Love Stories – Trent Dalton – Biography

A heartfelt, deep, wise and tingly tribute to the greatest thing we will never understand and the only thing we ever really need: love.

Devotion – Hannah Kent – Fiction 

A historical novel which focuses attention of the untold stories of women in far-flung places, where the natural and modern worlds exist in conflict and ancient and oral belief systems crash with reformed, modern ideologies.

Windswept & Interesting – Billy Connolly – Autobiography 

Comedy legend Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life, which is both unforgettable and life-affirming.

Better Off Dead – Lee Child + Andrew Child – Fiction 

Jack Reacher returns in this pulse-pounding read from Lee and Andrew Child. Reacher never backs down from a problem. And he’s about to find a big one on a deserted Arizona road. Under the merciless desert sun, nothing is as it seems. 

Tomorrow Is a Brand New Day – Davina Bell – Children’s Picture Book 

A healing and uplifting tribute to learning and growing – to making mistakes and making amends.

Somebody’s Land – Adam Goodes – Children’s Picture Book 

An invitation to connect with First Nations culture, to acknowledge the hurt of the past, and to join together as one community with one precious history as old as time.

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy – Personal Develpopment

Enter the world of Charlie’s four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons. You’ll find Charlie’s most-loved illustrations and new ones, too. 

Apples Never Fall – Liane Moriarty – Fiction 

From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes.

The Book of Hope – Jane Goodall – Science 

Legendary conservationist Jane Goodall draws on the wisdom of a lifetime dedicated to nature to teach us how to find strength in the fact of the climate crisis.

Ultimate Weekends Australia – Emma Shaw – Travel 

Now with the freedom to travel, this is the ultimate guide for the best weekend getaways across the continent.

Buy these titles and more at Book Face Port Central. Want more recommendations? Check out Cathy’s top picks.

The post Best Summer Reads appeared first on Coastbeat.

Nourished by Nature is a cookbook 30 years in the making. Chef, nutritionist and author Pandora Colledge likes to joke that after a very long gestation, she has finally given birth to her book. A lover of colour, flavour and nutrition, the Coffs Coast local cooks the kind of health food no one can resist. She’s adding more plants to the plate – for your health and the planet’s.

“Lots of people want to eat more plants but wonder how to cook them without doing what my grandparents did, which was boiling brussels sprouts to within an inch of their lives!” laughs Pandora Colledge. “That’s what everyone thinks vegetarian food is.”

“But you can make it exciting, delicious, nutritious!”

Putting Plants on Your Plate

That is exactly what Pandora has done in her first cookbook, Nourished by Nature. It’s full of her vibrant superfood salads, clean treats and moreish mains. She says it provides a toolbox for those looking to add more plants to their plate. 

“You can use it if you don’t know where to start with vegetarian food or if you want to add a salad to your dinner,” Pandora suggests. “Every salad, every treat, every snack in the book has a balance of protein, carbohydrate and good fats.”  

Pandora comes from a family line of passionate home cooks. She remembers her parents throwing wild dinner parties, serving flavour-rich Indian and Japanese food. She says her grandparents would eat from their own garden and cook everything from scratch.  

“Somewhere along the way I fell in love with healthy food,” Pandora explains. “I became a nutritionist and a personal trainer, I then did a vegan chef course and a raw food chef course.”

A Labour of Love

A cookbook was always in the back of Pandora’s mind. Her family and friends encouraged her, but she was waiting for just the right time. When COVID-19 hit, Pandora and her husband sold their plumbing business. She raised the idea of the cookbook, testing the waters with her daughter Montanna. Her enthusiastic response meant there was no backing out. Montanna began to teach herself graphic design via YouTube and Pandora got her daughters’ boyfriends Tom and Joel on board as photographer and editor respectively. 

“It was such a journey and we learnt so much along the way,” she explains. “There were a few tears and tantrums, I’ve got to say.”

“That’s the thing about working with your family – you can get some brutal honesty!” 

Pandora has nothing but praise for Montanna who she says ran the whole project and kept her in line.  

