After enjoying the Australia Day ‘bloghop’ for several years, I’m thrilled to be able to participate and giveaway a copy of my novella, “The End of Seeing,” as well as a memoir by Lesley and Tammy Williams “Not Just Black and White.”
Determined to discover the truth about the disappearance of her partner, Nick, Ana sets out to re-trace the route he took as a photojournalist on the other side of the world – a journey that saw him presumed dead, on a ship wrecked off the coast of Italy. But Ana doesn’t believe Nick is dead. In his photos, in the messages her memories of him seem to carry, and in her growing suspicion about his own need to disappear, she is increasingly sure he is alive somewhere. As she tracks his journey, she begins to witness the world that Nick saw through his camera – a world in which disappearance is not unexpected.
‘Dazzling, intelligent and heart-rending. I have long been a fan of Collins, and this is why.’ – Toni Jordan
‘I raced through with a catch in my throat and tears in my eyes. A love-letter to a vanished husband . . . nuanced and tender, political and tense. Christy Collins has written a subtle thriller with mystery at its heart.’ – Katerina Cosgrove
Ahead of the Blak & Bright Festival coming up in Melbourne, I’m including a copy of “Not Just Black and White: A conversation between a mother and daughter” by Lesley and Tammy Williams.
To win, please comment below, telling me your favourite Australian book. If you wish you can subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter @_ChristyCollins – but this is not compulsory.
I will randomly select a winner to receive a print copy of “The End of Seeing” and “Not Just Black and White” and contact the winner to find out their mailing address (open only to Australian residents). Entries close at Midnight on Wednesday January 27th and winners will be announced within 7 days.
You can find all the other participating blogs here: https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/its-the-2016-australia-day-book-giveaway-blog-hop/ The Blog Hop is a great opportunity to acquaint yourself with some new Australian writers or to add a few new book blogs to your favourites, so check it out.
Update
And the winner (selected from a literal hat) is: Wendy S. aka Womblywoo. Wendy, your books are on their way to you. Thanks to everyone for their excellent suggestions — I have quite a few new additions to my “must read” list.
January 24, 2016 at 2:21 am
Hi Christy congratulations on your book!! I love discovering new Australian authors, there is so much talent here, as I am continually discovering! It’s so hard to choose a favourite Australian book as there are so many great ones. But I must say I really loved Jessica by Bryce Courtenay. Fingers crossed 😊
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January 24, 2016 at 2:30 am
I have not read “Jessica” but am still haunted by his “April Fool’s Day” which I read as a teenager. Heart-wrenching stuff. And you’re right, there really is too much good stuff to choose from out there!
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January 24, 2016 at 2:56 am
Congratulations on your book, and thank you for doing a giveaway! It is so hard to name a favourite Australian book, I find myself naming a different one every time I am asked… I’m filling a bit nostalgic today, though, so I think it would be Brian Caswell’s book, Merryl of the Stones.
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January 24, 2016 at 3:06 am
Thanks for commenting. I remember reading my sister’s copy of Caswell’s “A Cage of Butterflies” and finding it fascinating. Have a lovely (long) weekend!
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January 24, 2016 at 3:52 am
Hey Christy. Thanks so much for hosting such a great giveaway and for the opportunity to enter. I’ve never heard of either of the books mentioned in the post but am so deeply intrigued by the concept of “the end of Seeing’. Thank you bringing it to my attention. I don’t have ‘one’ fave aussie book or author for that matter, but I absoutely love Ethel Turner’s ‘Seven Little Australians’ and Maureen McCarthy’s “When You Wake and FInd Me Gone’. Some childhood faves that I constantly reread.
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January 24, 2016 at 4:03 am
Yes! No books stay with me quite like the ones I loved when I was little; I adored “Seven Little Australians” too. And thanks for your kind words about my book.
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January 24, 2016 at 4:50 am
Hi,
my favourite Australian book right now has to be THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS by Tom Keneally. A beautifully written eye-opener.
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January 24, 2016 at 4:55 am
Thanks, Mary. Keneally’s (almost?) impossible to keep up with – how does he do it? – but I heard him speak about “The Daughters of Mars” and it sounded fascinating. I’m putting this recommendation on my “to read” list. Thanks.
