Local Author Republished

Regular followers know that we occasionally review indie publications other than our own here. So, in keeping with this spirit of advocacy for small publisher & self publishing enterprises, today we salute ‘UG’  by local author, Charles G Reid (Xlibris 2011) which has just been picked up by Austin Macauley UK.  Congratulations Charlie!

UG: history entwined with folklore, an adventure set in Briton’s Dark Ages, the fabric of which is  interaction between a small group of rival forest dwellers – Faery folk and Celtic farmers – who eventually must both do battle with a larger, encroaching world.

Charles Reid’s writing brings the forest and its inhabitants instantly alive in the mind’s eye. Despite a pace that always propels the reader forward into yet another hair-tingling encounter, it is not a book to read quickly. At times one wants to simply stand in this forest and breath the air of long ago, to step carefully between its pages so as not to crush the delicate plants or creatures.   

It is a book with which to nurture a love of literature – and, not withstanding faeries and trolls, it will likely nurture respect for the natural world as well. There seems no contradiction: Reid’s faery characters are portrayed with such earthy plausibility, one almost believes they actually inhabited our ancient past.

Don’t think that descriptions of natural beauty might deter a young reader, this is a thrill-a-minute narrative, spiced with humour and vivid characters. The dramatis personae, villagers and faeries alike, are all endearing; particularly the eponymous Ug, who, fierce and malevolent foe to intruders into his domain, is also guardian and tender gardener.  It is a rich cast, with guest appearances from travelling minstrels, a relic toting frier, a handsome young Norman, rampaging Norsemen, and finally trolls… but I mustn’t give too much away.

In the tradition of ‘Island of the Pines’ or ‘Watership Downs’, UG would do well as a read aloud to children. (Not very young ones, however, as there are graphic battle scenes!) It is chiefly pitched at young adult readers but will appeal to just about anybody who enjoys a good read.

 

Judging Story Competitions Part 2

This continuing story of a rural writing competition is from the beginning of the prize presentation evening, wherein Jane presented her own credentials – included here because it is relevant to this blog and to Pomonal Publishing generally. Then she addressed the younger writers:

It’s lovely to see you all here tonight, and it’s been a great privilege to read the entries and select the winners. But before we get to that most exciting bit, I think it only fair that you should know something about me. Why have I been asked to stand in judgement of your creative writing? So I’ll tell you a little about myself:

I grew up in Northern Victoria between the Murray River and the Broken Creek, but like many country kids, I went down to Melbourne for a tertiary education. I went to art school. Both my parents were painters, as was my late brother, Chris Nicholls who some of you may have known. Bron Nicholls, an author of both adult and children’s literature, is my older sister and was for many years my writing mentor.

Initially I trained as a photographer, then as a filmmaker, and I worked in the film industry in Melbourne for almost 20 years. But writing has always been a major part in my life. I kept an extensive journal, I wrote short stories, poetry and film scripts, – and I taught writing too: tutoring for the Victorian Adult Literacy Council, teaching Screen Writing for accredited film courses, and finally, when I moved up here, both Creative Writing and Script Writing for Stotts Correspondence College.

Eventually I began writing (and rewriting) my first novel. But by the time I was happy with it, about ten years ago now, it had become clear that I’d left it too late to find a mainstream publisher. The nature of the book industry had changed so much that even previously published and acclaimed Australian authors were no longer considered profitable.

I recently learned of a many-times published author whose latest manuscript was rejected because, and I quote: ‘though ‘beautifully written as always’, her publisher ‘no longer handled literature because there was no money in it.

Because I knew quite a few accomplished writers in similar situations, I became an accidental publisher myself – taking advantage of the digital technologies that have transformed our lives, to create a writer-driven, small publishing venture, based here in the Grampians. Pomonal Publishing. Already we have produced a dozen books and have several others in the pipeline. And of course you can read more about it on our blog. (This blog.)

