A play, a gallery and a festival week
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On 31 August, Jane Caro will be joining us to talk writing, reading and The Watchful WifeTo be there, just click on the link to my Zoom conference room on Thursday 31 August at 8pm:
JOIN BOOK CLUB ON ZOOM Dear Friends
I went to see a play at Sydney's Griffin Theatre on the weekend: Jailbaby by Suzie Miller. It's the story of AJ, a young man - scarcely more than a teenager - whose life spirals after he becomes part of a robbery and is sent to prison. Suzie Miller explores AJ's vulnerability in a prison system that gives him little protection from the danger he faces inside. Having acted for prisoners when I worked at the Legal Aid Commission, the violence AJ encounters in prison didn't surprise me. It still shocked me, though. Jailbaby is an important work highlighting yet another form of violence that occurs out of sight and is very much underreported. Although Jailbaby's season is finished now, if you are interested in the issues it raises, there's a list of resources on Griffin Theatre's website.
And still on the topic of prisons, if you haven't been to the Boom Gate Gallery at the entrance to Long Bay Correctional Centre, you've been missing some wonderful art produced by the inmates. You can have a look at samples of their work here.
The Sydney Jewish Writers Festival kicks off tonight culminating in a full day of events on Sunday. I'm delighted to be reading from my novel, Running with Ivan, and will be onstage with a host of fellow writers including Lee Kofman and Leah Kaminsky, with the wonderful Scott Whitmont as our moderator. Earlier that day, I'll be interviewing Rabbi Ralph Genende, Ros Ben-Moshe and Joanne Fedler in our session Laughter and Grief. You can book tickets here.
Next week at Thursday Book Club, the wonderful Jane Caro will be talking to me about my novel The Watchful Wife. Hope you can join us then. In the meantime, I'll look forward to seeing you at Thursday Book Club tomorrow night.
NEW RELEASE RECOMMENDATION
THE LAST DANCE
Declan Miller
BUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK --- Detective Declan Miller is the sort of bloke who talks to his rats (the four-legged kind) argues with the radio and discusses the day with his wife, also a detective. He's not exactly politically correct, or understood by his colleagues, most of whom he holds in high disdain, if not active dislike. He also loves ballroom dancing, and his best friends are the weird assortment of fellow dance club members, who turn out to be useful in unexpected ways. Miller is also one of the best detectives in Blackpool, so when there's a double murder in a local hotel involving a random guest and a member of Blackpool's criminal underground, he's on the case. It's going to get very messy before he cleans it all up… A thoroughly engaging and enjoyable novel because of the brilliantly quirky main character and his supporting cast, with a few surprises tucked away to add depth to the narrative. - Lindy Enter the code THURSDAYBOOKCLUB at the checkout for a 15% discount on Abbey's new release 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. JUNIOR READERS
THE WORLD'S MOST ATROCIOUS ANIMALS
Philip Bunting
BUY FROM ABBEY'S BOOK SHOP
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Philip Bunting has the talent of mixing subtle wit with obvious humour, both in his illustrations and his text. This enjoyable book takes approximately 75 creatures of various and dubious reputations - some expected (Grizzly bear, redback spider, bull shark, saltwater crocodile) and some less so (geography cone snail, Hawaiian carnivorous caterpillar, hooded pitohui). Depicted in his usual flattened graphic-art style that nonetheless conveys expression and liveliness, this is a compendium of interesting animals that may inspire fear, but are only doing the things they need to do in order to survive and thrive. Lindy
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by
Maya Angelou
How much do you remember of your childhood? I feel like I’ve got about three sketchy memories, maybe half a dozen if I really apply myself. In this canonical American text, Maya Angelou vividly narrates the course of her childhood and adolescence as a black American in the 1930s and 40s. The scenes she writes are intricate and novel-like in presentation, full of dialogue and life. I think there must be a particular name for this type of memoir; the internet tells me her style is ‘pioneering’, ‘innovative’ and ‘complicated’. Whatever it is called, I liked this book very much. Angelou has endured and relates unthinkable trauma, but also adventure, achievement and profound familial love. Interestingly, despite her virtuosity with its traditions, Angelou did not write any novels. Happily, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the first of seven volumes of autobiography all promising a mesmerising recount of an extraordinary life.
NEWS
Leah Kaminsky's new novel, Doll's Eye, is terrific. Meg and Tom Keneally will be launching Doll's Eye at the Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore in Bondi on Monday 28 August at 7pm. You can book your tickets here. 
Northern Beaches Readers Festival Trivia Fundraising Night
6.30pm on Saturday 9 September
Balgowlah RSL Club
This looks like fun! You can book your tickets here.
