OK, so I know it’s all a capitalist ploy, but I’m exploiting the occasion of Mothers Day to share a few treasures. I figure I can get away with it given my forthcoming novel is called The Half-Child.
First up, the cover of my new novel, The Half-Child, designed by the wonderful Chong Weng-ho. Note that I am not ‘Winner of the Ned Kelley [sic.] Award for Crime Writing’ as per the blurb. This is just Chong having a bit of fun and leaving a space for a reviewer’s comment — also known as a ‘puff’. Not sure who will be puffing the novel yet.
Second is the program for this month’s Bayside Literary Festival, which can be found here. The festival runs from Friday 21 to Friday 28 May 2010, with fantastic events at venues throughout Brighton, Sandringham, Mordiallic, Hampton Beaumaris and Black Rock.
As mentioned in my previous post, on Wed evening 26 May, I’ll be participating in a comic debate adjudicated by Jane Clifton (Actor, comedian, singer, crime writer and marriage celebrant). I’ll be arguing for the affirmative that ‘Crime Doesn’t Pay’ alongside Lindy Cameron (Crime and true crime writer), with Sandra Nicholson (Assistant Commissioner of Victoria Police) and Vikki Petraitis (True crime writer) making up the team for the negative — or is that the double-negative? Whatever the case, it should be fun. Despite the gruesome nature of her writing, Vikki Petraitis is a very funny speaker. She’s also a Year 8 teacher. I guess you’d need a good sense of humour for that job.
Venue for the comic debate ‘Crime Doesn’t Pay’ is The Brighton Savoy Hotel – Wellington Room, 150 The Esplanade, Brighton; 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets are $15 and can be booked here.
Third is the wonderful Mothers Day gift I received today from my partner Andrew: a literacy class for women in Cambodia. It was so apt, it made me cry. The gift is part of the Oxfam Unwrapped initiative and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Fourth is a gratuitous photo of baby Mali, Melbourne Zoo‘s three-month-old celebelephant. Tash and I saw her for the first time this week on a trip to the zoo. Apparently elephants are allo-parents — that is, the whole tribe looks after the babies. Like the ‘sparents’ (spare parents) Mia Freedman writes about. In this picture, Mali is running around with her grandmother, which is also apt, seeing as how that’s what Tash has been doing a lot of this week as my Mum has been visiting us.
Finally, it seems particularly relevant to mention Mothers Day on this blog as The Half-Child is dedicated to my mother Olgamary. That was her Mothers Day gift — that, and tickets to Tex Perkins’ show, The Man in Black – The Johnny Cash Story. Because she’s one cool Mama.