But now, I’d like to speak specifically to the younger writers in our midst...

photo by Ree

Human beings have been telling stories since prehistoric times, when our earliest ancestors gathered around fires, their only source of heat and light after the sun went down, to tell the stories that would make us who we are.

In this very place, in this country we call the Wimmera, right here, ancient people told their stories for many thousands of years. I think it right that we acknowledge them, the traditional owners of this country, the first Australians.

Because the art of telling stories dates back to the beginning of human culture, writing stories connects each of you to this very ancient tradition; you can really be proud of that. But entering a writing competition is not like running a race on Sports Day, You can’t see the person ahead or behind you – and there’s no finish line. So…if you can’t write to win, what makes a winning story?

Firstly, it must be original. Though it’s sometimes said that there are no original stories – that they’ve all been told before. I don’t believe that’s true, any more than I believe each of you is exactly the same. Every person relates to the world around them in their own unique way. And a good story lies more in the telling than in the bare facts; so finding an authentic voice for your narrator, or for your main character, is a big part of the writing process. (For our younger writers: Authentic just means: real, true, not a copy or a fake.)

Of course correct grammar and spelling will always help, and there’s a lot you can learn at school about the writer’s craft – but it’s important that when you write, you don’t do it to win competitions, but because it’s what you love to do, or because you have something to say, something that needs to be heard.

And don’t forget that writing goes hand in hand with reading. Particularly for young writers. That really is the best way to learn about story-telling and to improve your own writing. Nobody ever became a good writer watching DVDs or television. When you watch TV all the imagination comes from the other side of the screen. We just sit back with our mental feet up, taking it easy.

But when we get into a good book our minds are working all the time to picture what we read. Each of us sees the story unfold in our own imagination. And that’s what makes our brain stretch its creative bits. So, if you want to be a writer: More Books Less TV, yes? And now to the prizes…

Judging Short Stories

Some years back I was asked to judge a regional writing competition and today I stumbled across my notes for the speech I gave that award night. As I’ve not been well enough to publish anything new here for some time, I will post that address instead – for those of you kind enough to keep checking out this little blog page. Thanks for dropping by.

WIMMERA REGIONAL LIBRARY ADULT SECTION 2017

photo by Dominika Roseclay

Recently I heard of a study that found people who spent more hours using social media reported feeling more lonely than those who did not use it, or used it less often. For some reason this reminded me of a line attributed to C.S. Lewis in the movie, ‘Shadowlands’: We read to know that we are not alone.

I wonder how many of our kids know this great writer’s work only from the film versions of his Narnia books?

A great deal of our time does seem to be spent in front of a screen of some sort – television, computer, smartphone. But adapting to new technology is no excuse for discarding our literacy standards. And this is why regional libraries continue to play a hugely significant role in our communities.

Competitions such as this one encourage people, of all ages, not just to write, but to hone the craft of writing – to learn the difference between stringing an easy clutch of words and structuring a well-told story, carefully shaping it, until it is, indeed, a work of art.

A competition such as this says: We, as a culture, still value a beautiful sentence, the expression of original thoughts and ideas. We do not look only to the mass media for our sense of ourselves, but also to our long history of written and spoken language. We still have time for that.

And it is because of this, that in my selection of winners, I could not choose stories derivative of mass media, stories that mimicked TV shows and computer games. I looked for stories inspired by the world around us.
I looked for complex characters and nuanced narratives that suggested the writer had observed real life.

With a different judge there would likely have been different winners – but I want to stress that there are, in fact, no losers. Surely we don’t engage in the art of literature in order to win. We do it because it enriches us.

Each of your stories touched me in their own way. I have read tales of loss and of deeply experienced loyalties; tales of place, conveying powerful feelings for the bush, the farm, the Wimmera. I have found humour, and black humour; explorations of memory and of identity. It was a privilege to hear your voices, and encouraging to discover so many fellow writers here in the Wimmera.

