113 A signed copy of A Waltz for Matilda – Jackie French

Item: A signed copy of A Waltz for Matilda

Details:

Book Information: Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl’s journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams.

In 1894, twelve-year-old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But drought grips the land and the shearers are on strike. Her father has become a swagman and he’s wanted by the troopers. In front of his terrified daughter he makes a stand against them, defiant to the last. ‘You’ll never catch me alive, said he…’

According to Jackie French’ Our nation was born from ideals and passions and the effects of a twenty year drought, wrought as much by the women of the sufferage and temperance movements as it was by constitutional lawyers. Without these women- and without the worst drought in Australia’s history- we might still be a collection of states. The land itself shaped our nationhood. ‘

Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia’s early years as an emerging nation.

Brief Bio: Jackie French is a full-time writer and wombat negotiator who lives near Araluen, NSW. Her previous books, including Hitler’s Daughter and To the Moon and Back, have seen French awarded the CBC Younger Readers award and the Eve Pownall Award among more than 50 other awards in Australia and overseas. In October 2010 she was awarded a NSW Premiers History Award for her novel The Night They Stormed Eureka.

64 Two Signed YA Novels: Luisa Plaja

ITEM: Any two novels from Luisa Plaja’s list, personally signed to you and sent over from the UK! 

DETAILS: Luisa Plaja, a rising star in Brit Teen Chick Lit, is about to see publication of her fourth hilarious and heart-warming novel for teenagers, and you can choose any 2 of the following-

Split By A Kiss… is the story of a British girl who goes to live in the USA for a year and faces some big challenges and choices, mostly to do with snogging a certain ultra-hot boy. After the kiss, she splits into two girls and goes down two paths at the same time. On one path she is in with the coolest of the cool, and on the other she… isn’t. Does either route lead to happiness? And how will she ever be herself again?

Extreme Kissing… Bethany and Carlota are best friends who long to escape the stresses of life as GCSEs loom on the horizon. Stresses such as a ridiculously strict step-parent (Carlota) or a long-term boyfriend displaying definite pre-dumping behaviour (Bethany). Carlota suggests the ultimate in stress relief: Extreme Travel, where the journey is more important than the destination. The girls embark on a wild day out in London, choosing tasks at random from the pages of a magazine; extreme challenges that include exclusive shopping, excellent snogging and… explosive secrets.

Swapped By A Kiss… is the sequel to Split By A Kiss. When Rachel’s on/off boyfriend goes to a music festival in England, she jumps on a plane to surprise him. But when she gets there, she sees him kissing someone else – their friend Jo. Super-lovely, super-loved, all-round-perfect Jo. Rachel runs away, wishing she could leave her life behind – and she suddenly finds herself in Jo’s body! Can she keep this swap a secret? Can she unravel what’s really going on? Can she get to grips with Jo’s out-of-control curly hair? And if she discovers that being in someone else’s shoes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, can she ever be herself again?

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate (publication date 2011 so if you choose this one you might have to wait a little while.) Lex Murphy’s group of friends have all dated, hated, ignored and lusted after each other for the last few years. If only there was a way of matching people perfectly to avoid all the unrequited love, dumping and drama! Then Lex’s friend George is given a mysterious Sims-like game by his software-testing dad which involves building character profiles in the categories of Life, Looks and Love. Lex and George populate the game with avatars for all their mates, making a few ‘wishful thinking’ adjustments to the settings – and find that the next day these tinkerings have come true! But how long can this new calm, loved-up atmosphere continue?

See Luisa’s website for more details.

CV: Luisa Plaja (pronounced ‘playa’ like the Spanish for ‘beach’) is a Glaswegian Sicilian Londoner who lives in Devon, UK. She has two small children. She loves reading, writing and pretending she can do things she can’t, such as ice skating and telling jokes.

Please bid in the comments box below.

