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Posts from the ‘Australian Women Writers’ Category

13
Nov

The Grief Hole

 

  1. Introduction:
  2. Theresa helps to place abused clients in a safe house.
  3. She can see ghosts around the clients
  4. ….and the clients will probably die by their hands.
  5. She watches the ghosts...and she sometimes intervenes.
  6. Sometimes she does NOT intervene .
  7. …but makes small choices, small changes…..hoping  it was enough.
  8. After an intervention Theresa
  9. ….suffers physical pain, headaches, boils, vomiting.

 

  1. Style: Novel’s most frightening elements remain
  2. unspoken…they lay beneath the surface.
  3. This is similar to the style of Shirley Jackson.
  4. Jackson said:
  5. “A story must have a surface tension which can be stretched
  6. ….but not shattered.” ( pg 483, Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life)

 

  1. Cover: One of Amber’s sketches is  the book’s cover
  2. …what secrets does it contain?
  3. I see eyelashes (stripe lines) = sketch is Amber’s vision….what she sees.
  4. I stared long and hard….with a little extra distance and I saw
  5. Amber’s face!
  6. long open door in middle = bridge of her nose
  7. left: sweeping lines = eyelashes
  8. right: if you look there is a short white band that resembles an underlid of the eye
  9. pupils:  use your imagination to visualize the white spaces about lids….as eye pupils
  10. black shadows  = are coloring for eye sockets
  11. ….and the shadows  take human forms
  12. ….  as menacing ghosts tormenting Amber.
  13. …and IF YOU TURN THE COVER UPSIDE DOWN
  14. …do you see what I see?
  15. Fish: small fish can be seen in the ‘open space’ in bridge of the nose
  16. …this must be a connection to the sea, beach or drowning.
  17. This is just a guess ….!

 

  1. Questions: Warren uses the classic technique to
  2. …keep the reader gripping the book….a page turner.
  3. Warren drops clues…and we MUST know the answers.
  4. Warren makes us ask questions…
  5. Paranormal skills….is this a family ‘curse’ ? (Amber, Theresa, Prudence)
  6. …and the paranormal world
  7. Amber’s paintings changed radically a year ago
  8. …after Aunt Prudence has contact with Amber.
  9. …what happened to Amber?

 

  1. Clues: Aunt Prudence uses cryptic messages
  2. ….to make Theresa and the reader think and
  3. ….try to solve the puzzle.
  4.  — Each monster has one way to die
  5.  — Not all death can be seen
  6.  — I see the victims…you see the monsters…her mother sees the shadows.
  7.  — Every killing lays a curse

 

  1. Symbol: Balloons....what does Prudence mean to do with them?
  2. Aunt Prudence has grey ash….on her cheek….on her balloon
  3. …what does this mean?
  4. Sol Evictus ( Sun latin…or homonym for ‘soul’ )
  5. (Evictus = latin conquered)
  6. ….has something to do with the strange things in this book.
  7. Art Collection done by Amber….disappears!

 

Conclusion:

  1. I am not going to write more about this book
  2. ….you must discover it yourself.
  3. What I can say is…
  4. …this book is very good and the ‘bloody horror’ is NOT
  5. …over emphasized.
  6. Thank goodness from this faint-at-heart reader!
  7. The book is good enough to convince me
  8. to read more  paranormal/horror fiction!
  9. That in itself is an achievement!
  10. I never gave this genre a chance.
  11. Kaaron Warren  has a ‘position’ in paranormal/horror writing world.
  12. But I must admit Shirley Jackson still has  a ‘presence’.
  13. Jackson is still queen of ‘shivers down your spine’
  14. Kaaron Warren won Best Novella Shirley Jackson Awards 2012
  15. …she is definitely a rising star!

 

Last thoughts:

  1. I’m not very much into junior fiction or YA or paranormal...but I just finished
  2. The Grief Hole (K. Warren) and am tempted to read more.
  3. At the moment I’m starting (…really going out of my comfort zone)
  4. Controlling the Elements (The Manipulator Series Book 1) by N.R. Spratlin.
  5. What does this book have that sends its readers into list of superlatives and ‘wow’s’?
  6. I aim to find out!
  7. #TakeAChance

 

1
Nov

Salt Water

Author: Cathy McLennan
Title: Salt Water
Genre: memoir
Published: 2016
Trivia: (QLD) #AusReadingMonth  @Brona’s Books
Trivia: #AWW   @AusWomenWriters
Trivia: List of Challenges 2017
Trivia:  #NonFicNov

 

Introduction

McLennan describes her book as a memoir.

