It’s almost Australia Day here in Oz – a day which sees many drape themselves in our red white and blue flag, while wearing green and gold wigs and zinc cream and drinking once-Australian now-imported beer.
But meat pies, beer, kangaroos and rubber thongs aside… for a small nation (in population anyway) it seems to me we are pretty well represented on the cultural world stage. Not only have we presented the world ACDC, the BeeGees, INXS and 5SOS; but we’ve also offered the likes of Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Davis, Dame Edna Everage and the Hemsworth brothers.
And then there’s our increasing padre of literary alumni – Man Booker Prize winners Peter Carey, Thomas Keneally and Richard Flanagan; beloved writers like Patrick White, Bryce Courtney and Ruth Park; and newcomers Kate Morton and Markus Zusak (to wantonly and nervously select a few names).
In honour of Australia Day I’m joining a blog hop (which I think is American or bookish for link-up) and offering two prize packs which include some of my favourite novels of 2014.
And I’m sharing these with TWO lucky winners.
Although I’d love to play a role in promoting our Aussie authors internationally I’m afraid the international postage would bankrupt me, so this is only open to Australian-dwelling peeps.
The prize packs comprise:
Prize Pack One
Already Dead by Jaye Ford – Random House
Life or Death by Michael Robotham – Hachette
Lyrebird Hill by Anna Romer – Simon & Schuster
Tiddas by Anita Heiss – Simon & Schuster
Prize Pack Two
Being Jade by Kate Belle – Simon & Schuster
Lost & Found by Brooke Davis – Hachette
Nest by Inga Simpson – Hachette
When The Night Comes by Favel Parrett – Hachette
The attached entry form will allow you to submit an entry for either prize pack or both.
Thanks to Shelleyrae at Book’d Out for organising and hosting this blog hop thingy! Visit her blog now to check out the other sites participating in the giveaway and the various goodies they have on offer.
To enter my book giveaway, you simply need to fill in an entry form. I’d love it if you also left a comment below cos I’m wondering…
What’s your favourite (like ever ‘n’ EVER) book by an Australian author, whether it be a children’s book, fiction or non-fiction?
Terms & Conditions:
1. You must complete the entry form here.
2. This competition closes at midnight (12.00am) AEST on Tuesday 27 January 2015.
3. This competition is only open to Australian residents.
4. Only one entry per person. Multiple entries will be ineligible.
5. The winner will be drawn at random.
6. If the winner will have until 5pm (AEST) Friday 30 January to acknowledge / claim their prize.
7. In the event the winner doesn’t respond to email contact in the timeframe above, I will redraw the prize.
Prizes were provided by respective publishers – thanks to Hachette, Random House and Simon & Schuster!
NB. I want to acknowledge that there are understandable sensitivities around Australia Day for our Indigenous population and apologise for my (usual) glibness. x
January 24, 2015
Great prizes Deb
January 24, 2015
Thanks Carol. Thanks to the publishers though! I just sent wish-lists! 🙂
January 24, 2015
Great prizes! Being Jade has a fantastic name 😉 I can’t pick just one favourite Aussie book though. Anything by Bryce Courtenay, especially the Potato Factory series and The Power of One (of course!) as well as Sugglepot and Cuddlepie and The Magic Pudding. There are so many more though!!
January 24, 2015
There are so many fantastic Australian books, some of my favourites are, The Muddleheaded Wombat, The Silver Brumby, Tomorrow When The War Began, Jasper Jones, The Light Between Oceans.
January 24, 2015
The LIght Between Oceans is a favourite. Also Mr Wigg
January 24, 2015
just adding another Inadvertent things.- a poetry book by Andrew Lansdown.
January 24, 2015
I loved the potato factory series, tomorrow when the war began and recently Jasper Jones. But I have to say my fav, fav would be Playing Beatie Bow BECAUSE it was the first ‘big book’ I read as a little girl and had I read something else – I may not have fallen in love with books!
January 24, 2015
I love, love, love, Tim Winton’s The Turning – it can cure homesickness.
January 24, 2015
My new favourite aussie author is T J Hamilton; from Hervey Bay of course
January 24, 2015
Like ever and ever??? And I can only pick one? Can I choose the Jack Irish novels by Peter Temple? I’m also torn between Phryne & Corinna by Kerry Greenwood…then there’s Rowly Sinclair by Sulari Gentill…just one, you said?