270 Signed Copy of Anthology Brothers and Sisters: Charlotte Wood

Item: A signed copy of the anthology Brothers and Sisters by Charlotte Wood 

Details: Critics and readers alike have long commented on Charlotte Wood’s acute ability to dissect sibling relationships in her novels. Lifelong resentments, tensions, alliances and affections between brothers and sisters play out in her books to brilliant effect. Here, Charlotte brings her skills to an anthology of newly-commissioned stories by well-known and new writers – Nam Le, Christos Tsiolkas, Tony Birch, Tegan Bennett Daylight, Robert Drewe, Ashley Hay, Cate Kennedy, Roger McDonald, Paddy O’Reilly, Virginia Peters, Michael Sala, Charlotte Wood – who have written about the sister/brother relationships, both in fictional and non-fictional forms.

Your brother or sister, it might be said, is your other self – your grander, sadder, braver, shrewder, uglier, slenderer self … Your sibling is your most severe judge and your fiercest defender. You must always rescue them. They always abandon you … You recognise one another, this is your relief and your ruin. They are your duty. They stun you with the sudden presence and force of their goodness. They give you Christmas presents that show you are strangers. You are strangers. You love them; it cannot be explained why or how.

- From the Introduction to Brothers & Sisters;
A girl sneaks into her brothers’ rooms to rummage through their pockets while they’re out. A man boards a plane to go to his brother’s funeral. Another man’s brother comes home from jail. A young woman watches her sister embrace life and London while she is left behind. Two girls compete for the colour pink and their father’s love.

Trespass and abandonment, old secrets and new truths, rivalry and protection, love and fear: twelve of Australia’s best writers tell surprising stories of the abiding bonds—bad, beautiful or broken— between brothers and sisters.

For more details please visit the author’s website

CV: Charlotte Wood is an Australian fiction writer.

She is the editor of Brothers & Sisters, a collection of short stories and non-fiction about siblings by 12 of Australia’s finest writers.

Her most recent novel, The Children, was described byAustralian Book Review as “a graceful and empathetic portrayal of one family seeking to understand itself,” and The Australiandescribed Charlotte as “a captivating, questing writer whose work is well worth watching”.

The Children was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Association’s literary fiction book of the year. Charlotte’s previous novel, The Submerged Cathedral, was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in its region 2005. Her first book, Pieces of a Girl, was also shortlisted for several prizes.

She writes a blog about cooking at www.howtoshuckanoyster.com. She lives in Sydney with her husband Sean and is working on her fourth novel.

Please bid in the comments box below.

285 Signed Children’s Book (ages 9-12): Sue Whiting

Item: A signed copy of Get a Grip, Cooper Jones, by Sue Whiting 

Details:

What do you do when life’s spinning out of control?

Cooper Jones longs for the time when life was simple. When all he needed to worry about was whether to change his undies or make do. Now, suddenly, his life has become all too complicated. Cooper is plagued with thoughts about the father he has never known – the man he suspects as being a cowardly loser; the man he suspects he is starting to take after. Then there’s Mum. She has been acting weirder than normal, as if Cooper growing a few centimetres is a criminal offence. What is going on there? When the gorgeous Abeba arrives in Wangaroo Bay, Cooper’s anguish cranks up a notch, as he realises that he’s not the only one whose life is complicated. Set against the backdrop of a fiery summer, Cooper needs to realise that when life is spinning out of control, sometimes you just need to get a grip.

• A fresh story, with themes, such as self-identity, friendship and family, which teenagers will relate to
• A fantastic novel from Sue Whiting, author of Freaky and The Firefighters

For more info please visit the author’s website.

CV: After developing a passion for children’s literature as a primary school teacher, Sue Whiting now works full-time in the field she loves, dividing her time between working as a children’s book editor and writing stories for young people. Sue has had almost sixty children’s books published, ranging from rhyming romping verse for the very young to novels for pre-teens.

 

 

 

To make a bid, please leave a comment in the box below.

269 Signed Copy of The Submerged Cathedral: Charlotte Wood

Item: A signed copy of The Submerged Catherdral by Australian author Charlotte Wood.

