A veritable feast of terrific reads awaits you!
Hello lovely,
How are you? I hope you’ve had a wonderful couple of months filled with reading and life’s earthly pleasures. Not much to report here, although you will be pleased that Miss 17 is now a licensed driver! She passed first go, which was unexpected or perhaps, more than she (we) dared hope. I now have eight month’s respite before the last child to learn to drive. He wants to learn manual, so I’m girding my loins!
It's been quiet on the book front too, with plenty going on behind the scenes. Reading has been front and centre and I have plenty of terrific reads to share. So let’s dive in!
What I’m working on
I’m working on not one but three books at the moment. I’ve parked the novel I’ve been working on for the past year as, according to my publisher, the market is tricky and this might not be the best book to go forward with. Welcome to the realities of publishing!
While I was waiting for her feedback, I spent a lovely time revisiting the middle-grade series, Horse Warrior. Some of you may recall that I published the first in the series back in 2019 then, for reasons beyond my control, it ended up that only book one was published. Trouble is, it ended on a cliff hanger. Pity my poor readers! So I’ve been re-reading it and the half-draft of book two I’d already written. I had forgotten how much I love Maia and Raven and I’ve come up with some fantastic (at least on paper) plot ideas to finish the series. And if you’re wondering what middle-grade even means, it just a marketing term for books aimed at readers aged 8 to 12.
And June saw me start a new adult novel. It’s a little quirky or maybe I’m just saying that because it features a grumpy old cat named Igor. It’s about two people jointly sharing cat-sitting for a mutual friend. What could possibly go wrong? I’m not sharing more than that because it’s early days yet. Igor could become Felicity and will he even remain a cat? I think he will but that’s the joys of creating a story — you never know!
Favourite Reads
Sometimes, three reviews simply doesn’t do justice to my reading pile. Here’s a shout out to three great books worth adding to your TBR.
Alison Goodman’s, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, is a regency romp and cosy crime novel. At the ripe old age of 42, spinster sisters Lady Augustus and Julia Colebrook are way past their prime. Yet that doesn’t stop them setting about righting wrongs in a delightful read that’s loads of fun. A perfect bit of escapism with lots of dash and derring-do.
In Feast, an eccentric couple live in a derelict manor house outside a Scottish village. Alison is an actress who no longer acts and her partner Patrick is a former rock star who now writes film scores. When his daughter from a previous relationship lobs on them for an indefinite period, things go horribly awry when Patrick decides to hold a feast to celebrate his daughter’s eighteenth birthday. Never have such deliciously unlikeable characters been so enthralling in this witty and dark second novel from award-winning writer, Emily O’Grady.
Mercedes Mercier burst onto the scene with her debut novel White Noise that introduced psychologist Dr Laura Fleming who works in Westmead Prison. In Black Lies, Fleming is tasked with trying to find out what happened to the young woman Tomas Kovak murdered years ago and ever since, has refused to divulge where he hid the body. Except, the more she digs, the more Laura realises something doesn’t add up. Mercier ramps up the pace in this fantastic follow up. Dr Laura Fleming has all the makings of Patricia Cornwell’s creation, Dr Kay Scarpetta, for a contemporary audience. Fresh exciting writing for crime fans.
The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal
Ellen Wells grew up with strict parents who were active members of the ultra-conservative, Free Church of Kirkton. Dressing modestly, accepting the rule of the Church elders, and by extension all men, is law. The girls at school are wary of her and she has no friends outside of this. Her future is to marry someone within the Church community. It’s education and the opportunity to study teaching that offers her the chance to forge her own path.
As a high school English teacher, Ellen meets fellow teacher, Gordon. This is not a doomed love affair but one is steadfast and true. Until Gordon is accused of a crime he swears he did not commit. Despite all evidence to the contrary, Ellen believes Gordon and believes in Gordon. This is a test of her faith, love and loyalty. Facing enormous odds, Ellen knows she must find a way to save Gordon and their marriage.
