Debating the utility and function of book reviews—especially the reviews in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian—is a near constant presence in the contemporary Australian publishing field. These debates typically centre around three distinct themes: reviewers should not review the books that their friends wrote; who is the reviewer writing for (is it … Continue reading Unfortunately, Book Reviews Actually Matter
Let me start with a disclaimer – I’ve been living in Melbourne for the last year and haven’t been able to visit my local bookshop for a very long time. Our bookshops have all had to move to online sales and local deliveries. As a result, our book-buying practices and reading habits have had to … Continue reading Finding links to community in the bookstore
When I checked my phone this morning, I had a text from my sister. It was a video of her daughter – my niece – sounding out the words to her very first picture book: Mix, Mix, Mix, the engrossing tale of Bob the Bug baking a cake. Ordinarily, this is the kind of thing … Continue reading Book Club Zoom Rooms? Online Launches? Melbourne Reading Communities Adapt to a Post-Covid World
Melbourne is known as a City of Literature. The city hosts north of fifty writers festivals, with new ones cropping up every year. Melbourne is home to a plethora of literary journals and Indie bookstores. Writing competitions have become a sport for those who would rather flex a biro than a bicep. These opportunities provide a springboard for locals to expose their work – a tapestry of tales that enrich the nation.
My Gen-Z brain gifted me an eye-opening, isolation-induced epiphany recently: life is relentlessly, unflinchingly episodic.
For the first time I can ever remember, it seemed as though all the forces of the internet had come together and actually agreed on something. It was weird, but I liked it, and it gave me permission to take a step back and think about the other ways I could fill my socially distanced time. With that in mind, I’ve carved out a list of books I’ve come to appreciate over the last month.
In the last few months, when people have asked me what I do, I’ve blushed deeply, fumbled with my words, and eventually spluttered in a barely audible whisper: I’m an editor.
“I had that moment that Harry has in the story, really kind of standing at the bottom of these mountains and just looking up and not believing they’re real.” The release of Seth Robinson's debut novel Welcome to Bellevue is just around the corner! With the final touches being put on the ebook, we sat down with … Continue reading ‘Standing at the bottom of these mountains and just looking up’: an interview with Seth Robinson
By David McVey Libraries. We all love them. You can read books, consult books, borrow books or simply breathe in the atmosphere of books. You can work, study, research, use the wifi and, these days, relax in the café. What would we do without them? Much has been written, and rightly so, about the vital … Continue reading Working in the Library
The publication date for Seth Robinson’s upcoming mystery-thriller Welcome to Bellevue’s is just around the corner! As we work towards finishing off the final touches of the book, we had a chance to chat with Seth to hear about his writing process. We’re also thrilled to be able to give readers some new information about Welcome … Continue reading Seth Robinson answers our questions and teases upcoming novel Welcome to Bellevue
