Kathryn's Inbox

Recently, I experienced a hellish train ride home. It was a cold day, I had battled rain for most of the walk down to the train station, and I was exhausted from a long and emotionally draining day at work. The train's heating/air conditioning was playing up for most of the journey, the book I had bought with me was a poorly written piece of what is not usually called such on this blog, and the person sitting next to me was one of those annoying people who treat their tablet like it's a typewriter and are constantly bumping everyone around them with their elbows and then not apologising. By the end of the journey I was tired, I was irritated and it was getting mightily close to dinner time and I was hungry. All I wanted to do was get the fuck home. And then, when the train arrived at my station, I had one of those moment. When I got to the door, there was someone who I know, albeit not terribly well, but well enough that it would be rude not to acknowledge their presence. So,...

Sorry. Just wanted to celebrate.

Acting the Part is a fun, lightweight romance that is perfect for a rainy day. I picked this one up, intending to read a couple of chapters over brunch, but ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. Poppy is a young woman who loves her mother and who hates the film industry. Normally, this would not be a problem, but at the moment, her mother is in trouble, Poppy needs money fast and the only person who can help her is her estranged father--who also happens to be one of the biggest names in the movie industry. George agrees to help her financially, but only on the condition that Poppy earn the money by working as a gofer on his latest film. The job is an unpleasant one and is made even less so by Max, the Australian director who, although gorgeous, has a massive chip on his shoulder and believes that Poppy has been sent to spy on him. And when the chemistry between Max and Poppy begins to build, well ... you have all the ingredients for a sizzling romance. I enjoyed read...

I snapped a picture of this heavily decorated tram entering the Rundle Mall tram stop on King William Street back in March, when the Adelaide Fringe was on. Sponsored by Bank SA, this tram was an official part of the Adelaide Fringe, and helped patrons to venue hop. 

Every bit as funny as it was when it was originally published in 1981, George's Marvellous Medicine tells the story of eight year old George, who comes up with a clever way to get revenge on his horrid and selfish grandmother, and ends up causing absolute havoc with the special new medicine that he creates for his grandmother. Suddenly, Grandma's head is pushing through the roof and George's dad--a farmer--is keen to create more of the medicine and to bottle it, as he thinks that he can make a fortune by feeding it to the animals. In true Roald Dahl style, there are lots of great laugh out loud moments and everyone ends up getting exactly what they deserve. I enjoyed reading this one, as it was a childhood favourite, though I was surprised by how little I remembered of the story. I suppose it is eclipsed a bit by some of Dahl's books that I read a bit later on-- Matilda, The BFG, the Witches-- and this easier to read junior novel was mostly forgotten. Anyway, th...

Reminiscent of the old R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike novels that I read during my early adolescence, Becca Fitzpatrick's Black Ice is a mostly satisfying YA thriller with a number of twists and turns, some of which are more predicable than others. Britt and Kobie are planning a hiking trip, but their plans are foiled when a surprise snowstorm hits. Forced to abandon their vehicle, they take shelter in a cabin and find themselves in the company of two very dangerous men.  Britt makes for an interesting heroine. She's smart, resourceful and comes with a whole lot of baggage including a failed relationship with Kobie's older brother, Calvin. The attraction between her and bad boy Mason is obvious from the beginning and the pair fit beautifully together on the page. There is also a subplot about the friendship between Britt and Kobie that is never explored in a great deal of detail. More interesting is the relationship between Britt and Calvin and Fitzpatrick does a c...

I think so too ...

Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire is a brilliantly imagined and written horror novel that has not only stood the test of time, but inspired the author to create a whole world and series of novels based within its universe. Despite this, there is something wonderfully humbling about the tale of Louis, the reluctant vampire who tells a young, unnamed journalist his life story--of how he was changed from human to vampire by the needy and spoiled Lestat, the creation of child vampire Claudia and his eventual relationship with the vampire Armand. Rice does not go easy on the horror and there are occasional touches of erotica and metaphors for sexual identity and frustration. It is a also a sympathetic portrait of somebody who was turned--against their will--into something that they despise. Although thirty-nine years have passed since Interview With the Vampire was first published in 1976, the novel still has a very modern feel about it. I enjoyed reading this one, despi...

