Kim Kelly is the author of the novels Black Diamonds, This Red Earth and A Blue Mile. A book editor for nigh on twenty years in ‘real’ life, she lives in Orange, in the Central West of New South Wales.
Welcome to Calingarry Crossing pub, Kim. Come on in. Grab a pew. What can I get you to go with your beer nuts? (Shandy? Wine Spritzer? Pink Lemonade?)
I’ll have a Pilsner Urquell, please, otherwise known in these parts as Eastern European Koala Juice for its super fast delivery of a deliciously contented stupor. Apparently pensioners in the Czech Republic lobbied the government to have this stuff put on the Czech equivalent of the PBS. They failed, but they gave it a red hot go. True story. Maybe.
Hey, did you hear the one about …
The past, the present and the future walked into a bar. It was tense.
I’m a beer nut nut, Kim! What bar snack would you be and why?
Bread and something dippy like humus or tapenade. Posh pig here, thank you.
Ahh, that beer hit the spot. Let me slip a drink coaster under your glass while you tell us, as a writer, are you a messy desker or tidy desker? (1 = “I am a neat nut case” and 10 = “What desk? Where? Is there a desk here somewhere?”) Are you game to post a working space picture right now?
At the moment I don’t actually have a desk as we’re between houses and I’ve been 
relegated to a coffee table (sobs). Ordinarily, though, I’m fairly scarily neat , perhaps a 2, up from a 1 only because my notebook might not always be exactly square with the edge of the desk, or one of the knitted teddies that keep me company while I write might have keeled over with the stress of it all. I’m not neurotic, not really…
Okay Kim, the publican offers you free drinks all night if you will: Dance to Gangnam Style, sing John Denver’s ‘Take me Home Country Roads’ on the Karaoke machine, or spend an hour washing dishes?
Gotta love a bit of John Denver erupting from a contented stupor, don’t you? But can I sing ‘Annie’s Song’ instead? I’d like to show my romantic side and my talent for nasal whining.
Time to liven the place up. Got a buck? We can crank up the old jukebox in the corner. You get to pick three songs.
- Just Because I Love You – Masters Apprentices
- Rollercoaster – Machine Gun Fellatio
- Thank You (For Loving Me At My Worst) – The Whitlams
An author, an agent and a chicken walk into the bar… How do you know which one crossed the road?
The author, of course. Being a narcissistic sociopath, the author is in fact the only one there.
There’s a stapler on the bar. Tell me what it’s doing there.
The author uses it to staple the chicken to the agent: to feel a tangible sense of engagement with reality, to create a point of drama, and to see what happens next.
The pub is the heart of a small town and most locals would be lost without one. What are three things you’d be lost without?
- Husband.
- No.1 son.
- No.2 son.
Shhh! The last race of the day is on the TAB screen and I reckon I’ve picked a winner. I browse the race guide with the jockey colours influencing my bet. When browsing a bookshop, what influences you?
- Review or recommendation – i.e., I ain’t browsing, I’m hunting
- Subject
- First chapter
- Australian author
There are a few good prizes up for grabs in the bar jackpot. Do you have a lucky number?
Are you insane, Jenn?! I’m not telling you that. Someone might pinch it.
(Am I insane, Kim? My dog certainly thinks I am as I ROFLMAO over this yarn!)
The publican, Maggie, has called last drinks, my friend! But before we go, tell us how we can find out more about you and your writing/books.
Well, what a load of fun that was, Jenn! Thanks so much for inviting me to the pub. I’m chuffed. 
First the blurb to go with the amazing cover of The Red Earth:
It’s November 1939, another war in Europe. And Bernie Cooper is wondering what’s ahead for her. She knows Gordon Brock is going to ask her to marry him – any second now. An honest country boy about to graduate from university as a geologist, he’s a good catch by anyone’s standards, too. And she’s going to say no.
The harsh realities of this Second World War have other plans for Bernie, though, and once her adored father is commissioned to serve again, she accepts Gordon’s proposal – mostly to please her dad. In any event, with Gordon off to New Guinea for the job of a lifetime, she’ll be glad of a temporary reprieve from walking down the aisle, won’t she?
As Gordon braces for the inevitable Japanese invasion of Rabaul, Bernie finds herself in the midst of the battle being fought on home soil – against the worst drought in living memory, against the menace of an unseen enemy, and against the unspeakable torment of not knowing if those dear to her are alive or dead.
From the beaches of Sydney to the dusty heart of the continent, This Red Earth is as much a love letter to the country, with all its beauty and its terror, as it is an intimate portrait of love itself.
Above all, this is a story of the greatest power we each possess – hope.
Not enough information? Click away…
Pan Macmillan book page, for paperback & ebook
You’ll discover an amazing line up of emerging and established authors joining me for a bar yarn and a beer nut throughout spring, summer, autumn and winter.