PITCHING APPOINTMENTS
The Historical Novel Society of Australasia (HNSA) is delighted to announce pitching appointments are now open for booking. Here’s your chance to pitch your manuscript to a stellar list of industry professionals:
ANNETTE BARLOW (Allen & Unwin)
TARA WYNNE (Curtis Brown Australia)
MEREDITH CURNOW (Penguin Random House Australia)
ROCHELLE FERNANDEZ (Alex Adsett Agency)
SUZANNE O'SULLIVAN (HQ)
ALEX CRAIG (Ultimo Press)
KATHERINE HASSETT (Pantera Press)
KRISTY VAN DER VEER (Pantera Press)
You can book your appointment here.
The 2023 NSW Premier’s History Awards shortlists have been announced:
Australian History Prize ($15,000)
General History Prize ($15,000)
Visions of Nature: How Landscape Photography Shaped Settler Colonialism by Jarrod Hore (University of California Press)
Under Empire: Muslim Lives and Loyalties Across the Indian Ocean World, 1775–1945 by Michael Laffan (Columbia University Press)
Singing the News of Death: Execution Ballads in Europe 1500–1900 by Una McIlvenna (Oxford University Press)
NSW Community & Regional History Prize ($15,000)
The Naturalist: The remarkable life of Allan Riverstone McCulloch by Brendan Atkins (NewSouth, in association with the Lord Howe Island Historical Society and Museum)
He Belonged to Wagga: The Great War, the AIF and returned soldiers in an Australian country town by Ian Hodges (Australian Scholarly Publishing)
Whitefella Way by Jon Rhodes (Self-published)
Young People’s History Prize ($15,000)
The Goodbye Year by Emily Gale (Text Publishing)
Running with Ivan by Suzanne Leal (HarperCollins Publishers)
The Wearing of the Green by Claire Saxby (Walker Books Australia)
Digital History Prize ($15,000)
Still We Rise by Anna Grieve and John Harvey (Tamarind Tree Pictures)
The Australian Wars, Episode 1 by Rachel Perkins, Darren Dale, Jacob Hickey and Don Watson (Blackfella Films)
Ayahs and Amahs: Transcolonial Journeys by Lauren Samuelsson (University of Newcastle, Australia)
The Anzac Memorial Trustees’ Military History Prize ($10,000)
The Scrap Iron Flotilla: Five Valiant Destroyers and the Australian War in the Mediterranean by Mike Carlton (William Heinemann, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia)
Soldiers and Aliens: Men in the Australian Army’s Employment Companies during World War II by June Factor (Melbourne University Publishing)
He belonged to Wagga: The Great War, the AIF and returned soldiers in an Australian country town by Ian Hodges (Australian Scholarly Publishing)
Sydney Jewish Writers Festival 2023
Explore the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival program with three streams of exceptional writers, poets, musicians, playwrights, comedians, and thinkers. I'm delighted to be part of it.
23 - 27 August 2023
Bondi Pavilion
$15 - $40
.
An Afternoon with Susan Duncan and Suzanne Leal
Join Susan Duncan in conversation with Suzanne Leal for an afternoon talk with tea, champagne and cakes to celebrate the release of Sleepless in Stringybark Bay.
3pm - 4.30pm
2 September 2023
Better Read Than Dead
265 King St, Newtown
Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival
The Women's Club,179 Elizabeth St Sydney
15-17 September 2023
The program for this year's Rose Scott Women Writers' Festival is out. There's a great line-up of writers. You can book tickets here here.
Writing Competitions
25 August 2023: Maureen Freer Literary Competition 2023
Sponsored by the Fellowship of Australian Writers Queensland, this competition invites short story works up to 2,000 words on the topic 'A Line in the Sand'. First prize is $300, and a short list of 10 will be offered future publication in SCOPE.
25 August: Australian Short Story Festival Mentorship
Open to emerging writers who do not have a full-length, published collection. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a three-month long remote mentorship with award-winning Irish short story writer and playwright, Paul McVeigh.
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.
31 August 2023: 30th Scarlet Stiletto Awards
Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short crime and mystery stories turn 30 this year and are offering a record $12,720 in prizes. The focus is on women's crime and mystery short stories, and the competition is open to all women, whether cisgender, transgender, or intersex, who are citizens/residents of Australia. More information on the competition in the link above.
4 September: Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship 2023
The Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship is awarded annually to a writer with a work of fiction, creative non-fiction, a play, or a suite of poems that is ready for the next stage of development. Applicants must be Writing NSW members and be willing to commit to developing their work.
22 September 2023: POEM FOREST Writing Prize
Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, POEM FOREST invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received a tree is planted to help heal habitats and create a POEM FOREST for future generations.
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, Jane Caro will be joining us to talk writing, reading and The Watchful Wife
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
Fanatic Heart by Tom Keneally
Ravi S
Tank Water by Michael Burge
The Barrier by Shankari Chandran
Dear Edward by Anne Napolitano
Hazel H
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling
Katrina D
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
An Autobiography by Janet Frame
Dina D
The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal
After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
Abomination by Ashley Goldberg
Louise R
Strangers at the Port by Lauren Aimee Curtis
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
Audible QUESTIONS? EMAIL ME You can buy
The Watchful Wife, 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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