Jessica Southern-Reid was all set to apply for a UK residency when Covid-19 scuttled all her plans. But in true creative style she managed to turn adversity into a raging success by penning a crime short story ‘Death in the Skies’ about the little known exploits of women fighter pilots in World War 2 . She is the 23rd Scarlet Stiletto award winner.
In addition to the fetching shoe, recipients also receive a small cash prize and it is Australia’s only crime fiction awards solely for female writers.
Broadcast on Arts Canvass Byron Bay FM 99.9 December 3 ,2020
Shortlisted for 2020 Broken Pencil International Zine Awards!
Holly English is a contemporary artist, comic creator and cartoonist and illustrator who has been shortlisted for the 2020 Broken pencil International Zine Awards (comic Section) for her comic ‘Grace‘.
Grace is the story of Holly’s maternal grandmother and her journey with chronic pain, suicide and the subsequent impact upon her family.
Not your usual comic material but Holly pulls it of with her charming naive cartooning style and and pertinent story.
It is a 24 page, black and white, A5 comic drawn in ink and pencil and you can get you own copy from her webpage.
Holly English Interview
Holly was interviewed by phone due to this Covid times and broadcast on Arts Canvass Bay FM. Listen to this Podcast and many more at www.libsyn.com/narrativeslibrary
Fin. J Ross- ‘Billings Better Bookstore and Brasserie’ – a read from the author.
Fin. J Ross loves unusual words and language so this is a great fun book I think for Young Adult to adult. We can all do with learning a new word each day and there are some beauties in this text which have sadly fallen into disuse!
Bring back ‘ Hamshackled‘ ,’Flexanimous‘ and maybe ‘Effodient‘!
These and many more can be found at the start of each chapter as we follow the fortunes of Fedelia Knight, an orphaned girl in 18 century Melbourne who had a love of words and reading.
Interview with Fin. J Ross
Coming up in the next few weeks: Crime, Punk Rock and Music Memoirs!
Sandi Wallace delights in finding little Australian country towns and weaving crime stories that delve into the complex relationships in small rural areas. Listen to the interview to hear why she loves these places and then there is a small read from the novel.
Interview – Sandi Wallace
Sandi Wallace reads for Narratives from Black Cloud
More coming in the next few weeks- Fin J Ross with Billings Better Bookstore and Brasserie, and also a history on Punk rock, and much more!
Just in time for the school holidays- Tristan Bancks has released his two Nit Boy books in one bumper edition. Funny cartoons by Heath McKenzie will make this a winner with even the most reluctant of readers. Tristan assures me in the interview that Nits have not gone away – apparently they are immune to viruses?
Fast paced crime thriller set in modern South Africa.
Natalie Conyer was born and grew up in South Africa but has been an Australian for many years now. So she had to return a few times to refresh her memories and also consult with the crime squads there over her many details. Its such an interesting read, even if you need the Glossary at the back for some of the terms! She has won a number of awards for her short stories, but this is her first full length novel.
Natalie Conyer Interview
Natalie Conyer reads for you from ‘Present Tense’
Stay tuned , more authors coming, like everyone else Covid-19 has slowed us down a little!
The many years Katherine Firkin reported on crime and court reporting left her with the overwhelming impression of just how easily things can go wrong in people’s lives and she brings all these sub texts and subtleties into this gripping novel about a series of murders of young women.
Author Katherine Firkin
Interview and read with Katherine Firkin
This week I have included the interview and the read by Katherine and of course the interview was conducted by phone in this time of iso.
Jo Lennan has written a delicious collection of haunting tales with a theme of ‘foxes’. Sometimes they are real foxes, sometimes metaphorical even mystical – but this is great book to take to bed so you get the satisfaction of a conclusion before sleeping!
‘Sweetness and Light’ takes us into the back story of the two main characters at the start, so of course we are primed to watch what happens when they meet. Each is broken in their own way – physically, and emotionally, and Liam throws them into the disorientating setting of an ashram hidden deep in a forest in India and throws in a drug deal gone awry to thicken the plot.
Liam Pieper Interview
To hear Liam read from ‘Sweetness and Light’ go to the Narratives Library here. (Please scroll down page to ‘P’)
Nichola Hamilton has lived with this terrible disorder for most of her life. She has had countless surgical procedures and swallowed probably truckloads of different drugs to help her live a relatively normal life. Through all this she has remained cheerful ( most days) and determined that she will not be limited or defined by this disease. Through many health obstacles she has written an handbook for those who have been diagnosed or are living with Crohn’s, and for those who live with them. It sets out the options for treatment, ways of coping and just simple encouragement that there is life possible even after radical surgery.
