A cuppa with Meredith

Jan 05, 2022

Welcome!

Well hello

Welcome 2022!! Boy, are we glad to see you, right? There has been plenty of posts in the webiverse about saying Sayonara! to 2021. In many ways I am raising my glass to that too. BUT...isn’t there always a but? I prefer to spend my energy on the positives, gratitude chief amongst them, than dwell on the sh#t that happened, much of which I had no control over, so what’s the point of focusing precious headspace on it?

I have plenty to be grateful for in 2021. I’ve spent some time reflecting on the good things that happened to me, my family and my community in the past year. As we leave behind one year and prepare to welcome a new one, I thought I’d share my 2021 Success Audit. It's one of the ways I try to put the year into perspective. I’m sure you have your own list and I’d love to hear what made your 2021 Success Audit.

I’ve also reflected on my reading year. I try very hard to record my reading on Goodreads because it's so easy to forget! Except, it’s not a complete record because my policy is to only post about books I would press into your hands at the first available opportunity. But I do find it interesting to see what struck a chord with me. I've called it, My Divine Dozen Reads of 2021 because I also hate to pick favourites. I hope you find some great new reads to add to your teetering TBR piles out of this list too. If I’ve missed a book you really feel my life would be richer once I’ve read it, drop me a line. I do love a recommendation!

And now to 2022. I’m not so much a New Year’s Resolution kind of gal, but that doesn’t mean I’m not making plans for 2022. Chief amongst them is the release of my new novel The Tricky Art of Forgiveness in March. Not only am I excited about sharing this new story with you, but I am also putting together a fabulous pamper giveaway to go with it. More on that to come. Speaking of fabulous giveaways, I have not one, but two, books to giveaway in January. Read on for more details.

Onwards!

The Tricky Art of Forgiveness

The last couple of months have been go, go, go finalizing the edits and sending this baby off to the printers. If ever there is a champagne moment, this is it. The book is done. It has its party dress on, put on a face, tizzed up the hair and is ready to go out into the world.

To celebrate the impending arrival of this fourth of my adult novels, we are going to be doing a super special giveaway to launch it. One lucky newsletter subscriber is going to win a fabulous celebratory gift pack filled with all sorts of goodies. More on that in the special pre-launch edition of the newsletter in February. Consider this your heads up to make sure you keep an eye on your inbox so you don't miss out.

Even better, share the love and get your friends to subscribe!

Psst! If you cannot wait, or want to be first in, yes you can pre-order from your favourite bookstores right now over here (and cop a sneaky peek at the cover concept design. Shh! Don't tell anyone.)

The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

As we wound down in 2021, I was so thrilled to see Derek and the lads turn up on Kobo’s Top Fiction Picks of 2021. Here is a screen shot but twenty novels in total made this list. (Hint, some of them are in My Divine Dozen Reads of 2021.)

As humbling as making a 'best of' list, in truth, it's all you readers that really matter. I will never be able to give enough thanks to everyone who picked up The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison and took the time to post a review or a rating.

Thank you!!!

Events
My last book club event of 2021 was with the lovely ladies from the Bawley Point Ladies’ Book Club. What a blast! Two hours went by in a snap. Sadly, thanks to poor planning at mission control, I had to leave and take Master 13 to tennis rather than enjoy the magnificent afternoon tea prepared by Jill. And I forgot to take photos. Sigh. So much room for improvement.

Coming up…

I am to be heading out to Parkes and Peak Hill Libraries this month. Yay! I’ve never been to either Parkes or Peak Hill so I cannot tell you how excited I am about this trip. If this means I am in your neck of the woods, come and say hello, I’d love to meet you!

2021 Success Audit

2021 has been a massive year for me -- a year of huge inputs and huge gains. I am very grateful that I am here in one piece, as is my family, and that we have had a relatively good year, all things considered. Here are the things that made it to the success side of the ledger.

Writing and publishing The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

Being able to do so many live publicity events for TDOYP and meet readers IRL

Along with the amazing crew behind the festival, holding StoryFest 2021. It turned out to be doubly amazing as it was held on the one weekend with no lockdowns—Victorians coming out of lockdown right before Sydney was thrown into them. Talk about timing!

Writing and editing The Tricky Art of Forgiveness whilst organising StoryFest 2021. I still don’t know how I did that.

Getting my act together about physical fitness aka getting back into regular exercise as part of my Treat Myself Better campaign

On a similar note, being much more disciplined about my meditation practice.

Shepherding my kids through yet another disruptive stuffed up school year and emerging relatively unscathed (them, not me!)

I wonder how many of my successes match up with yours? And if you truly struggled to find anything good about 2021, then I hope 2022 knocks it our of the park for you.

My Divine Dozen Reads of 2021

I tried really hard to make this my favourite ten books of 2021 but there was not one book I could justify dropping off the list, so may I present, my Divine Dozen Reads of 2021. This list is made up from my author newsletter top picks and books I gave 5 stars to on Goodreads. I don’t believe in ranking books—hey, five stars is five stars, right? So here they are in alphabetical order.

For me to give a book five stars usually means either a) I wish I could write like that, or b) I wish I’d thought of that, or c) Wow! That is superbly executed.

So imagine I am pressing this book into your hands and begging you to read it. I wonder how many we have in common on our fave rave lists? Is there a book not here that you would press into my hands? Feel free to drop me an email and I’ll add it to my pile.

Thank you to all these writers for creating such amazing stories and providing me with hours and hours of entertainment. I have laughed, I have cried, I have challenged my thinking and expanded my universe. I am in awe of their talents. I can’t wait to delve into the TBR for 2022.

Summer Giveaway!!!

I am very excited to get my hands on the new psychological thriller by New Zealand writer, Nikki Crutchley. To the Sea. I’m not a massive crime fiction reader, but I do find psychological thrillers somewhat impossible to resist.

Here’s the blurb: Iluka has been the only home that 18-year-old Ana has ever known. The beautiful wild pine plantation overlooking the Pacific Ocean where her grandfather builds furniture, her aunt runs an artists' retreat and her uncle tends the land, is paradise, a private idyll safe from the outside world.

But the place holds a violent secret and when a stranger arrives, Ana will need to make a choice: to protect everything - and everyone - she holds dear or tell the truth and destroy it all.

Crutchley’s first two books were short-listed in the Ngaio Marsh Awards, which recognise excellence in New Zealand crime, mystery and thriller writing. No wonder then that it’s being described as:

“An atmospheric, suspenseful, dark and twisty thriller in the tradition of Daphne du Maurier, Paula Hawkins, Anna Downes and JP Pomare.”

What a recommendation! It sounds like the perfect summer read. My publisher has very kindly offered two copies to giveaway to my subscribers. All you need to do is email me the answer to this question:

What is the name of Ana’s home?

Drop me an email at meredith@meredithjaffe.com with your answer. The lucky winners will be picked at random. Please folks, you must live in Australia to enter. I will announce the winner in my next newsletter out on Saturday February 5. Good luck!

The end of the cup...

And, my friends, my cup is empty. Have an absolutely cracker of a summer. I know it’s not holidays for all of us (myself included) but whether your are taking some RnR or keeping the show on the road, let’s hope nature behaves herself over the summer—no fires, no floods, and no cyclones thankyouverymuch. I hope 2021 ended of a joyous note for you and the ones you love and that 2022 brings freedom, health and peace for us all.

Keep an eye on my website for upcoming tour dates www.meredithjaffe.com or you will always find me chatting on socials on either Instagram or Facebook @meredithjaffeauthor.

See you in February for the special giveaway edition!