A week of books and conversations

Launches, festivals and in-conversati... An accidental kitten and festival giv...

A week of books and conversations

Dear Friends,
It's been a busy few days! On Sunday, it was terrific to share the stage with Bryan Brown and Chris Hammer. As it turns out, Bryan Brown's acting career was launched when he was a trainee actuary working at the AMP. On a whim, he signed up for the AMP Theatre where - and isn't it a small world - he appeared on stage with my aunt, Maree Sully, who had spent her childhood as a dancer before also joining the AMP.

The Words on the Waves Festival at Umina on the NSW Central Coast was a wonderful success: brilliantly organised with great events and a fabulously engaged audience. On my return to Sydney, I was delighted to be in conversation first with Eleanor Limprecht for the launch of her novel, The Coast, and then with Jackie Bailey for the launch of her debut,The Eulogy.

I'm delighted to be part of the Shalom Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (SJWF) which is being held at Double Bay Library on 19 and 20 June. I'll be interviewing Natasha Sholl about her truly beautiful memoir, Found, Wanting, on Sunday 19 June at 2.30pm. It would be lovely to see you there.

In the meantime, I hope to see you at Thursday Book Club tomorrow night at 8pm. Just click on this link to join us: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8521042343.
NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION

THE CHOSEN

Who pays the price of a writer's fame?

Elizabeth Lowry
https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-chosen-9781529410693.do ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Taking place over the course of the days following the death of Thomas Hardy's wife Emma in 1912, this atmospheric novel imagines the writer's anguish and remorse over her passing, and by extension, their life together. By the time Emma dies, they are virtually estranged, even though they live in the same gloomy house. His lack of comprehension of her feelings, her disillusionment, their inability to have children, are all elements in their disaffection. When he discovers and reads her secret diaries, he is plunged into a grief for what was lost, and for all he did not bother to understand. The portrait of an artist who expected the world to turn around his own wants and needs, and the frailties exposed by such selfishness, this insightful novel uses many of Hardy's own words to great effect. A compelling, tragic story finely rendered. 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

BIN CHICKEN FLIES AGAIN

Kate Temple, Jol Temple

https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/bin-chicken-flies-again-9781761127939.do
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- She's back! The indefatigable Ibis finds all the usual sources of food empty. Not only that, but a truck is stealing all that delicious decaying food! What's a bird to do? With the help of a flock of seagulls, she soon finds that co-operation has its own rewards... Witty rhyming text and colourful illustrations by Ronojoy Ghosh, this is a fun addition to the adventures of this iconic bird! Lindy Jones
NEWS

Online and in-store launch of Hayley Scrivenor's debut novel Dirt Town

Avid Reader Bookshop (Brisbane) is hosting an in-store and online launch of Hayley Scrivenor’s debut crime novel, Dirt Town. You can book here.

2022 Kids & YA Festival

The 2022 Kids & YA Festival is being held at Writing NSW, Callan Park, Lilyfield on Saturday 25 July 2022. The festival will examine emerging trends, engage with celebrated authors, and offer informative and inspiring sessions on writing for children and young adults.

Screening of The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness by Matt Ottley

Matt Ottley's film The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness will be screened on Thursday 23rd June at the Old Geology Lecture Theatre, Edgeworth David Building, Camperdown NSW. You can book here.

NT Writers' Festival 23-26 June 2022

The NT Writers Festival is on from 23 - 26 June in Darwin and will feature authors including Larissa Behrendt, Hannah Kent and Thursday Book Club regular, Dina Davis. Interstate visitors can apply for a $250 rebate off flights and accommodation. You can find more details here.

International crime writers in conversation throughout June

Every Thursday in June at 6pm, BAD International Online Festival will feature a fabulous line up of international star crime writers. Don Winslow, Janet Evanovich, Harlan Coben and Mick Herron will be talking about their latest books for the third annual BAD International Online Festival on 9, 16, 23 and 30 June. You can register here.

Rachel Franks in conversation with Paula Hamilton
On 22 June at 12.30pm, true crime expert Rachel Franks will be in conversation with historian Paula Hamilton about An Uncommon Hangman, Rachel's new book on Robert ‘Nosey Bob’ Howard, NSW’s longest-serving executioner. You can register for this free event here.

ALS Gold Medal 2022 shortlist

Congratulations to those authors shortlisted for the 2022 Australian Literature Society (ALS) Gold Medal, with yet another accolade for this month's Thursday Book Club guest, Emily Bitto.

Wild Abandon (Emily Bitto, A&U)
Human Looking (Andy Jackson, Giramondo)
Pushing Back (John Kinsella, Transit Lounge)
Permafrost (S J Norman, UQP)
Homecoming (Elfie Shiosaki, Magabala)
Trigger Warning (Maria Takolander, UQP).

Book Awards Shortlists for the 2022 ABIAs.

Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors, especially our guest authors on Thursday Book Club, Jacqueline Maley, who joined us last year, and Emily Bitto who will be joining us on 30 June. You can find all the shortlists here.

2022 Pulitzer Prizes

The 2022 Pulitzer Prizes have been announced and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family, by Joshua Cohen (New York Review Books). You can find the full list of the 2022 Pulitzer Prizes here.

WRITERS' CORNER

Writing Competitions

15 June 2022: ARA Historical Novel Prize
The ARA Historical Novel Prize awards $50000 to the Adult category winner, with $5000 awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the Children and Young Adult category, the winner will receive $30000 while the two shortlisted authors will receive $5000 each.

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.
4 July 2022: The ACU Prize for Poetry
The theme for the 2022 ACU Prize for Poetry is 'Hope.' The winner will receive $10 000, with a $5000 second prize and a $3000 third prize.

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 30 June, we'll be joined by Emily Bitto, winner of the Stella Prize for her debut novel The Strays. I'll be talking to Emily about her terrific new novel, Wild Abandon.

Thursday Book Club Recommendations

My Recommendation

Found, Wanting by Natasha Sholl

Bryan Brown

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amos Towles

Jackie Bailey

The Gathering by Anne Enright
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Ravi S

The Truth About Her by Jacqueline Maley
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Noela A

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim
The Chocolate Maker's Wife by Karen Brooks

Hazel H

Book of Colours by Robyn Cadwallader

Barbie R

A Place Near Eden by Nell Pierce
The Winter Dress by Lauren Chater
Missing, Presumed Dead by Mark Tedeschi
Black River by Matthew Spencer

Kirsty M

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater

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