Review: The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison by Meredith Jaffe

Title: The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

Author: Meredith Jaffe

Published: 5th May 2021, HarperCollins Australia

Status: Read May 2021 courtesy HarperCollins Australia

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My Thoughts:

 

The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison is a thoughtful and engaging contemporary novel by Meredith Jaffe.

Derek Brown is five years into a seven year sentence for embezzlement when he learns his daughter is getting married. Though he hasn’t seen nor heard from Debbie during his incarceration, despite writing her weekly letters, Derek wants to give her a gift that reminds her how much she is loved. Unable to afford any extravagance, Derek decides to use the skills he has learnt at Backtackers, the weekly sewing group  he attends run by a volunteer, to make his daughter something meaningful, but has to be convinced when the inmates suggest he makes her a wedding dress.

Told with warmth and humour, The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison is a story that explores the themes of, among others, estrangement, addiction, connection and redemption. It centers around Derek, but expands to involve a number of other characters, both from within and outside of the prisons walls, and includes a touch of romance, and a side of politics.

I’m familiar with the book club programs that operate in prisons, but I was surprised to learn sewing groups exist, activities like tapestry and quilting are not pastimes I’d associate with male inmates. Jaffe’s inspiration for the Yarrandarrah Prison sewing group came from the charity organisation, Fine Cell Work, which runs programs in British prisons. Designed to not only teach incarcerated men needlework and sewing skills which could be used to improve employment opportunities on release, the program has also proven valuable in strengthening mental health, building self esteem and promoting positive connections.

Derek arguably stands to gain the most from the completion of the wedding dress, but each of the Backtackers also benefit in both tangible and intangible ways from the project. Jaffe’s inmate characters are a diverse group whom she writes about with empathy, flawed though they may be. She challenges the shallow perceptions of incarcerated criminals by creating well rounded, authentic characters, from the irrepressible young Maloney, to the manipulative lifer, Doc. I found the dynamics of the relationships within the prison, and the BackTackers, to be interesting.

I also appreciated the insight into the modern Australian prison system Jaffe provides. She doesn’t shy away from the realities of the system, and makes some thought-provoking observations about the competing philosophies of incarceration as a means of punishment versus rehabilitation.

With its unusual setting, well crafted plot and interesting characters, I enjoyed reading The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison. To learn more about the book, and its author, please read Reading, Rioting and Libraries, an exclusive guest post by Meredith Jaffe published here at Book’d Out earlier.

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Available from HarperCollins Australia

Or from your preferred retailer via Booko I Book Depository I Booktopia I Amazon

Guest Post: Reading, Rioting and Libraries {The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison} by Meredith Jaffé

I’m delighted to be hosting this special post by Meredith Jaffé today which introduces her thoughtful and entertaining new novel, The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison.

You can click here to read my thoughts, but first, read on to learn more…

 

Reading, Rioting and Libraries

The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison is about a bloke named Derek Brown who is in prison because he embezzled the takings from the golf club to fund his gambling addiction. His modus operandi is to keep a low profile, it’s safer that way. He looks down his nose at the junkies, thinks he is better than the murderers. His job as an orderly in the prison hospital and his weekly sewing group keep him sane. He has the occasional grumble to his mate Parker about the quality of the food but other than that, Derek is getting through his sentence the best way he knows how.

The catalyst for the story is Derek’s sister-in-law, Sharon. She makes her first ever visit to Yarrandarrah in order to impart important news. Derek’s one and only daughter, the light of his life, is getting married. It’s fair to say this comes as a bit of a shock to him. Last time Derek saw Debbie was at his sentencing hearing with him in the dock and her in the school uniform. Five years ago, she was sixteen, how could she possibly be getting married?

So unfolds the drama of the wedding dress and the harebrained scheme that the men in Derek’s sewing group will make the dress. Egged on by the sewing teacher and cocky young crim called Joey Maloney, the Backtackers, as they are known, embark on a journey of discovery that is about a lot more than just figuring out how to make a wedding dress.

The setting for this novel is the fictitious Yarrandarrah Correctional Centre. There is a whole other direction I could go on here about world building and creating an authentic environment. How I did mountains of research to understand the structured environment and the kinds of issues that arise when men live cheek by jowl. Instead, I want to talk about how, in my internet travels, I followed a trail that led to a particular sub plot that fascinates me on many levels. The prison library.

