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My next guest on on Thursday Book Club is.... Frank Chalmers Scriptwriter & Novelist Come along tomorrow night when I interview Frank about his crime novel Conviction. To join us, simply click on the link to my Zoom conference room at 8pm:
JOIN BOOK CLUB ON ZOOM Dear Friends
I'm really looking forward to interviewing Frank Chalmers tomorrow night. A screenwriter for film and television, Frank's debut novel is Conviction. Set in Queensland in the 1970s, with a focus on police corruption during this time, Conviction is a gripping thriller featuring Detective Ray Windsor and the baffling crimes he is determined to solve. Hope you can join us!
Those of you who know Joanne Fedler, writer, mentor and now ocean swimming instructor, will know that she is both fearless and forthright. Adopting a dollop of her fearlessness, I swam in the ocean this winter's morning, Jo's advice ringing in my ears: you will feel cold for two minutes but then you will warm up; wearing a double swimming cap or a thermal cap will insulate you and make you feel warmer. To this advice, I added a piece of my own: wear a wetsuit.
As it transpired, wearing a double swimming cap did help - as does a wetsuit - and by the time I'd counted down my first two minutes in the ocean, I did feel warmer.
Counting down can be helpful in writing too, I've found. Now that I'm ploughing my way through the second draft of my new novel, I've taken to counting the words i've reworked and the number I have left to go. This has given my writing an unexpected momentum such that the task ahead no longer seems quite so daunting. Fingers crossed it continues.
Finally, although the NSW school holiday are imminent, Thursday Book Club won't be taking a break this time, so please keep joining us throughout July.
PS Hope you've received your invitation to my book launch (with the magnificent Tom Keneally coming to launch it). Just send me a quick note if your invitation has been lost somewhere in cyberspace and I'll send you another one. The launch is a thank you for all your support and I'm looking forward to your company.
NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION
HEADLANDJohn Byrnes
BUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- DSC Craig Watson has been seconded to a small coastal town a three hours north of Sydney for six months. Barely there an hour and he's handling a missing teenager's enquiry; has decided the sergeant is a class-A loser; and really needs some chemical help. Unbeknownst to his colleagues, Watson has a massive drug habit, and a few other really serious problems besides, and he really doesn't want to be there - or anywhere. As the sullen and depressed township is threatened by heavy rains which flood the roads in and out, Watson and his two female colleagues (who have their own problems dealing with small town and workplace misogyny) find themselves cut off from help - and with a killer who wants them dead. Watson has to fight not only his serious withdrawal symptoms, but also the overwhelming emotional and physical traumas of his past that set him onto his habit in the first place. A brooding and bleak novel, with interesting characters and a satisfying resolution. Lindy
Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release and junior reader recommendations. This code will also get you a 15% discount on the books by my guests on Thursday Book Club and my novels, The Teacher's Secret, The Deceptions, Running With Ivanand The Watchful Wife. FOR JUNIOR READERS
LIFE IN A HOLLOWDavid Gullan, Suzanne HoughtonBUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK --- A charmingly simple book that explains to youngsters how important tree hollows are. The text is in simple rhyming couplets and tells of the succession of creatures who rely on hollows for shelter and nesting, protection and raising young. At the back of the book is more factual information about tree hollows, the creatures and a glossary. Illustrations are simply realistic rather than scientifically detailed, in soft and natural tones. Ideal for ages 3-6. Lindy RESCUE READS
The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life by Lyndsy Spence
Regular followers of my reviews will know that I am an aspiring Mitford sister buff. My fascination with the six daughters of the 2nd Baron Redesdale and their enmeshment with social and political movements of the twentieth century shows no signs of exhaustion. Notwithstanding, I was determined not to like this book when I adopted it from the op-shop. It’s ambition – to provide pen portraits of each of the sisters along with a curated smattering of their wit and wisdom - annoyed me in the same way that those gift books of Jane Austen quotes annoy me. READ THE ORIGINAL! The sisters were compulsive writers after all, we have a library of letters and books to choose from (indeed Spence includes a useful bibliography). I was won over in spite of myself and with shrieks (laughs) and floods (tears) gorged on this confection of a book. Spence got right into the spirit of things with this description of eldest sister Nancy’s approach to fashion “Never settle for cheaply made imitations. If one cannot afford the real thing, one should focus on something else, such as cooking or an education.” The book concludes with a delicious long interview with my favourite (you must pick a side in this family) sister Jessica.
NEWS
Congratulations to Anna McGahan, winner of this year's The Australian/Vogel's Award for her novel Immaculate. I'm told it's extraordinary.
