The work of the writer

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the work of the writer does not end with the writing itself. There’s the submitting and the waiting and the editing and the marketing and the publicity. And then there’s taking a big breath and asking for a favour. This is the particular skill I’m looking to hone today. It’s not my favourite part of the work, but here goes…
 
You might remember that my debut novel for younger readers, Running with Ivan, came out earlier this year. It was well received and I’ve really loved hearing back from readers of all ages. My thanks to the booksellers who have stocked and recommended it. With that in mind, Better Reading have opened voting for the fifty top books for children. The fifty books chosen will be stocked in Big W for the next year. This gives books like Running with Ivan a new lease of life and the chance to find new readers. If you'd like to cast a vote in the competition - and perhaps consider Running with Ivan when doing so -  you can do it here.  (https://www.betterreading.com.au/news/vote-now-to-win-better-readings-2023-top-50-kids-books/).  I very much appreciate your support.

Some years ago, I read Anna Funder's Miles Franklin award-winning  novel, All That I Am. Her prize-winning work, Stasiland, has been on my reading list for years and this week I’ve finally got to it. A study of East Germany’s communist dictatorship told through the personal accounts of those who lived through it, Stasiland is absolutely compelling.  As is, by all accounts, Anna's new book Wifedom, which brings to life Eileen O’Shaughnessy, the talented but overlooked wife of the writer George Orwell.