“Initially I thought it wouldn’t be too hard – just typing out recipes and putting them all together,” she says before looking at Montanna with a chuckle. “But now I know better!”

Family Favourites

When asked about the oldest recipe in the book, Montanna is first to suggest her mum’s chicken soup, which became a vegetarian Immune Soup for the book. 

“Whenever any of us were sick it was always the soup mum would cook and it seriously works miracles,” she explains. “Mum has some classic recipes but that one is iconic.”

“That’s one that will go down through the generations,” Pandora adds. “This will become that book for the grandchildren of the grandchildren: That was your great, great, great grandmother’s recipe and we use it still today!”

Find it at Kaleidoscope

As a self-published author, Pandora is selling Nourished by Nature through her website. But Coffs Coast locals can find it at Kaleidoscope, the new maker’s emporium at Coffs Central. The opening of Kaleidoscope was timed perfectly with the release of the book, something Pandora can hardly believe.  

“Bringing a whole lot of local makers together with a sustainability philosophy at the heart of it is such a great idea,” she says. “Most of us aren’t big enough to have a shop front for ourselves but to be in a space together where we can complement and promote each other, it’s just outstanding.”

Nourished by Nature combines Pandora’s nutritional wisdom with her love for cooking and a desire to do what’s best for the planet. She says it’s a biography of the last 30 years of her life told through food.

“I can change the world one bite at a time, that’s the plan!”

Follow Pandora’s Plate on Instagram

The post Nourished by Nature – Putting More Plants on Your Plate appeared first on Coastbeat.

Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer 

(CRIME FICTION)

A new standalone from bestselling Australian author, Chris Hammer. In the desolate outback town of Finnigans Gap, police struggle to maintain law and order. An opal miner is found crucified and left to rot down his mine. Nothing about the miner’s death is straightforward, not even who found the body. Sydney homicide detective Ivan Lucic is sent to investigate. He’s assisted by inexperienced young investigator Nell Buchanan. But Finnigans Gap has already ended one police career and damaged others. Soon both officers face damning allegations and internal investigations. Have Ivan and Nell been set up and, if so, by whom?

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly

(CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION)

Explore and celebrate incredible natural relationships. Perhaps a rare tick living in the fur of a pygmy possum or a stick insect feasting amongst the Melaleuca. This is an eye-opening guide to the natural world that investigates all types of relationships, from symbiotic to parasitic. Many species steer clear of those who are different. But the animals and plants in this book have evolved to form relationships with some of the most unlikely partners. 

What Really Happened in Wuhan by Sharri Markson

(POLITICS) 

Part-thriller, part-expose, What Really Happened in Wuhan is a ground-breaking investigation from journalist Sharri Markson. It looks into the origins of COVID-19, the cover-ups, the conspiracies and classified research. It features never-before-seen primary documents exposing China’s concealment of the virus. There are fresh interviews with whistleblower doctors in Wuhan. It includes crucial eyewitness accounts that dismantle what we thought we knew about when the outbreak hit. 

Costa’s World by Costa Georgiadis

(GARDENING)

This is a book for the whole family that reflects Costa’s philosophy and quirky sense of fun. It brings together all of Costa’s gardening and sustainability knowledge. Costa’s World is a generous, joyous, fully illustrated gardening book. It celebrates the life-changing joy of chooks; kids in the garden; big ideas for small spaces and Costa’s favourite plants. Learn about the power of community; the brilliance of bees and pollinators and easy-peasy permaculture. 

Corporal Hitler’s Pistol by Tom Keneally

(FICTION)

How did Corporal Hitler’s Luger end up being the weapon that killed an IRA turncoat in Kempsey, New South Wales in 1933? Corporal Hitler’s Pistol speaks to the never-ending war that began with ‘the war to end all wars’. Rural communities have always been a melting pot and many are happy to accept a diverse bunch, as long as they don’t overstep. Tom Keneally tells a compelling story of the interactions and relationships between black and white Australians in early twentieth-century Australia. 