Derek has an uneasy relationship with a fellow inmate called the Doc who is serving life for murder. Yet somehow, murder is no obstacle to the Doc scoring the cushy job of prisoner librarian. Being the keeper of the books affords a man a certain status because the library is about a lot more than borrowing something to read. It’s where men go to escape the jail talk and violence. It’s a place to research your appeal or spend time lingering over the crossword or the sports pages. The Doc runs a book club and a journal writing course. The guys who attend the literacy program in the education unit next door receive an extra half day’s access to the library each week. They are always asking the Doc to keep a book aside or placing requests for a particular title, especially the guys doing the Open University courses. Then there are those who want to read the same book as their loved ones on the outside so they have something to talk about in their weekly phone call. All in all, the Doc is a popular man.

The local town library is fundamental to the success of the prison library. Each week, it supplies additional books, periodicals and specialist magazines on woodwork, stamp collecting, gardening and model trains. It delivers the newspapers so the men who care to can keep up with the outside world. Together, the town library and the prison library provide a lifeline for men who have too many hours to fill and not enough to do with them. In essence, it provides connection. Unlike the members of the town library though, in prison, reading is a privilege. Take that away and you might end up with a riot on your hands.

The Doc’s overriding belief is that reading sets you free. As prisoner librarian, he has the power to transform lives, to influence and encourage the men he shares C Wing with to find a meaningful way to connect with the outside world and family. Maybe even leave this place a better man than when they entered.

No wonder Derek hates the Doc. Bloody know-it-all strutting around like he owns the joint, forgetting he’s in here for the same reason as the rest of them. Doing time for the crime. Poor Derek, unable to see that whether it be the men in his sewing circle, or the Doc and his precious library, each are seeking the same thing; to find meaning and purpose. To escape the tedium of their existence. To find a way to make amends for past transgressions. To make a connection. And, in a way, that’s no different to anyone else, inside or out.

 

The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison by Meredith Jaffe ($32.99), published by HarperCollins.

Meredith Jaffé is the author of three novels for adults – The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison (May 2021), The Making of Christina (2017) and The Fence (2016.) Horse Warrior, the first in a children’s series, was published in 2019. She also contributed a short story, Emergency Undies, to the 2019 Funny Bones anthology.

She is the Festival Director of StoryFest, held on the NSW South Coast, and regularly facilitates at other writers’ festivals and author events. Previously, she wrote the weekly literary column for online magazine The Hoopla. Her feature articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have also appeared in The Guardian Australia, The Huffington Post, and Mamamia.

Click the image to read my review

Giveaway & Excerpt: Trust by Chris Hammer

I’m delighted to share with you an excerpt of Trust from bestselling Australian author Chris Hammer, courtesy Allen & Unwin.

The third book to feature journalist Martin Scarsden following on from Scrublands and Silver, I posted a review last week, describing Trust as gripping, dynamic, and thrilling.

Read the prologue below, and then scroll down to enter to win a copy of Trust.

If the file does not scroll please click here to read the Prologue

Click to access trust-by-chris-hammer-chapter-sampler-october-2020.pdf

GIVEAWAY

Courtesy Allen & Unwin

I have one copy of

Trust by Chris Hammer

to giveaway to one lucky Australian resident.

ENTRY CLOSED

Congratulations M Tyack

*PLEASE NOTE: Only Australian residents are eligible to enter*

Entries close November 8th, 2020

The giveaway will be random drawing on November 9th and the winner will be notified by email within 48 hours

**********

Review: House of Wishes by Jenn J. McLeod

 

Title: House of Wishes

Author: Jenn J. McLeod

Published: November 19th 2019, Wild Myrtle Press

Status: Read November 2019, courtesy the author

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My Thoughts:

House of Wishes by Jenn J. McLeod is a captivating stand-alone novel with loose links to two of her previous five novels, House For All Seasons and Simmering Season.

Moving between two timelines, set forty years apart, House of Wishes offers an enjoyable and poignant exploration of grief, love, belonging and redemption.

The narrative shifts between Beth’s journey to understand her late mother’s wish to have her ashes scattered over an unmarked grave in the rural town of Calingarry Crossing in 2014, and farmer/stonemason/handyman Don Dawson’s connection to Dandelion House, a home for unwed mothers on the outskirts of town, and the two young women confined there in 1974, Lissy and Irene.

