A cuppa with Meredith

Welcome!

Well hello 
 
I cannot tell you how long I have been saying, ‘I really must start a newsletter.’ Why? I hear you ask. Because the best thing about writing a book is having the opportunity to connect with readers. Sadly, the events of 2020 have made that incredibly hard, but we’ve all adapted to being online and virtual and have been zooming our little hearts out. A virtual hug will never replace a real one, and a newsletter will never replace catching up in bookshops and libraries and at literary events. But equally, the best thing about a newsletter is that we can go off topic and no one can stop us. There are no set questions! No time limits! And neither of us have to decide what to wear. Yeah!

So this is it. Newsletter numero uno. My objective is that each issue will be about one cuppa long (unless you’re one of those people like my husband who has an asbestos mouth and can skol boiling hot liquids, in which case it might be a two cuppa read.)

I will talk about some behind-the-scenes stuff with my new novel, The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison. On that note, I cannot wait to share the cover—that is a story in and of itself!

Plus I’ll let you know if I have read anything amazing that I think you should add to your teetering pile (and we can share our thoughts on socials.)

And last but not least, I’ll chat about what my writerly friends are up to and other writerly stuff. Oh, and before I forget, I did also mention freebies. Because Christmas is just around the corner and because I have a new book to celebrate, I am giving away six signed copies of my first novel, The Fence. I’ll even personalise them so you can gift them to a loved one.

Onwards!
 

The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

Just like children, there are many milestones in the journey of a book’s life from a nascent idea to being a polished tangible ‘thing’ we engage with—be it a book, an audio book or an e-book.

Once a publisher tells you they, ‘LOVE your book and CANNOT WAIT to publish it,’ or words to that effect, suddenly the book begins to blossom. It goes from me being glued to my chair for hours a day, days a months, and weeks a year to a group project. There are editors and designers and sales and marketing people all collaborating to present the book in its best frock (although it’s actually called a jacket.) And after that, there are booksellers and reviewers, online and in magazines, and so it goes.
 
My publisher, HarperCollins Publishers, and I are smack-bang in the middle of polishing up the book in the edits. Meanwhile, the design team are creating the most marvellous cover and the marketing people are pulling together the marketing and publicity campaign. It’s one giant Work in Progress. But here is what I can share.

The front cover currently looks like this...

                        

Isn't it totally gorgeous? If you look very closely, you will see that it is a photo of real embroidery, Yes, I know! It’s been hand-stitched. Amazing right? Here is an earlier photo of it as a WIP.



The designer created the image then gave it to her mum to stitch. Then they photographed the finished product to create the cover. It won’t be until you hold the book in your hands that you will be able to see the 3D effect this creates. I can’t wait!

Like all good covers, the images illustrate the meaning of the book. From the threaded needle, to the barbed wire, and the forget-me-nots. Curious? Then maybe we should flip the book over and read the words on the back cover to discover more clues.
 

Can a wedding dress save a bunch of hardened crims? The Full Monty meets Orange is the New Black in a poignantly comic story about a men's prison sewing circle.

Derek's daughter Debbie is getting married. He's desperate to be there, but he's banged up in Yarrandarrah Correctional Centre for embezzling funds from the golf club, and, thanks to his ex-wife, Lorraine, he hasn't spoken to Debbie in years. He wants to make a grand gesture - to show her how much he loves her. But what?

Inspiration strikes while he's embroidering a cushion at his weekly prison sewing circle - he'll make her a wedding dress. His fellow stitchers rally around and soon this motley gang of crims is immersed in a joyous whirl of silks, satins and covered buttons.

But as time runs out and tensions rise both inside and outside the prison, the wedding dress project takes on greater significance. With lives at stake, Derek feels his chance to reconcile with Debbie is slipping through his fingers ...

A funny, dark and moving novel about finding humanity, friendship and redemption in unexpected places.

Have I whet your appetite? I hope so. Publication Day is 5 May 2021—just in time for Mothers’ Day! And, as they say in the classics, available at all good bookstores everywhere! (in Australia)
 

This month I've been reading...

I read heaps. Partly because I am the very lucky person who gets to call myself Festival Director of StoryFest held each winter in my little neck of the woods on the NSW South Coast.

This month I’ve read Infinite Splendours by Miles Franklin winning author Sofie Laguna (another gorgeous cover!) I couldn’t wait to read The Dressmaker’s Secret, the sequel to The Dressmaker, and catch up with Tilly Dunnage and the mob from Dungatar. I’ve had the privilege of sharing the stage with Rosalie Ham on two occasions and the two things I adore about her writing is her dry wit and her ability to wrangle a massive cast of characters. I’ve read all but one of her books and I’ve loved them all. And I read Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Darkly comic and very sad.

Another writing mate also has a recent release. Fiona Higgins is back with An Unusual Boy. You will remember Fiona as the bestselling author of that gripping tale, The Mother’s Group and Wife on the Run. I can highly recommend An Unusual Boy. Fiona is always tough on her characters but oozes with compassion.
 
Plus I read Lioness by Sue Brierley. Sue is the mother of Saroo Brierley, who used Google Earth to find his way home to the small village in India where he was born. His book went on to be an international bestseller and an award-wining movie. Lucky me interviewed Sue and Saroo on behalf of Better Read Than Dead. Sue’s story, in which she devolves the mother myth, is a fascinating read in itself. It was a very moving discussion and, if you’d like to hear it, you can find it here.
 

Pick of the month...

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Where do I begin? I mean, the obvious spot is that Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction. I read in the Guardian somewhere that it was considered a literary travesty that it wasn’t even longlisted for the Booker Prize but prizes are a law unto themselves, so who knows why. The important thing is that everything about Hamnet, from its premise to its execution, is sublime.

Hamnet is inspired by the story of the death of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s son, Hamnet, at the age of eleven. In truth, there is no record of how or why he died so young, but some years later, his father wrote a play about it that has become rather well-known. Scant as the details are, O’Farrell has turned this true story into a magnificent novel. Warning though, you will need tissues—more than once. O’Farrell’s ability to magnify the smallest of details and her deceptively simple language that delivers the most devastating impact, is a skill that leaves me breathless. I admit, I have a writer crush on O’Farrell but I promise you, you might become a convert yourself!

Freebies...

                                     

To celebrate the inaugural issue of my newsletter and the upcoming publication of The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison, I’m giving away signed copies of my debut novel, The Fence.

It’s being promoted on my socials over at @meredithjaffeauthor either on Instagram or Facebook. So head on over. As promised, I am happy to personalise if you’re thinking of giving a copy as a gift or would like a signed copy for yourself.
 

The end of the cup...

That’s it. We are down to the tea leaves, or the coffee dregs, depending on which refreshing brew you prefer. I’d love to hear what you think. Should I keep going or stick to writing books? Maybe you have a question for me, or have you read anything you think we should all be reading? We can chat via email or via my socials.

If I don’t speak to you beforehand, best wishes to you and your loved ones for Christmas and the summer season. Here's to a marvellous 2021!