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

(TEEN FICTION)

An epic undersea adventure from global bestselling author, Rick Riordan. Featuring a brand-new female hero and inspired by Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, training centre for the best marine scientists and underwater explorers in the world. Ana’s life is blown out of the water when she embarks on the sea trials. . She and her school mates witness a terrible tragedy. They discover that Harding-Pencroft and their rival school Land Institute have been engaged in a deadly rivalry. With the rivalry turned up full broil, Ana will be tested more than ever before.

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

(MUSIC BIOGRAPHY)

A collection of moments from all periods of life, Dave Grohl offers something rare. This is a real, raw and honest portrait of an extraordinary life made up of ordinary moments. Dave Grohl tells stories like he writes song from his soul. There’s his visceral love for music and his fellow musicians, his deep connection to his hometown and the way he writes with awe about raising his daughter.

Wild Place by Christian White 

(CRIME FICTION) 

In the summer of 1989, a local teen goes missing from the idyllic suburb of Camp Hill in Australia. As rumours of Satanic rituals swirl, schoolteacher Tom Witter becomes convinced he holds the key to the disappearance. When the police won’t listen, he takes matters into his own hands. But as dark secrets are revealed, Tom learns that the only way out of the darkness is to walk deeper into it. Wild Place peels back the layers of suburbia, exposing what’s hidden underneath guilt, desperation and violence. He attempts to answer the question: Why do good people do bad things? 

The First Scientists by Corey Tutt

(CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION)

The First Scientists is the highly anticipated, illustrated science book from Corey Tutt of DeadlyScience. It’s been written with kids aged 7 to 12 years in mind. This book will nourish readers’ love of science and develop their respect for Indigenous knowledge at the same time. Have you ever wondered what the stars can tell us? Did you know the seasons can be predicted by looking at subtle changes in nature? Australia’s First peoples have the longest continuing culture on Earth and their innovation will amaze you. Leaf through the pages and learn fascinating facts and answers to life’s questions. 

There’s A Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers

(CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK)

This is a captivating new picture book with interactive transparent pages. A young girl lives in a haunted house but has never seen a ghost. Are they white with holes for eyes? Are they hard to see? She’d love to know! Step inside and turn the transparent pages to help her on an entertaining ghost hunt. There are lots of friendly ghost surprises and incredible mixed media illustrations. This unique and funny book will entertain young readers over and over again! 

Visit Book Face at Port Central today!

The post What to Read Right Now appeared first on Coastbeat.

Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro (Fiction)

A quirky, thought provoking novel that explores human observations in an ever-changing society. It’s told from the perspective of Klara, an ‘artificial friend”. This is an immersive narrative voice and it will leave you hooked until the last word.

The Proof is in the Plants – Simon Hill (Health)

Nutritionist and founder of the Plant Proof podcast, Simon Hill, unlocks the many benefits of putting more plants on your plate in this insightful and motivational guide book. Highly evidence based, unbiased and well written, this is jam packed with actionable steps to take.

The Kindness Revolution – Hugh Mackay (Psychology)

In this absorbing and inspiring read, Australian reporter Hugh Mackay reflects on the challenges we have faced in recent years. From the fires that ravaged the country, to a sweeping pandemic that has sent the entire world into lockdown, Hugh aids us into point towards kindness and consideration, and how even crises and catastrophes often turn out to be the making of us.

Second First Impressions – Sally Thorne (Fiction)

A cosy, quirky and romantic read. Ruthie Morgan is 24 and committed to her job at a retirement village. Teddy Prescott is allergic to hard work, but he turns up as the village’s new employee, and Ruthie’s world is about to change. Funny, sexy and instantly unputdownable.

The Beijing Bureau: 25 Australian Correspondents Reporting China’s Rise (Politics)

Some of Australia’s most acclaimed journalists come together to share their knowledge of China and stories of life as a correspondent. With the dominance of China in headlines today across the world, 25 journalists explore the powerful nation from the 1970s to present day, and what China’s rise means fore Australia and the world.

Gratitude: A Day and Night Reflection Journal (Self Development)

Keeping a gratitude journal is an effective way to feel happier and more motivated in your day to day life. Regular attention to this journal will encourage you to focus more on things that inspire and enrich you. Take your time writing entries, savour every new experience, and enjoy the gifts that gratitude can bring to each moment.

