Tag: A Place to Remember

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Look who’s reading my novel!

It’s Sally from McLeod’s daughters.

I know I should be acting professional and super cool as if having your novel turned into an audiobook is as natural as breathing. But it’s not. It’s just not. It’s an amazing feeling to hear your work read back with such passion and emotion. Hearing a narrator of Kathryn’s calibre, and the amazing job she does bringing each character to life makes me the happiest writer on the planet.

Boxed CDS of Mp3
Kathryn Hartman

As I listen to Ava and John’s story, I’m not sure which is stronger: my joy, my immense pride, or the childish buzz making me giggle and hit replay at all my favourite bits. (And there are a lot of them!)

I thought writing multiple points of view in a story over 140,000 words was a tough gig. I never thought about the narrator’s task.

As a character, Ava is complex and even though her story spans thirty years, Kathryn portrays her brilliantly and with heart. Nina is sassy and smart and makes me laugh, while John…? Oh John, John, I love him so. But bring in Blair…! What a gem! I laughed and laughed and loved every scene with Nina.

With all those characters, plus Ava’s Italian dad, Marco, was not difficult enough for the narrator, I had to throw in a wise, old Italian woman. Dear Sonya comes across so perfectly; I may have to write more books featuring Italian mamas.

Kathryn told me, when it comes to narrating, she always feels equal parts privilege and fear, just hoping she tells the story as the author intended.

Having recorded the work of many talented writers, including Nicole Alexander, Karly Lane and Sandie Docker, Kathryn said she also feels very fortunate. “What an amazing, gifted group of friends you are!”

But my favourite feedback was this: “Jenn, you should be so proud of ‘A Place to Remember’. You have written a beautifully unique story of love, with wonderfully developed characters and heart touching emotional insight. There were many places that both myself and the engineer had to stop recording just to catch our breath.”

That is music to any author’s ears.

Now… Are you ready to relax and listen? Enjoy 14 hours and 9 minutes of fabulous storytelling? Narrated by Kathryn Hartman (words by yours truly).
Listen On iTunes
Listen On Google Play 
Listen On Audible (Amazon) – Hear an extract for free!

Buy the CDs at Booktopia and NookAudio

Library lovers – you’d be doing me a great favour by requesting your local library make either the CD of the Mp3 version available to borrowers. (Available through Wavesound Audio)

Do you remember Sally Clements, in McLeod’s Daughters? Wife to Nick (Myles Pollard).

NOW do you understand my excitement?  I’m slowly ticking McLeod characters off my bucketlist, too.

I am, after all, The Lost McLeod’s Daughter. But you all know that already, right? Here I am sharing Christmas with the gang, and yes, look closely and you’ll see I am legless – literally! *wink*

BTW –  I announced this in my newsletter, but if you’re not signed up you will have missed out on lots more news, including the first big book giveaway — a giant 100 book raffle to be drawn in March. 

It’s not too late. Sign up at the top of this page (on the right) and I’ll add you to the list.

I’m going back to listen to my book!

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Nicola Moriaty – Portrait of an Author

Gosh, Nicola and I go way back. I was an envious unpubbed author and she had a cool website — a corrugated tin look, which I loved. In fact, I wrote and told her so and we got talking. Nicola’s website has since gone on to bigger and better things (although I miss the tin) and so has she with the worldwide distribution of her last couple of books.

I was delighted when Nicola asked to be a part of my website. I hope you like her author portrait (my blog series that celebrates the delicate relationship between artist and sitter — the theme behind my latest release).

Here we go, Nicola, 

Q: Pose and composition are important factors for a portrait. What kind of ‘look’ would you like your portrait to have?

  1. On a chaise lounge (Kate Winslet/Titanic style)
  2. Fully clothed in a rocker (Whistler’s Mother style)
  3. A close up of your face (Girl with the Pearl Earring style/Mona Lisa)
  4. In all your formal finery befitting your ‘authorly’ status (Regal style)
  5. Other

A: I think I’ll have to go with 5 (other) and choose pop art style – less opportunity for my flaws to show up in those bold block colours!

Q: *Snap* I just took your photo, Nicola, to use as I do my portrait of you. Tell us where you are and what you’re wearing. (Be honest.)

A: Cross-legged on the couch in shorts and singlet with a nanna blanket on my knees. Not exactly the best way to be immortalised!

Q: Given a choice, what precious item would you want to be included in a portrait of you?

(skipping this question cause I can’t for the life of me think of something!!)

(*Nic, may I suggest you don’t let hubby, the kids, or the cat, dog, goldfish, etc read that!)

