Tag: literature

NSW Writers Centre: The Speculative Fiction Festival

NSW Writers Centre: The Speculative Fiction Festival

Yes, yes, I know this is a whole week late but as regular readers know by now, I am always doing a million things- it must be written into my DNA or something (Incidentally I went into my work yesterday to speak to my boss…

Akhenaten by Dorothy Porter Review

Akhenaten by Dorothy Porter Review

Akhenaten by Dorothy Porter, University of Queensland Press, 1992 Reprinted 2008 Pan Macmillan Australia. $24.95 AUD RRP. I love Dorothy Porter. I own all of her verse novels except for Wild Surmise (It is only a matter of time, only a matter of time). I…

Novels in Verse 2013 Reading Challenge

Novels in Verse 2013 Reading Challenge

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http://bornbookish.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/novels-in-verse-reading-challenge-sign.html?spref=tw

I am signing up for Haiku (reading and reviewing 1-4 verse novels). I haven’t had the chance to read a lot of verse novels before, but the ones I have read I have liked. Especially the ones by Dorothy Porter. I am open to verse novel suggestions but I will kick off the challenge with Porter’s Akhenaten. It has been on my to read list for an age and is also speculative fiction.

Feel free to participate on your own blog or engage in discussion of chosen books in the comments. The only thing better than reading a good book is sharing it!

Book Review: Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan

Book Review: Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan

Sea Hearts, Margo Lanagan, Allen and Unwin, 2012 RRP: $19.99 Australian. I feel guilty. I finished this book back in July but my thesis work attacked me and gave me heart palpitations over how much I still had left to do on it. Hence, this…

Genre Spotlight: ‘Insanity’, Women’s Voice and Emilie Autumn’s Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls

Genre Spotlight: ‘Insanity’, Women’s Voice and Emilie Autumn’s Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls

I had reviewed this book on another blog when it first came out, but since Victorian industrial singer, Emilie Autumn’s new CD, Fight Like a Girl, came out five days ago and falls into the fantasy camp, I will be reviewing the CD soon on this blog.…

This Month We Talk About… Ebooks

This Month We Talk About… Ebooks

This month the great eVolution debate is here courtesy of beloved Australian author, Isobelle Carmody. Never one to bite off more than she can chew, she has decided to independently re-release her 1997 novel Greylands as an ebook with a bang. Enlisting the help of web designer Min Dean in creating an E launch like no other, not only is the month long ebook launch designed to introduce new readers to Carmody’s world, it aims to encourage serious discussion about the ebook revolution.

There are many debates online and elsewhere about the future of books of course; debates about the book selling and publishing industries role with the rise of self publishing and ebooks; debates about the death of the hard copy book; cries of Brave New World and technological terror, cries of civilisational progress… but never before has there been such a concentrated and academic discussion all in one place. Each day of the month Isobelle has enlisted a different author, editor, agent, essayist, poet, student, teacher, book seller, book publisher or librarian to write about an aspect of the pros, cons and potential innovations of the ebook. Comment on a post and you instantly go into the draw to win your own ereader, signed copies of Isobelle’s books as well as some audio books!

You don’t need to be interested in Isobelle’s books or want to win a competition to participate. With advice and discussion on ebook formatting, self publishing, kindle and other ereader types, the future of picture books as ebooks, enhanced ereaders, interactivity and reading, creative possibilities and the ereader and much, much more, this is a month all writers and readers don’t want to miss!

Interested? Today’s guest post is by respected Australian steampunk author, Richard Harland. Previous posts by Helen Chamberlain, Nick Bland, Sophie Masson and Alex Adsett can be viewed by clicking links on the side of Richard’s post. The website itself will self destruct when the month is up, but all posts and comments will be archived on Isobelle’s blog.

An interesting and informative forum for discussion, this is the month the Australian book industry talks about ebooks…

Click here for the link for today’s post by Richard Harland: http://greylands.theslipstream.com.au/2012/07/pop-ups-playaways-and-cruising-for-kindles-richard-harland/#comment-136

Click for more information on the website’s purpose, Isobelle Carmody and Min Dean here: http://greylands.theslipstream.com.au/

This blog post was compiled by InkAshlings independently of the Greylands ebook launch. Any mistakes are my own. Specific details about the Greylands ebook launch are located on the website. 

Book Review: Metro Winds

Book Review: Metro Winds

Metro Winds, Isobelle Carmody, Allen and Unwin Publishers, 2012. RRP: $24.99 Australian. Metro Winds is beloved Australian fantasy author, Isobelle Carmody’s second major short story outing. A collection of 6 short stories, unified by common themes of travel, metamorphosis, identity, love, loss and transformation, this collection…