Holidays, hard work and Hurdy Gurdy
I'm back from Edinburgh, London and San Clemente! Work is ... Reading is...
Well hello lovely,
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are but it is absolutely freezing here and we are set to get over 200mm of rain here on the south coast in the next forty-eight hours. Lordy! In contrast, the weather in Edinburgh, London and San Clemente was simply perfect. Cool for spring by our standards but bright and clear. Although, on the wedding day, after a morning being fussed over by hair and make-up artists, my daughter and I left the swishy boutique hotel, the Gleneagle, to walk to the wedding venue, the Physicians College, when it started to spit. Then more spits. We hurried along to the wedding venue where, lucky for the bride, the photographer waited with two umbrellas. My son-on-law was already waiting in the park with their dog, Jazzie. For this one brief hour on their wedding day, Edinburgh went through four seasons, including hail. But that was the only cloud on an otherwise perfect, memorable day. Note: The wedding was held in a library!
I don’t think I stopped for almost three weeks. Here’s my attempt to cover off everything in one paragraph. In Edinburgh, the cherry trees were in bloom everywhere we went. Meals out every night. A musical, two plays and live comedy. The Andy Warhol textiles exhibition at the Dovecote Museum, Mary Queen of Scots Tour, hours and hours in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens and a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. A weekend trip to Carnoustie and Dundee to see the family roots and a visit to the Dundee V&A for the Scottish Design exhibition. A trip up the Thames to Greenwich. High Tea at The Ivy. Drinks at the Royal Opera. Off to the British Library for the National Treasures exhibition including the folios of Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde’s handwritten version of The Importance of Being Earnest, scores by Handel and Schubert. A visit to the V&A in London. In LA, I was blown away by the Getty Centre. We went to one of the first missions in California (number 7 to be precise) Mission San Juan Capistrano, which was absolutely beautiful. Here are a couple more pics.
Now it is back to the real world, thoroughly enriched by sights and experiences, which will no doubt work their way into my stories at some point in the future.
And, before I go onto the rest of the newsletter, I want to say thank you to everyone who voted for The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison in the 2024 Better Reading Top 100. Unfortunately, it didn’t get the hat trick but there are so many terrific books on this year’s list, I am certain we will all be thrilled to add even more books to our TBR piles!
Behind the Scenes
Hmm, can I be honest? I’ve been stuck at about the one third mark. Chapter 10, to be precise. I have spent many weeks nutting it out, mulling it over and generally avoiding opening the manuscript. This may sound very unproductive but, sometimes, thinking time is writing time. The good news is that I think I have found my way through the problem and have picked up the manuscript again this week. Fingers crossed, I’ll be through this round of edits by the end of July.
Books to Love
I haven’t read very much fiction in the past two months (well, not including debut fiction, which I cover in new Voices Down Under.) I can’t really say why except that I have been completely distracted by Ann Patchett. I didn’t get to Sydney Writers Festival this year but perhaps knowing Ann Patchett was attending invaded my subconscious. I read her collections of non-fiction These Precious Days immediately followed by This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Both are wonderful. Patchett offers insights into almost every topic imaginable and does so with such grace and charm. As far as distractions go, it was perfect. However, I did read one novel and that is the subject of this edition’s Books to Love.
Set in a near-future Australia, ravaged by climate change, a small band of women roam the countryside bringing their circus act to towns and settlements. An old lady, the engineer, Valentina the Russian clown, Girl and Winn. The circus’ grand days are well behind it. There are no elephants or lions or performing dogs anymore, just them, a few tricks and a small pony. They use only the back roads, relying on a map that tells them where is safe and where to avoid, because the circus is only part of what they do. What they really do is ‘reclamations’ a euphemism for illegal abortions and all abortions are illegal now. Women’s bodies are not their own, nor are their souls. They belong to men.
They are not the only ones roaming the country. There is an evangelical preacher and his nun-like companion who travel from settlement to settlement warning against the dangers of alcohol, adultery and abortion. Religion is the path to salvation. But Queenie, the old woman, has no truck with religion or any man who thinks he can tell a woman how she should live. Under the guise of free haircuts, she deals with unwanted pregnancies and dangerous men. The reverend hears of the disappearing men, the rumours that there is someone offering services that they should not and vows to put an end to it. A preacher and a circus act both wanting to save lives and souls but in two very different ways and, when they meet, how can it end anyway but badly?