WINNER: Kim reckons it’s first in best dressed today. Thank you to everyone for commenting. There are more generous authors heading into the Calingarry Crossing pub for a yarn with me soon. (If you have not subscribed to my blog, now would be a good time!)
Heather Garside you will receive a copy of Kim Kelly’s fabulous This Red Earth.
Hi Jenn and Kim,
This Red Earth sounds fascinating. I too am mostly reading Australian authors lately. There are so many good ones now, I hardly have the time to squeeze in the occasional overseas writer!
That is so lovely to hear, Heather! Any faves to share? K
Most loved corner of our country would have to be Tasmania, this little partisan of land (looking at the map) is situated in the most romantic and sensuous part of gods gracious land.
It is so peaceful, people smile at you for no reason, you are welcomed into their place on earth, and what’s more they don’t want you to go.
As I enter Tasmania by air or by sea, it feels a huge weight is taken from me to enjoy this loving atmosphere.
That’s gorgeous, Rob. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Wow. I look at that book cover and I want to call it: “This Blue Sky”…
I have SO missed Author Harvest. In fact, I was about to give you a ‘poke’ to get off your butt and bring me a beer yarn on the double Jenn J McLeod… and lo and behold – what a brilliant one to start off your new series!
Nice to meet you here Kim Kelly. I laughed at the stapler creating a point of drama! (I laughed at most of it, actually!)
Cheers
Lily M
It’s a bit of a trick cover, isn’t it, Lily? And it’s very nice to meet you too! Did you notice that my ‘desk’ is stapler free? My husband and my cat won’t let me near one…
What a great time you two had at Calingarry Crossing pub, Jenn and Kim! Bet they’ll never leave staplers lying around on the bar there again – or at least not if they know Kim’s coming… Love the sound of ‘This Red Earth’, it’s going on the TBR list. Favourite corner of Australia’s a hard one to pick, but I do have a soft spot for the south coast of NSW, particularly a little place called Narrawallee. Many a family holiday was spent there when the kids were young. Quiet beach, lots of interesting hinterland to explore west of Milton, beautiful summer and winter.
We had a lovely time, thanks Christine. See note on stapler under reply to Lily above (!). And thank you for sharing your favourite place 🙂
Very entertaining, ladies.
Tee hee! Ta Jeannette. Hard not to have fun with Jenn.
Great get together girls! Always fun to read along with you and your guests Jenn…I loved This Red Earth!! Fabulous story. I have Black Diamonds on my bedside table, which will be my next read (I have to return it to the library!) Congratulations Kim for your fantastic books, I’ll be anxious to get into your new one as well! 🙂
Aw, thanks, Brenda. I’m so thrilled you’ve gone and sought out my first baby, Black Diamonds. I hope you enjoy it. And I’ll be hollering as soon as the pub date for Blue Mile is locked in 🙂 x
Hey Jenn….. another awesome interview. Hi Kim, great to learn about another Aussie author. Since reading Jenn’s novel, I have been on an Aussie author diet.
I’m loving the sound of This Red Earth, which has been added to my (growing larger by the minute) to read list! As a Western Australian native, and having spent most of my younger years in the North West, the cover really reminds me of the wonders of the Kimberly and the Pilbara – not to mention the Goldfields. All that wonderful red dirt and spinifex! If I had to mention just one place that has a special place in my heart, though, I would have to name Dampier – purely for the fact that I remember living on site at Dampier Salt with my parents, and having Red Dog (YES – THE RED DOG!) hitch a ride with us from time to time. 😉
WOW! Red Dog. really? Cool.
Hi Karen
Lovely to hear you’re loving Aussie authors and I’m very jealous you met Red Dog!
My Red Earth cover pic is of an old pub at One Tree outside Hay in the Riverina – where a part of the novel is set. Funnily, the soil isn’t really red there so much as brown! The real red earth in the story is in western NSW, around Nyngan – Bourke, a bit of heart country for me as that’s where my real life man is from.
Lotta red earth in our land, and a lot to love! I hope you enjoy the read…
K
Kim, that novel is sounding better and better. Okay, so I am biased about NSW counrty!
Hi Jenn & Kim
Yes, my claim to fame is having spent time with “THE” Red Dog…. gee, I sound like a name dropper!
I only wish that I had been older, or had been at least able to have some photos of him, but at least I have my memories.
I am loving the sound of your book Kim, and can’t wait to read it. Hoping that I will get a bit of ‘me’ time over the next couple of weeks with school holidays coming up.
One of the most entertaining interviews I’ve read in a long time. Great fun! Looking forward to meeting you on the weekend, Jenn!
Lovely of you to say. It’s my wonderful guests who make this such fun. Looking forward to having a bar yarn with you soon!!!