  1. It based on the recollection of the facts about several court cases,
  2. her personal diaries, newspaper articles and  judicial sentencing remarks.
  3. Theme: McLennan highlights indigenous issues to give us a better understanding of the problems.
  4. Time of self-reflection:
  5. McLennan reflected on her experience in the justice system.
  6. Title: refers to page 38.
  7. McLennan describes her feelings while swimming under salt water:
  8. “Under the sea it’s silent, the sounds of the world above vanish.”
  9. Strong point: McLennan does a great job recounting her cases and
  10. …all the emotions and efforts of those involved.

 

Conclusion:

Salt Water won University of Queensland
Non-Fiction Book Award 2017.
I read the book based on this recommendation.
I admit that I was expecting something else.
As I read the book I kept waiting for it to develop.  It didn’t.
I was looking for items often in memoirs:
turning point in the author’s life
role-models or mentors who inspired the author
world event that changed the author’s view on life.
This was just a different sort of memoir.
It did not leave a lasting impression on me.
It was just not my cup of tea, but others may enjoy the book!

21
Oct

Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-Thon 2017

 

Introduction:

  1. The Dewey 24 Hour Readathon begins in Leeuwarden,
  2. …The Netherlands at 2pm  on Saturday 21 October.
  3. Read-a-Thon is online on Twitter @readathon and Goodreads
  4. I intend to restrict myself to 
  5. …1  twitter update per hour…..short and sweet!
  6. I will add a ‘check-in progress update’ to this post 1 x per 4 hours.  (pages read)
  7. I am honored to be an member of twitter team in Australia/New Zealand.
  8. I will link my posts and comments on Twitter with #teamanz.
  9. Many thanks to Brona’s Books  …she has manged to bring the team together!
  10. My READ-A-THON 2017  is all about Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

FINISHED !!

  1. I need a COLD  beer….
  2. I need a HOT shower…
  3. I need a medium rare STEAK dinner !
  4. Thank you @Readathon
  5. Thank you #TeamANZ
  6. Thank you Brona’s Books for organizing the team!

 

6th Hour Discussion Dewey’s Read-a-Thon

  • What is your guilty pleasure book?
  • The genre you binge on which is not “haute literature”.
  • I devour books the reveal ‘back-room’ politics that has taken place in history.
  • It reveals the vices of our leaders,
  • the deals made for ‘detente’ and
  • confirms my belief on humanity’s imprefection.

Here are some examples of ‘blockbusters’

The Devil’s Chessboard (CIA)
A Very Expensive Poison (Russian influence )
Kennedy and King(Civil Rights Struggle USA)
The General vs. The President (MacArthur/Truman/Korean War)
No Place to Hide (NSA)

 

3rd Hour Discussion Dewey’s Read-A-Thon

Who are you in 3 quotes?

Joseph Conrad:

David Glasgow Farragut Admiral during American Civil War:

Seamus Heaney – Irish poet

”

 

Challenge: 10 years in 10 books

Books 2007 – 2017  (my selection best reads…..)

2007 – Edith Wharton (by H. Lee)
2008 – Breath (T. Winton)
2009 – Raymond Carver: A Writer’s Life (Carol Sklenicka)
2010 – Selected Stories by W. Trevo
2011 – Return to Killy begs
2012 – HHhH (L. Binet)
2013 – O. Laing ‘Trip to Echo Spring
2014 – All the Light We Cannot See (A. Doerr)
2015 – Ghettoside
2016 – Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
2017 – A Force So Swift (K. Peraino)

 

 

Hour –  0     OPENING  MEME 

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
The Netherlands
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
The Grief Hole (K. Warren)
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Browinies
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I read all the time….love cats….hate housework!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
New: make a timeline on blogpost for easy updates
New: don’t try to take notes…just write a quick ‘Tweet to use as a reminder when I write my review.
New: use audiobook….for late night reading

+ ALL books are digital so I can adjust the font for my tires eyes!

 

BOOKSHELF  Goodreads  #Readathon 2017

  • I’ll add a few quick comments to my books while reading….
  • You can see my thoughts on GR  bookshelf

 

What will I be reading?

  1. My book choices are digital….
  2. I need to be able to adjust the font…for late night reading!
  3. I have a audiobook ready for  the ‘very late hours’
  4. … when I just  need to take a break from staring at words.

 

  • The Grief Hole – K. Warren  (fiction)
  • Trivia: Won Best Horror/Paranormal Novel  2016 Aurealis Awards (pages 331)

  • A Boat Load of Home Folk – T. Astley (fiction)
  • Trivia:  Astley extends the life of some characters from  her previous book
  • The Slow Natives.  Astley casts a moral disapproval of
  • female Yank-dating Miss Trump and Miss Paradise (pages 218)

 

  • Position Doubtful – K. Mahood (audiobook and or Kindle)  (non-fiction)
  • Trivia: Memoir if you are interested in contemporary Aboriginal Australia (pages 336)

 

  • The Glass Canoe – D. Ireland  (fiction)
  • Trivia: Won Miles Franklin Award 1976  (213 pages)

 

  • Cultural Amnesia – C. James (essays)
  • Trivia: I love Clive James’ keen sense of humor.
  • Some of James’s entries include his digressions about  a dozen women.
  • …including Coco Chanel and Margaret Thatcher.
  • I want to pick a few of these for a ‘change of pace’. (pages 912)

 

  • Bunnicula and Friends Series – J.Howe
  • Trivia:  I ‘ve never finished  nr 2 and nr 3 book in the series.
  • These books are hysterical….
  • and I think I may need some ‘laugh time’ during the next 24 hours!