Details: ‘Set me as a seal on your heart, for love is stronger than death.’ Spanning many years, travelling across Australia’s vast continent and through some of Europe’s great cities, The Submerged Cathedral is a beguiling, heartbreaking story of paradise and the fall; of faith, sacrifice and atonement; and of sisterly love and rivalry. Most of all, however, it is about an enduring and sacred love – a love stronger than death – and the journeys undertaken in its name.

· 2005 Miles Franklin Prize, shortlist

· 2005 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, South East Asia/South Pacific, shortlist

For more info visit the author’s website

 

CV: Charlotte Wood is an Australian fiction writer.

She is the editor of Brothers & Sisters, a collection of short stories and non-fiction about siblings by 12 of Australia’s finest writers.

Her most recent novel, The Children, was described byAustralian Book Review as “a graceful and empathetic portrayal of one family seeking to understand itself,” and The Australiandescribed Charlotte as “a captivating, questing writer whose work is well worth watching”.

The Children was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Association’s literary fiction book of the year. Charlotte’s previous novel, The Submerged Cathedral, was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in its region 2005. Her first book, Pieces of a Girl, was also shortlisted for several prizes.

She writes a blog about cooking at www.howtoshuckanoyster.com. She lives in Sydney with her husband Sean and is working on her fourth novel.

 

Please bid in the comments box at the bottom of the page.

260 Children’s/ Felice Arena Mega Pack

ITEM: Specky Magee Audio Pack signed by Felice Arena, includes SEVEN one hour CD’s of ‘Specky Magee’ back to back books (includes the reading of Specky Magee & the Great Footy Contest and Specky Magee & the Season of Champions).

PLUS

One author signed copy of EACH of the THREE books in the ‘Farticus Maximus’ series by Felice Arena.

DETAILS: Specky Magee is one of the most popular children’s book series in Australia. The books chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon ‘Specky’ Magee, an Aussie Rules football champion in the making. The best-selling series written by Felice and his former school mate and AFL legend, Garry Lyon, has won five Australian Children’s Choice Awards, and has sold close to half a million copies.

Farticus Maximus, fiercest gladiator of all time, has a gut-busting secret weapon — the potent strength of his flatulence. A wickedly funny Roman tale with other equally stinky stories!

BIO: Felice Arena is one of Australia′s best-loved children′s writers. He is the author and creator of many popular and award-winning books, including the Boyz Rule and Girlz Rock series as well as Wish, Bravo Billy, Breakaway John, Sally and Dave, a Slug Story, Hey Cat, Farticus Maximus and of course the Specky Mageebooks.

Please bid in the comments box below.

274 Pack of Cook Books: Murdoch Books

Item: A pack of cook books from this highly reputable publisher, worth $500!

Details: The books will be signed (where possible) -

Quay by Peter Gilmore

Eating In by Philip Johnson

365 Good Reasons To Sit Down To Eat by Stephane Reynaud

The Food I Love by Neil Perry

Balance and Harmony by Neil Perry

My Party by Pete Evans

Kitchen Classics: Asian Flavours From The Murdoch Books Test Kitchen

See more of their amazing range here.

CV: Murdoch Books is a proudly independent, Australian publishing company, under private ownership.

We began life as a subsidiary of Murdoch Magazines, which our Chairman and owner, Matt Handbury, purchased from News Limited in 1991. Under Matt’s ownership, Murdoch Books has grown rapidly to become a significant international publisher.

With our offices based in one of Sydney’s heritage-listed piers on the Harbour, we have full in-house editorial, design, production and publishing capabilities, complete with our extensive test kitchens on site. Our award-winning Australian sales and marketing team is supported by a fully owned subsidiary sales and marketing company in the UK. Our significant international market presence is assisted by our UK team who manage our extensive European foreign language and export sales, and our International Sales department located in Sydney sell to the North American market. With our books translated into more than 20 languages, Murdoch Books has carved out a reputation as a high quality international publisher.

