MAREE COOTE is a writer, designer, illustrator, photographer and publisher. She has enjoyed an award-winning career in advertising and understands Melbourne’s unique advantage well. Her many creative passions converge in her studies of Melbourne’s history, which is the focus of her work in object design and in publishing over the past ten years. Maree is passionate about a sense of place and history, and she brings this to life in multiple platforms for multiple audiences. Her affinity for Melbourne is unique and highly informed. Her skill is bringing ideas to life, and communicating ideas to any audience ‘in whatever form gives them most power: books, artwork, song, stories, design, film…”.

The post INTERVIEW: Maree Coote on her new book “Azaria – A True History” #ListenNOW appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.

Tommy and Tiger Terry is a compelling book for children and parents and a useful resource for any separated family to assist children to make sense of it all. The aim is easy – as we all want our kids to grow up into well balanced and psychologically healthy adults. Tommy aims to help kids understand that they are not alone.

“Tommy is a kid like so many from separated households: he loves his Mum; he loves his Dad. On his wish list, he would like them to reconcile – but, that is not going to happen.Importantly, Tommy believes it’s all his fault. To address his feelings of conflict, Tommy has an imaginary friend, Tiger Terry, who relieves Tommy’s anxieties and confusion. Playfully, Tiger Terry travels on adventures with Tommy and provides him with avenues of escape, so that he can better understand his parents and his family situation. A compelling book for children and parents and a useful resource for any separated family to assist children to make sense of it all. The aim is easy – as we all want our kids to grow up into well balanced and psychologically healthy adults.

Tommy is just the read to help kids understand that they are not alone.”

The post INTERVIEW: Darren Mort on his book “Tommy and Tiger Terry” which launched on 1st June #ListenNow appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.

do we still use them?

do we still need them!?

Listen to find out what our ‘take’ was – if you will

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Make sure you listen to Sue’s reaction when she puts on a replica of Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond ring!! You can buy the book at various online retailers now or soon in bookstores.

And here is a short intro to Wayne’s book from the web…

“When I was sixteen I developed a unique attraction to Dame Elizabeth Taylor. My friend’s father introduced me to Taylor when he gave me a copy of the film “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” in the mid-1980’s. From that moment on I was transfixed by the romantic renaissance which could only be known to me as Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

I would spend hours scanning magazines at my local news agency and began collecting articles and making up scrapbooks that became overflowing with titillating tabloid gossip. There was no internet back then, so anything printed about Dame Elizabeth Taylor was all I knew.

Eventually, I read an article that somehow disclosed Elizabeth’s personal address. I spent the next four years writing to that address signing off on every occasion, “forever Elizabeth your biggest fan”.

I wrote to Elizabeth Taylor on her first visit to the Betty Ford Centre and pinned what was then my favourite picture of her in a get well card. It was the first autograph in this collection. There were many more that followed. In 1992, I was personally declared by Dame Elizabeth as her number one fan. This became the inception of our 20-year penfriendship which lasted until her passing in 2011.

Since 1992, I have amassed a most extraordinary celebrity collection, one that is quite uniquely a “one of a kind”. It has been reported as a collection never to be duplicated. On many occasions, I shared this collection with Dane Elizabeth and on many occasions, Dame Elizabeth has shared part of her personal life with the collection.

Since learning my great grandmother’s middle names were Elizabeth Rosemond, that Richard Burton had purchased the famous Taylor/Burton Diamond on my birthday and that I too had dated a Richard twice, to me, Dame Elizabeth Taylor was written into my life long before I was conceived.”

The post INTERVIEW: Wayne Griffin on his book “Dame Elizabeth Taylor – Shades of Violet” #ListenNow appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.

The book is described on the publisher’s website as:

“Warren Kirk’s photos will strike a chord with anyone who’s grown up in the Australian suburbs in the past 50 years. Somehow both achingly familiar and unimaginably strange, these luminous images continue his 30-year project of documenting a way of life that is slowly disappearing, along with the people who lived it.