McLeod’s characters are vivid and appealing. An actress and dancer, mourning the loss of her marriage, a pregnancy, and her mother in quick succession, forty year old Beth is at a crossroads in life when she arrives in Calingarry Crossing, unprepared to discover a legacy of life-changing secrets, and find romance with local farmer, Tom.

Don is a sweetheart, a hard working young man who grows besotted with Lissy and is desperate to build a future with her and her baby. When tragedy strikes he does his best to hold on to that dream, but it eventually falls apart, and Don somehow has to find the will to go on.

The plot touches on several sensitive issues, such as the historical stigma of unwed motherhood, pregnancy loss, sexual abuse, suicide, and addiction, but at its heart I feel this is a story about family. Through the experiences of her characters, McLeod thoughtfully explores the strengths and failings of the family we are born into, and the family we choose, or who chooses us.

Well crafted with engaging characters, a strong sense of place and a thoughtful plot, House of Wishes is sure to delight both fans and new readers alike.

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Learn more about House of Wishes by reading this guest post from Jenn J. McLeod

House of Wishes is available from 19th November.

For more information and special pre-release prices on both print and ebook, visit www.jennjmcleod.com

Also by Jenn J. McLeod reviewed at Book’d Out 

Guest Post: Jenn J. McLeod and House of Wishes

 

 

I’m delighted to welcome Jenn J. McLeod back to Book’d Out today to celebrate the release of House of Wishes.

You can read MY REVIEW  here.

xxxxxx

A story for mothers, daughters, fathers and sons: about the choices we make, the connections that matter, the secrets we keep, and the power of a wish.

Dandelion House is ready to reveal its secrets.

Dandelion House, 1974

Two teenage girls—strangers—make a pact to keep a secret.

Calingarry Crossing, 2014

For forty years, Beth and her mum have been everything to each other, but Beth is blind-sided when her mother dies, and her last wish is to have her ashes spread in a small-town cemetery.

On the outskirts of Calingarry Crossing, when Beth comes across a place called Dandelion House Retreat, her first thought is how appealing the name sounds. With her stage career waning, and struggling to see a future without her mum, her marriage, and her child, she hopes it’s a place where she can begin to heal.

After meeting Tom, a local cattleman, Beth is intrigued by his stories of the cursed, century-old river house and its reclusive owner, Gypsy. The more Beth learns, however, the more she questions her mother’s wishes.

When meeting Beth leads Tom to uncover a disturbing connection to the old house, he must decide if the truth will help a grieving daughter or hurt her more.

Should Dandelion House keep its last, long-held secret?

xxxxxx

Jenn J. McLeod

I confess to having a little trip down the Book’d Out memory lane before choosing my guest blog topic for today. When I found this very relevant excerpt from the 2013 House for all Seasons Q&A with Shelleyrae, my 2019 blog post was sorted.

In 2013, Shelleyrae asked this question about the setting in House for all Seasons:

Are Dandelion House and Calingarry Crossing based on real locations?

My answer at the time was . . .

I wish! Isn’t Dandelion House wonderful? It’s stuck out there in the middle of nowhere. The early draft did feature the house more, until the girls’ stories took over and the purpose of the house changed. Perhaps one day I’ll write a prequel that shows more of Gypsy and her life with Willow at the house, and her connection with Eli and people in town.
Hmm . . . (I went on to write in that 2013 post) That’s got me thinking!

I’m excited to announce I finally stopped thinking and started writing book #6, House of Wishes, which means after four novels for Simon & Schuster and a fifth for UK publishers, Head of Zeus, I’m ready to take readers back to Calingarry Crossing and to Dandelion House with a third standalone story.

Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “Always leave them wanting more.” And I know readers want more stories set in Calingarry Crossing/Dandelion House because since 2013 I’ve been getting emails from people wanting to know the location so they could visit. For House of Wishes, I’ve had a blast reliving the mid-1970’s and I hope readers who are familiar with Calingrarry Crossing enjoy going back, while those new to my books—who enjoy their contemporary fiction with a backdrop of country life—will come home to the country and Gypsy at Dandelion House.