Our mission as a company is to excite, delight and inspire our readers with beautifully produced books that have an unswerving commitment to integrity of content, innovation in design and high production values.

We are currently Australia’s seventh largest publisher and enjoy leading market positions in the Food, Gardening, Craft and History categories. While we relish our reputation in illustrated publishing, we are equally proud of the range and diversity of our rapidly growing Pier 9 narrative list, with its eclectic mix of fiction from around the world, memoir, biography, popular history and strong human interest stories.

Regardless of the imprint or the subject matter, however, every book on the Murdoch Books publishing program represents our commitment to publish the very best of the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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111 A signed copy of a rare hardcover US edition of They Came on Viking Ships – Jackie French

Item: A signed copy of a rare hardcover US edition of They Came on Viking Ships (published there as ‘Rover.’)

Details:

Book Information: As a puppy, Snarf is fortuitously rescued by a young girl called Hekja when he is badly injured, their simple but happy lives are changed unrecognisably when their village is raided by Vikings. This work is suitable for children aged 10-14.

Brief Bio: Jackie French is a full-time writer and wombat negotiator who lives near Araluen, NSW. Her previous books, including Hitler’s Daughter and To the Moon and Back, have seen French awarded the CBC Younger Readers award and the Eve Pownall Award among more than 50 other awards in Australia and overseas. In October 2010 she was awarded a NSW Premiers History Award for her novel The Night They Stormed Eureka.

241 Children’s/Littledog 2 of 2: Katrina Germein

ITEM: One custom-signed hardback copy of the picture book Littledog, written by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie and published by Scholastic Press ISBN 978-1- 74169-5526

DETAILS: Sam and his sister find Littledog during their beach holiday. Littledog is friendly, playful and cuddly. But where did Littledog come from and how long will he stay?

Littledog is one of those everyday-family-life stories told in pitch-perfect prose. Leanne Hall, Readings

A truly delightful storybook for younger readers. Rebecca Butterworth, Bookseller and Publisher

CV: Children’s author Katrina Germein writes picture books that delight primary school children, preschoolers and adults alike. Her stories have won Notable Book Commendations from the Children’s Book Council of Australia and her book Big Rain Coming has been published around the world, remaining in print over a decade after its release. Katrina’s book Baby Gets Dressed was selected as an Advertiser Little Big Book Club reading pack title and the hilarious My Dad Thinks He’s Funny instantly proved so popular that it was reprinted within a month of being launched. Katrina lives in Adelaide with her husband, their three children and an old dog named Sunny. To find out more visit Katrina’s website www.katrinagermein.com

Please bid in the comments box below.

112 A signed copy of The Tomorrow Book – Jackie French

Item: A signed copy of The Tomorrow Book

Details:

Book Information: ‘That’s REAL LIFE, your royal highness,’ said the butler kindly.

‘Well…’ said the little prince. “I think real life could be improved.’

The little prince loves reading the books in the palace library, but somehow the real world never seems as good as he imagines. So, when his parents leave him in charge, he and his friends start to change the world using the ideas from the books in the palace library. Together, they believe, the world can be perfect.

Brief Bio: Jackie French is a full-time writer and wombat negotiator who lives near Araluen, NSW. Her previous books, including Hitler’s Daughter and To the Moon and Back, have seen French awarded the CBC Younger Readers award and the Eve Pownall Award among more than 50 other awards in Australia and overseas. In October 2010 she was awarded a NSW Premiers History Award for her novel The Night They Stormed Eureka.

279 Signed copy of “Three Things About Daisy Blue” – Kate Gordon – 1 of 2

Item: One personally signed copy of Three Things About Daisy Blue, the new Young Adult novel by Kate Gordon.