The Prison Healer – Lynette Noni (Teen Fiction)

From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling teen fantasy full of intrigue and twists and turns. Perfect for fantasy lovers.

Our Home, Our Heartbeat – Briggs (Children’s Picture Book)

An acknowledgement to the oldest continuous culture on earth, this beautiful children’s book is a celebration of Indigenous legends past and present. It’s a rallying call to emerging generations forging their own path. Senator Briggs offers a beautiful acknowledgement for all First Nations children to dream big and without limits.

You Will Get Through This Night – Daniel Howell (Self Development)

Self development help from a YouTube star. This practical guide shows you how to take control of your mental health for today, tomorrow, and the days after.

Preview: The Deep – Kyle Perry (Crime Fiction) 

Coming July 2021

Kyle Perry’s sophomore novel comes with his signature twists and turns in modern Hitchcockian-style. A suspenseful, thrilling and heart-stopping read that provokes instances of Breaking Bad meeting Animal Kingdom. For crime fiction fans, this is certainly a must, but you will have to wait until July to get your hands on this absolute stellar read.

Find these titles and so much more at Book Face at Port Central

The post Top 10 Books to Get Lost in This Winter appeared first on Coastbeat.

“I judge the value of a town by how many people turn up and how many books they buy and lots of people turned up and they bought lots of books!” laughed Peter. “We had great discussions about my books, the Republic movement and Kempsey.”

“I had a wonderful chat with the Mayor and met all kinds of great people and I intend to come back with my wife Lisa Wilkinson.” 

Kempsey Shire Mayor, Councillor Liz Campbell

“It’s just wonderful to be here tonight,” she said. “To have someone of this calibre to bring us together as a community to sit and listen – spellbound – for two hours was just a wonderful way to spend an evening.”

“I can’t thank Chris Dockerill enough for bringing this event to our town.

“If anyone has the opportunity to read Peter’s books or hear him in person, take it!”     

Kieren Dell, CEO of Majestic Cinemas 

“He must have told 100 stories ranging from politics to WWII to some amazing stories of the 1700s,” he said. “What an amazing man and I too thank Chris Dockerill for bringing him to Kempsey!”

Colleen from Sydney, holidaying in Crescent Head

“I’m a long term fan of Peter’s work,” she explained. “We love this area, and we came along tonight to get a glimpse of the community here.”

“I’m a speech pathologist and anybody who can weave a yarn and have it fill the room for more than an hour and a half, that’s just brilliant.

“So we’re off to buy his books now!” 

Richard from Collombatti 

“I learnt more about writing and a person’s imagination and a way to spin tales than I’d ever even thought of before!” Richard noted. “It was an excellent evening with Peter – he was free with his information, and a great storyteller.”

Leo from Kempsey

“Peter has really put paid to the idea that information can give you a great story,” he said. “I’m lucky enough to have read nine of Peter’s books and the facts he gets through his researchers and puts into a story format make them very readable.”

Jenny from Delicate Knobby

“I found Peter’s talk incredibly inspiring and interesting,” Jenny said. “He covered all topics, not just his books but also his sporting life and travels.”

Buy Breaker Morant by Peter Fitzsimons from Book Face Port Central. Check out Cathy Hunt’s Top 10 books for autumn here!

The post Peter FitzSimons Comes to Kempsey appeared first on Coastbeat.

Store Manager at Book Face at Port Central Cathy Hunt has shared the titles she’s loving right now – just in time for World Book Day! 

1. Ultimate Road Trips: Australia – Lee Atkinson

Armchair inspiration for when we are ready to travel again.

A completely revised and updated guide to Australia’s best driving holidays, by one of the country’s best travel writers. In Ultimate Road Trips: Australia, author Lee Atkinson highlights 40 of the best driving holidays around the country. Keep this book in the car for when you’re out on the road, or curl up with it at home and dream about your next journey.

2. To My Country – Ben Lawson

A delightful love letter to our homeland.