I want to tell you a little about my selection process: The most powerful, and indeed beautiful, piece of writing among this year’s entries, to my ear at least, could not, in all fairness, be awarded first prize. It did not really conform to a strict definition of a ‘Short Story’. Let me explain why in the end I decided to go with a strict definition.

A short story is one of the hardest forms of literature to master. It must introduce and develop characters, and complete a narrative arc within a tight framework. To better illustrate the difficulty, let’s compare this to writing a novel:

In a novel you have heaps of time to impress a reader, to build your three- dimensional characters, to develop your theme, and even subordinate themes, to build your plot and to tie up each thread. But in a short story you must not only build character and narrative – essentials from which we derive the ‘story’ – in a very short space of pages, but do so entirely without cliché. You must deliver simplicity without banality.

In a novel a sloppy sentence may whisk past the casual reader unobserved. In a short story it is an immediate blight. In a novel you can waffle and just maybe the reader will struggle on, trusting that there is some point to it all. But in a short story to waffle is to commit the unpardonable literary sin of losing the plot.

No doubt many of you have discovered for yourselves just how challenging it is to write character or plot driven narrative; much harder than an essay, memoir or creative non-fiction. Yet there were excellent examples of each of these among the entries too. But this was a Story competition. And this was my dilemma in selecting the winners. So. . .

Because of it’s deft handling of the linked themes of Ageing and Loss, I have chosen ‘The Mayoress of Casterbridge’ for first prize. . .

The author strikes a skilful balance between interior and exterior space, which helps to develop a sense of both place and character. In quick, deft lines, a great deal of information is conveyed about both past and present relationships. There is also a delicate use of metaphor, wherein the aging body and an abandoned country town construct a literary symphony, without undue sentiment. And there is just enough plot development to lift the narrative towards a satisfying conclusion.

I have chosen ‘Little Superman’ and ‘Herbert Green, Deceased’ as 2nd & 3rd place winners – again, for an expert handling of the inherent demands of the narrative structure. And frankly, because these stories moved me.

But I have given the Encouragement Award to the entry I alluded to earlier. A powerful piece of pure, lyrical prose: ‘The Greatest Show on Earth.’

When the Cat Speaks

Bron Nicholls’  intricately crafted novella, opens a window into the joys and sorrows of growing old alone in regional Australia.  This work has the eloquent simplicity of Kent Haruf’s Our Souls At Night, coupled with the womanly psychological observations of an early Doris Lessing.

Nell, in her seventy-ninth year, narrates her past and her present as a thoughtful observation of the world around her; of her participation in it on her own terms and learning from each challenge.  There is plot, but it subtle. There is drama, but it is organic and  uncontrived.  Bron Nicholls excels in a style of writing that makes us look again at the familiar. 

But she also writes in terms that make the book suitable for any age group, and, because she captures the minutiae of ageing that society and media often prefer to ignore, this is a book that would make a marvellous study piece in schools.  For older readers, living alone, it is a must.

It is now available from Pomonal Publishing, or, for locals in the Grampians, from the Stawell Library’s new ‘local author’ shelf.

Coming Soon: Bron Nicholls’ latest.

Next month we will be releasing Bron Nicholls’s delightful Novella: When the Cat Speaks.

Nicholls is an acclaimed author of both adult and children’s literature. Her previous books include: Move; Three Way Street; Mullaway: Reasons of the Heart; Zeno’s Paradise; An Imaginary Mother; The Humming Tree; Currawong Calling.

Watch this space for release date, reviews and purchase details.

 

Fremantle Launch for ‘Argot’

Christopher Konrad’s powerful poetry collection, Argot, will have its Western Australian launch in Fremantle next month.

This collection explores the domain of the personal, perhaps even secret speech, the half-hidden languages derived from culture, family and desire.  The collection will be launched by award winning poet and author, Shane McCauley [most recently, The Drunken Elk, Sunline Press, and Trickster, Walleah Press.]

