On Sunday, I went to Benn’s Books in Bentleigh to attend the launch of Bren McDibble’s new novel The Dog Runner. Here is my copy.
The book was being launched by Wendy Orr, who is the author of some award-winning books herself, including Dragonfly Song, which I’ve posted about on this site, in an interview, and the wonderful Swallow Dance. Dog Runner is only the second novel under Bren’s own name; as Cally Black, she won the Ampersand Prize and a publishing deal. But last year, her first novel under her own name, How To Bee, won the CBCA Award for younger readers.
I confess I’m only just reading that one now.
How To Bee was set in an Australia in which all but a few bees in a lab somewhere are extinct due to pesticides. So children known as bees pollinate plants and the farm grows fruit for the city. The new one is set in a world where all grasses have died, and when you think about what counts as grasses, that is SERIOUS! People have stuffed up well and truly.
Wendy talked about the beauty of the novel, the characters and story. Bren spoke about her research, for which she received a travel grant, and went to ask questions of people who knew more than she did. She told one amusing story in which she and her husband were hot and went to cool off in a certain lake that was now a salt flat - no water!
Bren was brought up on a farm, so understood how her farm characters would feel about various things, such as the animals in their lives. If they had to kill kangaroos to feed themselves and their dogs, so be it.
The day was warm and the shop was also warm and I wanted a late lunch and to go off to read my new book. I’d had my copy signed at the start, so after the book was declared duly launched, farewelled Wendy and Bren and went to have lunch in a cool cafe. An enjoyable Sunday!
The book was being launched by Wendy Orr, who is the author of some award-winning books herself, including Dragonfly Song, which I’ve posted about on this site, in an interview, and the wonderful Swallow Dance. Dog Runner is only the second novel under Bren’s own name; as Cally Black, she won the Ampersand Prize and a publishing deal. But last year, her first novel under her own name, How To Bee, won the CBCA Award for younger readers.
I confess I’m only just reading that one now.
How To Bee was set in an Australia in which all but a few bees in a lab somewhere are extinct due to pesticides. So children known as bees pollinate plants and the farm grows fruit for the city. The new one is set in a world where all grasses have died, and when you think about what counts as grasses, that is SERIOUS! People have stuffed up well and truly.
Wendy talked about the beauty of the novel, the characters and story. Bren spoke about her research, for which she received a travel grant, and went to ask questions of people who knew more than she did. She told one amusing story in which she and her husband were hot and went to cool off in a certain lake that was now a salt flat - no water!
Bren was brought up on a farm, so understood how her farm characters would feel about various things, such as the animals in their lives. If they had to kill kangaroos to feed themselves and their dogs, so be it.
The day was warm and the shop was also warm and I wanted a late lunch and to go off to read my new book. I’d had my copy signed at the start, so after the book was declared duly launched, farewelled Wendy and Bren and went to have lunch in a cool cafe. An enjoyable Sunday!
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| Wendy(L), Bren (R) |
Book launches can be a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteEcological messages in fiction are important. My understanding is that there really is a major issue with bees, as there has been a great reduction in thier population due to pesticides and/or other factors.
Yes, I enjoy book launches - I have done a few at my school in my time! And yes, bees are an issue. If they go, we are in real trouble!
ReplyDeleteSounds like it was a lovely book launch. There are often book launches (or author talks) at one of our local indie bookstores (I love it), but they are always on a thursday evening and I have band rehearsal so rarely make it to the bookstore.
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