This is a very short post. I just wanted to mention that Little Paradise is going into its second reprinting already! This is music to my ears. Normally people celebrate with chocolate, but I don’t like chocolate except chicken mole which is Mexican chocolate chicken. So instead, I bought myself a tub of Maggie Beer’s Burnt Fig Jam, Honeycomb and Caramel Ice cream. Yummo!

WARD SAGAR You are invited to join us with Gabrielle Wang on Friday the 12th of March at 5pm. Where she will be launching her new book Little Paradise. Her other books include Garden of Empress Cassia, Pearl of Tiger Bay, A ghost in my suitcase and her new picture story The race for the Chinese Zodiac. Finish the week with some wine, cheese and biscuits in our shop in Eltham. Children are welcome to come along and have a chat with Gabrielle about her books.

Here are 3 beauties my son picked up from the garden. And these have already melted as you can see.

Our pool was jumping as if it was alive. The giant hailstones created mini explosions in the water.

I don’t know why the weather bureau can’t predict a sudden storm like this one so people can be prepared.

The bad interview was like speed dating. That was the one in the studio. Not that I’ve been speed dating mind you, but the premise is the same – in 5 minutes you have to make yourself sound as attractive as possible. In my case it was spruiking my latest novel Little Paradise. I had brought notes, an old photograph and my mum’s sketch book with me. I thought it might spark off interesting conversation. But we didn’t have a conversation. There were two questions which I answered adequately and then the interviewer was summing up and saying ‘thank you, Gabrielle, and now it’s time for the news’ leaving me with my mouth gaping. The interviewer had not read my book because he called it a biography, which it certainly is not. I remember protesting about that fact as I was lead out of the studio like a prisoner who had been wrongly accused.

This kind of interview is normal. But next time I will be prepared. I will have three main points that I want to get across. That’s my plan, anyway.

Ah, experience! How I love thee.

In contrast, in the afternoon I was interviewed at home by telephone. The interviewer, Richard Baillie from Radio 2MCE had done his homework. He asked interesting questions. I didn’t feel rushed. He even asked me to read a paragraph that he had selected from the book which he played at the very beginning of the interview as an introduction. He also interspersed the conversation with reminders to the audience who he was speaking to, and mentioned Little Paradise at least three times. That interview had a beginning, middle and an end. I thought it went very well.

I have five more interviews to go. I’ll be a pro when I’m done, I guess.

Life as an author is never dull and I wouldn’t swap it for all the tea in China. Everyday there are big challenges to face and little humiliations to overcome. And sometimes there comes along a tiny triumph which makes it all worth while.

Pretty Cool.

Jaguar Warrior by Sandy Fussell

And Toppling by Sally Murphy.

I can’t wait to read them.

My new Young Adult novel Little Paradise hits the shelves today!

It’s always a wonderful feeling to know your book is all grown up and out on its own. It’s also tempting, when out shopping, to pop into a book shop to see if your new book is there.

Little Paradise has had some great reviews and my publicist, Kate has done a wonderful job securing press and radio interviews so you should be able to find it in your local bookstore if you want to buy it.

Just for starters, here’s an excerpt from Chapter One called Bones of the Soothsayer.

The soothsayer held the oracle bone with both hands and went strangely still. The fire hissed, the light from the coals glowed then faded. He turned the bone, studying the fine lines. Then more stillness. Another angle.

Mirabel rose and sat beside Mama on the couch, not daring to speak. At times a shadow of a frown crossed the soothsayer’s face. At other times the corners of his lips twitched or he raised his eyebrows, wrinkling his brow.

The fire burned low as shades of dusk crept into the room. The soothsayer picked up a metal probe and began carving onto the surface of the oracle bone with tiny scratching sounds.

At last he held the oracle bone out to Mirabel. ‘Hao le, it is done.’

Mama, unable to control herself, took the bone from him. She stepped to the window to read the inscription aloud.

‘Dressing the dead

Treasure not wed

Lost on the sea

To fortune you’ll flee’

Mama looked up, puzzled.

The soothsayer took the bone and pressed it into Mirabel’s hands. ‘Wherever you go, no matter how far from home, be sure to take it with you,’ he said with soft urgency.

‘Yes, sir. Will…everything be all right?’

The soothsayer made no reply but ushered them to the door.

Out in the gloom of the alleyway where the hooded streetlamps flickered, Mirabel walked in silence across the cobblestones. But her mother’s words echoed inside her head: Changing your name will change your whole destiny.

My mum guarding the cake

It was a lovely launch held at Book Bonding in Niddrie. The owners, Natasha and Mark made a beautiful display of the books and their new bookshop is even better than before.

Sally Rippin and I have been friends for a long time and I’ve been wanting her to illustrate a book of mine for ages. Up til now I hadn’t written a picture book so I was thrilled when she said she would do it. Her illustrations are gorgeous, the colours amazing. Together with Regine Arbos, the designer, Sally has given the book a very special and vibrant look. They remind me of ancient cave paintings -  the illustrations, not Sally and Reg I mean. They are fantastic!

Sally and myself in front of the display

My good friend and picture book creator, Corinne Fenton launched the book for us. She was a little late getting to the launch and swears that she will never use a GPS navigating system again. It’s back to a Melways for her. After calming herself down with a glass of water, she stood up and gave her speech.

Corinne Fenton with my publisher from Black Dog Books, Maryann Ballantyne.

Corinne telling us how treacherous the streets of Melbourne are with only Navman as a guide.

Next it was my turn to read the story.

Reading my work out aloud I find is always a bit nerve wracking especially when I’m reading a picture book to a bunch of adults, so it was lovely to have the littlies in the audience.

Then I introduced Sally and she talked about the illustrating process.

Then Dom, Sally’s son, cut the ribbon to officially launch The Race for the Chinese Zodiac

And now, at last, it’s cake time!

And it was gone in seconds!

And then there was beautiful face painting.

My gorgeous grand niece, Emma who The Race for the Chinese Zodiac is dedicated to.

And here are some of the lovely guests who make a book launch possible!