News

News http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/ New Partnership http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/new-partnership/ We are delighted to announce our partnership with <a href="https://www.surfingaustralia.com/wa/" target="_blank">Surfing Western Australia</a> to publish a book to celebrate 50 years of the Association. MRPress Director, Caroline has been working closely with Mark Lane - CEO of Surfing Western Australia and Yallingup resident, long term surfer and freelance journalist Damian Lipscombe, over the last few weeks to map out the contents for the 50th anniversary publication. Damian writes a regular surf column for The Post Newspaper. We are working to a very tight schedule as the book is to be launched at the world championships in the first quarter of 2014. Surfing Western Australia has set up a special facebook page -<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/650015781682160/" target="_blank"> '50 Years of Surfing WA'</a> . 
We have enlisted the assistance of Margaret River photographer extraordinarie - <a href="http://russellord.com/" target="_blank">Russell Ord</a> who will not only assist us with photos but with getting photos for the book print ready. Here's just a taste of what you can expect to see. 
Jake Patterson, The Box. Photocredit : Russell Ord<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600401-The-Box-Jake-Patterson-pic-Sword-09.jpg" width="600" height="401" alt="" title=""/> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:38:28 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/new-partnership/ Sydney Morning Herald review http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/sydney-morning-herald-review/ We were particularly chuffed that our collection, <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">'Knitting &amp; other stories'</a> was chosen as 'pick of the week' in both The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Another reason to support short story writers who do it tough.
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600378-SMH-Review-Knitting-8-June-2013-001.jpg" width="600" height="378" alt="" title=""/> Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:24:16 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/sydney-morning-herald-review/ Behind the Books. Alyssa Davies http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-books-alyssa-davies/ Another 'Behind the Books' dispatch reveals bright young talent Alyssa Davies, author of short-story, 'Kissing Tracks' in our publication <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">'Knitting &amp; other Stories'.</a>
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage277369-Alyssa-photo.JPG" width="277" height="369" alt="" title=""/>
Alyssa isn’t your typical 18 year-old West Aussie. Writing means a little bit more to her than a 150 character status update on Facebook. In fact, Alyssa has already published a short-story, is part of a local writing group that meets regularly to share their stories, and spends her time on the bus thinking about narrative structures. In other words, Alyssa lives and breathes writing.
Her reasons for writing are clear; “I want people to be happy when they read my stories.” Sounds simple enough right? But Alyssa is also aware of the challenges of writing short stories;
 “I actually find writing short stories such a difficult thing to do. I often freak out! It’s such a skill to be able to make something so short and so poignant. “
When Alyssa isn’t writing, she spends her time gaming. I asked whether these games influence her Fantasy genre writing;
“Well I’ve always loved writing Fantasy. Fantasy is just my jam! But yeah, I’d never really thought about whether it is an influence… ”
Alyssa says a good part of her inspiration comes from attending a local writers’ group. A number of people in the group have written novels, and their feedback to Alyssa is invaluable;
“I’ll read the longer pieces I’m working on, and the group encourage and help me, which is great.”
Her determination to keep writing and creative passion is infectious and Alyssa deserves all the support she can get!
Congratulations Alyssa. We love your work!
To read Alyssa’s story, and other competition entries, purchase a copy of <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">‘Knitting &amp; other Stories’ </a>right here on our website!
 
 Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:24:07 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-books-alyssa-davies/ Behind the Book - Who is Carmel Macdonald Grahame ? http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-book-who-is-carmel-macdonald-grahame/ <img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600400-Carmel-Macdonal-Grahame-Brooke-Dunnell-and-Francoise-van-der-Plank.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="" title=""/>Carmel (left) with fellow contributors Brooke Dunnell (centre) and Francoise van der Plank (right). Carmel's poem 'Coming Down to Earth' appears in our anthology, <a href="http://margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/fire/" target="_blank">Fire : a collection of stories, poems and visual images</a>. She has published widely in journals such as the Southerly,Westerly and Quardant. 
When and why did your write - Coming Down to Earth ?
 I wrote the poem a year after the Black Saturday fires which were terribly close to us here in Warrandyte. I was involved afterwards in running some poetry workshops, part of an effort to use poetry as a way of people describing their experiences. It was a fragile process, very moving. I also have acquaintances whose families had lost homes in King Lake and St Andrews, so I was aware of the process of lives being rebuilt,of how significant the mundane details of those lost households could become. I was discovering the sheer scale of it in conversation after conversation. At the same time I found myself shopping for towels one day, and the dragonfly of the poem was truly flitting around that glittering emporium of a place. It did in fact hover in front of me. The experience struck me, and I foundmyself wondering how such moment might seem to people who are rebuilding lives, making homes all over again, every necessity another detail with which they have to contend. It was just one of those moments when an image and an idea met and there was an impulse to try to capture it in words. The impulse itself was probably my own heightened sense of vulnerability in the wake of those fires.
 
What made you start writing ?
I wrote small stories and poems as a child and signed them with my name scrambled because I thought of it as a secret, private, perhaps even transgressive activity. It always appealed, even then, both as the possibility of inventing a story, and an idea of stories as a way of recording and collecting the realities I observed around me. Or perhaps because I come from a big family, as a form of retreat.
 
Who published your first story/poem? and what was it called ?
The first 'published' work was a play written for a wonderful amateur theatre group I was involved with in Fremantle in the 1970s --- Maytrix.The play was called Birth Canal. It was directed by Steve Jodrell who was entirely responsible for its development and success. The script was later selected for workshopping at the National Playwrights Conference in Canberra. After that, I think my first publication was a short story calledBreaking Point, published 1984 in Canada in a literary journal calledDandelion.
 
