A cuppa with Meredith
Welcome!
Well hello
Since we last caught up, I’ve been head down in edits for my next novel (yes, I know—still!) But I’ve also managed to see a fair bit of the state with various book events. My youngest daughter tagged along and played social media manager for a mammoth trip out to Parkes and Peak Hill libraries, which were so much fun! Lots of yummy treats to eat and lovely readers to meet. Of course, we went to see The Dish and I highly recommend you pop in if you’re out that way as it is a fascinating exhibit.
I also did an event at Wollongong Library as part of the South Coast Writers Festival, and got to meet lots of lovely readers. And, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jane Caro about her bestselling thriller, The Mother. Popped in for lunch with the local VIEW Club, went to the book launch of G is for Gugunyal (more on that later) and had an online chat with Global Girls Online Bookclub. If you missed it, you can find the link on my website here. Other than that, I’ve been reading and getting the kids through various colds and flus and general lurgies thanks to the school environment. You won’t be surprised to know they also very generously shared their germs with the big fella and me. Yay us!
All right then, let’s get cracking.
Onwards!
Gwen's Cheese Bikkies
Okay, funny story time. I received a message from a lovely reader (hello Lyn!) who wanted to know if I had the recipe for Gwen’s Cheese Biscuits. Now, in case you’re wondering what on earth I’m talking about, you need to cast your mind back to my first novel, The Fence. Gwen, gardening columnist and general neighbourhood stickybeak, is a keen baker. Every cake in the novel is a cake I make — from the family favourite, Apricot Gooey Cake, to the fatal chocolate cake at the centre of the story.
And Gwen also happens to be the name of my stepmother’s mother. Gwen IRL was also a fabulous gardener (as is my stepmother) and always made a mean cheese bikkie. So, in honour of both the real and the fictitious Gwens, and at Lyn’s request, here is the recipe.
1 cup plain flour
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup rice bubbles
A few teaspoons of parmesan cheese
A pinch of salt, cayenne pepper
¼ lb butter (1/2 cup or 113grams)
Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub through the butter. Roll into small balls (about the size of a fifty cent piece) and bake on a greased tray for 15 minutes at 190C or until a nice light golden brown. And try not to eat them all in one sitting! You're welcome :-)
Books to Love
I’ve read some cracker books in the past couple of months that I absolutely must share with you. Starting off with ...
Red by Felicity McLean
It’s the early 1990s and little Ruby ‘Red’ McCoy is cruising down the highway on the Central Coast in her dad Sid’s ‘new’ Datsun 180B that he swears is gold but is really a two-tone white-brown number. Thus begins this incredibly evocative tale told through the eyes of a child who loves her dad fiercely and hanging out with her best friend, Stevie. Life would be great if it weren’t for the ripple effects across the generations of the loathing between the Healeys and the McCoys. Trevor Healey has turned being a bent copper into an artform and Sid McCoy is just another poverty-stricken loser on the wrong side of the law.
Red is a contemporary retelling of the Ned Kelly story told through Ruby’s eyes and it sparkles on every page. Ruby is wild, smart and loyal. The writing shimmers with her wit and wry observations of life. Reading it, I was torn between deep affection for Ruby and absolute horror at the terrible persecution she and Sid endure at the hands of Healey. Not to mention her maturity as necessitated by circumstances over which she has no control. There’s no room for self-pity in Ruby’s world but as smart and funny as she is, even she can’t save her dad or herself from the fate that awaits them.
I will say that it took me a couple of pages to get into the rhythm of the writing because McLean has written Red as a sort of stream of consciousness, that is, there’s not much punctuation and few chapters. But McLean pulls this off by the sheer power and velocity of the writing. I loved her previous novel, The Van Apfel Girls are Gone, but I think McLean has surpassed herself with Red. It’s a cracker of a read.
