Reasons to read

 

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   My next guest on on Thursday Book Club is....  Sulari Gentill 
Internationally bestselling author of The Woman in the Library   On 31 August 2023, Sulari Gentill will be joining us at Thursday Book Club to talk about crime writing and cracking the American market.

 To join us, simply click on the link to my Zoom conference room on Thursday 31 August at 8pm:
 

 JOIN BOOK CLUB ON ZOOM Dear Friends

I don't know about you, but I read books differently depending on the reason I'm reading them at all.  

If I'm on a judging panel, I'm reading to examine, to work out which of the many, many books entered should be part of a longlist or a shortlist or be the winner.  When I'm reading to prepare to interview a fellow writer about their new book, I read to find questions and to look for a passage that might work well for a reading. If I read to review, it's with a critical, curious eye.  

When I read to relax, I let myself go and just immerse myself in the story.  And when I read my own books, it's often with my breath held, for fear of finding the typo I'd failed to pick up in the manuscript.  

By contrast, I love listening to the audiobooks of my novels and have just started listening to Anthea Greco's fantastic narration of The Watchful Wife.  Because the voice is not mine, my mind is tricked into thinking the writing isn't mine either and it's such a treat to be able to simply sit back and to enjoy the story. (if you like, you can listen to a sample ofThe Watchful Wife here, or read a sample here.) 

It was terrific to have screenwriter and novelist, Frank Chalmers on Thursday Book Club last week.  If you weren't able to be there, you can watch our interview here.  Earlier in the week,I loved chatting to Thursday Book Club regular, Barbie Robinson. You can listen to our interview on Living Arts Canberra.


I'm in conversation with Jane Caro at the State Library of NSW tomorrow and would love to see you there.  And on Tuesday, I'll be at Waverley Library in conversation with Marion Frith, journalist and author of Here In The After.  Both events are free and, courtesy of Allen & Unwin, there will be lucky door prizes at both events - simply register to be in the draw.
 

We're not taking a break over school holidays 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
  TAKEN
Dinuka McKenzie

BUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP
 ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- This is the second novel featuring DS Kate Miles (the first being The Torrent). It takes place a few months later, with Kate having resumed work earlier than planned after the birth of her second child. She's permanently sleep-deprived, fighting the guilt of leaving her husband Geoff to be the primary caregiver, and his resentment at not being the breadwinner. Her boss is just waiting for her to make a mistake, the detective who filled her position whilst she was on maternity leave is not pleased to be relegated down the chain, and her ex-cop father's private life is going to be splashed everywhere, adding to the layers of muck she has to wade through. A serial domestic violence offender is once again getting away with his cruelty - and then a baby is snatched from its cot, and Kate is really in the deep end… Another cleverly plotted storyline with flawed characters (Kate is her own worst enemy) and an atmospheric and believable setting. I look forward to more from this talented author! 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  
TWENTY QUESTIONS
Mac Barnett, Christian Robinson
BUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP

 ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK --- This clever picture book isn't so much a story as a wonderful prompt for engaging in storytelling. Not all questions have answers, and the questions posed within the pages are accompanied by expressive illustrations that effectively encourage participation. What did the lion get the lamb for her birthday? Who is on the other side of this door? How did the cow get all the way up there? An excellent aid for the imagination, one that could appeal to the young pre-schoolers up to middle primary aged readers. Lindy RESCUE READS

 

I’m Katrina Davis and I’m a newish but firmly stuck-on member of Thursday Book Club. All my life I have loved reading. After spending the best part of a year helping out in the not insubstantial book section of a local op-shop, I have developed a passion for bolstering my to-be-read pile with second-hand literary gems. Every week I'll review one of these not-so-newly released treasures. You'll also find me on @RescueReads and @rescuereadsau. 




 Peace by Garry Disher
I gave the latest Disher to my Mum for Christmas and received such acclaim for my good taste that I popped the author on my must-read-more-crime-fiction reading list. Under the surveillance of Peaces’s protagonist, Constable Hirsch, collectively the cast of the small township of Tiverton is made vivid along with its dry bush-scape. I grew up in a tiny country town and the work of the bush-noirists I’ve sampled feels astute; the front cover endorsement for Peace describes Disher as the ‘gold standard’ for the genre. Peace is above all pacey. I eschewed the pinging invitations of multiple devices and massaged hand cramps in the race to this novel’s reveals - would the villains be home-grown bad guys or big city interlopers?  Like I often do when I read crime fiction (and I’m very much a novice here) I wanted more of the inner life of the main players, but on place, pace and plot Disher doled it out. 
   
   NEWS

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

Speaker Series: The Watchful Wife - Suzanne Leal in conversation with Rae Cairns
Leichhardt Library 
6.30pm - 7.30pm 25 July 2023

    


Author Talks: Suzanne Leal in Conversation with Eleanor Limprecht
Margaret Martin Library, Randwick
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm 26 July 2023 
(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  2023 South Coast Writers Festival
Wollongong Town Hall, Wollongong Library, Wollongong Art Gallery
18-20 August 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  

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.

23 July 2023: Vote to Win 50 Kids' Books
Vote for the Better Reading Top 50 Kids' Books. To enter, all you need to do is vote for your all-time favourite kids or YA book. It can be international or local, old or new, classic or debut.

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.

31 July 2023 Children's Peace Literature Award
The Children’s Peace Literature Award is for books intended for children up to 18 years of age. The books’ themes or main characters should encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict and/or promote peace at the global, local or interpersonal level.The award is conducted by Psychologists for Peace, a Special Interest Group of the Australian Psychological Society.

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.  

On 31 August, I'll be interviewing internationally best-selling author of The Woman in The Library, Sulari Gentil.

 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

A Question of Age by Jacinta Parsons

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

How to Be Second Best by Jessica Dettmann



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 now You can buy 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

Amazon  Paperback 
Kindle

Audible 

Audible Audiobook  

 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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