Taken with loving attention and considerable skill, and with the utmost respect for the people and places that appear in them, Kirk’s photos of shops and houses, of gardens and lounge-rooms, of people surrounded by the things they love, are beautifully evocative and powerfully nostalgic.”

The post INTERVIEW: Warren Kirk (Photographer) on his new book “Suburbia – The Familiar and Forgotten” appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.

Everything Happens for a Riesling is the wine book that says boo to acting like a snob. It’s your ultimate guide to hacking the world of vino. Grace De Morgan is here to help you get more of the wine experiences you want, minus the pretentiousness.

This is a toolkit, not a textbook – a cheat sheet for all the vino-related questions you didn’t realise you had. I mean, where do you store wine if you don’t have a cellar? Who (or what) is Gewurztraminer? Are decanters a thing?

Whether you can’t tell your rose from your Riesling or are busy studying to be a Master Sommelier, Everything Happens for a Riesling has got something to make you go ‘Mmm, more please.’

The post INTERVIEW: Grace de Morgan on her new book “Everything Happens for a Riesling” #ListenNow appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.

The Darebin Arts website describes the awards as follows:

The Darebin Mayor’s Writing Award is an annual award for writers who live, work or study in the City of Darebin.

Now in its fifth year the awards celebrate local writers and the stories that make up our community.

The winner of this year’s award will receive a prize of $1500. Additionally, two shortlisted writers each will receive a prize of $500. Entries will be judged by a panel of three professional writers: Louise Swinn, Susan Johnston and Adolfo Aranjuez.

This year’s award is for short works (700 words or less) on the theme:

The table is a meeting place, even the simplest meal is a gift.

We are looking for stories about food and food rituals culture and traditions. The stories told at dinner tables. The smells, colours and textures of food and its preparation.

Works of all genres are accepted.

Entries open here 14 March 2018

Entries close 24 April 2018

Wining entry receives $1500 and two shortlisted writers will receive $500 each

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David & Sue talk to a great Australian storyteller and author, Narrelle Harris. She was born in Newcastle but is now a Melbourne-based writer of crime, fantasy and vampire novels and short stories. She also writes romance and erotica and a lot of Sherlock Holmes! In 2009 she was the regular book reviewer/interviewer/commentator for The Outland Institute’s radio show on JOY 94.9. The show is now on indefinite hiatus, but you can still download the 22 episodes on the JOY site or from iTunes.

Her latest book is Ravenfall which is a queer paranormal romance/thriller. It’s out now and you can find out where to get it and read an extract of the book at Narrelle’s website.

Just look at the cover and you’ll want to buy it like David!! She describes the book as follows:

“What would you do for love?

Would you kill? Would you die? Would you give up your soul?

British soldier, Dr James Sharpe, returned from Afghanistan a changed man. Like most war veterans haunted by deadly choices and the horrors of battle, James struggles against his demons. Unlike other ex-soldiers, his demons are real. Transformed in the heat of a desert battlefield, James Sharpe is now a vampire.

Struggling London artist, Gabriel Dare, has his own secrets – like who he really is, and why he lived on the streets before lodging with Dr Sharpe; like the ghosts he used to see, that made others question his sanity.

James knows Gabriel is the best thing in his life, but questions his ability to love and fears he’s a danger to all. Gabriel knows there’s something different about his enigmatic landlord, but can’t deny his attraction.

When some of Gabriel’s street friends go missing, he discovers that London is full of monsters – real, vicious, otherworldly monsters.

Risking all for love, James and Gabriel join a clairvoyant cop and an unusual Earl to uncover the truth; for it seems the vampire who sired James is back in London – with a diabolical agenda that threatens the entire nation.”

The post David & Sue talk to author, Narrelle Harris, about her new queer, paranormal romance/thriller novel “Ravenfall” appeared first on Driving You Mad, Driving You Crazy.