How do you celebrate your achievements ?
We are not good at celebrating achievements in my family. We tend to go quietly about the business of getting on to the next thing, tantamount to hiding lights under bushels I begin to think as I've got older. I do buy myself flowers occasionally. When I was awarded my PhD I bought myself a cyclamen. These days I am more likely to insist on behalf of my children and grandchildren and there has been dining out when something is achieved.
 
What was your most memorable bad writing experience ?
On a prize-winning occasion a story which I had written was read aloud by a celebrity who had entirely missed the irony and read it so badly it came over as a cheap romance. This was in Canada.
 
What do you do when you are not writing ?
The usual work/life juggling act in which writing has only a moderately preoccupying role. When I'm not writing I work with stained glass ---leadlight, mosaic, and so on. That is, if you mean to suggest creative endeavour I read, am a member of a local community centre committee, and of a busy scattered family, and we live on a big bush block that makes its own demands. I facilitate community writing workshops and classes on an occasional basis.
 
What 3 books would you take with you to a desert island ?
I think I'd take a comprehensive dictionary, a collection of poetry --- The Romantics, probably --- and an atlas.
 
If you could choose an international celebrity to spend an evening with -
who would you choose and why ?
Do you know, I can't think of anything worse than being stuck on an island with a celebrity. Cecilia Bartoli? Perla Batailla? Someone who can sing.
 
If you could work with any author or a poet who would it be?
Perhaps Margaret Atwood. Her ferocious intelligence, her literaryexperience, her incisive insightful voice are all worth learning from.
 
 
 
 
 
 Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:36:41 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-book-who-is-carmel-macdonald-grahame/ Dressing stylishly. Why a book needs a good jacket. http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/dressing-stylishly-why-a-book-needs-a-good-jacket/ Do you judge a book by its cover?
Overwhelmingly, the answer seems to be yes…. which is why we are over the moon with the positive reception we have been receiving for the cover design of <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">Knitting &amp; other stories</a>. 
Cover designer Susan Miller says the ideas came easily after reading Barry Divola’s winning story, ‘Knitting’.
 “I purchased the right shade and thickness of wool, and some suitable needles before rephotographing the image. There was also a bit of photoshopping involved to remove seams”. 
Susan also stresses that some credit needs to go to her Mum for knitting the background jumper sometime in the 80’s!
The 61st Annual Book Design Awards recently announced the winners for 2013. Elissa Webb was among those recognised, for her role in co-designing The Best Children’s Cover of the Year for the book, ‘The Dreadful Fluff’ (you can check out Elissa’s design along with the other winners <a href="http://www.publishers.asn.au/awards.cfm?doc_id=24" target="_blank">here</a>).
Fortunately for us, Elissa is currently working on the design for our surf book, <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/leisure-and-lifestyle/surfing-down-south/" target="_blank">Surfing Down South</a>, to be released at the end of this year/ early 2014. Elissa explains why her approach to the surf book has obviously been very different to the children's book design. The cover on our catalogue page is not the final design, we are keeping this under wraps for a while longer.
"... a beautiful collection of vintage surfing pics is going to take you some place very different to a children's story about belly button lint gone mental! But, that said, you can have multiple responses to content, so you get clarity from your team, too."
I asked both Elissa and Susan, to give me their top 3 book covers of all time. Both women clearly have different styles. How do you feel about these top picks? Leave a comment to suggest your own favourite!
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/occupy.jpg" width="350" height="529" alt="" title=""/><img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage591600-sacks.jpg" width="591" height="600" alt="" title=""/><img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/Sufficient-Grace.jpg" width="191" height="300" alt="" title=""/> 
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/elissa-book.jpg" width="202" height="250" alt="" title=""/>
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage202250-elissa.jpg" width="202" height="250" alt="" title=""/>
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600268-elissa3.jpg" width="600" height="268" alt="" title=""/> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:44:51 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/dressing-stylishly-why-a-book-needs-a-good-jacket/ Emerging Writers' Festival http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/emerging-writers-festival/ Caroline, MRPress Director and Lynne Leonhardt have just returned from the Emerging Writers' Festival in Melbourne. They participated in the panel discussion, 'Small Publishers Are An Author's Best Friend' which was held at the beautiful historic <a href="http://www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au/" target="_blank">Abbotsford Convent</a>. <img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/abbotsford-convent.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt="" title=""/>
Also on the panel were David Henley - <a href="http://seizureonline.com/about/" target="_blank">Seizure's </a>creative director and design ninja and Anna Solding from <a href="http://midnightsunpublishing.com/" target="_blank">MidnightSun Publishing</a> and herself an author. 
The session was chaired by Peter Dawncy representing session sponsor <a href="http://publishing.monash.edu.au/series/creativewriting.html" target="_blank">Verge</a>. Over an hour of questions and discussion amongst the panel and the audience, both authors and publishers highlighted the advantages of working with small publishers. Anna, Caroline and David agreed that our processes do not defer from that of large publishers i.e. reading submissions, editing, proof reading and design. Where we may defer is that small publishers are in a position to offer greater author care as we have fewer authors and we deal much more closely and directly with our authors. Another advantage that was common amongst the panelist was that small publishers have to be much more targetted and imaginative in their marketing techniques and the author has to be very much part of this so there is probably more engagement with the author as a result. Small publishers and their authors work as a team, develop a close bond and view the relationship very much as a partnership. David also stressed that small publishers market their publications for a much longer period and are very persistent in their efforts. At the end of the session, the audience were better informed and perhaps a touch surprised that many of our publications are doing well.
 