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January 24, 2016 at 6:29 am
Hi Christy. Thanks for the great giveaway. Both books sounds wonderful.
I’m a fairly new resident of Australia (nearly 3 1/2 years) so I’ve been reading everything I can from Australian authors. I’d have to say that Laurinda by Alice Pung stood out as my favourite book so far.
Happy Australia Day!
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January 24, 2016 at 10:17 am
Thanks. Yes, I enjoyed Laurinda too. I wish it had been written when I was a teenager – I think I would have liked it even more then.
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January 24, 2016 at 6:55 am
Hi Christy,
Thanks for the giveaway and both books mentioned are awesome. My favourite Aussie book is Colors of Gold by Kaye Dobbie. A beautiful story about a young girl’s life and how a painting reveals her’s as well as her family’s story. Lots of adventure in Australian Gold fieds. and I loved the dual time frame.
Happy Australia Day!
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January 24, 2016 at 10:19 am
Thanks, Jessy. I’ve never heard of this one – I’ll have to look it up. Sounds really interesting.
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January 24, 2016 at 9:44 am
Its hard to pick just one favourite aussie author but the one i have re-read the most is Ruth Parks harp in the south trilogy
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January 24, 2016 at 10:22 am
Oh, yes, I had forgotten these. I loved them too. I think we had to read the first one for school and after that it was great to discover that the story continued.
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January 24, 2016 at 11:35 am
Happy Australia Day and thank you for the giveaway. My favourite Aussie book is currently Palace of
Tears by Julian Leatherdale, which I read last year. Fell in love with the blue mountains after reading it 🙂
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January 25, 2016 at 12:29 pm
Another one for me to look up – sounds good.
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January 24, 2016 at 6:56 pm
My favourite Australian book is Cloudstreet by Tim Winton.
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January 25, 2016 at 12:30 pm
I love Cloudstreet too, and especially loved The Turning – so evocative.
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January 24, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Bullo – Sarah Henderson – took me to a whole different place – and gave me a love of tales of our outback
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January 25, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Sounds like a great read. Thanks.
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January 25, 2016 at 12:10 am
Pcinic at Hanging Rock still haunts me! Every since I read it when I was in school and even as an adult!
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January 25, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Yes. Such a great book; I loved it as a teenager too.
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January 25, 2016 at 12:24 am
I love “Cloudstreet” by Tim Winton!!
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January 25, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Me too.
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January 25, 2016 at 12:35 am
has to be wolf creek, I know the guy who wrote it an it adds a layer of depth of this truly scary film
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January 25, 2016 at 12:35 pm
The book does? Sounds intriguing.
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January 25, 2016 at 3:23 am
My favourite Australian book at the moment is a relatively new one “The Other Side of the World” by Stephanie Bishop
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January 25, 2016 at 12:37 pm
I’ve heard good things about this one but haven’t got to it yet. Thanks for commenting.
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January 25, 2016 at 4:28 am
Thank you for the opportunity! Happy australia day eve 🙂
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January 25, 2016 at 12:38 pm
You too.
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January 25, 2016 at 9:39 am
I absolutley love Bryce Courtney’s Jessica best Aussie book had me in tears
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January 25, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Second vote for this one. I’ll have to check it out.
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January 25, 2016 at 10:18 am
Thanks for the chance to win Christy…. wow favourite book..so hard when so many and so many more yet to be discovered… I always loved the Tomorrow Series by John Marsden, and more recently Jackie Frenchs The Matilda Saga books…
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January 25, 2016 at 12:42 pm
Marsden’s a great Aussie author. I’ve only read the first of the Tomorrow books but I remember being blown away by So Much To Tell You.
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January 25, 2016 at 8:41 pm
“Old Timers” by David Darcy released in November last year. A book with the stories of Australias elderly, my granddad was featured!
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January 27, 2016 at 6:34 am
Family stories are especially precious. I have a great aunt who is working on a family history book; I love looking through it for stories I haven’t heard before. Thanks.
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January 25, 2016 at 9:25 pm
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton is an inspirational Australian favourite that I read back in Year 12 but still am in love with it.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:32 am
Me too!