Welcome to another great Writers on Wednesday interview. This week I'm chatting with debut author Samantha Napier, whose romantic comedy Dating the Alphabet was recently published by HarperCollins ... Tell me a bit about yourself … I’m not a very good sleeper which is handy when you’re trying to juggle a few realities at the same time.   My three beautiful boys keep me on my toes,  my wonderful husband , also a writer helps me bounce ideas around and my job as a flight attendant allows me these occasional overnights where I get to indulge in reading and watching movies. Like most writers I eat way too much chocolate in the name of art but even when the sugar slump has set in I still enjoy putting a story together.  I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to write for stage, screen and now book and look forward to many other exciting opportunities. Tell us about your most recently published book? Dating the Alphabet is a romcom abo...

British based author Paula Hawkins novel The Girl on the Train is a thriller with a number of surprising and unsavoury twists. Told through the eyes of three women--Rachel, Megan and Anne--we read of the mysterious disappearance of Megan and the connection that all three women have to one charismatic, but manipulative and unscrupulous man. The novel opens with Rachel, a thirty-something woman whose life is in tatters following the end of her marriage to Tom. She believes the divorce is her fault and is told frequently so by her husband. An alcoholic, Rachel has been fired from her job and spends her days travelling back and forward on the train, which takes her past the home of a lovely couple who she dubs Jess and Jason. Rachel projects any number of wonderful qualities on the pair and experiences a type of wish fulfilment through what she imagines their life to be like. Rachel's life takes a surprise turn when she discovers through the media that Jess is actually named Me...

The above and following pictures are just random shots I took around Elder Park back when the Adelaide Fringe was on. One of the fringe events was directly at the back of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and featured some evocative artwork, including an "Abbott Proof Fence." Most of these pictures were taken in Mid-March, just as the Fringe was starting to draw to a close.

The Age of Miracles is a clever coming-of-age novel set against a surprising backdrop--the end of the world. On a Saturday morning, eleven year old Julia wakes up and discovers that the earth is slowing down. The earth no longer spins as quickly as it used to and is becoming slower with every turn. The inhabitants of planet earth are on borrowed time and no one knows when earth will finally stop. Interwoven between disastrous efforts by the human race to cope (including the controversial 'clock time' which no longer reflects the length of actual days, and attempts to flee, but with nowhere to go,) is Julia's own coming of age which includes a betrayal by a supposed best friend, her first love and an unsavoury discovery about her father. Much like the slowing of the earth, the narrative is slow and thoughtful. I enjoyed reading this one, despite its depressing premise, for its meditations on human nature and the (often flawed) way that people try to cope in the face ...

Yep.

Penguin Little Black Classics Penguin / RRP $1.99 Publication date: 25 February 2015 To celebrate the 80 th birthday of Penguin Books , Penguin will be publishing 80 Little Black Classics , putting the spotlight on publishing’s most famous series, Penguin Classics. At 64 pages and $1.99 each, the Little Black Classics are beautifully designed, complete mini-books to be collected, shared and enjoyed . Showcasing the enormous range and diversity of the world-renowned Penguin Classics list, these are texts that reach out across continents, eras and genres, ranging from the streets of Victorian London in Henry Mayhew’s Of Street Piemen, to 13 th -century Japanese blossom gardens in Kenko’s A Cup of Sake Beneath the Cherry Trees . Here are unfamiliar works from very familiar authors such as The Beautifull Cassandra by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens’s The Great Winglebury Duel, alongside texts from more surprising writers such as My Dea...

Beautifully imagined, written and translated The Shadow of the Wind is a novel that will stay with me for a long time. It opens in Barcelona in 1945 with a boy being taken to visit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he is tasked with 'adopting' one of the books. He chooses The Shadow of the Wind, an obscure and long forgotten novel by Julian Carax a controversial Spanish author. Over the next few years, as Daniel moves through adolescence, his position as the caretaker of the book leads him through a surprising number of adventures as he discovers the history of the book and struggles to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, all whilst living in a country that is still struggling in the aftermath of civil war. The Shadow of the Wind is the perfect read for those who love books. I had never heard of this one until a friend pointed it out whilst we were searching through some titles at a well-known Adelaide secondhand bookshop. Once I opened the cover, I found...

At Semaphore, you don't have to leave the beach to work out. Walking along the track that follows the beach (and the tourist train that I definitely would have gone on, had I had a kid with me,) a friend and I were surprised to discover a number of pieces of work out equipment. It's a great way, I think, to encourage people to be healthy and active, without them having to spend a lot of money, and with the benefit of a great view.