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600450-2009-06-01-01.17.38.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="" title=""/>
 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:56:17 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/emerging-writers-festival/ A very enjoyable Festival http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-very-enjoyable-festival/ Parking is rarely a problem in Margaret River, but you were hard pressed to find a spot at the Cultural Centre over the weekend. Lovers of literature gathered for the annual Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, and the energy in the room was like a balloon ready to pop. 
We had the privilege of listening to a wide range of writers and it was wonderful to see poets and a playwright included in the program.
Arts Margaret River launched the event on Friday night by celebrating the publication of our latest short story collection, <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">'Knitting &amp; other stories'</a>. We honoured winner of the competition, Barry Divola, as well as South-West winner Vahri McKenzie and highly commended writer Kristen Levitzke. Editor, Richard Rossiter shared the process of selection and the challenges of judging 260 entries of high quality. Acclaimed WA authoer <a href="http://uwap.uwa.edu.au/books-and-authors/author/amanda-curtin/" target="_blank"> Amanda Curtin </a>launched the publication. Barry Divola, winner of the competition flew in from Sydney, he provided guests with a humorous insight into the challenges faced by short story writers and the reluctance of publishers (with a few exceptions) to support short story writers. He suggested, publishers would groan even if Tim Winton approached them with a short story collection and yet we are subjected to many publications that have little literary merit. He thanked MR Press for their courage in publishing an annual collection.
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600379-panel.png" width="600" height="379" alt="" title=""/>A wonderful turn-out for the launch was followed by a fantastic weekend of passionate creatives getting together to talk books and ideas. Margaret River Press writers were well represented this year. The Short Story panel on the 1st day of the Festival Chaired by Amanda Curtin, was made up of Barry Divola, Vahri McKenzie, the Southwest Winner of the Margaret River Short Story Competition and Kristen Levitzke, highly commended for her story in the collection. Panel members reflected on their journey, the art and skills required and the difficulty of getting published as short story writers. The session, ‘Fact &amp; Fiction’ included Lynne Leonhardt author of our publication <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/finding-jasper/" target="_blank">'Finding Jasper'</a>,Stephen Daisley author of ‘Traitor’ and Dawn Barker author of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16269642-fractured" target="_blank">‘Fractured’</a>. The final session on Day 2 of the Festival heard a panel made up of award winners – poets Mark Tredinnick, Miriam Wei Wei Lo, playwright David Milroy and author Peter Docker discuss the theme ‘The Fire in our Eyes’. Both David and Miriam read from our publication, ‘<a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/fire/" target="_blank">Fire: a collection of stories, poems and visual images.’ </a>
The highlights for me besides the above sessions, were meeting and listening to <a href="http://www.jondoust.iinet.net.au/" target="_blank">Jon Doust</a> and Stephen Daisley. Besides eating cloves of raw garlic and slices of fresh ginger that he kept in his jacket pocket, Jon Doust used his quick wit and macabre sense of humor to share some deeply, traumatic personal experiences. His books – ‘Boy on a Wire’ and ‘To the Highland’s ‘ – are insightful, disturbing, humorous and compassionate - both are autobiographical
Stephen Daisley approached me on the opening night and asked me if I taught him at Murdoch University – all I said, was I wish I had the privilege but sadly he had mistaken me for someone else. His debut novel, <a href="http://textpublishing.com.au/books-and-authors/book/traitor/" target="_blank">‘Traitor’</a> has won a string of awards including the 2011 Prime Minister’s Literary Award and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Whilst I have not read it, I was moved to buy a copy after listening to the readings and discussion between the Chair Richard Rossiter and Stephen an incredibly sensitive, warm and generous human being. There are a stack of reviews available on the Text Publishing website – the lucky publishers who represent Stephen.
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600365-Stephen-and-Richard.png" width="600" height="365" alt="" title=""/>
 