During the early stages of story development for House of Wishes, I would jokingly refer to the storyline as a sprequel. (i.e. not really a prequel and not exactly a sequel.) By the end, I’d written a loosely linked Calingarry Crossing story that no publisher was likely to want. I’d moved away from my original publishing house and no matter how subtle the link, no publisher would be interested in a novel connected to a previously published title. (That’s despite House for all Seasons being #5 top-selling debut fiction novel in 2013.)

So, I had a choice to make. Do I drop the story and write something on-trend, or do I stay with the book of my heart—as they say in the biz—and try self-publishing? While the latter would be risky and a huge step outside my comfort zone, you can’t score goals from the sidelines. Having watched author friends self-publish for years, I was keen to see if I could do the same, knowing the experience—successful or otherwise—would allow me to provide a more balanced view of publishing pros and cons to the aspiring writers I mentor.

As always, the hardest part is deciding to move forward, and while sticking my neck out on this occasion has been both daunting and enlivening, I could not be more proud of the end result. I also hope I’ve inspired others on the sidelines to give author-publishing a try.

Although I don’t consider myself a risk-taker, the last fifteen years has seen me make a few risky choices:

• I quit a cushy corporate career to buy a café in a small seaside town, even though I’d never worked a coffee machine. I mean, how hard could it be? (Okay, pretty hard!)

• I sold everything I own (and I mean everything) to downsize into 25 foot of caravan and hit the road.

• I’ve free-camp in Wolf Creek, driven The Nullarbor and Great Australian Bight (twice), swung across the Daintree rainforest on a zip line and snorkel with turtles and sharks on the Great Barrier Reef.

But THE biggest bucket list item by far—both daunting and enlivening—was taking a story idea in my head and turning it into a book in my hands.

As Shelleyrae points out in her reviews of House for all Seasons and Simmering Season, the themes in those standalone stories see characters making peace with the past in order to move forward. In a way, I’ve had to do the same with my writing career and whenever I questioned my ability to see House of Wishes through to publication, I reminded myself the turtle only progresses when they take a risk and stick their necks out.

It’s kind of fitting, therefore, that I’ve turned Myrtle the Turtle (my mobile home) into Wild Myrtle Press to bring another standalone Calingarry Crossing story to the world. A story about mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and about the choices we make, the connections that matter, the secrets we keep, and the power of a wish.

__________________________

 

House of Wishes is available from 19th November.

For more information and special pre-release prices on both print and ebook, visit www.jennjmcleod.com

Also by Jenn J. McLeod reviewed at Book’d Out 

 

Weekend Cooking: ‘Sixty Summers’ in Six Dishes from Amanda Hampson

In my new novel ‘Sixty Summers’, the relationships of three old friends are put to the test when they retrace the steps of their youthful backpacking trip through Europe. I had my own memories of travelling in that era to draw on for the past story. The next task was to research the current day journey through Europe. I set off by train with my characters for company and share with you here a few of my food experiences.

Paris was my first stop in Europe. A city with many fabulous restaurants for those who are not on a tight budget, and know where to eat. I don’t fall into either category and had a couple of meals that were almost inedible. The best was one of my favourite French dishes, salade de chévre chaud. It is so simple it’s almost impossible to mess up. Grilled goat’s cheese on slices of baguette with ripe tomatoes and a little greenery – délicieux!

Next stop was Berlin. Known for wonderful breads and every kind of sausage, they also excel at knocking up a torte or two. Fresh and beautifully decorated, the slices are generous so the tricky part is deciding which kuchen to sample. One of my favourites is the unpronounceable zwetschgendatschi; a sponge cake topped with ripe plums and dusted with powdered sugar.

In Prague they are very keen on all things chocolate. It was 8 degrees below zero when I was there and I did indulge in a delicious hot chocolate to thaw my frozen hands out after a long walk. I didn’t have a chance to sample these rather strange concoctions. Chocolate rum I can understand, but chocolate wine and beer?!

In Vienna, I lashed out on lunch at the historic Cafe Central to check out the classic Viennese architecture. First opened in 1876, some of its regulars were Trotsky, Stalin, Hitler and Sigmund Freud – not sure if they shared a table! The cafe is justifiably famous for its exquisite pastries and gateaux. I had the Himbeer Harmonie – chocolate with raspberry and marshmallow – it tasted even better than it looks!