 

The Celery Stalks at Midnight  (144 pages) – FINISHED!!

 

Howliday Inn ( pages 224)

 

TIMELINE:   21 October 2017

Location: Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, CEST
2PM:  – 6PM

Start Page: loc 51 (Kindle) 1% I’ll calculate pages after finishing!
End Page: loc 442
Total Pages Read: 40
Total Hours Read: 3,5
Total Books Read: 1
Total Books Completed: 0
Title: A Boat Load of Home Folk by Thea Astley

Comment: I’m taking too many notes…I can’t stop myself! Took time to take part in 1 challenge 10Years and 10 Books. I also answered the 3rd hour question ” Who are you in 3 quotes?”  – 15 minute break!

6PM:  – 10PM

Start Page: 11
End Page: 57
Total Pages Read: 46
Total Hours Read: 3,5
Total Books Read: 1
Total Books Completed: 0
Title: Cultural Amnesia by Clive James

Comment: Hope to read 10 essays before next check-in! I managed to read 5 essays + and feed the cats and make dinner! – 15 minute break

10PM:  – 2AM

Start Page: 3
End Page: 13
Total Pages Read: 10
Total Hours Read: 1
Total Books Read: 1
Total Books Completed: 0
Title: The Grief Hole by Kaaron Warren

Comment: I could only stay awake until midnight…..my target was 0100 am.  Going to bed with a general idea what both books are about and will read them tomorrow.  Saturday 2pm – midnight = 10 hrs total  – Sleep 3 hours…

 

2AM:  – 6AM

Start Page: 3
End Page: 90
Total Pages Read: 87
Total Hours Read: 2
Total Books Read: 1
Total Books Completed: 0
Title: Position Doubtful by Kim Mahood

Comment: Enjoyed Kim Mahood’s book….but it is very dense with rich metaphors. I have to really concentrate to absorb all she tells us about her 2nd homeland, Tanami Desert.

 

6AM:  – 10AM

Start Page: 13
End Page: 83
Total Pages Read: 70
Total Hours Read: 3
Total Books Read: 1
Total Books Completed: 0
Title: The Grief Hole by Kaaron Warren. This book is very good…good enough to convince met to read more  paranormal/horror fiction! I never gave this genre a chance….now I am a fan!

 

10AM:  – 2PM (…still reading)

Start Page: 1 (The Celery Stalks at Midnight) 7 (The Glass Canoe)
End Page: (144); ( 24)
Total Pages Read: 144 + 17 = 151
Total Hours Read: 4
Total Books Read: 2
Total Books Completed: 1
Title: The Celery Stalks at Midnight by J. Howe; The Glass Canoe  by D. Ireland

Comment: Ending my last 4 #Readathon hours  with some humor/children’s book. Relax and laugh! I still had time to start “A Glass Canoe”…I did my best!

 

Total Read:

Final Tally – 404 pages
Total Time Reading 17 hours
Genres: memoir (1) children’s book (1) fiction (3) essays (1)
Total Checkpoints Utilized – 6 Checkpoints and One Checkout
Total Number of Books Competed – 1
Total Number of Books in Progress – 5

16
Oct

Q&A AusReading Month 2017

 

Tell us about the Australian books you’ve loved and read so far.

  1. I joined AusReading Month 5 years ago @Brona’s Books.
  2. I was clueless about the country and knew of only one author:  Nevil Shute.
  3. Brona was there for me ….providing tips,  book lists and suggestions to get me started.
  4. Now I can’t STOP reading  Aussie!

