TRUST ME TOO LAUNCHES - FREE!

Trust Me Too is the second anthology published by Ford Street Publishing, because Trust Me!, the first one, was so very popular that publisher Paul Collins decided to do a second one and that one looks like being a hit also. I have stories in both books - historical fiction set in the 1960s. The current anthology features my story "Call Him Ringo", about a teenage girl fan of the Beatles who plays the drums and has an unexpected encounter with the Beatles drummer who isn't Ringo. I'm making my delighted way through the anthology - who would have thought I'd be in there with the likes of Isobelle Carmody, Lucy Sussex, Doug McLeod, Kerry Greenwood, Jack Heath, George Ivanoff... oh, there are so many! And the genres are widespread - history, crime, science fiction, fantasy, "Twilight Zone", humour, take your pick. Isobelle Carmody's story is set in the universe of Obernewtyn and if you want to read it, you have to get this book! ;-)


Naturally, Ford Street wants to launch this. Last time it was at the State Library of Victoria and there was a huge signing in the upstairs room where we usually have nibbles before Booktalkers, after the official launch at the Village Roadshow Theatrette. This time, Paul decided to run a competition for secondary schools in Melbourne and Sydney and the winners, who will get to have a large bunch of writers descend on them in the evening are Paramatta High next week and Princes Hill Secondary College in Melbourne Friday July 27th. The events are free and all welcome, but you need to book. If you're going in Sydney, you'll get to see the likes of the wonderful Oliver Phommavanh, who had my students rolling around laughing when we went to see him at the State Library, and here's the list for Melbourne, as Paul Collins sent it to libraries:


"How would you like the following authors and illustrators to attend your school or municipal library FREE?

Krista Bell Sue Bursztynski  Isobelle Carmody   Paul Collins
Meredith Costain        George Ivanoff  Felicity Marshall
Marc McBride    Hazel Edwards   David Miller
Sean McMullen   Michael Panckridge      Leigh Hobbs
Wendy Orr       Corinne Fenton  Judith Rossell
Lucy Sussex     Kim Kane                Gabrielle Wang
Jenny Mounfield Margaret Clark  Janeen Brian
Kirsty Murray*

Sounds too good to be true? It's not! Isobelle Carmody will read from her Obernewtyn prequel and launch Trust Me Too on July 27. We're looking at a commencement time of around 6 pm."


Notice what it says about Isobelle Carmody? She's reading from her story! If you've been following the Obernewtyn series, you'll want to hear this. If, like me, you've been waiting for YEARS to read the third Legendsong book, here's your chance to ask for the release date, which is looking more likely, since the last time I spoke to her, Isobelle said she was 400 pages in and that was last year.


More news about Isobelle, by the way, is that her book Greylands is being reprinted by Ford Street later this year. Stand by for details.

If you are coming to the Melbourne launch and want a copy of either this or Wolfborn, let me know and I'll bring one along for you. Crime Time will likely be sold on the publisher's stand, but Paul has told me I can bring the novel as well if I like, and I'll sign it for you.

Here's a link to the Ford Street newsletter with all the details and I really do urge you to check it out if you're going to be in Melbourne or Sydney in the next couple of weeks. Near the top there's a photo of me looking solemn, signing copies of Crime Time in a bookshop. Do come if you can - how often do you get to meet all those great writers for free?