Bologna has some of the most amazing food shops anywhere in Europe and, after indulging in gateaux, it was time get into some fruit and vegetables. One fruiterer, unimpressed with my pronunciation of mela (apple) took it upon herself to give me some tutoring. Other customers stood around watching with interest as she corrected me and had me repeat the word numerous times until she was satisfied – no extra charge.

Crete was my last stop. There are so many classic Greek dishes that are good and the yoghurt and fruit I had in Chania was the best. This beetroot salad was one of those dishes that, when it arrives, makes you wonder what on earth you ordered. It was beetroot and was cold, so I guess that makes it a salad – but it was also very weird!

 

If you would like to read more about my research trip jump over to my blog: https://sixtysummers.net/

www.amandahampson.com

BethFishReads invites you to share any food related post in the weekly Weekend Cooking link up.

(a very special) Guest Review: Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor: A New Beginning Vol. 1 by Jody Houser and Rachael Stott

 

Today I’m thrilled to host a review written by my oldest son, Makyah. He is a huge fan of all things Doctor Who so when I was offered this graphic novel for review, I accepted on his behalf.

Today’s release date also happens to be the date of his 15th birthday…I’m so proud of him!

Title: Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor: A New Beginning Vol 1

Author: Writer: Jody Houser, Artist: Rachael Stott

Published: May 7th, 2019 Titan Books

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Makyah’s Thoughts:

“You know when you’ve seen your favourite film dozens of times? What’s the one thing you can do to make it feel brand new again?” Show it to someone who hasn’t seen it before.”

That’s what this is. A reimagining, a new take on the thirteenth doctor in all her timey wimey glory.

Temporal distortions aside this new story featuring our favourite TARDIS team is ingenious in its use of new aliens that follow well defined motifs despite the brevity of the medium. The images do well to express feeling and emotion in each of the characters and I believe this adventure perfectly encapsulates the positivity and boldness of the latest season of Doctor Who.

Numerous nods to past Doctors ensure fans of the series can enjoy the unique continuity of out time travelling hero (now heroine) as he (now she) shows to us the wonders of travel through time, space and the minds of people like Jody Houser who masterfully captured each character’s dialogue and opinionated natures with her writing and credit to Rachael Stott with Giorgia Sposito and Valeria Favoccia for

their incredible artwork throughout the volume. A brilliant addon to season 11 and an example of what creativity and passion can achieve.

“What’s the point of knocking around the universe if there’s nothing new to see?”

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Available to Purchase via

Titan Books I Titan Comics I Book Depository

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© Copyright Titan Books, shared with permission.

Feature Guest Post: How Sally Hepworth came to write The Things We Keep

 

 

Sally Hepworth has lived around the world, spending extended periods in Singapore, the U.K. and Canada, where she worked in event management and Human Resources. While on maternity leave, Sally finally fulfilled a lifelong dream to write, the result of which was Love Like the French, published in Germany in 2014. While pregnant with her second child, Sally wrote The Secrets of Midwives, published worldwide in English, as well as in France, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2015. A novel about three generations of midwives, The Secrets of Midwives asks readers what makes a mother and what role biology plays in the making and binding of a family.

The Things We Keep is being published by Macmillan Australia in January 2016.

“Rosalind House might not be the first place you’d expect to find new love and renewal, but within the walls of this assisted living facility two women hav

e their lives changed forever.
Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease at only thirty-eight years of age, knows that her twin, Jack, has chosen Rosalind House because another young resident, Luke, lives there. As if, Anna muses, a little companionship will soften the unfairness of her fate.

Eve Bennett also comes to Rosalind house reluctantly. Once a pampered, wealthy wife, she is now cooking and cleaning to make ends meet. Both women are facing futures they didn’t expect. With only unreliable memories to guide them, they have no choice but to lean on and trust something more powerful. Something closer to the heart.”

 

You can read my review of The Things We Keep later today. But first please read on to learn more about how Sally came to write The Things We Keep…

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When It’s Not Personal

It makes sense that when a writer chooses a topic for a book, it’s personal. After all, if someone is willing to spend months (or years) on a book, the themes and issues must mean something to them. For some, it’s a memoir. A true tale of inspiration from the writer’s own life. For others, it is a work of fiction inspired by a piece of truth. A farm that has been in his or her family for generations; a culture they call their own.

When a book comes out, everyone wants to hear the personal angle. Why did you write this book? Why is this meaningful to you? For my first book, the answer was easy. The Secrets of Midwives was a novel about mothers and daughters. I wrote it while I was pregnant (with a daughter). For extra kicks, it took me nine months to write. Sure the book was fiction, but the inspiration came from the experience I was living.