G is for gugunyal Written and Illustrated by Leanne Brook and spoken by Aunty Trish Ellis
In 2020, Aunty Trish Ellis published the Dhurga Dictionary and Learners Grammar: A South-East Coast NSW Aboriginal Language. This was the culmination of decades of work by her and her siblings in teaching the Dhurga language in local schools and TAFE, as well as the meticulous etymological research into historical documents and records to recover the language. Dhurga is one of the four traditional languages of the NSW South Coast and was spoken by Yuin nation people between Nowra and Narooma and inland to Braidwood and Araluen.
Murramarang Yuin woman and artist, Leanne Brook, began learning Dhurga when she worked at the Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council. Recognising the need for a resource to teach a new generation their language, she has collaborated with Aunty Trish Ellis to create this stunning picture book which combines Leanne’s incredible artworks with a spoken guide to the phonetic pronunciation of the 24 key sound groups used in the Dhurga language. A QR code inside the front cover allows readers to hear Aunty Trish Ellis pronounce the sounds and words.
This book is visually stunning and, of course, an incredibly important resource in the broader reclamation of traditional languages. I have one signed copy to give away (see below) but if you’d like to support the project and own a precious selection of Leanne’s artwork, then jump onto your favourite bookstore site. If you’d like to see why I’m raving about Leanne’s artwork, and would like to know more, then pop over to Instragram where you will find her at @murramarang_arts
White Noise by Mercedes Mercier
There is so much great crime fiction coming out at the moment. What were all these writers actually doing in lock down that drove them to write crime? I can’t help feeling we are riding a wave of murderous intent 😊
Writer, Mercedes Mercier, knows a thing or two about prisons, as she works in the criminal justice system, although not as a psychologist like her character Dr Laura Fleming. Laura works at the fictitious Westmead Prison, where her work includes assessing prisoners and making recommendations as to whether they are fit for parole. It’s a job she takes seriously after her own near-death experience years ago in another life when she was a paramedic and witnessed the murder of her colleague and almost lost her own life in the process.
So when Laura takes over the case file of the charismatic Justin Jones from a pregnant colleague, alarm bells ring. How can someone who committed such a violent crime seem to no longer have any anger management issues? It seems too good to be true, and Laura decides to go digging into Jones’ past. But when Laura falls victim to a series of increasingly personal attacks, and Jones’ façade starts to crack, she suddenly finds herself fearing for her life and the safety of her family.
I loved this book. I read it in two halves and virtually inhaled the second half in one sitting, staying up until the wee hours to finish it. It’s a great insight into the complexities of the justice system, the people who work in it and the people it tries to protect the rest of us from. Mercier writes with great compassion for her characters and she sure knows how to twist the screws in this confident debut. Not to mention how refreshing to read a story about a deeply flawed woman, who has been and is both victim and mistress of her own destiny.
Giveaway
Thanks to the good folk at HarperCollins Australia, I have five copies of White Noise to give away. You know the drill, all you have to do is send me an email with the answer to this oh-so-difficult question.
What is the name of the prison where Dr Laura Fleming works?
Or, if you would like to win a signed copy of G is for Gugunyal, then tell me how many key sounds groups are there in the Dhurga language? Just to be clear, I only have one copy to give away.
As always, this giveway is only open to subscribers and you must reside within Australia to be eligible to win (postage!) The winners will be picked at random and I will announce who they are on 1 August 2022. Good luck!
Upcoming Events
Here is a list of my upcoming events. Full program details are on my website (time, place, etc.) I try to keep this list updated, so do jump on over there for any new events that might be being held in your neck of the woods. I'd love you to come and say hello so that we can meet IRL.
Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Library
2pm, Thursday August 4
I’ll be in conversation with the lovely librarians about The Tricky Art of Forgiveness
Keep an eye on my socials and website for further details.
The end of the cup...
And, my friends, my cup is empty. I’m going to be head down into my edits (round 2) for the next month or so. I hope you all have a wonderful couple of months filled with reading and love. And for those of us on the east coast, stay dry!
You can check out updates on events at www.meredithjaffe.com or you will always find me chatting on socials on either Instagram or Facebook @meredithjaffeauthor.
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