Suzanne Leal’s novels are characterised by having an enormously sensitive moral compass. As a practising lawyer, Leal is acutely aware of the subtleties, the shades of grey, that surround a crime. Her interests lie not so much in the crime itself but the tensions this places on the people involved — the tension between faith and the rule of law, the shadow of shame a terrible crime casts and how to keep love alive when surrounded by doubt. It’s the characters that drive the action and none better than the clear-eyed narrator, Ellen. The Watchful Wife succeeds in being a heart-rendering portrait of an extraordinary woman and a terrific, twisty thriller filled with surprises.
Snapshots from Home by Sasha Wasley
In 1917, Edie Stark is mourning the loss of her older brother, Aubrey, at Lone Pine when she moves to the country town of York Western Australia to take up a position as a teacher at Miss Raison’s School for Girls. She’s glad of the distraction from her grief and relieved to escape her oppressive and overbearing father. She plans to live a quiet life and forget all about her dreams of moving to London to pursue her photography ambitions. However, her almost sister-in-law, Florence, has other ideas. Aubrey made Florence promise to look after Edie and that’s what she has in mind when she secretly signs Edie up to the YMCA Snapshots from Home scheme.
Edie finds herself thrust into the heart of life in York, visiting everyone from the poorest farmer to the wealthiest merchants. She takes photos of new babies, sweethearts, families, pet cows, tomatoes and summer gardens — whatever the troops in Europe need to remind them of home. It also throws her in the path of one man who does not agree with the war. Edie relies on Teddy Macmillan to drive her whenever she needs to visit places too far from town. On the journey, she must endure his passionate and persuasive arguments about the needless waste of young men’s lives and the political vagaries of a government bent on appeasing Mother England. Over time, Edie must decide whether accepting a quiet life at the expense of her conscience is a bargain she’s prepared to settle for.
Brilliantly plotted, Snapshots from Home is such a fascinating, richly-layered story about finding one’s path in life, embracing challenges and discovering what you’re really made of. Sasha Wasley has created a gem of character in Edie Stark, not to mention a memorable supporting cast. Her antagonist and love interest, Teddy Macmillan, is completely swoon-worthy and the fiery relationship between Teddy and Edie is reminiscent of that famous literary couple, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy. A Western Australian writer, Wasley has recreated the stunning landscapes of the west coast she loves and filled it with the kind of deft strokes that brings a story to life. It’s a change of pace for Wasley who many will know from her recent novels Spring Clean for the Peach Queen and A Caravan Like a Canary. Snapshots from Home is a story filled with sparkling energy and terrific memorable characters in a story worth that you will want to immerse yourself in.
Storylines by Carrie Cox
Nessa’s world changed completely after an horrific car accident left her physically and emotionally scarred. A combination of shame and protectiveness makes her keep people at arm’s length. Her life revolves around her older sister, Maya, and her family, their parents and the ‘lovelies’ she cares for at the nursing home. Her escape is a rundown homestead, Navada, gifted to her by her father after the accident. At Maya’s insistence, Nessa has turned it into a part-time wellness retreat for those on a budget who want to get far away from their own troubles. Even here — among the art therapy, yoga, massage and bushwalks — she keeps her distance, seeing her job as to blend into the background.
But, as so often happens, the world is not content to keep its distance. When her seventeen-year-old niece, Lily, suggests she takes over the social media for Navada, Nessa invites her to come and stay. Lily falls in love with Navada’s quiet beauty and the photos she takes of the property show the retreat in a whole new light. Her posts light up social media but they also show Nessa that there is a world of women who need a place to come and heal.
Her colleague from the nursing home, Campbell, wants to know Nessa better than someone he shares lunchbreaks with. And Nessa’s favourite patient, Hannah, makes a game of storytelling to draw Nessa out. Her father, now dying, wants to see her happy. And Lily, struggling with her own identity in a childhood defined by social media, doesn’t think Nessa is in any position to judge anyone about putting on a brave face.