Jenny Ackland’s new novel Hurdy Gurdy is a disturbing glimpse into an imagined future that doesn’t seem so far away from the alarming events of today. The story is told through the eyes of nineteen-year-old Win and Joy, the nun-like companion to the reverend. The hurdy gurdy is a stringed instrument with a handcrank and a keyboard. It is known for its dissonant sound, often associated with the lower socio-economic classes, and dissonance is at the heart of this fable-like story. Winn is not convinced she wants to follow in Queenie’s footsteps and continue the good work. She dreams of love and children despite the harsh evidence in front of her. Joy, the reverend’s companion, has escaped one bad reality for another that is equally trying to colonise her soul. Hurdy Gurdy is a feminist revenge tale that will remind readers of the classic The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Charlotte Wood’s The Natural Way of Things. What makes Hurdy Gurdy such an intriguing and thought-provoking read in large part is the fascinating exploration of the history of the circus tradition and how the clown, like the fool or the jester, is the truthteller. Winn, as both clown and a young woman on the verge of her adult future represents hope. And, in bleak times, hope is sometimes all we can hold onto. Jenny Ackland’s previous novel, Little Gods, was shortlisted for the 2018 Stella Prize and Hurdy Gurdy is being tipped as an equally outstanding, imaginative and bold novel.
To win a copy of Hurdy Gurdy, scroll down to Giveaways Galore!
Giveaways Galore!
I’m excited to have **two** copies of Hurdy Gurdy to giveaway, thanks to the wonderful people at Allen & Unwin. All you have to do is send me a reply email with the answer to the question below.
Name one of the narrators of the novel Hurdy Gurdy.
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 Tuesday 18 June. Good luck!
Remember, if you want to enter for each book, you can do so in one email.
Upcoming Events
South Coast Writers Festival
13 & 14 July 2024
Thirroul District Community Centre and Library
With a festival line-up featuring an array of stellar award-winning authors, talented new voices, acclaimed poets, broadcasters and thinkers, and over 18 sessions to choose from, the South Coast Readers and Writers Festival promises a weekend filled with captivating stories, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiring conversations. Hope to see you there!
Full program details are here where you can also book your tickets.
The Business of Publishing
11.30am-12.25pm, Saturday 13 July
What’s going on in the business of publishing? Author Dinuka McKenzie, editor Michael Earp and Collins Thirroul bookseller Amanda Isler unpack the secrets, concerns and successes of the publishing business with Meredith Jaffé.
Secrets and Justice
2.15-3.15pm, Sunday 14 July
Both Sarah Clutton and Suzanne Leal were lawyers before becoming novelists. They talk with novelist Meredith Jaffé about how secrets, lies and justice feature in their fiction.
New Voices Down Under
In our May edition, we meet New Zealand author, Avi Duckor-Jones and chat about the real life inspirations for his debut novel Max, a moving coming-of-age story about who we are, where we come from and who we are allowed to love.
The May edition also features reviews of two brand new titles. Bright Objects by Ruby Todd about a young woman who grapples with the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet and its tumultuous consequences in a novel that blends mystery, astronomy and romance. The Story Thief by Kyra Geddes belnds fact and fiction in this stirring family saga set against shifting landscapes and pivotal moments in Australian history.
For you chance to **win** a copy of Max, you must be a subscriber and answer the question posed in the May newsletter. You can do both of those things by clicking the button below.
The end of the cup
Well, my friend, my cup is empty. Thank you so much for hanging out with me today. I’ll be back in your inbox in August. We’ll all be dreaming of Spring by then! And I’ll be finshed my edit (fingers crossed!)
Don’t forget, you can check out updates on events at www.meredithjaffe.com or, why don’t you leave a comment below or drop me a line. I love hearing from you!
Keep well,
Congratulations to your daughter and to you, mother of the bride! It sounds as though you had an incredible holiday too. I've been travelling myself this past week (just to Melbourne, mind you) and haven't had a chance to thank you for that lovely review of The Story Thief in New Voices Down Under - much appreciated. Hope to meet you in person some time, Meredith. Many thanks, Kyra