All in all an enjoyable and well organized Festival. Congratulations to the organizing team led by Danielle Haigh. Mon, 20 May 2013 09:35:56 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-very-enjoyable-festival/ A Day of Literary Feasting http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-day-of-literary-feasting/ What a wonderful idea - A Day of Literary Feasting to be hosted by Nedlands Library on the 20th of May. This all day event celebrates writing with author talks, workshops and expert tips from professional publishers and writers Caroline and Lynne will be one of many participating in the event. For more information and to register visit : <a href="http://www.nedlands.wa.gov.au/community-event/day-literary-feasting" target="_blank">A Day of Literary Feasting</a> Tue, 14 May 2013 11:02:50 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-day-of-literary-feasting/ Who will be participating at Emerging Writers' Festival ? http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/who-will-be-participating-at-emerging-writers-festival/ A interesting and diverse range of speakers that includes Lynne Leonhardt will appear at the Emerging Writers Festival in Melbourne. 
The 10th Emerging Writers' Festival is to be held from May 23 - June 2. Directed by Sam Twyford-Moore, the Festival brings together writers, editors, publishers and literary performers together with the reading public. Fifty events have been organised to take place over a two week period, they include the Writers' Conference on the first weekend to be held at the Melbourne Town Hall, the second weekend will see the Festival move to Abbotsford Convent for a program themed around art and wellbeing. 
The Opening Night kicks off with the announcement of Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript and reflection on last year's winner Graeme Simsion whose manuscript, The Rosie Project has become a best seller with rights sold to 30 countries. For the full program visit <a href="http://www.emergingwritersfestival.org.au/events/" target="_blank">the Festival website</a>.
Lynne Leonhardt and MRPress Director, Caroline will be participating at the weekend in <a href="http://www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au/" target="_blank">Abbotsford Convent</a>, see details below.
SMALL PUBLISHERS ARE AN AUTHOR’S BEST FRIEND, Saturday June 1, 3pm – 4pm
Going with a small publisher to produce and promote your work can be an intimate affair– what are the benefits? Small publishers can often show a lot more care when it comes to their writers wellbeing and livelihoods. We explore close relationships between writers and their small publishers in this unique panel.
With ANNA SOLDING, KIM LOCK, LYNNE LEONHARDT, CAROLINE WOOD. Hosted by VERGE ANTHOLOGY.
 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:39:19 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/who-will-be-participating-at-emerging-writers-festival/ Behind the Books http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-books/ 
Welcome to our first ‘Behind the Books’ dispatch. We decided it was high time we set aside our usually modest dispositions, to toot about the wonderful books in our catalogue and catch up with some of the terrific contributors who fill the pages. 
We have started at Voyager, with a quick chat to head chef, Nigel Harvey. Nigel loves his local produce and after talking Nannup truffles, Margaret River venison, and Augusta crabs, I understood why he firmly follows the mantra of ‘buy local’.
Have a go at reproducing one of Nigel’s delightful dishes available in our publication, <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/leisure-and-lifestyle/chefs-of-the-margaret-river-region/" target="_blank">‘Chefs of the Margaret River Region’ available online. </a> The stunning photography and simple farm-fresh recipes make for a fantastic gift and Margaret River kitchen staple. Wed, 08 May 2013 09:55:27 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/behind-the-books/ A conversation with Kate Rizzetti http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-conversation-with-kate-rizzetti/ Kate Rizzetti's story, 'Cool Change' appears in our publication 'Fire'. She spoke to us about her writing.
When did you write your first story and what was it about?
When I was 13 years old I won a short story competition run by the Benalla Ensign for the local Book week. It was a tragic tale from the point of view of the only survivor of a horrific airplane crash.
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage600457-Kate-Rizzetti-and-Karen-Throssell-signing-books.png" width="600" height="457" alt="" title=""/>Who has inspired and mentored you ? 
People who have inspired and mentored me include those I have met at Writers Victoria and Little Lonsdale Group, great teachers and wonderful colleagues over the years, and my critique partner, Margareta Osborn.
Who has influenced your writing?
Writers who have influenced my writing include Kim Scott, Tobsha Learner, Annie Proux, William Golding, Tim Winton, Peter Carey, Alice Walker, Cate Kennedy, Helen Garner and Paddy O'Reilly.
What genres do you write and whom do you write for?
I stretch my writing to meet the expectations of a wide audience. I write non-traditional erotic romance and love stories. They are non-traditional in that they don't always have a predictable happy endings and the story lines always have something in them to make people think. I write for women mostly, although I'm sure some men would get a kick out of my sexier stuff. I like to challenge the norm a little and explore new ways of thinking about accepted moral boundaries.
Is there a particular philosophy that guides your writing? 
I love to write about human behaviour and accepted moral boundaries. I love to question how and why 'good' people do 'bad' things and the secrets we all keep, our private longings for something more.
Cool Change is an emotionally powerful story as it involves choices that people face and there appears to be a gender issue in terms of leaving or staying - What was the genesis for this story ? And did the gender issue have a role to play.
I live about 30kms from King Lake, one of the worst hit areas in the Black Saturday fires. It was a horrific time for the community, the tragedy reverberating around the surrounding suburbs like a sound wave. About 3 days after we learned that Marysville and Kinglake had been razed to the ground, I was listening to 774 ABC broadcasting from the Whittlesea recovery centre.
The announcer, Jon Faine, took a call from an older woman believed to be missing. She had managed to escape Marysville to find shelter in Alexandra, leaving behind her home, her pets and her husband, who had refused to leave. It was a memorable conversation for many reasons, not least of which was when she was listing her potential losses her husband came last. Faine’s response was sensitive and appropriate, but I could tell that he was as surprised I was by the turn of the conversation.(Links to the conversation and this story can be found on my blog<a href="http://www.katerizzetti.com/"> http://www.katerizzetti.com</a>)
This lady, in her 70′s, couldn’t drive. She made a decision to leave and did so on foot, not knowing if she would survive. It later emerged that her husband of over 50 years, Marysville’s oldest and longest resident, had indeed perished believing his property was not under threat. I was struck by the power of this story. What does it take to decide to leave your life long partner and home in the hope you will survive.
In the weeks that followed I was struck by the number of similar stories that emerged from the fire survivors. The fight over staying or going was indeed split by gender. Women wanted to leave, men wanted to defend. The life-threatening situation many people faced triggered a primal response that appeared to be gender related. The tension of this decision caused many relationships to fracture following the fires. I was compelled by the intensity of this split and how it affected people during and after the fire.
What are the challenges for the short story writer?
The short story is an art. It is difficult. It must be whole within itself, a circle of exploration where the seed of the ending is planted in the beginning. It must say so much in little time, the writer is left to clean the bones until only the leanest, most important part of the story remains. Mon, 06 May 2013 19:57:21 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/a-conversation-with-kate-rizzetti/ Anne Skyvington reviews 'Knitting & other stories' http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/anne-skyvington-reviews-knitting-and-other-stories/ <a href="http://anneskyvington.com.au/" target="_blank">Anne Skyvington </a>is a writer, teacher of writing, blogger and is currently finishing a memoir on early childhood memories for self publication as an e-book. She was President of the Bondi Writing Group from 2010-2012. Here is her review of, <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">'Knitting &amp; other stories'.</a>
A Review of a Short Story Collection:
“Knitting and Other Stories”, from the 2013 Margaret River Short Story Competition, edited by Richard Rossiter. Published by Margaret River Press, 2013
The three stories I’ve chosen to review attracted me first and foremost by the authentic voice and original characters they contained. Other elements I looked for in selecting my favourites (always a subjective experience!) were fascinating story lines, emotional impact and jazzy language.