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January 25, 2016 at 11:28 pm
My Brother Jack by George Johnston would be my favourite Australian book. When it comes to recent books, South of Darkness by John Marsden was exceptionally well written, making it a great read.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:32 am
My Mum gave me My Brother Jack to read when I was at school and I thought it was great then but it’s probably time to take another look because I haven’t read it since. Thanks for the comment.
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January 26, 2016 at 1:33 am
My copy of The Best of Banjo Patterson is always a favourite to read on Australia Day. It’s a big heavy book and well worn. It’s my favourite book of all time.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:31 am
There’s nothing more Australian. It might be time for me to revisit some of his stuff. Thanks.
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January 26, 2016 at 1:41 am
Just one?? It’s like picking my favourite child! “Matthew Flinders cat” I guess, if I have to pick just one. I visited the statue of Trim when we went to Sydney and left a bookcrossing copy of “Matthew Flinders Cat” under the statue.
I loved this book despite having no interest at the time in history (or cats particularly) but I loved every page. A friend bought me a copy with a beautiful cover, I might re-read it this year and get lost again in the amazing story.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:29 am
Oh, I don’t know the book, but am a fan of the Bookcrossing initiative – a great way to read something new and to keep books out in the world, where they can find new readers.
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January 26, 2016 at 3:40 am
Can not go past Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. I have not read it in years but it’s still one of my favourite books
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January 27, 2016 at 6:28 am
Another book I stole my sister’s copy of and devoured. Have you read her latest?
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January 26, 2016 at 3:48 am
Hi Christy. My current favourite in Charlotte Wood’s The Natural Way of Things and my all-time favourite is Eva Hornung’s Dog Boy. Congratulations on the book! I look forward to reading it.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:27 am
Thanks, Elizabeth. I can’t wait to read The Natural Way of Things. Congrats on your books too and thanks for all you do to promote Australian writing.
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January 27, 2016 at 7:53 am
Thanks – and my pleasure!
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January 26, 2016 at 4:55 am
Both books sound intriguing. I love a good mystery, and the topic of mothers and daughters has endless permutations!
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January 27, 2016 at 6:25 am
Thanks for your comment. Do you have a favorite Aussie book?
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January 26, 2016 at 5:23 am
Hard to choose just one so I’ll go with my first ever Australia book Blinky Bill. I received it from my Uncle when I was 10. A big hard cover book that kept me entertained for weeks.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:24 am
Blinky Bill was a childhood favorite of mine too.
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January 26, 2016 at 10:25 am
“The Happiest Refugee” by Anh Do is a great read .. so real .. so inspiring.. with sprinkles of humor along the read.
Congratulations Christy on your book and your win. Will read it soon.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:22 am
Thanks. Yes, I’ve heard great things about this one. Putting it on my list.
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January 26, 2016 at 11:46 am
The Magic Pudding
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January 27, 2016 at 6:21 am
Yes, I loved this one too – just exactly the sort of magic that appealed to me as a kid, and indeed now!
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January 26, 2016 at 10:30 pm
I have a baby boy and at the moment all I have time to read are picture books! So at the moment my favourites are Possum Magic and Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:21 am
Those are great too! I hope you get some reading time for yourself soon too though.
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January 27, 2016 at 12:56 am
Thanks for the great giveaway, Christy, The End of Seeing sounds amazing! That has definitely ended up on my TBR pile. My favourite Aussie book is such a hard pick! I may have to go a series and say The Tomorrow Series by John Marsden. A very close second would be his book Checkers.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:19 am
Thanks, Amy. I like the Tomorrow books too. I don’t know Checkers but loved So Much to Tell You as a kid.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:06 am
Both book giveaways sound amazing! One of my favourite Australian books is Fairway to Heaven by Lily Malone. But really, I could mention at least 30 that have taken my breath away.
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January 27, 2016 at 6:18 am
Thanks. Yes, so many great books to choose from!
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January 27, 2016 at 7:04 am
I just love Angel Puss by Colleen McCullough. Set in the 60’s in Sydney. I read it while i was walking and living on the same streets in the book. Its a book that has stayed with me.
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January 27, 2016 at 7:33 am
The Thorn Birds Is a book that I will always remember as being one of the best. Loved it could not stop reading.
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