesterday, the big day finally arrived. The first day back at school for my ten-year-old daughter - new shoes, new uniform, new backpack. And an unopened Rapid Antigen Test leering at us from the kitchen bench. I didn't want to do it. I really didn't. I didn't want to risk seeing those two lines and have to say, sorry sweetheart, you'll have to stay home for a bit.

The fifteen minutes we waited before we could check the results did not pass quickly. And when, finally, tentatively I ventured over, I fully expected to see two lines. But there was only one.

Time for school, I said, a lilt in my voice.

And me? I sat in my quiet house, I exhaled and I wrote.

For the children who have returned to school over the last few days, may you revel in seeing your friends and enjoying your new classes. And for those who haven't been able to start back just yet, may you read your way into imaginary worlds filled with people to meet and places to explore. And to all of the teachers - thank you.

We had fun catching up at Thursday Book Club last week and I hope you can join us tomorrow night at 8pm. Just click on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

THE UTOPIANS

Six Attempts to Build the Perfect Society

Anna Neima

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-utopians-six-attempts-to-build-the-perfect-society-9781529023077.do ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- The notion for creating a Utopian society came to prominence after the world had suffered not only the losses of the First World War but also the devastation caused by the Spanish Flu epidemic. From India, Japan and California individuals banded together in the belief that a more caring and creative society can exist. Neima casts a sympathetic eye over the six attempts at a Utopian society that she discusses but unfortunately sometimes good intentions often collide with basic human wants and needs. A fascinating and thought provoking read. Greg Waldron Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

DRAGON SKIN

Karen Foxlee

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/dragon-skin-9781760526108.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- As in her previous award-winning novel Lenny's Book of Everything, Foxlee doesn't shy away from difficult topics. In this finely written book, she deals with domestic emotional abuse (violence is hinted at, but never explicitly described) and unresolved grief. Pip is ten, and her mother's boyfriend controls the household. She has learnt to read his moods and disappear into her room every night; her Mum has become silent and rarely shows her true self. One evening, as Pip avoids going home she finds a very ill baby dragon. From the very beginning she knows just what it is and does everything she can to nurse it back to health. The voice of her best friend Mika guides her; he moved away the year before and Pip misses him dreadfully. Over the course of a week, as Pip has to rely on two classmates to care for Little Fella, she finds she can read moods and emotions with increasing certainty, and she learns to both reach out for help herself, and the resilience to understand that the future will be better. Set in Mt Isa, with its heat and red dirt and ancient landscape, where the existence of a dragon seems natural, this is a powerful but almost paradoxically gentle novel, full of heart and strength and ultimately, healing. Ages 9-12. Lindy Jones
NEWS

I met Dinuka McKenzie at the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival last year and she was excited about the forthcoming publication of her debut crime novel The Torrent . Well , The Torrent has now been released and to celebrate, courtesy of Avid Reader, Dinuka will be in conversation online on Thursday 17 February from 6.30pm. Zoom in to hear Dinuka then join us at Thursday Book Club straight afterwards. You can find the details here.

In his new book, The Shortest History of Democracy, political thinker, John Keane, traces the history of democracy, beginning in Athens and moving forward to where we find ourselves now. Join him online on Wednesday 9 February when he'll be in conversation with Professor Tim Soutphommasane, courtesy of Gleebooks. You can find the details here.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of competitions to inspire your writing:

28 Feb: 2022 Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June: 2022 Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2343

Password 886 196

On 24 February 2022, my guest is journalist, Marion Frith, whose novel Here in the After explores the unlikely friendship between two damaged people in a story that is both moving and ultimately uplifting.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
The Covered Wife by Lisa Emanuel
Your Recommendations
Louise R

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Noela A

The Collected Stories of Shirley Hazzard by Shirley Hazzard
This Much is True by Miriam Margolyes
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

Hazel H

A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy JagoTake care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2022 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the latest novel, The Deceptions

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on February 01, 2022 17:52

Enjoy the festive season with some summer (or winter) book recommendations

Dear Friends,
This week is our last Thursday Book Club for 2021. Since Thursday Book Club began in April 2020, strangers have become friends, emerging writers have gathered together to develop their work and readers have shared their favourite books. There have been celebrations - of babies and new work and relationships and personal and professional recognition - and there have been sadnesses - the grief of illness and death, the separation of families and the isolation of a world still caught in the grips of that relentless pandemic. During this time, there has been solace in our community of readers, in the weekly catch ups with our regulars and the pleasure of the company of those who pop in now and then, from all over Australia and further afield.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Walton, winner of our Thursday Book Club Christmas raffle!

