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Saturday, August 15, 2015

Some New Goodies In The Mail

This week three parcels arrived for me but I couldn't collect them till yesterday morning, alas! 

The first was a gift from my friend and fellow blogger Isabelle, aka miki, who thought that Christmas in July was a logical thing to celebrate in the Antipodes and sent me, all the way from Belgium, a lovely packet of fruit tea, which I will be brewing for my brunch today, and a gorgeous handmade crochet scarf in two shades of blue, one dusky blue, the other turquoise. I'm thinking carefully of what I can make for her. Something beaded, perhaps? Earrings, necklace? A nice warm scarf, which will come in handy for her Yuletide when it will be winter over there? 

The rest of my goodies were three books for reviewing, two from Ford Street Publishing and one from Christmas Press. 

From the latter, I have the latest in their series of retold fairy tales from around the world, this one by Duncan Ball, with beautiful David Allan illustrations, Two Tengu Tales From Japan. I think it's amazing how speedily the Christmas Press has established itself as a highly respected Aussie small press, with several wonderful children's picture books on its list. 

Ford Street, another great publisher, has sent me Gary Crew's new novel, Voicing The Dead by Gary Crew, who has become well known for writing grim and grisly tales for teens, since his first book, Strange Objects, scored a CBCA Award twenty-five years ago and still in print, with a new cover, even. This one is based on the true story of a couple of kids who were adopted by Torres Strait Islanders after the rest of those travelling on the ship were killed by head hunters in the 1830s. I've begun reading it and will review it as soon as I've finished. 

The second Ford Street title to hit my letterbox is Belinda The Ninja Ballerina, a picture book by Candida Baker, illoed by the wonderful Mitch Vane, who did the art for my own book, Your Cat Could Be A Spy(and who helped my Dad colour photocopy the cover when they met, quite by chance, at the print shop copier). 

I've read both the picture stories and will, hopefully, be posting reviews some time today.

7 comments:

Lan said...

I can't remember the last time I had something sent to me that I didn't buy! Hope you have fun reading and something beaded for your friend would be lovely.

miki said...

it was a pleasure to send you a little something ^^( and don't worry you are not obligated to send anything if you don't have time or something it's in no way an obligation)

Sue Bursztynski said...

As a matter of fact, I've recently bought some wool for scarf knitting and I do enjoy it very much - I can't make anything as pretty as yours, but warm! And it will be your winter... One year, a friend and I who had birthdays in the same month agreed to give each other socks. She was going to Europe for the European winter. We both gave each other high quality socks. Another time, we gave each other pretty scarves. It's a fun way to do it.

Sue Bursztynski said...

What, Lan, no one sends you gifts? Even for your birthday? We'll have to do something about that, especially now with your first novel about to hit the Internet. Something beaded? Email me when you gave tie.

Sue Bursztynski said...

That's "have time" not " gave tie."

miki said...

Yes Lan something should definitively be done about such a problem so don't hesitate to send me a message when you have time and i will see what i can do about sending you a littel something too

Thank you Sue

Sue Bursztynski said...

Lan, so sorry, I accidentally deleted your message instead of publishing it. It was to the effect that you got plenty of gifts in person, so it all worked out. Glad to hear this, though there is something exciting about getting a parcel in the mail and opening it to find someone a long way off is thinking of you... :-)