Ben Lawson was preparing for another Christmas away from home when the Black Summer bushfires began to burn their way across Australia’s eastern coast. As the bushfires continued to rage into the new year on an unprecedented scale, Ben, feeling angry, helpless and broken-hearted as he watched the devastation from across the ocean, sat down and put his feelings into words. To My Country is an ode to the endurance of the Australian spirit and the shared love of our country.

Proceeds of the sale of this book will be donated to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

3. Outlawed – Anna North 

You don’t just read this book, you live this book.

A haunting yet heart-racing feminist Western set during a time where rumours of witchcraft comforted the unknown. Deemed barren and soon outcast to a gang of outlawed women in the middle of the desert, we follow our protagonist on a breath-taking journey through heart-break and personal growth in the Wild West. The perfect book of sisterhood and the importance of allies. 

Enjoyed by many staff members including Chris, Cathy, Claire and Kala!

4. Sing Me the Summer – Jane Goodwin and Alison Lester 

A glorious love letter to the seasons.

Splash into summer with this glorious love letter to the seasons. Combining Jane Godwin’s sparkling text and Alison Lester’s whimsical watercolours, Sing Me the Summer celebrates those precious everyday moments that stay with us forever.

5. Home Body – Rupi Kaur

A reflective and intimate journey told through poetry.

In this  greatly anticipated third collection of poetry. Rupi Kaur constantly embraces growth, and in home body, she walks readers through a reflective and intimate journey visiting the past, the present, and the potential of the self.

6. The Silent Listener – Lyn Yeowart 

Intense and addictive.

Propelling the reader back and forth between the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, The Silent Listener is an unforgettable literary suspense novel set in the dark, gothic heart of rural Australia.

Intense, intricate and emotionally devastating – Cathy really loved this!

7. Ruby Tuesday – Hayley Lawrence

An important coming-of-age story for the modern girl. A compelling teen read.

Ruby Tuesday explores the difficulties of being a girl growing up in today’s world, and how strength and healing can be found in the wildest of places – a celebration of the joy to be found in music and creativity, and of strong, equal friendships and relationships.

We are very lucky as Hayley is a local author and often pops by to sign copies of her books.

8. Sargasso – Kathy George

Australian Gothic at its finest. 

An empty house, a lonely shore, an enigmatic, brooding man-child waiting for her return. What is real and what is imaginary, or from beyond the grave? A mesmerising Australian novel that echoes the great Gothic stories of love and hate: Cathy could not put this down!

9. The Hospital Dog – Julia Donaldson and Sarah Ogilvie

Everybody loves a new Julia Donaldson! This is a story of kindness and bravery. 

Everyone’s favourite children’s author is back with this big hearted tale about a very special dog. Dot the hospital dog is everyone’s favourite visitor in this story of bravery and friendship.

10. The Boy From the Mish – Gary Lonesborough 

First love, identity and the superpowers of self belief.

A funny and heart-warming queer Indigenous YA novel, set in a rural Australian community, about seventeen-year-old Jackson finding the courage to explore who he is, even if it scares him.

Visit Book Face at Port Central today!

The post Celebrate World Book Day with Book Face appeared first on Coastbeat.

With the press breathing down his neck and Brent’s no-good brother Freak missing, the Coffs Harbour chief has no choice but to call in the force’s finest: Detective Frank Diamond.

‘Keep it quiet and keep it clean,’ are his instructions to Frank. But he doesn’t know Frank Diamond…

From international author ZJ Hunter-Hardy comes ‘Blood on the Rocks’ a 12-part murder mystery featuring the adventures of Australia’s most original detective hero, Frank Diamond, as he exposes the underbelly of Coffs Coast crime. This is Beach Noir at it’s best.

Listen to ‘Blood on the Rocks’ as a weekly podcast from coastbeat.com.au

Blood on the Rocks, Chapter 1 Full Text

Blood on the Rocks, Chapter 2 Full Text

The post Blood on the Rocks appeared first on Coastbeat.