 

Reading list:  2012 – 2017

 

ASTLEY, Thea.    Girl With A Monkey
ASTLEY, Thea.    The Well Dressed Explorer
ASTLEY, Thea.    The Slow Natives
ASTLEY, Thea.    A Descant for Gossips
BARRY, Bernice.    Georgiana Molloy: The Mind That Shines
CANAVAN, Trudi.    The Magicians’ Guild
FRANKLIN, Miles.    My Brilliant Career
RICHARDSON, Henry Handel.    Australia Felix
WATSON, Don.    The Bush
NIALL, Brenda.   Mannix
LAMB, Karen.   Thea Astley: Inventing Her Own Weather
KAPLAN, Gisela.   Bird Minds: Cognition and Behaviour of Australian Native Birds
JONES, Gail.   A Guide to Berlin
KENT, Hannah.   Burial Rites
SHUTE, Nevil.   On the Beach
SHUTE, Nevil.   Trustee from the Toolroom
WHITE, Patrick.   Voss
LAWSON, Henry.   Past Carin’ (poem)

 

 

Most favorite Aussie books:   These books made a lasting impression on me

  1. Thea Astley: Inventing Her Own Weather (K. Lamb)
  2. All of T. Astley’s books:
  3. Girl With a Monkey
  4. A Descant for Gossips
  5. The Well Dressed Explorer
  6. The Slow Natives
  7. Birds Mind: Cognition and Behaviour of Australian Native Birds (G. Kaplan)…amazing!
  8. Past Carin’ – (Henry Lawson) –  stop and listen to the poem….the hard  life in the Outbush.
  9. A poem which records the lament of a bush woman whom hardship and tragedy have made ‘Past Carin’’

 

 

 

Least favorite Aussie books:  I felt I wasted my reading time.

  1. The Magician’s Guild (Trudi Canavan) fantasy
  2. Georgiana Molloy: The Mind That Shines (B. Barry) non-fiction
  3. A Guide to Berlin (Gail Jones)  fiction
  4. Weak point: the writing was repetitive, lacking creative imagery and just dishwater grey.

 

2. When you think of Australia, what are the first five things that pop into your mind?

  1. Kookaburra
  2. Sydney Literary Festival (May 2018)
  3. Nevil Shute
  4. Foster’s beer
  5. Dragonfly airplane (De Havilland)

 

3. Have you ever visited Australia? Or thought about it?
  1. I would love to visit someday…but now only in books!
  2.  What are the pro’s and con’s about travelling to/in Australia for you?
  3. ….long flight (con)  …visit towns/places I’ve read about!  (pros)

 

4. If you have been or plan to visit, where will you be heading first?

Green Island off the coast of Carins
 
5. Do you have a favourite Australian author?
     Thea Astley –  Please, take the time to read her biography, you won’t be disappointed!
6. Which Aussie books are on your TBR pile/wishlist?

Australian fiction and non-fiction list:

  1. The Hate Race – M. Clarke
  2. The Other Side of the World – S. Bishop
  3. Portable Curiosities – J.Koh
  4. Dying in the First Person – N. Sulway
  5. The Redemption of Galen Pike – C. Davies
  6. Secrets Between Friends – F. Palmer
  7. The Eye of the Sheep – S. Laguna
  8. The End of Seeing – C. Collins
  9. The Neighbor – J. Proudfoot
  10. Talking to my Country – S. Grant (NF)
  11. The Art of Time Travel: Historians and Their Craft – Tom Griffiths (NF)
  12. One – Patrick Holland
  13. Seeing the Elephant – Portland Jones
  14. That Devil’s Madness – D. Wilson
  15. Soon – Lois Murphy

 

7. Which book/s do you hope to read for #AusReadingMonth?

  1. Aunts Up the Cross by Robin Dalton – NSW
  2. Power Without Glory  by Frank Hardy – Victoria
  3. Salt Water – Queensland
  4. Cloudstreet by Tim Winton. – Western Australia
  5. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute – Northern Territory
  6. Into the Heart of Tasmania by Rebe Taylor – Tasmania
  7. The Grief Hole by K. Warren – ACT ( author is from Canberra)
  8. The Element of Need: Murder and Memory in Adelaide by James Bradley – Southern Australia
  9. A Boat Load of Home Folk – by Thea Astley overseas setting (Pacific Island) – FREE

 

8. It came to my attention recently that our overseas friends view Australia as a
land full of big, bad, deadly animals.  Can you name five of them?
  1. Five??   only one  Dingo

 

What about five of our cuter more unique creatures?
  1. Kookaburra ( …thanks to Gisela Kaplan)
  2. Galah ( …thanks to Gisela Kaplan)
  3. Kangaroo
  4. Shrike-tit bird ( …thanks to Gisela Kaplan)
  5. kangaroo desert rat (…thanks to Don Watson)

 

9. Can you name our current Prime Minister (plus four more from memory)?
No googling allowed!
  1. I have no clue!
  2. I do remember the female PM….
  3. I can see her face, hear her voice….
  4. but the name escapes me.

 

10. Did you know that Australians have a weird thing for BIG statues of bizarre animals and things?
Can you name five of them?
I’m guessing…
  1. Kangaroo
  2. Gold Rush equipment ( Miners Gold Cradle)
  3. Kookaburra
  4. Dingo
  5. Gumtree

Hope you enjoyed my thoughts!

 

 

 

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