The idea for this blog post came to me after a recent discussion with another blogger who was arguing the case for rating books five stars. ( Check it out here. ) Positive book reviews are important. You know why? I love books. I love reading books, I love talking about books and I love hearing about the books that other readers love.  And I also love encouraging others to read.  When we share the books that we love we are more likely to talk them up and write posts that actively encourage people to get out there and give that book a chance. We could very well inspire someone who has not picked up a book in years to read that title. And that can only be a good thing. What, then, of credibility? If a blogger gives every book a glowing review, do we lose our credibility? Not if that review is written honestly and sincerely.  I will admit, I do write negative reviews from time to time. At times it can feel a little like an occupational hazard. After all, it...

Welcome all to my stop on the Season of Shadow and Light Blog Tour, which kicked off a little while ago and is stopping by a number of wonderful Australian book blogs. The purpose of the tour is to promote Australian author Jenn J McLeod's latest release Season of Shadow and Light  which I read and reviewed recently. (Read my review here .) Anyway, as part of the tour today I am lucky enough to be interviewing Jenn J McLeod. I loved her answers to my (somewhat difficult) questions and I think that you will too ... Hi Jenn! Thank you very much for stopping by. Although we have chatted many times on social media, this is your first visit to my blog. Congratulations on the publication of Season of Shadow and Light, which I found to be quite the page turner…   Would you like to tell us a little about Season of Shadow and Light ? Ha, ha! Thanks for that intro, Kathryn! *wink*. Speaking of laughs . . . Readers should prepare to laugh, to cry, and to cheer as Pa...

Just for fun. Feel free to share in the comments section. (Or not, if it's too embarrassing!)

The Book of Strange New Things is a brilliantly imagined meditation on human nature and relationships set in a surprising, but beautiful, new world. Peter Leigh is a pastor on a surprising mission--he has been sent from Earth to Oasis, a far away planet where the locals are desperate to learn about the bible, or The Book of Strange New Things as they call it. Welcomed into this strange new land and treated like royalty, Peter has a wonderful time. Meanwhile, things are not going so well for his wife, Bea, back on Earth. The distance between them, and their radically different experiences, is putting a strain on their relationship. Can their relationship last the distance and just what is Peter willing to sacrifice for the people that he loves? I first discovered The Book of Strange New things earlier this year when I attended Adelaide Writers' Week and listened to the author speak. For one reason or another, I never got around to buying a copy until a couple of weeks ago,...

American author Colleen Hoover knows not only her strength as an author, but how to satisfy her readers and proves it yet again with Confess , another winning contemporary romance. As is often the case with Hoover's work, she cleverly incorporates another medium into her work, this time turning her attention to paintings that were inspired by real confessions that were sent to her from her readers and weaving in a beautiful romance. Auburn Reed is trying to rebuild her life. Shortly after the death of her boyfriend when they were both fifteen she discovered that she was pregnant. Cruelly deceived by Lydia, her boyfriend's selfish mother, she is doing her best to win custody of her now four-year-old son, but that is not easy when she is living in a strange new city, has no money and a job that she does not like. Fate brings her one day to an art studio where she meets Owen, who has a past and secrets of his own and who lives out his day painting pictures of the things th...

H-Class Tram, Wigley Reserve How is this for street art? (Or street car art, perhaps.) At Wigley reserve, Glenelg, a small section of the park is now home to one of Adelaide's famous H-class trams. The H-class trams were a stalwart of Adelaide's public transportation system, servicing the city-to-Glenelg (or city to the Bay if you're a local,) until 2006 when the newer Flexity classic trams were brought in and the tram line was extended to West Terrace. H-class trams were slowly phased out after the introduction of the newer trams, eventually narrowed down to weekend historic/tourist services until the tram line was extended to Hindmarsh in 2010. One of the trams, number 361, now sits proudly under a canopy, just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Patawalonga River where the replica of the HMS Buffalo is moored.  

Twins  an uncomfortable short story about sibling rivalry and betrayal and written by me is now available as a FREE download from Smashwords with other excellent online retailers to follow.  The blurb reads: Isla is the quiet, submissive twin but that all changes one day when she catches her boyfriend and twin sister in bed together. She flees the small Australian town that she calls home and makes a new life for herself in the city, until tragedy forces her to return home to Verona Beach where she confronts her sister and the ghosts of her past.  Thoughtfully written and with a number of surprising twists, Twins is a short story from Australian author Kathryn White. Download your copy of Twins here.