Details:

Book Information: Daisy Blue is not happy. She doesn’t want to go to Bali. And she doesn’t want to keep a diary of her trip. And she doesn’t want to hang out with Paulina Gifford. She does want to be a size zero and famous.
Paulina Gifford is very studious. She is excited about the Bali trip and is keen to use her journal solely for recording her historical and cultural investigations. She thinks Daisy Blue is some kind of alien species.
But Bali surprises them both – and soon they are in danger of falling in ‘like’ with each other. Is it possible that the fashionista and the earnest nerd might find something in common?

Age Range: 12-16

Brief Bio: Kate was born and raised on the North-West Coast of Tasmania, in a town known for its tulips, and where you can get the best fish and chips in the world. She is a former children’s librarian and manager of the children’s and YA section at a major book shop. Now, she is a FTW (full time writer).
Kate trained as an actor, but wasn’t very good at it. She writes on her couch, in the early morning, with her cat, Mephistopheles “Danger” Gordon sitting behind her making funny noises at birds.
Kate spends most of her time with her nose in a book, and when she’s not reading or writing, she likes bending herself into funny positions doing yoga, watching movies, playing Scrabble and listening to music you can headbang to. Visit her blog www.kategordon.com.au

58 Personally signed copy of Thyla – Kate Gordon – 1 of 2

Item: One personally signed copy of Thyla, the new young adult novel by Kate Gordon, published by Random House. Not out until April, but as soon as it is out, Kate will sign copies and send it. You might even get your hands on it before anyone else!

Details:

Book Information: THYLA is a story of Tasmania: of darkness, of convicts, of devils and tigers, and of promises that stay true through the centuries. It is the story of what happened to Cat, and what Tessa really is.

“My name is Tessa. I am strong. I am brave. I do not cry. These are the only things I know for certain. I was found in the bush, ragged as a wild thing. I have no memory – not even of how I got the long, striping slashes across my back. They make me frightened of what I might remember. The policewoman, Connolly, found me a place in a boarding school and told me about her daughter, Cat, who went missing in the bush. I think there is a connection between Cat, me, and the strange things going on at this school. If I can learn Cat’s story, I might discover my own – and stop it happening again.”

Age Range: 13+

Brief CV: Kate was born and raised on the North-West Coast of Tasmania, in a town known for its tulips, and where you can get the best fish and chips in the world. She is a former children’s librarian and manager of the children’s and YA section at a major book shop. Now, she is a FTW (full time writer).
Kate trained as an actor, but wasn’t very good at it. She writes on her couch, in the early morning, with her cat, Mephistopheles “Danger” Gordon sitting behind her making funny noises at birds.
Kate spends most of her time with her nose in a book, and when she’s not reading or writing, she likes bending herself into funny positions doing yoga, watching movies, playing Scrabble and listening to music you can headbang to. Visit her blog www.kategordon.com.au

 

240 Children’s/My Dad Thinks He’s Funny 1 of 2: Katrina Germein

ITEM: One custom-signed hardback copy of the picture book My Dad Thinks He’s Funny, written by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Tom Jellett and published by Black Dog Books 978-1-74203-121-7

DETAILS: Fondly told from the point of view of a child My Dad Thinks He’s Funny is about a father with a joke for every occasion. Packed full of everyone’s favourite, familiar ‘dad jokes’ My Dad Thinks He’s Funny will make you roll your eyes and laugh out loud. Kids will love the literal meanings of the words and phrases used in this very funny picture book. Fran Knight, ReadPlus

CV: Katrina Germein writes books that delight preschoolers and adults alike. Her stories have won Notable Book Commendations from the Children’s Book Council of Australia and her book Big Rain Coming has been published around the world, remaining in print over a decade after its release. Katrina’s book Baby Gets Dressed was selected as an Advertiser Little Big Book Club reading pack title and the hilarious My Dad Thinks He’s Funny instantly proved so popular that it was reprinted within a month of being launched. Katrina lives in Adelaide with her husband, their three children and an old dog named Sunny. To find out more visit Katrina’s website www.katrinagermein.com

Please bid in the comments box below.