This was the second year of the Western Australia Margaret River Story Competition; 24 stories were chosen from 256 entries from all over Australia to go in the Collection. A majority of the stories focus on characters who inhabit the social fringes and exhibit eccentricities, like the woman in the winning well-crafted entry “Knitting”, who shuns marriage and romance, yet knits obsessively as her mother once did, and ultimately embraces the idea of enforced single parenthood. Other topics include marriage breakdowns, adolescent sexual experience and quirky behaviours linked to grief through loss. Many of the stories are dark, but there are also flashes of humour and irony that lure the reader into their aura.
There are so many stories in this collection that possess one or other of the many criteria that attract readers: the humour and irony in “Down on the Farm” (Louise D’Arcy); the simplicity and empathy enshrined in both “The Girl on the Train” (Amanda Clarke) and “The Bend in the Road” (Kathy George); and the mystery in The Wolf at the Door by Daniela Giorgi.
 The Bitter End by Jacqueline Winn
Jacqueline Winn’s short story got me in from the start because of the narrative voice. Here, the main character, a single mother of two boys, is a straight-shooter, who tells it as it is. That is, excepting for the part she leaves out, until the very end. The language is simple, conversational, but often masking depth, just like the narrator. I had an image of her from the outset: stoic, obstinate, pragmatic, smart. She puts her young family above all else. The problem is that her ex-partner is almost the opposite; he’s left the family to live in the country and lives an apparently shiftless lifestyle.
The narrative is in the first person, and the reader gauges character from the tone of the language, from the voice. We glean certain characteristics of the missing partner from in-between-the-lines. There’s dramatic and structural irony in this tale, as it’s the two sons who determine to reunite their parents; and the end is in the beginning, the beginning in the end: a lovely symmetry.
But the ultimate irony comes at the very end: the revelation that the narrator’s scream at the graveside is not for love, but for a sudden realization of time wasted. And I loved the way the theme of time is treated, how time runs away with one:
Perhaps if I start at the bitter end. I’ll be able to find some sort of sense, some sort of rhyme and reason. If I begin at those words we commit our brother to the earth and take an honest look at the dreadful cry that gushed out of my mouth. In front of all those people, for goodness sake, strangers almost to a man, crowded into that tiny riverside graveyard, all paying their last respects to Mick. I’d planned to show more than a little composure, but when the celebrant uttered those final words, time whispered into my ear: that’s it, all over, done and dusted. And I howled like an animal suddenly cornered. I didn’t dare look around, but behind their back I could feel their eyes widening with misplaced comprehension: she must have loved him after all…And out of nowhere, time whispered in my ear: dust to dust, done and dusted. Then my awful cry.
That Summer at Manly by John Jenkins
The narrator in this story is Brian, who narrates the story in the first person. I had to read the story twice before I really ‘got’ the fact that he’s now middle-aged and telling this coming-of-age story from his continuing perch on a surfboard: “I’m a cork in the backwash, with the other ‘old-buoys’—as the joke goes—with our chipped boards and teeth, bobbing up and down, waiting for the perfect ride.” From then on, it’s a shift to Manly of his sixteenth year, told mainly in the past tense. There’s an early shift back to Melbourne explaining the reasons for his mother taking him and his sister on a beach holiday: “My angry dad, the irritable sad sack, now collecting ‘literature’ left by bible-bashers.”
The voice is initially a ‘memory voice’, that is, it echoes the rhythm of the sea and the waves, as it takes the narrator back to the past, firstly in the present tense, as he remembers arriving in Manly: “Our room is painted blue. I can see it now; it’s 1963 again….” The narrative proper then takes over in the past tense, helped by dialogue between several vibrant characters that Gail, Brian’s older sister, introduces him to. There’s Bruno, who had “long fierce eyes and a beard,” and challenges him mentally; Leone, who had “mascaraed eyelashes, a fishnet over her bikini”; and Tiny, “rat-faced and dressed in bell-bottoms so wide they flapped when he moved.”
As befits a coming-of-age story Brian experiences a series of adventurous challenges during the several days spent at the El Dorado in Manly. These include partying with and holding his own in relation to their new friends; teaching himself to body surf; surviving an encounter with a king wave; escaping from a stranger who tries to seduce him in the toilets; and having Leone treat his sunburnt skin, which sends shivers down his naked body.
The voice is of a mature man remembering fond events in the past. Simple dialogue is used to great advantage, and the language is sparse, which adds to the emotional impact of the coming-of-age theme. But the narrative events are separated by several more lyrical ‘present tense’ segments, which points to the narrator’s continuing love of the sea, and the power that this coming-of-age story holds in his memory.
It’s a well-crafted story, which holds the reader’s interest through the twists and turns of the plot, aided by a variety of linguistic features. There is no real climax to the story, rather a fateful ending, when the narrator watches night board riders “in a single, unbroken passage of grace and skill, right up to the shore.” The ending is, like the beginning, appropriately lyrical.
I like this story for its symmetry, the parts split between a ‘memory voice’ and a narrative voice that recounts past events, the two voices linked by sea imagery. 
Notes on a Scale by Kerry Lown Whalen
Kerry Lown Whalen’s “Notes on a Scale” contains so many elements that make it stand out for the reader: interesting characters and themes, humour, intrigue, suspense, and a clever plot. Kerry uses dialogue cleverly to advance the plot, and her attention to detail in describing the setting suits this story well. I also noted the jazzy language that begins the story and sets the reader on a course of discovery along with the narrator: “It throbbed through the first floor, its form and shape indefinable. Solid yet haunting it insinuated itself, found its pitch then dropped to a lower key. I listened, ear pressed to my apartment door. Like a wailing siren, the sound rose and fell. I fled to the kitchen.”
The narrator, Evie is outgoing and curious to the point of being nosey. This is also part of her charm, as it leads her to connect with others. By the end, we realise that she is also prone to flights of the imagination and is overly suggestible. However, her point of view carries the reader along with it until the resolution, when she is mistaken but unapologetic. Her partner, Gill is more pragmatic and appears as a foil to her personality. Another fascinating couple of characters are Boris and Nadia Borovsky, who live opposite Evie and who play classical music together, “her foot pumping the pedals like a potter in rural Russia, the couple’s music swooping and diving like plovers in springtime.”
Evie plays the role of detective in a sort of thriller or mystery tale, trying to get to the bottom of the sounds coming from the downstairs flat; she assumes that it is “sobbing. Gut-wrenching sobbing.” The other main character, Kay, a lawyer, feeds into Evie’s over-dramatic (gullible?) personality almost too explicitly. She has relocated from Victoria to Sydney following the death of her mother, and suggests to the two women that she might be in danger from a stalker.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the story, and the suspense it builds up by suggesting an impending attack on Kay; locating the events within a simple apartment block adds to its authenticity. The writer cleverly plays with the theme of individual perceptions, often mistaken ones, utilising the motif of music and differing standards of appreciation to develop the theme. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:43:13 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/anne-skyvington-reviews-knitting-and-other-stories/ Meet Poet Karen Throssell http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/meet-poet-karen-throssell/ Karen Throssell has had three collections of poetry published—The Old King and other poems (2003),Remembering how to cry (2004) and Chain of Hearts (2012). Her poetry has been published in Overland, Quadrant, POAM and Artstreams, and her poems appear monthly in her local Warrandyte paper, The Warrandyte Diary.
Karen's poem 'Alert Message' in our collection, 'Fire: a collection of stories, poems and visual images' uses extracts from public fire warnings and CFA checklists among her poetic fragments. ‘Alert Message (North Warrandyte Feb. 7th 2009)’ presenting an idea of the chaos experienced by those in a fire-threatened area, as they must ‘Learn[ing] a new language’: “Ember attacks” “Alert messages”’.
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage444600-karen-portrait.jpg" width="444" height="600" alt="" title=""/>What inspired you to write ‘Alert Message’. 
My poem "Alert Message' was inspired by the way I spent black Saturday - pacing around the house and listening to the frequent alert messages on the radio. I initially was intrigued by the names of the towns who had alert messages. Their names were fantastic. I didn't know we had a Labertouche, a Rubicon,an Acheron. So I started writing them all down. But then I noticed a pattern, more and more names were being added like a kind of litany, and it got more and more frightening. At the time I had no idea how huge (and close) it all was. When I started working on the poem a few days later, it was a reflection on our innocence, with me -- a middle aged woman living alone, thinking I could 'stay and defend' with my raking and buckets.
 