In wishing you a peaceful festive season, I'd like to leave you with a picture of London all lit up, sent over by Xinran, a lovely friend and extraordinary writer, whose books - especially Sky Burialand The Good Women of China - have stayed with me over the years.

It would be lovely to see you all at Thursday Book Club this week. To join us, simply click on this link on Thursday at 8pm: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. We'll take a break after that, returning on 27 January 2022.

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

BEWILDERMENT

Richard Powers

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/bewilderment-9781785152641.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Theo is an astrobiologist searching for life on other planets. He is also a single parent – his son Robin is clever, intuitive but a deeply troubled young boy. Ignoring the temptation of turning to Big Pharma for help, Theo enters Robin into a revolutionary drug free program with consequences for both of them. The Pulitzer Prize winning author's (The Overstory) latest book taps into the recent atmosphere of the USA, where both nature and science appear to be under constant threat. This book is both a touching and thoughtful read. Greg Waldron
Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

THE STORY ORCHESTRA

The Magic Flute: Press the note to hear Mozart's music

Jessica Courtney-Tickle, Katy Flint

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-story-orchestra-the-magic-flute-press-the-note-to-hear-mozarts-music-9780711260139.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- I adore this series of books, with their cheerful illustrations and retelling of great pieces of music for young readers - and listeners, as each page contains a pressure point that elicits a phrase of music, beautifully reproduced. (No tinny notes here!) Having introduced various symphonies and ballets, this is the first in the series to present an opera. Of course the story is ridiculous - most fairy tales are! - but the music and the singing are delightful. With a small amount of information on the composer and a glossary to explain the musical terms, this is a welcome addition to the collection. Lindy Jones NEWS

2021 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

Winners

Fiction
The Labyrinth, Amanda Lohrey, Text Publishing

Non-fiction
The Stranger Artist: Life at the Edge of Kimberley Painting, Quentin Sprague, Hardie Grant Publishing

Australian history
People of the River: Lost Worlds of Early Australia, Grace Karskens, Allen & Unwin

Poetry
The Strangest Place, New and Selected Poems, Stephen Edgar, Black Pepper

Children’s literature
Fly on the Wall, Remy Lai, Walker Books Australia
How to Make a Bird, Meg McKinlay, illustrated by Matt Ottley, Walker Books Australia

Young adult literature
Metal Fish, Falling Snow, Cath Moore, Text Publishing

In her podcast, Life Sentences, Caroline Baum talks to biographers about their craft, setbacks and breakthroughs. Listen, for instance, to how rock journalist Mark Mordue researched the life of Nick Cave for Boy On Fire and how Robert Wainwright became intrigued by socialites Enid Lindeman and Sheila Chisholm.

In her podcast, Books, Books, Books , Nicole Abadee interviews Australian and international writers about their new releases. You can choose from 68 episodes.

Former artistic director of Sydney Writers' Festival, Jemma Birrell interviews writers about their work and their process in her podcast The Secret Life of Writers .

SWF FESTIVAL PODCASTS
if you missed Sydney Writers' Festival this year, you can catch up over the summer by listening to Festival Podcasts, featuring many of the events at this year's festival and previous festivals here. You'll find the podcasts here or wherever you get your podcasts.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of writing competitions to get (or keep) you writing over the summer:

31 January: The Saltbush Review
Submit a short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Land’ for their second issue.

31 January: 2022 Copyright Agency/Australian Society of Authors Award Mentorship Program for Writers and Illustrators
Submit your draft manuscript to be in the running to win a writing mentorship.

1 Feb: Silver Tree Poetry Competition
Total prize money of $1,500, judged by Les Wicks, Australian poet, publisher and workshop facilitator.