Looking through the attic of my existence so far—all 59 years—there are fragments of the life I was supposed to live, had I followed the score. Mixed up with my late success as a novelist, is an earlier life filled with music—lots and lots of music—and an expectation I would follow in the musical footsteps of other family members. My dad, Don Lewis (still living in Woolgoolga) is a multi-talented jazz muso and piano man by night, while playing brass with the NSW Police Band for over thirty years. After studying at Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music, my Aunty Marg taught classical piano, while my cousin, Michael Lewis and his two boys, Ben and Alexander Lewis, are renowned in opera and musical theatre circles, both here in Australia, the US, and in London’s West End.

As a child, I was an all-dancing, all-singing brat

When not being pushed into impromptu performances by proud parents, I would sing into a mirror with a hairbrush microphone, imagining my bedroom was a Broadway stage. As a teen, with no interest in reading books, I wrote lyrics—poems that when combined with a tune (thanks to my bedroom mirror and trusty hairbrush) were like those angsty country ballads that tell an entire story of heartbreak and betrayal in a single song. (I’m sure you’ve heard the joke: if you play a country song backwards, the guy gets his girl and his job back, finds whatever he’s lost, quits crying, and leaves the bar sober!)

A born storyteller, not a writer

If you were to ask the teachers whose homework I failed to hand in, they’d tell you I was a born storyteller (and my dog a naughty and hungry one). Mum also said I was an exceptionally good fibber. But perhaps my most serious foray into fiction writing was in my thirties, writing media releases in the Government’s ministerial correspondence department. *wink*

Also in my thirties, I tried learning to play piano again, but as I still lacked the required self-discipline, the old upright languished in the living room with daddy longlegs weaving their web around the piano’s soundboard and strings.

I wasn’t born a writer and proudly admit to being late to the literary party to show aspiring writers no one is ever too old to act on their dreams and embrace a second chance. (A premise I enjoy writing about).

My first novel

In my forties we made that sea change. I left the old piano and corporate life behind for a quieter, simpler life. We bought a café in the beachside town of Sawtell (later operating a B&B for dog lovers on our Bonville property) and something about the country air and the small-town sense of community soon had me penning my first novel, House for all Seasons—the story of four estranged schoolfriends forced to spend a season each in their childhood hometown, where they soon learn something about themselves and the secret that ties all four to each other and to the old Dandelion House forever.

#5 top-selling debut novel in 2013

With House for all Seasons awarded #5 top-selling debut novel in 2013, I’d finally found the keyboard for me—and the discipline needed to write 140,000 words. Soon enough, I had a 145,000 words for a second novel, Simmering Season (also set in the same fictional town of Calingarry Crossing with the setting—café and all—inspired by Sawtell’s tree-lined street).

The day before my 50^th birthday, Curtis Brown Literary Agency signed me for both manuscripts. I’ve since published four novels with Simon & Schuster, a fifth with a UK publisher, and one under Wild Myrtle Press, an imprint of Pilyara Press—an independent publishing collective.

Life is like a draft manuscript

I often write about embracing second chances because I believe life is like a draft manuscript. We can re-write, correct, write-over and try a different tack. That explains why, at twenty-three, I left my hubby of two years, and a life on Sydney’s northern beaches, to travel outback Australia with a girlfriend. We left with $400 in our pocket, a Ford F100, a tent, a rifle (that neither of us knew how to use), and with no idea the 2004 release of Wolf Creek (the movie) would freak our parents out. Two years later we were home: safe, no wealthier, but wiser and richer in ways that mattered the most—and with a love of the country so strong, we knew we’d one day go back. Twenty years later, following my Dad’s advice, for once in my life, we visited Sawtell in 2003 and found the NSW mid-north had the perfect blend of country and coast I was craving.

Purple and white caravan called Myrtle the Turtle

In August 2014, having sold the café, our house and everything in it, we downsized our lives into a 25 foot, purple and white caravan called Myrtle the Turtle and hit the road again. As Australia’s nomadic novelist I now have six novels, including The Other Side of the Season, for which I dragged a Coffs banana plantation and the Nambucca V-Wall together to create my fictional town of Watercolour Cove.

My latest novel is a return to Calingarry Crossing and Dandelion House, which is why I’m thrilled to be combining its release with a return to the inspiring Sawtell. House of Wishes is a story of three mothers and three generations, and about the choices we make (or are made for us), the secrets we keep, the connections that matter, and the power of a wish.