Were there any particular people who mentored you ?
My writing mentors were my dad and my grandmother, but the woman who first mentored me as a poet was Canberra poet Ann Edgeworth back in the 1970's. Later I was helped by and inspired by local poets John Jenkins, Jordie Albiston and Robin Rowlands.
 
What or who has influenced your writing ?
I have been brought up in a family where words and their power have always been vitally important, as have ideas, and politics. My first poetic influence thus, were people like Yevtushenko and Pablo Neruda and Australians like Gwen Harwood, and Judith Wright and more recently Dorothy Porter and Carol Ann Duffy.
 
Who do you write for ?
Mostly I write because these poems are inside which have to get out, so for me. But being a very political person and often writing political poems, I also write for the masses(!) or to make a statement, change opinion, open some eyes... As well I guess if you are always trying to perfect your craft, you are also writing for other poets, and all lovers of poetry.
 
What are the challenges for poets?
For me the biggest challenge is how to get people to read poetry. I sometimes think that only poets buy poetry books, which is very sad as there is all the rest of the population missing out on this huge source of immense joy, stimulation and excitement ... Of course there is the connected question of never being able to make a living out of what you love doing most. But then again how many people do this? I think one of the other challenges, is fashion, and that there are fashions that run through university English departments that make all the poems sound the same and then these are the only ones that get published in journals. Seemingly the current fashion is to be as obtuse as possible.
 