28 Feb: 2022 Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June: 2022 Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2342

Password 886 196

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Summer Recommendation
Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch
Your Summer Recommendations
Elizabeth W

The Asparagus Wars by Carol Major

Dina D

Scary Monsters by Michelle de Kretser
How to End a Story, Diaries 1995-1998 by Helen Garner

Bern O

Still Life by Sarah Winman

Louise R

Just Kids by Patti Smith
Self-Portrait by Celia Paul

Barbie R

The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson
The School Teacher of Saint-Michel by Sarah Steele
Killernova by Omar Musa
The Frenchman by Jack Beaumont
The Furphy Anthology 2021
Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer
The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks
Nancy Business by R.W.R McDonald
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2021 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
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Published on December 20, 2021 20:16

Hope to have your company at Thursday Book Club this week

Dear Friends,
Five years ago, crime writer Michael Duffy and former academic Denis Tracey founded the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival and invited me to be part of it. Since then, our board has grown and we've been awarded grants from Create NSW and the City of Sydney which have enabled us to expand. Catherine du Peloux Menagé is our indefatigable artistic director and we have enjoyed the support of so many writers and readers. After the success of last week's festival, we are enthusiastically planning for next year.

In his down time, Michael has written a terrific new crime novel, The Problem with Murder, set in the Blue Mountains, where Michael lives. He wrote it in response to a request from a bookseller after the fires last year for a local book - restricted to local booksellers - to sell to visitors to the Blue Mountains. You can also order it online at Megalong Books or call Gleebooks in Blackheath or The Little Lost Bookshop in Katoomba.

Thursday Book Club is on this week and next week before we take a break, returning on 27 January. Next week's newsletter will feature a list of summer book reads. To add to the list - and be entered into the raffle for a Christmas book pack - just reply to this email with your summer book recommendation.

In the meantime, I'll look forward to your company at Thursday Book Club this week. To join us, simply click on this link on Thursday at 8pm: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

LOVE & VIRTUE Diana Reid

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/love-virtue-9781761150111.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Diana Reid's debut novel centres on the friendship between two first-year university students, Eve and Michaela, as they navigate life on campus at a prestigious university in Sydney. This Australian take on the campus-novel explores themes of privilege, entitlement, wealth, toxic masculinity and class through Eve and Michaela's encounters with other uni students. Reid also tackles topics of feminism and power dynamics in relationships, as well as consent in a powerful and thought-provoking way. The discussions about morality and virtue raised in Eve and Michaela's philosophy classes become pertinent to their personal lives and relationships, and through these discussions Reid asks us readers to likewise examine our definitions of what makes someone morally good or virtuous. I found Reid's characters strikingly real and intriguing and loved reading about local Sydney places! If you like Sally Rooney you will love this book, as Reid has a similar writing style and voice. Hannah Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions.
FOR KIDS

THE BEST CAT, THE EST CAT

Libby Hathorn, Rosie Handley

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/best-cat-the-est-cat-9781925831191.do ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- This beautifully produced book is a paean to the State Library of NSW and its wondrous collections. A black cat offers to show a girl and boy around the Library and all its things, from the biggEST to the smallEST, the majESTic and the rarESt. He shows them the galleries, where there might be ghosts, the stacks where the conservators work, and praises the staff and librarians who keep it all going. Mixed media (pencil, paint, detailed photographic collage) illustrations by Rosie Handley enhance the text, which is rollicking and rhythmic. And who is the Best Cat? None other than Trim himself! A fabulous introduction to one of our oldest and best-loved public institutions! (And if I can give a plug for the SLNSW- the Children's Library in the Marie Bashir Reading Room is well worth a visit!) Lindy Jones NEWS

INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2022

The longlists for the Indie Book Awards were announced last week. Australian independent booksellers nominate books for the six categories of the awards: Non-Fiction, Debut Fiction, Illustrated Non-Fiction, Children’s books (up to 12yo) and Young Adult (12+). The shortlists will be announced on 19 January 2022 with the winners announced on 21 March 2022. You can find the full lists here.