Thursday May 11
Orient Hotel
39 High St.     Fremantle

 

Kindly supported by New Edition Books – Fremantle

 

 

 

Christopher Konrad

We are proud to announce the release of a new poetry collection, ‘Argot’  by the powerful voice of Christopher Konrad, a Western Australian poet, whose work has been published in numerous journals and has won several poetry awards, he now lives and works on the south eastern strip of this big continent.  See earlier post August 8.

I first read Konrad’s work a year ago when he contacted Pomonal Publishing with the manuscript of ‘Argot’ and I knew immediately that this was one I wanted to turn into a book.  But my health has slowed me down . . . so I also knew this was not going to happen . . . unless I changed the way things are done around here.   I must demand more hands-on involvement from writers who wish to publish with us.

Chris Konrad rose to that challenge and did all the layout himself, even designed his own cover (with quite a bit of interference from me) and organized the print run. He hopes to properly launch the collection in Western Australia, where both he and his work are better known, but in the meantime it is available here.

Here’s one of from the collection:
 
Liminal

Crashing waves carry us onto the crushed sand to find there, on the
shore – something’s missing. Just out of reach, always at finger-tip
edge, singing out like buildings tumbling down into the sea. Never
quite there – Angels nod towards the dry dirt. Not quite or, she,
standing upon the bridge looking skywards, like a plea, like
inevitability & somewhere in-between another race we cannot
conceive but somehow so remote, & their celestial music. I feel the
wind salty through my fingers & the graining waves through my toes:
it is not in vain this edge, this ligature & liminal of day. Not for
nothing, the sculptures of the heart or mind.

 

Coming Soon!

Christopher Konrad’s latest poetry collection soon to be released by Pomonal Publishing!

 

In this collection of poems Konrad explores the domain of the personal, perhaps even secret speech; the half hidden languages derived from culture, family, and desire. Employing that slippage of language which only poetry can properly convey – the liminal, free-floating or tangled structure of the written or spoken word – enabling it to be just what we make of it.

 

Watch this space for launch details

 

 

Chamber Launch Shots

Photos, as promised:
Katherine Brabon launching ‘Shots from the Chamber’ at the Chamber Art & Coffee House on June 11.

 

Proud editors, from left: Christopher, Ben, and Myron.

 

 

David Wood, poet, reading his poem from the anthology.

 

‘Shots from the Chamber’ ring out!

The first anthology of poems by the Chamber Poets was let fly today amid much celebration at the Chamber Arts & Coffee House.  The event was part of the Woodend Winter Arts Festival.  This exciting, germane, community-affiliated publication was launched by Katherine Brabon, winner of the 2016 Vogel Award, who was born in Woodend. Contributing poets then read from their work.

Unfortunately I was unable to be there to represent Pomonal Publishing, as it was just too far for me to drive in a day, so I can’t yet show you pictures. For those of you at the festival: copies of the anthology can still be purchased from the Chamber Coffee House, from the New Leaf bookshop in Woodend, and it will soon be available online, through Amazon.

‘Shots from the Chamber’ is a remarkable volume featuring over sixty poets who have read at this event since its inception in February 2013. Hosted by founder of the band Going Down Swinging Myron Lysenko, Chamber Poets is a spoken word event incorporating art and music.

The book was edited by Ben Oost, Myron Lysenko and Christopher Race, with an introduction by poet and academic, Andrew Burke, a foreword by Myron Lysenko, and an extract from a forthcoming memoir by Ron Burrows. And, in addition to those 60 + contributors comprising both established and emerging poets, there are photos by Philip Holgate and David Crosbie. The book design was done by myself and Ben Oost. I promise pictures of the event as soon as they arrive in the PP inbox.