Storylines is a rich layered novel about the person we show the world and the boundaries we erect to keep our vulnerabilities safe. It’s a deeply moving exploration of self and how we all learn to accommodate our scars. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves, to protect ourselves and to keep the world at bay. Carrie Cox delicately balances the joy and pain of what it is to be human with love and humour. Storylines is an impossible beautiful story that resonates long after the last page is turned.
Podcasts
I’ve had a bit of a run recording interviews with authors for the Writes4Women podcast over the past couple of months. It’s a fabulous opportunity to chat with fellow authors about their books and their writing process. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can find Writes4Women on your favourite podcast app or over here on the website.
Here you’ll find my recent chats with Gina Perry about her gorgeous novel, My Father the Whale and I also had the privilege of interviewing Naima Brown about her dark twisty novel set in the world of reality TV, The Shot.
Giveaways Galore!
I have a bonanza of wonderful books to give away this month. Thanks to the good folk at Allen and Unwin, I have copies of The Watchful Wife to giveaway. The wonderful team at Affirm Press have copies of Storylines to give away. And a big shout out to Pantera Press for copies of Snapshots from Home. To win a copy of any of these three titles, all you have to do is send a reply email with the answer to any or all of these questions.
The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal
What is the name of the ultra-conservative church Ellen was once a member of?
Storylines by Carrie Cox
Who is Nessa’s favourite patient?
Snapshots From Home by Sasha Wasley
Where is Snapshots from Home set?
The fine print: Giveaways are currently only open to subscribers and you must reside within Australia to be eligible to win (postage!) The winners will be picked at random and will be emailed on 21 July 2023. Good luck!
Upcoming Events
South Coast Writers Festival
Friday 18 to Sunday 20 August 2023
Tickets are now on sale for the 2023 South Coast Writers Festival. It is a fantastic program jam-packed with events from crime, movies, fantasy, children’s literature and so much more. Click here for all the program details or visit their website at www.southcoastwriters.org/festival2023. Here are the details of my session. It promises to be fantastic fun!
$18,000 per annum: what's going wrong (or right) in publishing?
Saturday 19 August 2023 11:15am - 12:15am in Music Lounge, Wollongong Town Hall
$18,000 is the average amount that authors in Australia earned last year. Author Meredith Jaffe puts the state of Australian publishing under the microscope in conversation with Walkley award-winning author Kate Holden, publisher Radhiah Chowdury, and Australian Society of Author's board member and author Sara Ayoub.
Batemans Bay Library
5.30pm, Wednesday 1 November 2023
Join me for a wine and cheese night as I talk about my books and the writing life at Batemans Bay Library. More details to come but I hope to meet some of you on the night!
New Voices Down Under
Over at New Voices Down Under, I’ve been chatting about all sorts of fabulous new books launching into the world. In the June issue, it was all about prize-winners and miracles, small and large. I adored the 2023 the Australian/ Vogels winner, Anna McGahan’s Immaculate and I think you will too. If you love historical fiction, Tara Calaby debuts with a fascinating novel set around the Kew Lunatic Asylum, House of Longing. And Jessica Kirkness’ extraordinarily moving memoir, The House With All the Lights On, focuses on her experiences growing up with two deaf grandparents, this history of sign language and the rise of Deaf activism and advocacy.
It’s not too late to sign up for the June newsletter. There are some wonderful books to discover plus a great interview with the 2022 Penguin Literary prize winner, Annette Higgs, about her debut On A Bright Hillside in Paradise. Not to mention you can be in the running to win a copy of A Bright Hillside in Paradise and House of Longing. I’d love to see you over there!
The end of the cup
Well, my friend, my cup is empty. Time to curl up with a good book in front of the fire. I wish you well for the months ahead. By the time we talk again, it will be Spring!! Don’t forget, 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 Why don’t you leave a comment or drop me a line. I love hearing from you!
Until next time, keep well,