FICTION LONGLIST

After Story by Larissa Behrendt (University of Queensland Press)

The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks (HQ Fiction, HarperCollins Australia)

Plum by Brendan Cowell (Fourth Estate Australia)

Scary Monsters by Michelle de Kretser (Allen & Unwin)

Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer (Allen & Unwin)

Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray/River of Dreams by Anita Heiss (Simon & Schuster Australia)

Devotion by Hannah Kent (Picador Australia)

Love Objects by Emily Maguire (Allen & Unwin)

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (Hamish Hamilton Australia)

The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson (Hachette Australia)

CHILDREN’S LONGLIST

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly (Lothian Children's Books)

Tomorrow is a Brand-New Day by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys (Scribble)

The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood (HarperCollins Australia)

Walk of the Whales by Nick Bland (Little Hare)

The World's Most Pointless Animals by Philip Bunting (Hardie Grant Children's Publishing)

Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin Children's)

Somebody's Land: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing, illustrated by David Hardy (Allen & Unwin Children's)

Down the Road, Little Bee by Sarah Jane Lightfoot (Affirm Press)

Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, HarperCollins Australia)

Wandi by Favel Parrett (Lothian Children's Books)

BAD ALL ABOUT CRIME PODCAST - top recommendations from 2021
In our last episode for the year, the BAD: All About Crime podcast has top crime recommendations for you to read over the summer. You can listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.

SWF FESTIVAL PODCASTS
if you missed Sydney Writers' Festival this year, you can catch up over the summer by listening to Festival Podcasts, featuring many of the events at this year's festival and previous festivals here. You'll find the podcasts here or wherever you get your podcasts.

WRITERS' CORNER
Here's a list of writing competitions to get (or keep) you writing over the summer:

31 January: The Saltbush Review
Submit a short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Land’ for their second issue.

1 Feb: Silver Tree Poetry Competition
Total prize money of $1,500, judged by Les Wicks, Australian poet, publisher and workshop facilitator.

28 Feb: 2022 Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June: 2022 Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2342

Password 886 196

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation
Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil by Melina Marchetta
Your Recommendations
Louise R

The Years by Annie Ernaux

Another Version of Us by Laura Barnett

Barbie R

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

The Russian Wife by Barry Maitland

Poems by Colin Campbell

The School Teacher of Saint-Michel by Sarah Steele

Believe In Me by Lucy Neave

The Asparagus Wars by Carol Major

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible

Questions? Email me  You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret on Booktopia  and from your local bookshops, including

https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/

https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-teachers-secret-book-9781760297053.do

Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2021 Suzanne Leal
Suzanne LealPrince Edward StreetMalabar, Nsw  2036Australia
Add us to your address book*|END:IFWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the latest novel, The Deceptions

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on December 13, 2021 16:12

What a great festival!

Dear Friends,
Well, that was fun! A writers' festival in person, held over four days, each filled with terrific events curated by artistic director, Catherine du Peloux Menagé. As a board member of the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival, I do have some skin in the game so my views might not be completely impartial. That aside, the overwhelming feedback has been that the 2021 BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival was a great success. There were serious issues of social justice discussed, champagne and cake enjoyed over cosy crime stories, wine tasting amidst tales of a cellar reputed to be Stalin's, Bryan Brown in conversation with Michael Robotham and to end it all, Jean Kittson, Sulari Gentill, Robert Gott and Sue Turnbull (with moderator Richard Glover) debating that most important question: should the novelist ever risk killing the dog (and losing readers) in the pursuit of a story?

Thursday Book Club is back again this week and I'll look forward to your company. To join us, simply click on this link on Thursday at 8pm: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343. NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

STILL LIFE

Sarah Winman

Two editions - same price!