Q: With acquired savant syndrome* featuring in my next novel, I’m curious . . . If you were to wake up from a coma one day to find yourself totally obsessed and a genius (in something other than writing, of course) what would you want it to be? (music, painting, languages, maths, touching your toes while typing, etc)

A: Oh, this is hard! I’m torn between music and languages – because I’ve always loved music but never had an ear for it. But on the other hand, I would kill to be able to speak another language. I think it’s incredible when people can seamlessly switch between multiple languages.

Q: If you happened to wake up one day and be a genius with a paintbrush, whose portrait would you want to paint and why?

My mum’s. She’s an extraordinary woman who’s done incredible things throughout her life – but on top of that, she’s always had this mischievous streak about her and I would love to capture that in her portrait.

Q: Your preferred medium would be?

  1. Oil on canvas
  2. Watercolour
  3. Pencil/Ink
  4. Pastels
  5. Kiddy crayons

A: I choose 2, watercolour. There’s something so beautiful about the way watercolours blend and drip and splash across the paper to create art.

Picasso once asked the question: “Are we to paint what’s on the face, what’s inside the face, or what’s behind it?” In my next novel, the artists says to 58 y.o Ava, “A mature person has depth of character and it’s their layers, built from life’s lessons that interest me the most—when wisdom replaces curiosity and experience replaces youthful exuberance.”

Q: What two traits would you hope an artist captures in a portrait of you?

A: A touch of cheekiness and a streak of passion.

Q: Because every fireplace deserves a portrait, in whose house would you hang a Portrait of You as a surprise and what would they say?

A: Any one of my sister’s homes and they would LAUGH and LAUGH and then they would say, ‘oh for God’s sake, Nicola, take it down.’

Q: Keeping in mind that lucky recipient of your portrait, how would see yourself framed?

  1. Minimalist or no frame at all – just the canvas (take me as I am)
  2. Modernist – chrome, nothing too fancy
  3. Sophisticated – warm, wood, old world
  4. Flamboyant – go all the way and gilt-edged!

A: Always 4.

Q: Finally, if someone was to add a plague/title your portrait, how would it read?

A: ‘Portrait of Girl with Mars Bar.’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nicola Moriarty is a Sydney-based novelist, copywriter and mum to two small (but remarkably strong-willed) daughters. In between various career changes, becoming a mum and completing her Bachelor of Arts, she began to write. Now she can’t seem to stop. Her published works include the novel, The Fifth Letter, which was released in several countries and optioned for film and television. Connect: nicolamoriarty.com.au facebook.com/NicolaMoriartyAuthor

If you enjoyed Nicola’s post, why not show some author love and share this post online?

And before you go, I have more author portraits to celebrate the release of my 5th novel, so stay tuned (or sign up to my newsletter – look right!).

Check out my Book Room for info about A Place to Remember.

*Acquired savant syndrome, in which a person acquires prodigious capabilities or skills following dementia, a head injury or concussion, epilepsy or other disturbances.

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Thanks for everything, Colleen McCullough, 1/6/37 – 29/1/15

This week on social media I posted a little promotional tile I made. I love both a tale of thwarted love and the night sky (and where we’re staying in Stanthorpe, Qld’s Granite Belt, the stars are amazing).

But, unlike the star-crossed lovers in A Place to Remember, I feel as though the stars are aligning for me this year, both in my writing and in life generally. (And that is in no small way because Tess Woods (lovely author friend) kicked my butt into gear a couple of years back when I couldn’t see the stars for all the negative clutter in my head.)

Whether a writer plots or flies by the seat of their pants (like me) we all live for and love that moment when the many carefully constructed threads in our manuscript come together. Some gems fall into our laps totally unexpectedly. We didn’t plan them but, boy, when they happen it feels like a gift from above. In those moments, I like to think someone’s looking over my shoulder, working with me to nudge those pieces into place.

My literary guardian angel has been different for each book and while writing and perfecting A Place to Remember (especially given who my book is being edited and published by) I’ve imagined my angel is a big huggy, happy Colleen McCulloch.

It was three years ago today (January 29, 2015,) that the world lost Colleen and I want to pay tribute to her, not only because she is a literary legend, but because without her I don’t think A Place to Remember would exist.

“I am so glad I didn’t write The Thorn Birds,” said no author ever!

Of course I wish I’d written something that magnificent. Not only did The Thorn Birds showcase our country, I consider it the forerunner to the rural fiction genre we all know and love today. (The Thorn Birds mini-series also gave us Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward together! If you’ve been living under a rock, I highly recommend you find The Thorn Birds DVD and watch it.)

My publisher, and the managing editor for A Place to Remember is the same person responsible for The Thorn Birds’ success and getting it published in the UK back in 1977.

For many years, Colleen was asked for a sequel, or for ‘another Thorn Birds’ novel, but she refused. She Instead followed her passion and went on to produce 25 novels, ranging from love stories to crime fiction, and the epic, seven-volume Masters of Rome historical fiction series.