Writing is a solitary task

Regrettably, I still can’t play the piano which is just as well as I have no idea where I’d fit one in the caravan! I do, however, have a tiny desk where I sit and write big stories about friendship and family with a backdrop to country life. Unlike performing, writing is a solitary task and the audience mostly silent, unless a reader posts a comment or a review online. Knowing your words have hit the right chord with a complete stranger will always be music to my ears.

Every book I write comes from a journey

Storytelling is addictive, green pastures and country roads remain my inspiration, and sharing the joy of reading, writing and publishing dreams coming true is what I love to do as I travel through rural towns and talk at libraries. Every book I write comes from a journey and is a journey for the reader, with characters to make you laugh, maybe cry, but definitely embrace a second chance—and we all deserve at least one of those in our lifetime.

Come and meet me!

Over the months of March, April and May, I will be spilling the beans on fiction reading, writing and publishing with my Behind the Book Cover Tour of the NSW mid and north coast libraries of Coffs Harbour, Yamba, Nambucca, Urunga and Kempsey, and including a country detour to Grafton, Lawrence, and Dorrigo.

For more details on where to meet Jenn, see our What’s On Events page, contact your local library, or visit Jenn’s website.

Behind the Book Cover Tour Dates:

Yamba – March 17, 6.30 pm
Coffs Harbour – March 24, 6.00 pm
Nambucca – May 1, 10 am
Kempsey – May 1, 1.30 pm
Grafton – May 5, 10.30 am
Lawrence – May 5, 2.30 am
Urunga – May 21, 10.30 am
Dorrigo – May 21, 1.30 pm

The post How Sawtell inspired me to write a best-seller appeared first on Coastbeat.

What’s old is new again

Book Face tells us that many of the classics are flying off the shelves due to recent movies or series tie-ins. Why not grab a classic and soak up the stories that inspired the latest film or TV adaptation? These all-time classics include Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen’s Emma, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and War of the Worlds by H. G Wells.

A new release more your style? Read on….

Greenwood by Michael Christie

Structured like the rings of a tree, this remarkable novel moves from the future to the present to the past, and back again, to tell the story of one family and their enduring connection to the place that brought them together.

Greenwood by Michael Christie

The verdict:

“This is truly one of the most amazing and beautifully written books I have ever read. An outstanding multi-generational family saga set against tall, magnificent trees shrouded with family secrecy, heresy, lust, yearning and longing. Greenwood also includes a strong warning of environmental devastation and the necessity to preserve Mother Nature.”

Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas

Reviews of this book are packed with adjectives like ‘vivid’, ‘visceral’, ‘epic’, ‘powerful’ and ‘ambitious’. Tsiolkas has tackled a hefty topic too – the events surrounding the birth and establishment of the Christian church. This fictional account looks at the early generations after Jesus’s crucifixion with the narrative switching between the voice of the protagonist, St Paul and three of his contemporaries. Damascus explores themes often found in the author’s work such as class, masculinity and patriarchy.

Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas

The verdict:

“What is amazing about Damascus is the way Christos Tsiolkas has managed to write something so powerful and brutal that still brings light and beauty. This is a stellar novel and the way he has captured this world is absolutely extraordinary. “

American Dirt by Jeannie Cummings

This book tells the story of Lydia, a woman running a bookstore in the Mexican city of Acapulco. Lydia leads a relatively normal life with her eight-year-old son and journalist husband, a life turned on its head when the boss of the city’s newest drug cartel comes to the bookstore. For her own safety and that of her child, Lydia is forced to flee Mexico and enter the US as an undocumented immigrant.

American Dirt by Jeannie Cummings

The verdict:

“One of the most suspenseful novels we’ve read recently. This story is about the sacrifices a mother makes in order to protect her child. How far will she go? Each page will leave you clinging for more.”