Paperback: https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/still-life-9780008283360.do
Hardback: https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/still-life-9780008485528.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- So far, this is my book of the year! Life-affirming, heart-warming, full of joy and warmth and sweetness and poignancy with beautifully realised characters, glorious writing and spot-on observations, this is a book I read slowly to spin out the experience, and when I got to the end, had to go straight back to the beginning to devour all over again!
It starts with Ulysses Temper, born-and-bred working-class Londoner, driving his captain through Italy in 1944. They meet eccentric middle-aged art historian spinster Evelyn Skinner (who is not what she might appear) and together have a night that Ulysses never forgets. He is an optimistic man with a wife back home, and no big ambitions, though he is open to the world. Years later, when the life he thought he would have turned into something unexpected, he finds himself back in Florence, where he makes a new home with an assortment of characters (including a Shakespeare-quoting macaw, a tree-listening handyman and the precociously wise daughter of his wife). Stretching over 35 years, and alternating between Florence and London, with dashes of serendipity, a touch of nonchalant everyday magic, luck that smiles and fortune that mocks (and an appearance from E M Forster) this is a story where art, music, love and beauty play out their grand themes in ordinary lives and extraordinary moments. Lindy Jones Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release recommendations and our For Kids recommendations.This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my latest novels, The Teacher's Secret and The Deceptions. FOR KIDS

BOOK OF CURIOUS BIRDS

Jennifer Cossins

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-book-of-curious-birds-9780734420473.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- The newest book from the talented Tasmanian artist gives 28 birds from around the world a double-paged spread, with remarkable information on one and beautifully rendered illustrations on the other. From the bird with poison feathers to the one that has mammalian characteristics, the one that cools down in a decidedly unusual way to the one that has the blackest feathers on earth, or the one who uses its feet to groom itself because its beak is too long to the one with the call so low humans can barely hear it, this showcases an amazing array of avian abilities and features. A book for bird-lovers of all ages! Lindy Jones
NEWS

The shortlists for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2022 have just been announced. Included are Larissa Behrendt, Andy Jackson, Danielle Celermajer, Randa Abdel-Fattah, Steve Perie, Leanne Hall and Evelyn Araluen. You can find details of all the shortlisted works here.

This Thursday at 1pm I'll be chatting about all things books with best-selling, award-winning crime writer Chris Hammer and The Mandarin’s Chris Johnson and Melissa Coade.You can register for this free event here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1416385685780/WN_x0VrudRgRaesvcKkQOA3KA

Sydney-based, Jamaican-born author, Sienna Brown, was shortlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize for her novel Master of My Fate, the story of William Buchanan who, having been born a slave in Jamaica, eventually found his freedom in colonial New South Wales. Sienna has now produced Caribbean Convicts, a documentary podcast for ABC Radio National. You can listen to it here: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-history-listen/carribean-convicts/13621566

Lyn Yeowart is the author of The Silent Listener, a gripping tale of religious bigotry and crime set in rural Victoria in the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s.The Silent Listener has been longlisted for the UK People's Book Prize and voting is open to the public. If you'd like to vote for The Silent Listener (or one of the other contenders) you can do so here.

Here's a list of writing competitions to get (or keep) you writing over the summer:

31 January: The Saltbush Review
Submit a short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Land’ for their second issue.

1 Feb: Silver Tree Poetry Competition
Total prize money of $1,500, judged by Les Wicks, Australian poet, publisher and workshop facilitator.

28 Feb: 2022 Heroines Anthology
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.

31 March 2022: Art & Words Project – Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition
Submit entries of up to 2,500 words responding to the theme ‘tree’, along with at least one image that reflects and enhances that story.

Ongoing: Call-out for poetry events
Poetry Sydney are seeking poetry events in NSW to list in their monthly electronic newsletter

17 June: 2022 Writing for the Environment Prize
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.

What is Thursday Book Club? Thursday Book Club is a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. We meet on Zoom from 8 - 8.30pm. There are no scheduled books to read: we simply chat about books we like & books we’re reading. Once a month, a guest writer joins us.

Zoom in as you can – it doesn’t matter if you’re late or have to leave early. Just join my Zoom conference room between 8pm and 8.30pm on Thursdays by clicking on this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343

If prompted, here are the details to manually enter:

Meeting ID:852 104 2342

Password 886 196

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendations
The Russian Wife by Barry Maitland

The Golden Child by Wendy James

Wimmera by Mark Brandi
Take care,

PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?

If your book club has chosen to read The Deceptions or The Teacher’s Secret, I’d be delighted to attend your meeting by Zoom (whether your group is meeting online or gathering together in person) to answer any of your questions. To schedule a date, please email me here. Click here for my Zoom Meeting You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback

The Deceptions Paperback

Amazon Paperback
Kindle

Audible