Not that I would dare compare my writing to someone of Colleen’s calibre, but I can tell you that both The Thorn Birds and A Place to Remember are based on the same theme: class, meddling parents/relatives, and bad timing leading to major conflict. I am not alone here. There are numerous stories based on the same theme, including the greatest tragedy of all: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. (Class, meddling parents, and really, really bad timing.) You can no doubt list many more stories — told any number of ways. Love a musical that deals with conflict surrounding class, meddling parents, and bad timing? How about Westside Story and Saturday Night Fever?

According to Christopher Booker, the same seven basic plots are the foundation for all storylines and all can be traced back fairy tales, myths/legends, and even The Bible. Over time, our storytelling has changed and people have started to tell stories their way and put their own distinctive voice to those well-loved plots and themes to make each one different (as evidenced by Shakespeare, Colleen McCulloch and, yes, even Jenn J McLeod!)

(If you are a writer, you’ll have heard about the seven basic plots Christopher Booker talks about in his book.)

I’ve taken the themes of class, meddling parents, and bad timing, added a sprawling cattle station and a dual timeframe narrative that spans decades to make the story my own. And I’ve added depth and complexity to the setting and characters to make A Place to Remember a multi-generational saga with not one, but two love stories.

Okay, I’ve digressed (which I do often, I know) and I’ve raved on about A Place to Remember when what I wanted to write about is making the 29th of January A Day to Remember.

Three years ago we lost Colleen McCullough to that place where all our best bookish types end up and watch over the rest of us bungling our way through what has become a very challenging biz. One day (and not too soon I hope) I will get to finally seek out Colleen so I can give her a big huggy hug and say ‘thank you for the inspiration’.

It’s funny the way things work out; how a tiny thought, a single kernel of an idea, a generous deed can grow and before you know it (and as I said at the start of this blog post) things begin to fall into place.

 

That’s Jill on the left.

 

I truly believe where I am in my life and career is where I am meant to be right now. All the signs are there. For example: Not long ago I discovered that a lady I’ve known for many years is related to Colleen. I was in Sawtell having coffee and telling her how much I love The Thorn Birds when she explained her very close connection. I sat there aghast and grinning and said, ‘Jill, why did I not know this before now?’ Then I hugged her. (It’s as close as I’m getting to hugging Colleen for a while!!)

I recall my crazy pitch to Rosie de Courcy, my publisher. I described A Place to Remember as a story of forbidden love (but without a priest!). I’d taken a proven plot/theme – meddlesome parents, class, bad timing – and set a multi-generational story on a sprawling cattle station in Central Queensland.

Once A Place to Remember is released (March 19 here in ANZ and April 5 elsewhere) I’ll have a new mission. Somehow, some day, (I suspect I’ll need Tess Woods to give my butt another boot) I WILL find a way to send this novel to Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown, because it was Rachel who was in my head the whole time I was creating the main character. By golly, I’d love to see Rachel Ward bring my Ava to the screen (and her daughter, Matilda, play Nina). Bloody brilliant combination.

If my literary guardian angel is looking over me, I hope she has some pull.

Thanks for everything, Colleen McCullough, 1 June 1937 – 29 January 2015

(Full bibliography below)

P.S. “With 30 million copies sold, Colleen McCullough’s THE THORN BIRDS is legendary. But it’s not her masterwork – that accolade must go to MASTERS OF ROME, her epic, twenty-years-in-the-making labour-of-love that captures the soul of late Republican Rome in a way no other writer has ever managed.” (From Head of Zeus website: Read more about it here. http://headofzeus.com/article/masters-rome-colleen-mccullough )

 

P.P.S Of course let’s not forget about Tim. (That novel was our first a glimpse of a writer who would be a trailblazer, not a follower.) But you might be surprised at the extent of Colleen McCullough’s bibliography. (This list courtesy of Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleen_McCullough#Bibliography

Tim (1974)

The Thorn Birds (1977)

An Indecent Obsession (1981)

A Creed for the Third Millennium (1985)

The Ladies of Missalonghi (1987)

The Song of Troy (1998)

Morgan’s Run (2000)

The Touch (2003)

Angel Puss (2005)

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet (2008)[9]

Bittersweet (2013)

Masters of Rome series

The First Man in Rome (1990)

The Grass Crown (1991)

Fortune’s Favorites (1993)

Caesar’s Women (1996)

Caesar (1997)

The October Horse (2002)

Antony and Cleopatra (2007)

Carmine Delmonico series: McCullough also published five murder mysteries in the Carmine Delmonico series.

On, Off (2006)

Too Many Murders (December 2009)

Naked Cruelty (2010)

The Prodigal Son (2012)

Sins of the Flesh (2013)

Biographical work

The Courage and the Will: The Life of Roden Cutler VC (1999)

Memoir: Life Without the Boring Bits (2011)