263 Series/Cataclysm: Sean Williams

ITEM: Cataclysm Series. Four  paper back books written and signed by #1 New York Times-bestselling Australian speculative fiction writer Sean Williams.

DETAILS: ”Hugely imaginative” - Adelaide Advertiser

Both prequel and sequel to the Books of the Change, this more adult series goes back to the origin of Sal Hrvati’s world then leaps forward to its most serious crisis.  The characters of the Books of the Change are older and more assured, but they face eternal problems: fractious families, fragile love-lives, apparitions from the past, and uncertain futures.

Sarah Douglass described the series opener as “an edge-of-your-seat, intelligent contemporary fantasy. Compulsively readable, utterly enthralling, seriously disturbing. One of the finest fantasy novels I’ve read in a long, long time.”

The Crooked Letter was the first fantasy novel in history to win both Aurealis and Ditmar Awards.

BIO: New York Times-bestselling speculative fiction author Sean Williams lives in Adelaide, South Australia.  He is the author of over sixty published short stories and twenty-two novels, including the Books of the Cataclysm and The Resurrected Man, and is a multiple recipient of both the Ditmar & Aurealis Awards.  As well as his original work, he has written several novels in the Star Wars universe.  For a change of pace, he likes to DJ and cook curries.

264 Series/Astropolis: Sean Williams

ITEM: Astropolis Series. Three  paper back books written and signed by #1 New York Times-bestselling Australian speculative fiction writer Sean Williams.

DETAILS: A gender-bending murder mystery and a love story, a sexy post-apocalyptic celebration of the spirit, this series will showcase Williams writing solo in the space opera genre for the first time since his opener of the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology, Dreaming Down-Under.  The scale will be huge, the tone fittingly gothic.

BIO: New York Times-bestselling speculative fiction author Sean Williams lives in Adelaide, South Australia.  He is the author of over sixty published short stories and twenty-two novels, including the Books of the Cataclysm and The Resurrected Man, and is a multiple recipient of both the Ditmar & Aurealis Awards.  As well as his original work, he has written several novels in the Star Wars universe.  For a change of pace, he likes to DJ and cook curries.

253 Picture Book Set/Riley Books: Tania McCartney

ITEM: One copy of each of the three picture books in the Riley series written by Tania McCartney and illustrated Mo Qovaizi.

DETAILS:

Riley and the Sleeping Dragon: A journey around Beijing

Riley and the Dancing Lion: A journey around Hong Kong

Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney

BIO: Tania writes “In November 2008, I self-published my first children’s picture book - Riley and the Sleeping Dragon, which will be made into a travelogue series for 0-8 year olds. Beijing Tai Tai – a memoir-style collection of blogs, columns and journal entries, was self-published in January 2009. And there are many more words in me yet.

I am Australian wife and mother of two gorgeous children – Ella and Riley. We lived in Beijing, China for almost four years and currently live in Canberra, Australia. After that? Who knows.

I love Japanese sweets, French bubbles and Australian air. Mangoes and wasabi are good, too. I love to travel, learn languages, take photographs, craft, design, decorate and wrap presents.

My greatest joys – cuddles from my kids, tea with the girls, the eyes of my husband, seeing somewhere new, creating something new, and… writing.”

http://taniamccartneypress.blogspot.com/

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52 Set of 2 Signed Australian Family Sagas: Fiona Palmer

ITEM: A set of two signed novels by Australian author Fiona Palmer. 

 

DETAILS:

The Family Farm… Isabelle Simpson longs to take over the family farm, but her ailing father is locked in a tragedy of the past and won’t give her the chance she deserves. The stand-off between them threatens to tear the family apart. Izzy decides to break free and make a new start for herself – even though that means leaving the handsome Will Timmins and all her mixed emotions about him behind. But when hardship falls on the farm again, Izzy returns with an even greater determination to resolve the family feud. As she gathers with her friends in the close community under the shade of the gum-tree tavern, confessions are made, long-held secrets are revealed and hearts are set free. Set under the blazing blue skies and in the golden wheatfields of Western Australia, this is a colourful story of family life on the land, and a heartwarming romance about finding true love and following your dreams.