3 days to book-launch

As we count down to the launch of ‘Shots from the Chamber’ here is what Myron Lysenko, Chamber Poets convenor, has to say about the poetry/poets included in this publication:

We hope that this anthology will capture something of the atmosphere prevalent at Chamber Poets: the highs and the lows, the established poet and the emerging poet; sometimes poets come out of the closet and read for the first time in public, sometimes somebody inadvertently caught up in the reading while trying to get a glass of wine ends up being inspired by what they hear and goes off to write their own poetry. The anthology is inclusive as it showcases poets at the height of their careers or at the beginning, and everything in between. It can be read from start to finish, or just by dipping in from poet to poet.

We are very proud to present a wonderful representation of the readings that have been staged with such famous poets and identities such as Judith Rodriguez, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Claire Gaskin, II. O., Alice Savona, Kevin Brophy, Jennifer Compton, Joe Dolce, John Flaus, John Bryson, Gaylene Carbis, Ross Donlon, Andy Jackson, Klare Lanson and John A. Scott.

We are pleased to republish John A Scott’s four sonnets, which won the Peter Porter Poetry Prize of 2013, a poem each from Anna Fern and Maurice McNamara who both wrote a poem about their shared experience of being caught in a railway tunnel and being surprised by on unexpected oncoming train. There are poems from other poetry couples: Lish and Paul Skec both writing about Minyip, Myron and Jade writing haiku about their relationship, poems from poetry twins Emily Polites and Bronwen Manger, father and daughter Ben and Soleil Oost, who is the youngest poet at 9 years old and John Flaus the oldest at 82.

Thank you to all the feature poets and open section poets who submitted to the anthology. We received over two hundred poems. Many addressed the general theme of life in Central Victoria. The book is a combination of poets living in Melbourne and poets who encircle Woodend.

Thank you also to our sponsors and people who donated to the costs of the book: Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Bendigo Bank and the patrons at the Village Larder who threw in coins and notes into a jar beside the till. Thank to Philip Holgate for the use of the premises and we welcome the hospitality of new owner Remy Shpayzer.

Woodend’s Chamber of Poets

Woodend’s Winter Arts Festival will kick off on June 10 – just another way we try to keep warm in here Victoria – and with it our next poetry publication: ‘Shots from the Chamber, An anthology from the Chamber Poets’.

The titular chamber was once Woodend’s Council Chambers but long since has been home to a delightfully arty cafe: the Chamber Art & Coffee House. Once monthly it hosts an open mic gathering of poets in a warm friendly atmosphere where many varied voices and all developmental levels of poetry are equally welcomed.

Each month a more established poet is also invited to read, so the venue has seen some of Australia’s most renowned poets. The anthology reflects this diversity and the philosophy of inclusiveness that is the Chamber Poets hallmark.  From Judith Rodrigues to Chris Wallace-Crabbe; from John Flaus to Pomonal Publishing’s Christopher Race (pictured) whose first collection we launched only a year ago.

Festival goers are invited to attend the launch of this latest publication. Entry is free and the anthology will be on sale for $20.  Meanwhile, watch this space for more about the anthology, its editors and contributors.

 

 

 

A splendid kind of darkness

Bright autumn sun interspersed with showers, inclement cloud the darkly spectacular backdrop to a radiance of red/gold foliage – Clunes is at its magical best in moody weather. The lighting seemed purposely tuned to shades of Annie Drum’s collection of stories, ‘Like Trees’, launched at the festival on Sunday. See previous posts.

A cold wind did not deter Clunes Booktown festival goers. The upper room of ‘the Warehouse’ where Neil Boyack‘s segment of the program unfolded was packed with readers of, and true believers in BOOKS. Yes, that good old fashioned printed word.

Introduced and lauded by Boyack, Annie assured us that the sometimes darkness of her stories was no cause for the concern that had been (kindly) expressed; she was in fact quite okay in herself. Then she read the story: Hero And The Machine, from the collection, and from which I’ve quoted in an earlier post.

