Perfections: Interview with author Kirstyn McDermott

Today I am excited to be joined by award-winning horror author Kirstyn McDermott to discuss her fabulous novel, Perfections, which is about to be published by Twelfth Planet Press in paperback and digital. The launch will be held at Continuum X in Melbourne this weekend (details lower down). I feel very close to this novel. … Continue reading Perfections: Interview with author Kirstyn McDermott

May reading: My Brother Michael and more

In honour of English author Mary Stewart, who died earlier this month (see my tribute), I've been re-reading for the umpteenth time, My Brother Michael - one of my favourites. Sipping coffee in Athens and wishing something would happen, Camilla accidentally agrees to drive a hire car to Delphi for someone called Simon. It turns … Continue reading May reading: My Brother Michael and more

Book release: Fallen on good times by Rewan Tremethick

Today I'd like to welcome UK author, Rewan Tremethick, to celebrate the impending launch of his debut novel, FALLEN ON GOOD TIMES, which is released in paperback and on kindle on 31 May via Paddy's Daddy Publishing. Book blurb Fairy tales are warnings. Legend is history. Monsters are real. Paranormal detective Laslo Kane learned this … Continue reading Book release: Fallen on good times by Rewan Tremethick

Tribute to Mary Stewart

Today I learned that Mary Stewart has died. Given she was 97, it shouldn't really be a shock, but emotion surged within me and I found I could not think about anything else. The hours and hours of reading pleasure... The influence of her novels on my travels... The letters we once exchanged... The numerous … Continue reading Tribute to Mary Stewart

What if the main character dies in chapter 2?

Every so often I read a book that really makes me stop and think about how stories are told. There's a lot of theory out there stating the 'rules'. But, at the end of the day, anything goes as long as it works... As long as a reader engages with it. It's really good to … Continue reading What if the main character dies in chapter 2?

April reading: The Salisbury Key and more Harper Fox

After discovering author Harper Fox in March, I spent April working my way through a chunk of her backlist. Seriously, I haven't been able to get enough of her books. It's been a revelation, because the male/male romance genre is not one I usually read in, or indeed expected to like. Were it not for … Continue reading April reading: The Salisbury Key and more Harper Fox

March reading: psychics, farmers and superhumans

My March reading experience has been rather interesting. I kicked it off with a read-through of the messy first draft of mine own work in progress. I ploughed through a good chunk of it during a retreat weekend at the start of the month, then finished it off over the ensuing week. I've already discussed … Continue reading March reading: psychics, farmers and superhumans

Book review: A companion to wolves

The main book I read during February was A companion to wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear -- a fantasy novel published in around 2008 (first of a trilogy). I found it a fascinating book, certainly memorable, in some ways familiar and in other ways not. It's about a youth (Isolfr) who is tithed … Continue reading Book review: A companion to wolves

Three fantasy books by Aussie women for January

I've finished reading three fantasy novels this month -- that's much more like it! The slight drawback to this has been the wrecking of my sleep patterns. In my determination to find books to immerse myself in, I forgot the part where this means I keep reading to 3 or 4 or 5am... which in … Continue reading Three fantasy books by Aussie women for January

Book Review: Winter be my shield

It’s been good to finally get my teeth into some contemporary epic fantasy in the form of Australian author Jo Spurrier's Winter be my shield (Children of the Black Sun - Book 1). From the very start this novel gripped me in its icy vices and – even if perhaps it faded a little in the … Continue reading Book Review: Winter be my shield