Technically that title is misleading as I don’t actually have any Australian authors to give away (would that it were true, who wouldn’t want an erudite Aussie all of their very own?).
But in an attempt to divest myself of some books and to help spread the word about the great writers my country produces I am giving away books authored by Aussies. Every month I’ll offer up one or two books by Australian authors and there will be a ludicrously easy way for you to go in the running to win them.
For the inaugural Aussie Author Give Away there are two books up for grabs:
The Consequences of Sin by Clare Langley-Hawthorne [2007]: a crime fiction tale set in Edwardian England
Condition: Near new (acquired new, read once, didn’t drop it in the bath).
UPDATE: Clare Langley-Hawthorne has kindly offered to supply a signed copy of her book to give away. So, the first person who has entered for this book will win that copy, the second name drawn will win the pre-loved copy that was originally offered
And
The Dragon Man by Garry Disher [1999]: the first in a series of police procedurals featuring detectives Challis and Destry and set in rural Victoria. I read this before I started blogging so don’t have a full review but reading notes tell me that at the time “I loved this book. I loved its Australian-ness, its cast of imperfect yet credible characters, its delicately inter-twined plots. From the opening pages, which beautifully and accurately reflect the average Aussie summer, to the concluding chapter in which the stories are satisfyingly, if surprisingly, resolved this is a great read”.
Condition: Near new (acquired new, read once, didn’t drop it in the bath).
Rules of entry
1. To be in the running leave a comment below containing:
- the word or phrase that first enters your mind when you think of Australia
- which book you’d like to win (it’s fine to say both)
- your email address (de-spam bot identifiable like this bsquaredinoz [at] gmail [dot] com is fine)
2. Everyone who manages to follow rule number one will have their name slotted onto spinning wheel of death which will be spun to select a random winner on the evening of 15 September 2009 (local time which is GMT +9.5) (you’ll know you’re too late to enter by the presence of a WINNERS ANNOUNCED comment below). There will be two separate draws in September and you may enter either or both. You may even win both.
3. The word association game has no bearing on the outcome of the competition. I am just curious.
4. I will contact the winner(s) via email to ask for a snail mail address to which I can send the book(s). I will happily post the book(s) to whatever far away part of the globe you inhabit BUT I will only use surface mail for those outside Australia. This is slow (takes up to 12 weeks) but cheap. As am I.
Post updated 04 Sept
September 1, 2009 at 10:14 am
Word or Phrase: Outback (and I don’t mean the steakhouse here in the US) closely followed by The Ashes closely followed by Crikey closely followed by Fosters (the only beer I know from OZ), My wife says that G’day Mate enters her mind followed by Oy.
Book I’d like: The Dragon Man
Email: malundy [at] gmail [dot] com
September 1, 2009 at 11:54 am
Word or Phrase: very far away, beautiful, scenic
Book I’d like: both
Email: carolhutton(at)verizon(dot)net
Thanks!
September 1, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Word: Koala
Book: both
Email: fely(at)philgerm(dot)com
September 1, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Word or phrase – down under
Book – both
Email – hdkiker(at)comcast(dot)net
September 1, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Title: The Drover´s Wife.
Book: both.
Email: dohuja(at)mail.tele.dk
Thank you for having this giveaway. And really, I´d rather win a book than a random Aussie. We have been four people in a cottage for several weeks now
September 1, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Correction:
email: do.hu.ja(at)mail.tele.dk
(not even able to remember my own mail? When will I forget my own name?)
September 1, 2009 at 11:00 pm
First word: Cape Tribulation
Garry Disher, if I should be so lucky
moondancer89[at]hotmail[dot]com
September 2, 2009 at 1:54 am
Word/phrase: (former) Home, Sunburn, “the shits” (for every occasion – American’s find that one quite bizarre).
Book: Disher (I keep meaning to read him)
I’m an Aussie abroad and miss me some good oz lit. Say hello to Elliot Perlman for me! Just discovered your blog – love it!
georgie.lewis@gmail.com
September 2, 2009 at 4:07 am
Kangaroo and Outback
Either or both
Thanks this is fun
September 2, 2009 at 4:12 am
It’s weird that everyone else’s email address is visible but not mine so I have to conclude that I forgot to do it. Duh!
esmatt at gci dot net
September 2, 2009 at 4:16 am
I forgot to say the first Aussie mystery writer that came into my head and that was Clair or Clare McNab
Sorry for the excess but I’m brain damaged.
September 2, 2009 at 4:44 am
KANGAROO, DUCK-VBILLED PLATYPUS, EMU (wonderful strange animals I learned at school to associate with Australia.
Both, I read a Disher a long time ago and found it fascinating. And the other seems interesting.
September 2, 2009 at 7:29 am
Word or phrase: wallaby
Book: either (or both?)
Email: lwchavis[at]bellsouth[dot]net
September 2, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Sunnie:
sunniefromoz [at]gmail dot com
I met Clare (and her jar of vegemite) in Hawaii but have not yet been able to get my mitts on any of her books. Would love to read one.
September 2, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Apologies once again. Brain freeze. For some reason the posting section is just blank white oh my screen .
Words that come when I hear the word Australia. Simple.
HOME.
Books written by Aussies have become special to me. They are voices I hear every day in places I am familiar with. These days books by Aussies also have some of the most unusual and compelling ideas around.
September 3, 2009 at 3:08 am
Word or phrase: Shrimp on the barbie
Book: The Consequences of Sin
E-mail: jhwax@aol,com
September 6, 2009 at 7:41 am
Word or Phrase: rugged, individual or rugged individual
Book I’d like: Dragon Man
Email: sgmensing at hughes dot net
September 6, 2009 at 9:10 am
word or phrase: home
Book: The Consequences of Sin
email” kasmith9 at esc.net.au
September 13, 2009 at 7:32 am
[...] are only 2 days left to go in the running to win my first Aussie Author Give Away so hurry and enter to win one of two great Aussie crime [...]
September 15, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Competition is closed and the winners have been announced http://reactionstoreading.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/winners-announced-of-aussie-author-give-away-1/