 

CV: I was raised in Pingaring. My Dad and Mum are contractors in town who cart grain, spread fertiliser and spray for the farmers.

The majority of my childhood weekends were spent on my Uncle and Aunty’s farm ‘Gumlea’ with my two cousins Tammy and Sandy, and my younger brother Chad.

We attended the Pingaring Primary School which closed its doors a few years later because of small numbers. I went off to Narrogin High School where I boarded at the Narrogin Residential College. I left school after year eleven, itching to start work and begin my life.

I was a third generation speedway driver, racing cars from the age of 16 right up until I was pregnant with my first child. I didn’t move too far away from my parents, as my Dad was a mechanic and also raced speedway.

After doing odd jobs, rouseabouting, tractor driving and working on the CBH bins, where I met my husband-to-be, I went to Alexander College for a secretarial course. (Luckily they taught me how to type really fast, which comes in handy when typing up long stories)

I got a job at the Shire of Lake Grace as a secretary for three years and then changed to a Teachers Assistant before getting married to my husband Darryl and having my daughter Mackenzie and my son, Blake.

It was while running the local shop in Pingaring in 2006, in a partnership with my Mum, that I began writing down a story that was roaming around in my head. Lo and behold, this was the start of my writing career. The Family Farm is my first book and my second, Heart of Gold will be released on 28 Feb 2011.

See Fiona’s website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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51 Signed Copies of 2 Aussie Bestsellers: Rachael Treasure

ITEM: A set of signed copies of the bestselling Australian novels The Stockmen and The Rouseabout by Rachael Treasure. 

 

DETAILS:

The Stockmen… Rosie Highgrove-Jones grows up hating her double-barrelled name. She dreams of riding out over the wide plains of the family property, working on the land. Instead she’s stuck writing the social pages of the local paper. Then a terrible tragedy sparks a series of shocking revelations for Rosie and her family. As she tries to put her life back together, Rosie throws herself into researching the haunting true story of a 19th century Irish stockman who came to Australia and risked his all for a tiny pup and a wild dream. Is it just coincidence when Rosie meets a sexy Irish stockman of her own? And will Jim help her realise her deepest ambitions # or will he break her heart? The Stockmen moves effortlessly between the present and the past to reveal a simple yet hard-won truth # that both love and the land are timeless . . .

The Rouseabout… Kate Webster is a loveable larrikin who likes to play hard now and worry about the consequences later. She can’t help mucking up the opportunities life gives her. Rocked by the death of her mother, she takes on a dare at one of Australia’s wildest rural social events – a Bachelors & Spinsters ball – to ‘scalp’ gorgeous farm boy Nick McDonnell. It’s a dare that changes everything. For just as Kate is ready to start her new life, away from her grieving father and the pressures of the family farm, she discovers she is pregnant. Now, several years later, with toddler Nell by her side, it’s time for Kate to come home to face the music – and the father of her child . . . Set on the beautiful island of Tasmania, where Rachael Treasure once kicked up her own heels at B&S balls, The Rouseabout is an unforgettable story about discovering the things that truly matter, and finding love that lasts.

See Rachael’s website.

 

CV: Rachael Treasure is the bestselling author of Jillaroo, The Stockmen and The Rouseabout, all bestsellers in Australia selling more than 100,000 combined copies by the end of 2007. She is a sheep and cattle farmer in Tasmania with her husband, John, and her children, Rosie and Charlie. The Treasure family has been droving cattle in the Dargo High Plains since the 1870s. Her latest book is The Cattleman’s Daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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50 Signed Copy of Jasper Jones: Craig Silvey

ITEM: A signed-to-order C-format (no longer available!) of the novel Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. 