January 24, 2015
I’m with Ceri earlier who said The Silver Brumby by Elynne Mitchell. That’s the book I read as a girl and loved. A few years back, hubby bought me the series and I re-read them all and loved them every bit as much at 40 as when I was 14. These days I am lucky to know several wonderful Aussie authors. Kate Belle is a favourite – both Being Jade and The Yearning were incredible books. Michael Robotham is wonderful, I think I’ve read everything he’s done. Kylie Kaden is a new up and coming author who has a great voice. Jennie Jones, Juanita Kees, Georgina Penney, Rhyll Biest, Sarah Belle, Cate Ellink… Thank you for your lovely blog – I’ve enjoyed having a nosey around. 🙂
January 24, 2015
Wow, some fantastic prizes on offer here Deb.
January 24, 2015
The World beneath by Cate Kennedy, I loved the interaction between the characters and it made me want to visit Cradle Mountain!
January 24, 2015
Great competition Deb. The other comments have reminded me of so many books by Australian authors that I’ve loved, especially Jasper Jones. But the first book that sprang to mind when I read your question was Marcus Zuzak’s The Book Thief, so I’ll go with that.
January 24, 2015
Fabulous giveaway Deb (in honour of our Aussie way of shortening everyone’s names). No need to enter me, just wanted to show my support 🙂
January 24, 2015
What a wonderful prize! I love reading anything Mem Fox to my kids.
January 24, 2015
My favourite ever book by an Australian author is Strange Objects by Gary Crew.
January 24, 2015
Wow, what awesome prizes! I clearly have too many favourite Australian authors (nice problem to have, really). I’m going to pick Tansy Rayner Roberts, because I think fewer people have heard of her, and Love and Romanpunk is really one of the best books I’ve read in years – it’s clever, it’s funny, and it’s very moving. Also, one of the stories has a complete replica ancient roman town built in the Australian outback, and I want to move there.
January 24, 2015
I really really loved Poor Mans Orange, we had to read it at high school.
January 25, 2015
I have a soft spot for Possum Magic and any book written by May Gibbs or Dorothy Wall is a hit with me. As for grown up books, I’ve discovered Judy Nunn books about a year ago and just loved Kal, she’s also got me hooked on Aussie historical books that didn’t really register on my book radar before. Have a great Australia Day.
January 25, 2015
I have to go with Storm Boy, it’s one of those books that I read as a kid that has stuck with me… I’ve got my copy stashed away for Pickle when he gets older.
January 25, 2015
‘The Boy Under the Table’ by Nicole Trope was scarily good. Although my daughter and I are enjoying reading ‘Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt’ right now.
January 25, 2015
had no idea that Markus Zusak was Australia. I read The Book Thief when Luke was doing it for grade 12 and loved the way he wrote. Makes me a little proud to know that he’s one of us.
January 25, 2015
Jackie French has a wonderful range of historical stories that Miss 10 and I love to read.
January 25, 2015
I will include both fiction and non fiction. My Brother Jack by George Johnston and The Dig Tree by Sarah Murgatroyd.
January 25, 2015
Thank you for the great prize giveaways, My favourite Aussie book is Tjornwood House by Anna Romer, just beautiful.
January 25, 2015
Great giveaway, thanks! I love Bryce Courtenay books but couldn’t name a favourite … nope, just checked my collection and it’s too hard!
January 25, 2015
Thanks for the chance and Happy Australia Day. I can’t pick between The Book Thief and Burial Rites. So different and so good.
January 25, 2015
Third time I’ve tried to comment and it keeps rejecting me… LOVE your book reviews Deb. They guide me towards what I need to be reading 🙂 I said more in the other comments but I’m tetchy now x
January 25, 2015
Kerry Greenwood..the Phryne series AND Andy Griffiths for the Storey Treehouse series…he has given my grandson a love of reading.
January 25, 2015
All time favourite? Absolutely Seven Little Australians – still resonates with me – I was Judy and my brother was Pip. I cried so much reading that book – but it was that cry that makes you feel good to hurt.
January 25, 2015
I loved the Woody Creek series of books by Joy Dettman. Then again I love Kate Mortons books as well. Not one I have not been entralled with, but I think I loved The Forgotten Garden best. Also love Peter Watts series of books. Actually I love to read fullstop! We have an abundance great of Australian writers.
January 26, 2015
Happy Australia Day!
January 26, 2015
Fabulous prize packs and happy Australia Day to you! I struggle to pick one book as my all time favourite – call me fickle but the last wonderful book I’ve read is likely to top the list until a new one comes along!
January 26, 2015
Talk about two fantastic prize packs! I’ve read a lot of those books and they are brilliant, but I had never heard of Nest before, so thanks for bringing it to my attention – another one for my TBR pile.
As for my favourite novel by an Australian I’m going to have to go with Maureen McCarthy’s When You Wake & Find Me Gone. It’s the book that started my love affair with reading back when I was barely a teen. And I still re-read it on occasion today.
Happy Australia Day!
January 27, 2015
Fantastic prize – a few books there on my to read list.