Two days previously Annie had spoken about Boyack’s support of her writing in an interview on VOICE FM Ballarat. Neil is a Central Victorian author and convenor of the Newstead Short Story Tattoo, a small literary festival that features both known and emerging writers, with a substantial sidedish of music and fireside storytelling. His particular support for new and emerging voices was substansiated on Sunday by the inclusion of a very young writer indeed: Zach Haywood, a student of Maryborough Education Centre, reading for the first time with remarkable poise.

Other readers were Nathan Curnow, and Bronwyn Blaiklock both published poets and consummate poet-performers.  Kirsten Boerema charmed us with her powerful voice and magical ukulele accompaniment.

Those wishing to purchase a copy of LIKE TREES may do so by contacting us through Pomonal Publishing’s main website.

 

 

one week to ‘take off’

 

Annie Drum ‘s first collection of short stories will be launched by Neil Boyack on May 1st at the tenth anniversary festival, Clunes Book Town

These are razor-edged stories investigating the bounds of identity, provoking questions: How do we travel? And more importantly: What do we travel as?  Read the full Press Release on the Pomonal Publishing website.

…when she gave birth there was a sense of something sacred and almost like order. Throughout the labour Hero kept asking – how big is the egg? The large nurse said – a baby, you’re having a baby. The other nurse laughed, a sort of a crazy sound, and Hero thought she must be a bit off centre. When the large nurse presented her with a darling little bird in a tight white blanket Hero thought her heart might burst…

The launch will take place in the ‘Newstead Literary Tattoo Presents’ segment, in the Warehouse at 3.00 pm. To attend you will need to purchase a festival ticket. This will enable entry to all of the many exciting literary events of the weekend.  See the festival website for further details.

‘Like Trees’ by Annie Drum

Two weeks till we launch Annie Drum’s first collection of short stories. An event I’ve anticipated for nigh on thirty years, after reading an early story by ‘the girl downstairs’ in a block of East Melbourne flats.

Why has this taken so long? Well, the radical change in the ideology of publishing houses, for one thing. In this advanced stage/age of capitalism, in a society obsessed by the concept of perpetual-growth-driven profit, a beautiful voice is easily overlooked.  (This, of course, is exactly why small, non-profit publishers like us had to come into existence.)

And perhaps also life itself has intervened, slowing down the pace at which Drum could pursue her career in literature. But this slower maturation of her voice will perhaps, like a good wine, prove worth the wait.

Today I am a tree, tall and alive, with sap crystals on my body. The wind is strong but I sway with it, we are the same. My trunk is wide and my jewels wink and glint in the sun. People walk by and never see me amongst the other trees. A little way up the street is James Owen, he is also a tree. That’s where he went, you see. I smile at him, and he waves a branch at me.

Watch this space for more about this magical collection of stories over the next two weeks. Maybe I can entice Annie to speak to us about her work on this blog.

Projects 2016

Let me tell you about some exciting new books we are working on for the first 6 months of this year:

Annie Shearing has been writing a series for younger readers, each focusing on a thorny or critical event challenging a group of friends in the outer suburbs of Melbourne; each book features a different member of the group. The first – ‘Anna & the Last House in Melbourne’ – will be ready later this month.

Pomonal Publishing’s Anthea Nicholls is the designer and all round hands-on person for this series.

Next up: ‘Like Trees’ short stories by Annie Drum – an emerging writer of literary fiction, whose close observation of life, coupled with quirky, moving depiction of people in fragile mind-states makes for poignant reading.

It is a personal pleasure to see this first collection of Drum’s stories carrying the Pomonal Publishing logo, as her writing has enchanted me for many years.  It will be launched 1st May at the Clunes Booktown 10th anniversary.

The ‘Like Trees’ book design is being done by the talented Lin Tobias. We are delighted to have her expertise on this and, hopefully, future projects.

Chamber Poets (known to us for hosting the 2015 launch of Christopher Race’s ‘Still Life With Grandmother’) are producing a members’ poetry anthology. The theme is ‘Place’ and submissions are now closed. The editing team are Ben Oost, Christopher Race, and convenor Myron Lysenko. Hands-on layout will be done by Ben Oost with my input. It will be launched at the Woodend Winter Arts Festival in June.

