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A review of Misdemeanor Man by Dylan Schaffer

The style is exceptional and funny. The story – or layers of interrelated stories – never falters. The result is a mixture of exciting tale and moving incidents that create a unique work. One is surprised to note that to…

Interview with Dylan Schaffer

Dylan Schaffer has written three books: Dog Stories (with photographs by Jon Weber), Misdemeanor Man and I Right the Wrongs. The first is a book for dog lovers, a work of great charm, wit and insight but the other two are mystery novels that belong in the very top rank of this kind of writing and as such have universal appeal. This funny and in-depth interview looks at his influences, his dogs, the relationship between law and writing, Barry Manilow, boiled eggs, and lots more.

A review of I Right the Wrongs by Dylan Schaffer

This is abundant material for an author to keep moving and free of tangles. Schaffer manages to keep the mixture interesting and allows enough interplay to keep all parts of his groupings functional. Seegerman’s father, for example, was a former…

A review of Oh, Play That Thing by Roddy Doyle

Henry is larger than an ordinary man, and his longing and failings are so beautifully conveyed that it pulls the whole novel together. The story is almost breathlessly engaging at times, especially when Henry is facing the gun, and Doyle’s…

A review of Songs of the Last Chinese Poet by Ouyang Yu

This collection, which was short-listed for the 1999 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for multicultural writings, is not an easy read. Nor will it leave the reader with a warm sense of transcendence. The language is confronting, defensive, and graphic. But…

Interview with Joan Schweighardt

The founder of GreyCore Press and author of Gudrun’s Tapestry talks about beating the odds, her steep learning curve as a publisher, about the decline in fiction reading, about the differences in thinking as a publisher and thinking as an author, future trends in book publishing, the future of GreyCore and much more.

A review of Worm Story by Morris Gleitzman

Gleitzman has done his research, and this story will teach children about the inner workings of their body, to respect themselves, and to view life in all its layers and diversities from a number of different perspectives. The respect for…

Interview with Morris Gleitzman

The author of Worm Story  talks about his anti-hero, his workshops, the way children have and haven’t changed over the years, why being called a parasite should be a compliment, why “slime” makes such an appealing character to children, his next book, an exclusive recipe/warning for Mars bars and baked apple, and lots more.