Historical Novel Society Australasia 2023 Winter Online Program Saturday 1 July 2023 and Sunday 2 July 2023
Trivia in The Library Bar
Library Bar, State Library of NSW
6pm - 8pm. 5 July 2023
Suzanne Leal: The Watchful Wife
In conversation event with Jane Caro
State Library of NSW
12.30pm - 1.30pm, 6 July 2023
Classic Film Matinee: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts
1.30pm - 4.30pm, Thursday 6 July 2023
The Watchful Wife
Author talk by Suzanne Leal
Waverley Library
6pm - 7.30pm 11 July 2023
Feast: Emily O'Grady in-conversation with Michelle Barraclough
Better Read Than Dead, 265 King St, Newtown
6.30pm - 8.30pm, 13 July 2023
Author Talks: Suzanne Leal in Conversation with Eleanor Limprecht
Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Margaret Martin Library (map)
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm (light catering provided from 6pm)
Writers & Readers: Woollahra Library
Suzanne Leal in conversation with Catherine du Peloux Menagé
Woollahra Library
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm, Thursday, 27 July 2023
Secrets hiding in plain sightJoin Lucy Campbell (author of Lowbridge) & Rae Cairns (author of Dying to Know) in conversation
Better Dead than Read, 265 King St, Newtown
Saturday 19 August, 10 am – 11 am .
Writing Competitions
.
28 June 2023: AAWP—ASSF Short Story Prize
The winner of this prize will receive a ticket plus accommodation and economy airfares to and from the Australian Short Story Festival 2023, as well as fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) to read from their work, which will be considered for publication by the editors at Meniscus.
30 June 2023: The Poetry Project Kids Writing Competition.
All poems entered with be published in the Better Read Kids Writing Anthology, with prizes for the winner and runner-up.
30 June 2023: The Next Chapter Writing Program
Four writers will receive a stipend of $15000, a mentorship and a residency at Varuna as part of this ongoing initiative by The Wheeler Centre.
30 June 2023: Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
The 2023 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication, and will be published in Wasafiri’s print magazine.
3 July 2023: ACU Prize for Poetry
The Australian Catholic University (ACU) Prize for Poetry, one of Australia’s richest poetry prizes, is celebrating a decade this year. Entries are now open for new poetry on the theme of Love, as inspired by Martin Luther King Jr: 'I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.' There is a prize pool of $18,000, with a first prize of $10,000.
7 July 2023: Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
Entries are open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction. Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must intend to complete one. The Prize will be judged on the first three chapters of the submitted work, along with a synopsis outlining the direction of the proposed work and detail about how the author’s writing career would benefit from winning the Prize.
31 July 2023: Varuna Fellowships 2024
More than 25 fellowships will be awarded for residencies in 2024, offering writers in all creative genres two to three weeks’ full board and accommodation, with a private writing space and a one-hour conversation with a Varuna consultant.
1 August 2023: Walker Books Manuscript Prize
This is a new biennial prize to be awarded to an unpublished manuscript, from 5000 to 70000 words for a readership of children over 8 years. The winner will be offered a publishing contract with an advance against royalties.
13 August 2023: 2023 Storyfest Storytelling Competition
This year's theme is INHALE!
Primary school students: 250 word limit
Secondary school students: 500 word limit
Open age: 1000 word limit.
31 August 2023: Woollahra Digital Literary Award
The award seeks original literary submissions that are digitally born - originating online or in electronic or multi media form.
31 August 2023: Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award 2023
Australian writers are invited to submit short stories to a maximum of 3000 words.
30 September 2023; Bridport Memoir Award
This is an international award for writers embarking upon a memoir. To enter, submit a 300 word overview in addition to a 5000 to 8000 excerpt.
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, I interview a guest writer.
Tomorrow night, I'll be interviewing Frank Chalmers, author of the crime novel, Conviction.
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 (between 10am and 10.30am if you're in central Europe) 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
Thursday Book Club Recommendations
My Recommendation
Conviction by Frank Chalmers
.Your Recommendations
Barbie R
The Women of the Castle by Jessica Shattuck
Resistance and Revenge by Catherine McCullagh
Sad Girl Novel by Pip Finkemeyer
Growing Grapes Might be Fun by Deirdre Macken
Freefall by Brad Guy
Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi
Katrina D
The Choke by Sofie Laguna
Ravi S
Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
A Brief Affair by Alex Miller
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
.
Take care,
Suzanne
PS. Would you like me to drop in to your book club?
If your book club has chosen to read The Watchful Wife, The Deceptions, The Teacher’s Secret or Running With Ivan, 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.
JOIN BOOK CLUB ON ZOOM
My new novel, The Watchful Wife, is out on 4 July 2023. You can pre-order it from Allen & Unwin here or at your favourite bookshop. 
You can buy Running with Ivan here
You can buy The Deceptions and The Teacher’s Secret
directly from my publisher here:
Kindle version
Paperback
*****Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout at Abbey's for a 15% discount on my novels, The Teacher's Secret, The Deceptions and Running With Ivan.
The Deceptions Paperback
Audible QUESTIONS? EMAIL ME You can buy
The Deceptions,
The Teacher’s Secret
and
Running With Ivan
online and from your favourite bookshops, including https://www.abbeys.com.au/book/the-deceptions-suzanne-leal-9781760875275.do
https://www.gleebooks.com.au/product/deceptions-the/
https://www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/product/the-deceptions/
Booktopia
Suzanne Leal | suzanne@suzanneleal.com |
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