 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:47:19 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/meet-poet-karen-throssell/ Art and Fire http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/art-and-fire/ 
Birds chirp, the kettle boils, and Bruno sculpts. It is a quiet little existence tucked away between the trees in Marysville, Victoria. Bruno Torfs seems an unlikely candidate to be the subject of risk, but in February 2009 he was one of the many Victorians affected by Black Saturday.
I produced this three-minute documentary a while back for an initiative financed by the Australia and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) called ‘Know Risk’. ‘Know Risk’ was set up to educate and inform people on the dangers of risk after a study revealed that Australia was one of the most under-insured developed nations.
With the recent release of our publication, Fire, the short clip seems topical at present, and I thought worthy of revisiting.
Our publication Fire, is full of creative work surrounding disasters like Black Saturday. National artists, and those from the south west region, similar to Bruno, share their stories and photos, and it is astounding how such an intense and uncontrollable element can create such rich and beautiful work.
<a href="http://www.knowrisk.com.au/" target="_blank">Visit the ‘Know Risk’ site here</a>. Or download the app at the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/genre/ios/id36?mt=8" target="_blank">app store</a>.
<a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/fire/" target="_blank">Our anthology Fire is also available right here online</a>!
 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:06:00 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/art-and-fire/ Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival Program http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/margaret-river-readers-and-writers-festival-program/ Friday, May 17th
The Margaret River Short Story Competition which is sponsored by Margaret River Press will be launched at 6.30pm on Friday, May 17th at the Margaret River Cultural Centre.
Saturday, May 18th at 10.30 a.m. - The Short Story <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/knitting-and-other-stories/" target="_blank">Margaret River Short Story Collection </a>authors Barry Divola (1st Prize), Vahri McKenzie (SW Writer Prize) &amp; Kristen Levitke discuss the form &amp; read excerpts from their writing.
1.15 p.m. Fact &amp; Fiction UWA Publishing Director Terri-ann White leads a discussion of history, research &amp; writing with authors Stephen Daisley, Dawn Barker &amp; Lynne Leonhardt.
Sunday, May 19th
9.30 a.m. Meet the Publishers Cultural Centre Greenrooms $10 (max 10 people - BOOK EARLY) Are you an emerging writer looking for guidance on what publishers are looking for? Spend 10 mins one-on-one with Terri-ann White from UWA Publishing or Caroline Wood from Margaret River Press. Bookings essential @ Arts Margaret River 9758 7316 as these sessions have strictly limited numbers.
12.30pm Behind Traitor Associate Professor, author and MR Press Editorial Board member Richard Rossiter in conversation with guest author Stephen Daisley (Traitor). Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:26:14 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/margaret-river-readers-and-writers-festival-program/ Supporting volunteer fire fighters http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/supporting-volunteer-fire-fighters/ <img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/for-web_2.png" width="432" height="445" alt="" title=""/>Sophie Mathewson, our Publishing Assistant presented a cheque of $300 to Witchcliffe Brigade Captain, Richard Nash.
 
The big tin shed that is the Witchcliffe Fire Station echoes with chatter, a few deep bellied cackles, and the general sound of chins wagging. It's the Annual General Meeting of the Witchcliffe Volunteer Fire Brigade, and I couldn't feel more welcome.
 Think for a moment what it is to be a volunteer. Freely offering your time, dedication and commitment to a cause. Then think about some of the recent bushfires that this region has experienced. Without the hard-working volunteers, these fires may well have been far more devastating. In 2011, after the Margaret River bushfires, we donated $1000 towards the Victims of Rotary Appeal. Last night, at the AGM, we donated $300 and a copy of two of our publications. The volunteers seemed particularly keen to get their hands on our latest publication, Fire, an anthology of creative work by local and national writers and photographers. Certainly the cover image, photographed by local lad Sean Blocksidge, stirred some emotions within the room. We hope that after further sales of our publication Fire, we can make another donation towards the efforts of these tireless volunteers, but for now, we hope they enjoy our books and this small contribution. You can purchase a copy of Fire at any of the local bookshops in Margaret River, or better yet, right here on our <a href="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/catalogue/fiction/fire/" target="_blank">website</a>!
 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:00:16 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/supporting-volunteer-fire-fighters/ Why is Lynne Leonhardt smiling ? http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/why-is-lynne-leonhardt-smiling/ Lynne Leonhardt's novel, Finding Jasper has been long listed for the Dobbie Literary Award. We are so proud of you Lynne.<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/Photo-of-Lynne.jpeg" width="300" height="451" alt="" title=""/>
This is the first time that the Dobbie has had a long list. The Dobbie Literary Award recognises a first published work of an Australian woman. The Awards were established under the will of Nita May Dobbie for the purpose of encouraging Australian women writers of both fiction and non-fiction works.
Congratulations to other long listed authors and their publishers - Romy Ash - Floundering (Text Publishing), Jessie Cole - Darkness on the Edge of Town (HarperCollins Publishers), Courtney Collins - The Burial (Allen &amp; Unwin), Lily Chan - Toyo: A memoir (Black Inc.) and Jacqueline Wright - Red Dirt Talking (Fremantle Press.
We are delighted to see Jacqueline Wright long listed for this award as well as the Miles Franklin. Jacqueline has a short story in our forthcoming collection, 'Knitting &amp; other stories'.
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</div> Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:09:01 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/why-is-lynne-leonhardt-smiling/ Who is Brooke Dunnell ? http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/who-is-brooke-dunnell/ <img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/_resampled/resizedimage442600-Brooke-Dunnell.jpg" width="442" height="600" alt="" title=""/>Brooke chats to us about her journey as a writer and what influenced her to write, 'The Pressure Suit', a story that appears in Fire : a collection of stories, poems and visual images. 'The Pressure Suit' deals with a young boy injured in a domestic fire in which his mother and baby brother perish while he watches helplessly. Returning to school after months of skin grafts and outer healing, he wears a pressure suit on his injured arm, a reminder of his terrible loss.
 
When did you write your first story and what was it about? 
The first one I remember was when I was about six or seven years old. I had probably made up other stories before then, but this was the first to be finished, illustrated, and bound (by staples). The narrative opened with the trauma of a protagonist who wakes one day to discover he has no teeth and followed his journey to achieve a toothy future. At the end it turned out to be a dream, which I thought was a pretty impressive twist at the time.
 