My next novel, The Thing We Keep, was also a book I was itching to write. From the time, five years ago, when I watched a TV segment about a woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 31, I’ve toyed with the idea of writing an Alzheimer’s love story. For years, it was a little kernel of an idea that refused to pop. Finally it burst open and became The Things We Keep.

But here’s the thing: it’s not personal. I’ve found myself struggling with this a little lately. At writer’s festivals, people gather to hear the true stories behind books. What, in your life, inspired this book? The truth is I have no personal experience with Alzheimer’s. There is no one in my family with the disease. I didn’t study neuroscience at university. I haven’t worked in dementia care. My main connection to the illness is a five-minute TV segment I saw years ago.

Of course, since then, I’ve watched a lot more news segments. I’ve read countless books. I’ve spoken to the families of people with Alzheimer’s, and I’ve spoken to the staff who care for these people.

And somewhere along the way, it has become personal.

For me, writing is never about the burning desire to tell a particular story … it is about the burning desire to explore topics that interest me, through fiction. I am at the beginning of what I hope is a long writing career. There are many, many topics that aren’t personal to me now. But they will be. And, for me, that’s what writing is all about.

 

*****

 

The Things We Keep is available via

Pan Macmillan I I Booktopia I Amazon AU I  via Booko

Amazon US

Review & Giveaway: Sweet Wattle Creek by Kaye Dobbie

 

Title: Sweet Wattle Creek

Author: Kaye Dobbie

Published: Harlequin AU October 2015

Read an Excerpt

Status: Read from September 30 to October 01, 2015   {Courtesy the author}

My Thoughts:

With a narrative alternating between the past and the present, Sweet Wattle Creek by Kaye Dobbie, also known as Sara Bennett and Lilly Sommers, tells the story of Belle Bartholomew and Sophie Matheson, two women haunted by the secrets of their pasts.

When her father commits suicide after losing his wealth during the post war depression, Belle Bartholomew is stunned to learn of the secrets he had been keeping. Eager to know more, she travels to Sweet Wattle Creek to claim her inheritance, a rundown hotel bequeathed to her by Martha Ambrose, and though Belle’s questions put the locals offside, she is determined to solve the mystery of her birth.

Nearly sixty years later, reporter Sophie Matheson is enchanted by a vintage wedding dress donated to the Sweet Wattle Creek centenary celebrations. Intrigued by its mysterious provenance, Sophie begins to piece together the story of Belle and Charlie, and their connection to the old burnt out hotel on the town’s fringe, unaware that her own past is catching up to her.

Both Belle and Sophie are appealing and sympathetic characters. Though their situations are very different they share a similar spirit, facing adversity with courage and determination.

Dobbie’s portrayal of small town Australia during the 1930’s is very well done. The community of Sweet Wattle Creek is still struggling with grief for their loved ones lost and injured in the Great War, and are worried about the impact of the post war depression, particularly as ‘travellers’ pass through their town. Dobbie skilfully communicates this tense atmosphere, and Belle’s status as an outsider.

The mid 1980’s is a fairly bland era by comparison but Dobbie is careful to ensure the period is reflected in the storyline. The local paper where Sophie works still uses a mechanical press to publish, archives are stored in the basement, and the single computer that saves data to floppy discs is still a novelty.

Most importantly, I thought the story was very well structured, both the historical and contemporary timelines complement each other well, and advance the plot as a whole. The pacing is good and the suspense builds nicely. There are some neat turns to the plot and I thought the conclusion was satisfying.

Sweet Wattle Creek is a well crafted and engaging tale combining mystery, drama and romance, and I’m happy to recommend it.

To learn more , CLICK HERE for a guest post from the author published earlier today

Sweet Wattle Creek is available to purchase via

Harlequin I I Booktopia I Amazon AU I  via Booko

and all good bookstores.

GIVEAWAY

Courtesy of Kaye Dobbie I have

1 Kindle edition of

Sweet Wattle Creek

to giveaway to one lucky Australian resident.