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

This novel centres around Toby and Rachel, a Manhattan couple undergoing a bitter divorce. One day Rachel drops their two children at Toby’s house and takes off for a yoga retreat, not responding to Toby’s texts or call for the following weeks. The story is narrated by Toby’s college friend Libby and follows their lives over this period and looks at the events that led to the breakdown of their marriage.

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

The verdict:

“A fantastic read – oddly comedic with a conversational writing technique. A crude and witty yet tragic tale of the aftermath of a divorce. There’s plenty going on here and lots to pick apart. Is Rachel a soulless careerist monster? Is Toby really just a self-involved moron? Is Seth an overcompensating idiot? Is this just a petty hit job by a bored housewife? Read it and decide for yourself.”

Find other recommended reads right here and meet wonderful authors of the coast we’ve chatted to recently such as Di Morrissey and Annie Seaton.

The post 4 new books for Autumn or why not rediscover a classic? appeared first on Coastbeat.

For most young students, story time was about spinning fun tales of dragons, princesses, trolls and little else. For Annie Seaton, it fuelled a love of writing stories that decades later, would turn into a career. With over 40 books under her belt and the recent release of another hit, Annie has well and truly found her calling.

Between story time and visits to the local library with her mum, little Annie Seaton’s love of reading and writing was sparked early and she has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. However, it would take multiple career changes, a few life hurdles and many years before Annie would achieve her lifelong dream.

Taking a leap of faith

“After nine years of studying, a lengthy career as an academic research librarian, a high school principal and a university tutor, I decided to retire early, take the leap and try to fulfill my dream of becoming a full-time writer,” she says. With five decades of stories built up in her head, Annie has never been short on material. She released 43 books in the space of just eight years and has two more in the pipeline. “I just had this overwhelming desire to write, so once I started, I didn’t stop.”

Inspired by the Australian landscape, Annie and her husband leave the coast every Winter to roam the remote areas of Australia for story ideas and research. It was a visit to the Undara lava tubes in 2016 that inspired her latest novel.

Annie’s most recent book, Undara is garnering rave reviews (see goodreads for yourself) 

“We were travelling across the top of Australia and staying in a caravan park when someone told us about the Undara lava tubes. We’d never heard of them,” Annie says. “We decided to do a tour and the guide told us that ancient roof collapses had formed a network of caves creating about 100kms of unexplored terrain. No one has ever been in there or knows what species are living there. That was my moment of inspiration and I thought, ‘there’s a story in that!'”

Undara tells the story of Emlyn, a young scientist trying to escape her marriage breakdown by burying herself in her work. She is based at Hidden Valley researching new insect species in the depths of the dramatic Undara lava tubes. These lava tubes are located on a cattle station owned by farmer Travis Carlyle. He too is dealing with a marriage breakdown and struggling to keep his farm and family afloat. When things start going wrong for the farm and around the dig site, Emlyn and Travis find themselves caught in a race against time to save the station, and their lives.

A new genre

While she’s dabbled in romance genres in the past, Annie’s making waves in the writing world with her new genre, eco-adventure fiction. “It’s quite exciting to be working in a very new genre,” she says.

Undara Volcanic National Park in North Queensland is home to the lava tubes

“There are three key themes that I’m passionate about and these resonate in my stories. The first is my love for the Australian landscape and the potential for it to be under threat, be that by tourism, corrupt business or government. Secondly, I like to take readers on a journey (from their armchair) to places they might not be able to travel to. I only write about a setting that I’ve been to and explored myself. And thirdly, I like to gently explore the human condition – whether that’s depression, tragedy, resilience – and my characters often populate that threatened landscape and overcome that adversity.”

Despite her busy life on the road experiencing new and remote parts of Australia, Annie says there’s no place like home. “We’ve lived in Nambucca Heads for over 30 years and to me, it’s the most beautiful place not only in Australia but around the world.”

Annie is set to release two more books by 2021. Osprey Reef will be released next year with East of Alice out the following year.

For information about Annie and her novels see www.annieseaton.net

Read about other wonderful authors Coastbeat has had the good fortune to chat to such as Di Morrissey, Jesse Blackadder & Andrew Pratley.

The post Coastbeat chats to trailblazing author Annie Seaton appeared first on Coastbeat.