Were there any particular people who inspired you or mentored you?
Originally I was inspired by my great aunt, June Epstein, who wrote children’s books and biographies while also holding down a musical career. She showed me that it’s possible to spend your life writing stories and possibly see some of them in print. Like all writers, I was also inspired by the authors who wrote the novels I loved reading – Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Nick Hornby, Don DeLillo, Zadie Smith, and countless others.
My greatest mentor has been my thesis supervisor, Brenda Walker, a brilliant novelist and short story writer who gave me the best writing lesson I’ve ever had just by crossing things out. I’ve also felt mentored by writers I’ve shared stories with, like Laurie Steed, Phill English, and postgrads at the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University. Swapping stories and feedback with other writers is one of the most valuable things you can do – it makes you feel connected, committed, supported, and inspired.
 Is there a particular philosophy that guides your writing? Are there particular topics you love writing about?
My philosophy is just to write what you would enjoy reading. You can’t expect anyone else to like your story if you don’t even like it! That means I write realist narratives that investigate how people see the world and each other, which are my favourite kinds of stories to read. I love ordinary lives, really: what other people do and say and think about. Narrative fiction provides some of the best representations of human consciousness – which is a fascinating, fascinating thing – and as a writer I relish the challenge that comes from trying to show how a character perceives reality from the trap of their own mind.
 “The Pressure Suit” is an emotionally difficult story as it involves a young boy who has been badly burned in the fire, was it difficult to write and was there a particular incident that influenced you to write it? What was the genesis for this story?
I was inspired to write this story after seeing Margaret River Press’s call for submissions and wanting to get involved. The idea of fire is a vivid and terrifying one, and so many stories have come out of recent tragedies in south-west WA and country Victoria about the suffering and heroism of victims. Not having any personal experience of a bushfire myself, I decided to base my story around a house fire and to explore the emotions that arise in those who survive. Having a child as the main character would heighten the confusion, disconnection and fear that comes from losing your family and your home.
Luckily for me I didn’t find writing the story to be too emotionally difficult as it was completely fictitious, so I wasn’t drawing on any personal experiences. I really admire writers who are able to face their own trauma and turn it into a strong piece of creative writing. In completing “The Pressure Suit” my biggest challenge was how to structure the story and move between the characters to make it as effective as possible. Having this kind of technical focus gave me some distance from Ben’s torment, even though I was the one creating it. I’m grateful if people do have an emotional response to the story, because that’s why I concentrated so specifically on structure, voice, and detail – to make the narrative come alive for readers.
 
 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:58:23 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/who-is-brooke-dunnell/ Lynne Leonhardt's Triple Choice Tuesday selection http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/lynne-leonhardt-s-triple-choice-tuesday-selection/ Lynne Leonhardt was invited by Kim Forrester of <a href="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/readingmatters/about-reading-matters.html" target="_blank">Reading Matters</a> to participate in Triple Choice Tuesday where Kim asks 'some of her favourite bloggers, writers and readers to share the names of three books that mean a lot to them'. Lynne selected, Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver, My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin and An Unknown Sky by Susan Midalia. To read why these books mean a lot to Lynne go to : <a href="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/readingmatters/2013/04/triple-choice-tuesday-lynne-leonhardt.html" target="_blank">http://kimbofo.typepad.com/readingmatters/2013/04/triple-choice-tuesday-lynne-leonhardt.html</a>
 
 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:47:04 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/lynne-leonhardt-s-triple-choice-tuesday-selection/ Margaret River Exposed http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/margaret-river-exposed/ 
<img class="left" src="http://www.margaretriverpress.com/assets/Paul-Blue-Ginger-WEB.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="" title=""/>
Margaret River Press stockist and cafe manager at Blue Ginger, Paul Iles, recently agreed to be 'exposed' as part of a photography exhibition curated by Michelle Troop entitled 'Margaret River Exposed', a public art exhibition involving the faces of local people.
I interviewed Paul a few months back, and over a bit of cake and a cuppa, managed to coerce a few secrets out of him. Here's a snippet of our chat.
Q: Have you always been in the hospitality industry?
A: Well yeah, I've been in cafes and hospitality sort of through default for years. I started when I was 16 picking up glasses at the races and have done catering, stewarding, bartending.... I went to uni, to Curtin, then dropped out of that... did my time as a panel beater, building stretch limousines and hearses... and then picked up hospitality again when my partner and I went travelling to the UK.
Q: What parts of the Margaret River community do you come across at Blue Ginger?
A: We're actually really lucky because we've been taken on by the locals. Primarily because we're not on the main street so the local crew are more likely to take ownership of the cafe as their own, because it's set off the tourist trap. About 95% of our business is all locals, and we see everyone from winemakers and their associates, people from the Lions Club will hold meetings here, and lots of people will come in after exercise like yoga and gym classes.
Q: Do you get involved in many community projects?
A: Yeah, anything that is sort of arts or theatre, that reaches the community. There are so many subcultures here, whether it be surfing or art or winemaking and it's almost our duty of care, or obligation, because we live here we have to support it.
Q: Do you see yourself sticking around in Margaret River?
A: Yes I'm very happy here. Our son Sam is ten, and when I was his age I grew up in a very similar situation. We grew up on the edge of suburbia in Perth but we had four acres of all natural bush and around us was pasture land. The boys had motorbikes and the girls had horses and we built campfires. It was a real Tom Sawyer type upbringing. And the schools are great here. So in terms of staying, yes, I'm very content.
Q: What did you have for breakfast this morning?
A: Poached eggs on toast and two pieces of fruit.
 
You can pop-in to see Paul in person at Blue Ginger cafe on Station Road and browse our publication Chefs of the Margaret River Region - you might get some ideas for dinner and you can pick up the ingredients while you're there.
To check out Paul's photo, and the 49 other faces captured, the portraits are currently on display at The Church Gallery on Tunbridge St, and will soon be erected as large-scale murals in various public spaces around town. No need to keep your eyes peeled. You WILL see them!
<a href="http://www.margaretriverexposed.com" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.margaretriverexposed.com" target="_blank">MARGARET RIVER EXPOSED WEBSITE</a>
 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:55:28 +0800 http://www.margaretriverpress.com/news/margaret-river-exposed/