THE GROOVE BOOK REPORT

Griffith Review is pleased to announce the winners of the sixth annual Novella project, supported by Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund. Congratulations to  Miriam Sved , Erin Gough , Daniel Young , Holden Sheppard and Lucy Neave who will join Griffith Review Queensland Writing Fellows Rosie Funder , Anne Richards and Victoria Carless , and poet Anthony Macris , in Griffith Review 62: All Being Equal . Judges  Melissa Lucashenko , Benjamin Law , Dennis Altman and Aviva Tuffield , and the Griffith Review editorial team, selected the winning pieces from sixty entries. Published 29 October 2018, All Being Equal explores the texture of equality, bringing to life the big issues in the national narrative and the stories around them. The Griffith Review Queensland Writing Fellowships are funded by Arts ...

Nature vs nurture. It’s a subject that is often explored in stories, as we have an innate desire to understand how we become who we are. Is it to do with our upbringing, our parents, our surroundings – or is the very essence of our being locked away in our DNA – and no amount of love or support will change our very souls? This is the premise of Zoje Stage’s debut novel, Baby Teeth . We are immediately plunged inside Hanna’s mind, as she endures another round of tests to unlock a reason for her selective mutism. Seven years old, Hanna’s imagination is vivid and well-drawn, flying through space before crash landing back into the boring, suffocating hospital corridors she reimagines as the intestines of a giant dragon, and a well-meaning, concerned mother, of whom Hanna hates with every fibre of her being. Why does a 7-yr old hate her mother so intensely? The hatred crackles and builds with intensity, propelling Hanna to reveal to her mother, Suzette, she can actually speak – a...

Check out Jane Arthur's interviews with the finalists, Erin Donahue, Cally Black, Mary-anne Scott, Gareth Ward and Eileen Merriman at https://www.thesapling.co.nz/single-post/2018/07/11/Book-Awards-the-Young-Adult-finalists

After seeing the price on the left for “One Snowy Knight” on Amazon, the author asked: “How many really sell at that price? Are they just hoping to snooker some poor soul?” By David Streitfeld /July 15, 2018 / New York Times SAN FRANCISCO — Many booksellers on Amazon strive to sell their wares as cheaply as possible. That, after all, is usually how you make a sale in a competitive marketplace. Other merchants favor a counterintuitive approach: Mark the price up to the moon. “Zowie,” the romance author Deborah Macgillivray wrote on Twitter last month after she discovered copies of her 2009 novel, “One Snowy Knight,” being offered for four figures. One was going for “$2,630.52 & FREE Shipping,” she noted. Since other copies of the paperback were being sold elsewhere on Amazon for as little as 99 cents, she was perplexed. “How many really sell at that price? Are they just hoping to snooker some poor soul?” Ms. Macgillivray wrote in an email. She noted that her blog had gotten an explo...

From sharks and dawn raids to earthquakes, kidnap plots, Jean Batten and the familiar chaos that is kids at breakfast time, their range is diverse. But they all share the magical ability to transport, inform and delight, says convenor of judges, Jeannie Skinner.  “These books, fiction and non-fiction, help us try on different lives, see the world through another’s eyes, and be inspired by stories of our past, present, and possible futures.” There were 152 entries submitted for the 2018 awards, and finalist titles will compete in seven categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction, Illustration, te reo Māori and Best First Book. The winners of those categories will all compete to be named the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year. The judges say the real strength of the shortlist is the range of vividly drawn and memorable characters who encounter challenges, both physical and mental. They were also delighted by the richly authentic voices, whi...

In his latest book Historian, John Dunmore explores the weird and wonderful characters of the Pacific. The former Massey University professor is renowned for his books on Pacific explorers, particularly Frenchmen like Jean-Francois La Perouse, Louis-Antoine de Bougainville and Jean-Francois-Marie de Surville. He has been honoured in France, where he re-discovered and translated the journals of the ill-fated La Perouse, which had been lost in the archives.  From likeable dreamers to outright conmen, slavers and pirates, and even one self-titled Queen Emma. There's the extraordinary tale of James Proctor who used his wooden leg to trick natives in coming aboard his ship so he could spirit them away as slaves; or French priest Fr Rougier who used his position to amass a fortune, eventually became the "King of Christmas Island". But there are sad accounts as well, of Chinese or Indians fell victim to human trafficking, goldfield fever and unscrupulous traders. If yo...

Well-known writers Toby Hagon and motoring.com.au contributor Bruce Newton have penned a new book covering some of the local automotive industry’s most important and iconic vehicles. When I was a nipper, we had a Holden Kingswood.  To me it was, to quote Fred Schneider, "As big as a whale!"  And it was golden orange.  The perfect 70's colour scheme.  My dad kept his keys in a special pocket in his stubbies.  He wore clip-on sunglasses over his regular specs and a towelling bucket hat when he drove it.  He'd also polish it every Sunday and no food was allowed near the vinyl upholstery.  The 72' Kingswood was a King of the Road, alright.  It could do up to 100 KPM and had a boot that could fit all your camping gear.  It was a true monarch among motors.  It's just one of the splendid Aussie autos from the past that you'll re-meet in this book.  These are the cars that drove Australia and New Zealand - the greatest, bravest...

After a successful start in 2017, Beyond the Page is back for the July School Holidays. Last year over 4,000 people attended events in our region’s libraries and galleries. This year tamariki can once again go on an amazing literary and creative journey during the school holidays at hundreds of events around the region at New Zealand’s largest literary festival for children. Sir Jon Trimmer will be back with Tales from the Ballet, Wellington’s Kings and Queens will be reading hand-picked stories at Rainbow Storytimes, award-winning Kiwi authors and creators (such as Sasha Cotter and Josh Morgan) will share their enthusiasm and knowledge with the next generation of storytellers, the BARK NZ brigade will be bringing their furry friends along, robots will be unleashed, and so much more – there’s something on for all members of the whānau! Stay tuned for further information releases over the coming weeks. Follow Beyond the Page on  Facebook , and check out the  bey...