While I’ve been taking a back seat on all these projects, I’ve been focusing on reading submissions, and on the editing and book design for:

‘Macka’ a story about the adventures of a tame cockatoo  that gets caught up with a wild flock and swept away in a colossal storm. This is a story for adults to read to children, written and beautifully illustrated by Peter Voice.

Peter Voice is an artist known for his work with Chalk Circle. He is currently involved with the founding of the WAMA, the Wildlife Art Museum (to be located near Pomonal).

Watch this space for more about each of these projects.

 

An Imaginary Mother

Pomonal Publishing (or that part of it responsible for this blog) has been quiet over the southern summer buildup of heat, dry, Christmas/New Year madness and the usual bushfire threats.  But I promise new posts soon as we get up to speed with several exciting projects for 2016.

In the meantime, here’s a book recommendation, not one of our own publications, but written by one of our collective.  Imaginary Mother by Bron Nicholls, published by BlackPepper

Talent in the Wings

As mentioned in a previous post, I edit a community newsletter as a sideline to my publishing ‘hobby’.  It was in this context that I discovered the talents of a remarkable 11 year old, living down our dusty road a little way – a young person intending to become a writer when she finishes school, and already turning out work of staggering maturity. Below is a review piece she wrote recently for the newsletter about Pomonal Publishing.  Her byline: Evie 

This local organization consists of a group of talented writers, editors and artists who publish their own books and sell them (mostly) online. They are also responsible for the monthly Pomonal Newsletter, which helps to inform the community of what’s been happening and events coming up. With a population around 350, our small town has lots going on!

Pomonal Publishing has a website where you can view new book releases and also read their blog. Fellow writers review the books and offer constructive feedback to the writer. One aspect I loved was reading about the world of writing and publishing.

I was asked to read and review their latest publication: ‘Currawong Creek’ by Bron Nicholls (who has written two other books for young readers). I loved this book and would describe it as heart warming and sophisticated. I particularly liked the main character Alice, with her different thoughts and the way she saw the world. I loved the bit where she finally made a new friend, and the type of relationship they had (not being in each others faces). I also liked the caring and warm relationship she had with her grand parents.

Pomonal Publishing is a fantastic establishment and I hope it continues. Make sure you check it out on: http://www.pomonalpublishing.com and look out for their books, now available at our local shop too!

‘Currawong Calling’ by Australian author, Bron Nicholls

Alice Weaver doesn’t like the things other kids like, computer stuff and television, she only loves books. And she has never had a best friend. When Mum and Dad send her to stay with her grandparents in Currawong Creek, bad movies start screening inside her head. Who to tell? There is only Joe, a loyal Border Collie, until Alice feeds a wounded bird, and sets off a chain of events she couldn’t have imagined.

‘Currawong Calling’ a book for younger readers by Bron Nicholls, author of ‘Mulliway’ & ‘Three Way Street’ is available for purchase from June 30th. This is a limited edition publication from the acclaimed Australian author so you will need to contact us via this blog (leave a comment) or the main Pomonal Publishing website to order your copy.

And work goes on…

In recovery mode after the launch of our second poetry publication: ‘Still Life With Grandmother’. (Is it a month already?) Those of you who understand this publishing hobby was only meant to keep me out of mischief while my body fell into undignified demise, may well imagine the toll that event took on me.  If you missed the excitement, visit YouTube to hear the author, Christopher Race, reading from the title poem. Or yours truly trying to ensure Pomonal Publishing is not taken to be something it never can be, unless someone more able than myself sits in the driving seat.

We struggle on, getting ready to upload ‘Currawong Calling’, the latest work for younger readers by acclaimed children’s author, Bron Nicholls (my sister, as it happens).  A quiet novel for a more individual readership, this will be a limited edition, by author request. Fans of Bron’s work may let us know via this site, if you would like to pre-order a copy.