Leave a comment on this post and then

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

*Sorry, entry is for Australian residents only, and must have a valid Amazon.com.au account*

Entries close October 11th, 2015

#SweetWattleCreek #KayeDobbie @HarlequinAUS #JAMPR

 

Blog Tour: Sweet Wattle Creek by Kaye Dobbie

I’m delighted to welcome Kaye Dobbie to Book’d Out today, celebrating the release of Sweet Wattle Creek. Kaye Dobbie is an Australian author living on the central Victorian goldfields. She has been writing professionally ever since she won the Grafton Big River short story contest at the age of 18. Her career has undergone many changes, including writing Australian historical fiction under the name Lilly Sommers and penning romance novels as Sara Bennett. Kaye has written about, and been published in, many countries, but her passion for Australia shows in her current Harlequin Mira novels.

In Sweet Wattle Creek, the chance discovery of an antique wedding dress weaves together the fascinating stories of three women from different eras: Sophie, in hiding from a troubled past; Belle, who must lose everything to learn what really matters; and Martha, forced to give up those she loves in order to avoid exposure.

It’s 1931 and Belle Bartholomew has arrived in rural Sweet Wattle Creek to claim her inheritance – a run-down grand hotel formerly owned by Martha Ambrose. Determined to solve the mystery of her birth and the reason why she was bequeathed the hotel Belle runs into difficulties with the townsfolk and their desire to keep their secrets safe.

Sixty years later Sophie Matheson is on a quest to find Belle and her family after discovering the wedding dress. The Sweet Wattle Creek Centenary brings more challenges when her past catches up and she must fight for all that matters to her. Who were Belle and Martha and what links their lives together?”

*****

To read my review of Sweet Wattle Creek and for a chance to win a copy, please CLICK HERE.  But first, please read on to learn more about the novel…

Animal Characters in Sweet Wattle Creek

by Kaye Dobbie

I happen to be an animal lover. Over the years I’ve had more pets than I can remember. Well, that’s not true, because I can remember them, they all hold a special place in my heart, every one of them. So it makes sense that I have animals in my books. Usually the animal plays some role, it isn’t just there to up the word count. And sometimes I like to write about a pet I have loved and lost.

In Sweet Wattle Creek I have three main Creature Characters.

In 1904 Martha and her daughter Belle are waiting on the platform at Spencer Street Station, Melbourne, for Martha’s brother Rory. Four year old Belle sees a pigeon that reminds her of Nellie, her pet sulphur crested cockatoo, and the bird is introduced to readers. Later on, in 1931, Belle returns to claim her inheritance in Sweet Wattle Creek, and this time we meet the real Nellie. She becomes part of the story, sitting on Belle’s shoulder, even participating in one of the crucial scenes in the book. And near the end, if you read very carefully, she’s there, a part of Belle’s family.

In 1986 Sophie Matheson comes to Sweet Wattle Creek to hide from a frightening past. Her son Dillon has always wanted a dog but their circumstances meant it was impossible. Now they are settled in the small country town, and suddenly fate throws Smithy in their path and into their home.

Smithy is a black and white border collie, and he belongs to an elderly woman who has had a fall and been taken to hospital. Dillon and Smithy immediately bond, and his arrival gives the reader an insight into the sort of boy Dillon is and how his life has been affected by the trauma of his, and Sophie’s, past. Smithy also gives a bit of comic relief from what is a serious subject.

The third Creature Character in Sweet Wattle Creek is BC, which stands for Black Cat. BC arrived on the doorstep of Sophie’s work place, the Sweet Wattle Creek Herald, with a litter of kittens. Sophie managed to find adoptees for the others, but BC was left and now he is her cat. BC is the boss of the house, very used to getting his own way, until Smithy the border collie arrives. Suddenly BC undergoes a character change, shedding his aloofness for the sake of more pats.

BC is a pseudonym for a real cat called Aussie, who later on became Old Black Cat. She arrived one Christmas, dumped in our street, and found her way to our house. She was my cat for twenty-two years, and for the last part of her life kept me company in my study while I wrote. I got so used to seeing her on the chair behind me, or stretched out in front of the heater under the desk, that when she grew so ill we had to let her go, I felt as if my writing partner had died. At times, during those last weeks, I was worried she wouldn’t make it to the end of the book, so afterwards my sadness was tinged with gratitude that she did.

I believe animals are important in real life, so why not in fictional life too? Are you an animal lover? Do you have a special Creature Character in your life?

Sweet Wattle Creek is available to purchase via

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