A week of book launches.. and you're invited!

Thursday Book Club is back..with gues... Hope to see you at Sydney Writers' Fe...

A week of book launches.. and you're invited!

Dear Friends,
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, daughters, carers and nurturers out there. May the day - sometimes a difficult one, too - be a good one for you on Sunday.

I'm really looking forward to the coming week. On Tuesday 10 May, I'll be at the Sydney Jewish Museum to launch Gagman by Dov Fedler with Joanne Fedler. The original launch was delayed - yes, you guessed it - due to Covid and I'm so pleased to be able to get back on stage with Joanne to discuss this startlingly original novel conceived by her father, the renowned South African political cartoonist, Dov Fedler. I'd love to see you there. The launch starts at 6pm and It's free to attend - all you need to do is register here.

On Thursday 12 May, I'll be launching Mark Lamprell's new novel, The Secret Wife. The beautiful cover says it all: set in 1961 it's the story of one woman's ambition to have a career at a time when a woman's place was firmly seen to be in the home. If you'd like to attend the launch at Berkelouw Paddington, please email me and I'll send you the details.

Last week at Thursday Book Club, we were entertained by Ross Fitzgerald and Ian McFadyen who spoke about their friendship and writing collaboration as they celebrate the release of their new novel, The Lowest Depths. If you weren't able to join us last week, you can watch our interview here.

On 26 May, we'll have two authors joining us on Thursday Book Club: Dina Davis, author of A Dangerous Daughter, and Toby Roberts, author of Two Mums and A Dad. Save the date!

NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

DINNER WITH THE SCHNABELS

Toni Jordan

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/dinner-with-the-schnabels-9780733645129.do

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Simon truly loves his wife Tansy, but her family is another matter. Gloria, his mother-in-law, is formidable, particularly in her role as Matriarch. Nick is the golden boy, effortlessly athletic, charismatic and indulged. Kylie moves through the world with equal parts efficiency and annoyance. They are the tightest of family units, and Simon, who has recently lost his business and home (and almost the will to keep going) feels like the perpetual outsider. Having been bullied into landscaping his best friend's backyard for the memorial service of the long-divorced now-deceased father-in-law David, Simon vacillates on the work. But it isn't long before the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons turns up - David's fourth child. And Monica wants her place with her older siblings… Combining charm and astute observations, wit and warmth and believable situations, this is a good-natured and enjoyable examination of what makes family, and how your relatives can be the worst things that happen to you - and the best. 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

MING AND FLO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE

#1 Girls who Changed the World

Jackie French

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/ming-and-flo-fight-for-the-future-the-girls-who-changed-the-world-9781460760208.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- French is renowned for her historical novels for young readers, and this one combines elements of time-slip with history. Ming Qong, a modern 12yo girl, wonders why girls don't get mentioned in the history books. When she gets the chance to travel back in time by Herstory (History's sister), she finds herself in dire poverty and alone in 1898, taking the place of young Flo Watson. Rescued by her rich city aunt, Ming/Flo finds herself participating in Louisa Lawson's Suffragist Society, and gets a true taste for change and making a difference in the world. A pacy adventure that celebrates lesser known aspects of Australian history. Lindy Jones
NEWS

Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist

Meg Mason was born in New Zealand and now lives in Australia. Her novel,Sorrow and Bliss, completely captivated me - the voice, the humour, the poignancy of it - and is now in contention for the 2022 Women's Prize for Fiction. I've got my fingers crossed for her!

The Stella Prize

Congratulations to Evelyn Araluen who has won the 20022 Stella Prize for her debut collection of prose and poetry, Dropbear.

Words on the Waves Writers Festival

I'm very excited to be interviewing Bryan Brown and Chris Hammer at the Words on the Waves Writers Festival on Sunday 5 June. Hope to see you there!

WRITERS' CORNER

Writing Competitions
15 May 2022: Eastwood-Hills Fellowship of Australian Writers Literary Competition 2022 :
The Eastwood Hills FAW 2022 Annual Literary Competition offers prizes for flash fiction, short stories, memoirs, and poems. Entry fee $8 per entry or $30 for 4 entries.

16 May 2022: The Westwords/Ultimo Prize
Submissions are invited from emerging writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction with a completed, previously unpublished manuscript who have a connection to Western Sydney. This connection can be through their personal connection, their manuscripts or the subject matter they deal with and its relevance to the issues and concerns of this dynamic region.The winner will receive: $5,000 in prize money, a week at Varuna, The National Writers’ House and a publication deal with Ultimo Press.

22 May 2022: ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize
The ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize rewards 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.

31 May 2022: Australian/Vogel's Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel's Literary Award is an award for an unpublished manuscript by a writer under the age of thirty-five and offers prize money of $20,000 plus publication by Allen & Unwin with an advance against royalties.

1 June 2022: The Novel Prize
A biennial award for a book-length work of literary fiction written in English by published and unpublished writers around the world. The winner will receive US$10000 and simultaneous publication of their novel in Australia and New Zealand, in the UK and Ireland and in North America.

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 26 May, we'll be joined by two guest authors: Toby Roberts, whose debut novel is Two Mums and a Dad and Dina Davis, whose new novel is A Dangerous Daughter.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

Ross Fitzgerald's Recommendations
The Dizzying Heights by Ross Fitzgerald and Ian McFadyen
Fifty Years Sober: An Alcoholic's Journey by Ross Fitzgerald
The Cardinal Pell Media Pile-On & Collective Guilt by Gerard Henderson
Ian McFadyen's Recommendations
Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
Noddy Goes To Toyland by Enid Blyton

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