 

DETAILS: Late on a hot summer night in the tail end of 1965, Charlie Bucktin, a precocious and bookish boy of thirteen, is startled by an urgent knock on the window of his sleep-out. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in the regional mining town of Corrigan. Rebellious, mixed-race and solitary, Jasper is a distant figure of danger and intrigue for Charlie. So when Jasper begs for his help, Charlie eagerly steals into the night by his side, terribly afraid but desperate to impress.
Jasper takes him through town and to his secret glade in the bush, and it’s here that Charlie bears witness to Jasper’s horrible discovery. With his secret like a brick in his belly, Charlie is pushed and pulled by a town closing in on itself in fear and suspicion as he locks horns with his tempestuous mother; falls nervously in love and battles to keep a lid on his zealous best friend, Jeffrey Lu.
And in vainly attempting to restore the parts that have been shaken loose, Charlie learns to discern the truth from the myth, and why white lies creep like a curse. In the simmering summer where everything changes, Charlie learns why the truth of things is so hard to know, and even harder to hold in his heart.

Awards for Jasper Jones…

Overall Winner, Indie Book of the Year Award 2009
Winner, Indie Book of the Year 2009 – Fiction
Winner (joint), 2009 Western Australia Premier’s Literary Award – Fiction
Finalist, 2010 Sydney Morning Herald 2010 Best Young Novelist
Shortlisted, Miles Franklin Literary Award 2010
Shortlisted, 2010 NSW Premier’s Literary Award – Christina Stead Prize for fiction
Shortlisted, 2010 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards – The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction
Longlisted, 2011 International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award

CV: Craig Silvey grew up on an orchard in Dwellingup Western Australia. He now lives in Fremantle, where at the age of 19 he wrote his first novel,Rhubarb, published by Fremantle Press in 2004. In 2005, Rhubarb was chosen as the ‘One Book’ for the Perth International Writers’ Festival, and was included in the national Books Alive campaign. Silvey also received aSydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist Award. In 2007, Silvey released The World According To Warren, a picture book affectionately starring the guide-dog from Rhubarb. His second novel, Jasper Jones, was completed with the aid of an Australia Council New Work Grant. Outside of literature, Silvey is the singer/songwriter for the band The Nancy Sikes!

 

 

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46 Set of Signed Copies (Aussie sagas) (set 2 of 2): Fleur McDonald

ITEM: Two signed copies of the novels Red Dust and Blue Skies, by Fleur McDonald. 

DETAILS: Red Dust… After the tragic death of her husband in a light-plane accident, Gemma Sinclair is left with the daunting task of managing the vast outback station he’s bequeathed her. But she remains haunted by Adam’s dying words, not to mention persistent whispers that Adam’s death was not an accident.

Review: “Fleur McDonald imbues Red Dust with the authentic flavour of one who knows both the soul-destroying struggles and the exquisite joys of making a living from the land… Red Dust is an inspirational story about a strong woman dealing with adversity. She is one of the most asset-rich young women in the district, but is buffeted by a myriad of dilemmas that would bring most people unstuck. The qualities that see Gemma through her annus horribilis are the best of bush life: the loyalty of friends and family, along with her innate honest and pragmatism. It’s satisfying to read a straight-talking yarn in an authentic setting that doesn’t shy away from the big issues of contemporary life on the land.” ~ RM Williams Outback Magazine, issue 66 Aug/Sept 2009

Blue Skies… The inspirational story of a young woman battling to save the family farm no matter what it takes.

“If you love Aussie-flavoured sagas, feisty heroines or a mystery at the heart of your stories, then Fleur McDonald is a perfect pick for you.” – Paula Tapiolas. ABC QLD Blog

CV: Fleur was born and bred in Orrorro, the mid-north of South Australia.but completed her secondary education in Adelaide. After school she spent a couple of years jillarooing in South Australia and Western Australia. Fleur lives with her husband and two children on a station near Esperance in Western Australia. Fleur is very involved in the daily management of their 8000 acres. Her novels, inspirational outback sagas Red Dust and Blue Skies, are published by Allen & Unwin.

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