This is just a short one to let you know that for the past couple of months, I have been blogging more regularly at a new WordPress site that I've set up. The reasons for this come down to visibility. While I have enjoyed a reasonable level of exposure over the past ten years here - using the blogging and site tools provided by Google - I haven't enjoyed the level of engagement with visitors as I'd hoped. Having dipped my toe in the water with WordPress, I'm finding a much greater level of engagement with visitors both reading, liking and commenting on my content with a great degree of frequency than I have enjoyed here. This does not mean that Dean from Australia is going away. I will continue to maintain this site as the primary home for my career as an author. For news, updates and reflections on what I am doing as a writer however, I would invite you to visit my portal at Dean Mayes Author. You can sign up for updates (and, to be clear, I'm no spammer!) and you can receive exclusive news on my forthcoming projects before anyone else. For those of you who have interacted with me by way of this website over the past ten years, I'd like to sincerely thank you for doing so. DFA.
There's always cause for celebration whenever Central Avenue Publishing launches a new novel from Seattle based author Molly Ringle. This is especially true for Molly's latest offering "All The Better Part Of Me" that is due to hit stands on September 3. I had the opportunity to participate as a beta reader on an early draft of this outstanding new novel and I'm so pleased to see it come to life in its final form.
What's it all about?
It's an inconvenient time for Sinter Blackwell to realize he's bisexual. He's a 25-year-old American actor working in London, living far away from his disapproving parents in the Pacific Northwest, and enjoying a flirtation with his director Fiona. But he can't deny that his favorite parts of each day are the messages from his gay best friend Andy in Seattle—whom Sinter once kissed when they were 15. Finally he decides to return to America to visit Andy and discover what's between them, if anything. He isn't seeking love, and definitely doesn't want drama. But both love and drama seem determined to find him. Family complications soon force him into the most consequential decisions of his life, threatening all his most important relationships: with Andy, Fiona, his parents, and everyone else who's counting on him. Choosing the right role to play has never been harder.
Who is Molly Ringle?
Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She likes thinking up innovative romantic obstacles and mixing them with topics like Greek mythology, ghost stories, fairy tales, or regular-world scandalous gossip. With her intense devotion to humor, she was proud to win the grand prize in the 2010 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest with one (intentionally) terrible sentence. She's into mild rainy climates, gardens, '80s new wave music, chocolate, tea, and perfume (or really anything that smells good). She has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of her life, aside from grad school in California and one work-abroad season in Edinburgh in the 1990s. (She's also really into the U.K., though has a love/stress relationship with travel.) She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, kids, corgi, guinea pigs, and a lot of moss.
My take...
Stylistically, this new novel is signature Molly Ringle, from its smart dialogue to its grounded and recognizable characters and its rich and evocative Pacific North West setting - honestly, why Molly has never been tapped to write for a Gilmore Girls-esque TV series is beyond me. Where "All The Better Part Of Me" represents a departure for Ringle is in its handling of a Male to Male relationship - one that is sensitive, deep and enriching, both for the story and for the reader.
During my beta read, Molly and I had a back and forth during which we remarked on how similar the experience of writing outside our familiar cultural sand box was for us both. I recall Molly fretting at times about whether she was unfairly appropriating a narrative in portraying a gay relationship from a heterosexual perspective - in much the same way as I worried about writing an Aboriginal story from a non Aboriginal perspective with "Gifts of the Peramangk".
Molly's approach to the central relationship between Sinter and Andy has been handled with such a deft hand that you soon lose yourself in their love story, forgetting any baggage that may or may not come with the genre. As I have often said of Molly Ringle - she is an astute observer of the human condition and, as a storyteller, she is able to tap into something universal, no matter what genre she is writing within. All The Better Part Of Me brings together everything that makes Molly Ringle's writing so appealing and then goes further, exploring love and family and the politics of love and family in a smart, engrossing tome that will leave you heartily satisfied.
To coincide with the international release of The Artisan Heart on September 1st, I've partnered with a great selection of book bloggers and reviewers who have kindly agreed to feature me and my new novel. Over the course of this coming week, readers can delve deeper into the story, the characters, the setting and the inspiration that saw The Artisan Heart brought to life.
I hope you enjoy checking out each of these features in turn and discovering more about my brand new novel.
I hope you enjoy discovering the story behind the story of my new novel "The Artisan Heart". My thanks goes to all the bloggers and reviewers who featured the book on their website.
DFA.
Discover the music of The Artisan Heart on Spotify!
To help establish the mood of my upcoming novel "The Artisan Heart", I'm pleased to share the official Spotify soundtrack playlist for the novel with you. Over the past little while, I have been curating a selection of music that inspired me while I was writing the novel and I've put together a soundtrack. Featuring the music of Swear and Shake, Josh Pyke, Paul Kelly, Greta Bradman, Stereophonics, Cold Chisel and many more, this soundtrack playlist will take you on a musical journey through the story and give you an aural experience that I hope you'll enjoy. Just click on the image below to open the playlist in your Spotify app.
The Artisan Heart by Dean Mayes, in-stores everywhere from September 1st, 2018.
Hayden Luschcombe is a brilliant paediatrician living in Adelaide with his wife, Bernadette, an ambitious event planner. His life consists of soul-wrenching days at the hospital and tedious evenings attending the lavish parties organized by Bernadette.
When an act of betrayal coincides with a traumatic confrontation, Hayden flees Adelaide, his life in ruins. His destination is Walhalla, nestled in Australia’s southern mountains, where he finds his childhood home falling apart. With nothing to return to, he stays, and begins to pick up the pieces of his life by fixing up the house his parents left behind.
Isabelle Sampi is a struggling artisan baker raising her hearing-impaired daughter, and has no time for matters of the heart. Yet the presence of the handsome doctor challenges her resolve. Likewise, Hayden, protective of his fractured heart, finds something in Isabelle that awakens dormant feelings of his own.
As their attraction grows, and the past threatens their chance at happiness, both Hayden and Isabelle will have to confront long-buried truths if they are ever to embrace a future.
During July, I ran a competition to celebrate the release of the book trailer for my forthcoming novel "The Artisan Heart". I invited people across my social network to share, comment on and tell me what an artisan heart means to them.
By entering, I offered up the opportunity for one lucky reader to win a fabulous prize pack! In partnership withJanesce AustraliaandSwear and Shake, this included;
* A signed paperback copy of "The Artisan Heart".
* A Gift Certificate from Janesce Australia to the value of $50 (valid on-line or in-store).
* A copy of Swear and Shake's 2016 studio album "The Sound Of Letting Go" (which served as the musical inspiration for the novel). Today (finally!) I am pleased to announce the winner of that competition.
Bernni Davies-Jackson
of Adelaide, South Australia.
Bernni did a fantastic job of sharing the trailer across her network and calling attention to both it and the novel and I'm really thankful for her efforts.
Congratulations Bernni!
Thank you to everyone who participated in my competition. Keep your eyes on my website and blog in the coming weeks for a brand new opportunity to WIN with "The Artisan Heart." In the meantime, you can pre-order the novel ahead of its September 1st release via the links below.
Hayden Luschcombe is a brilliant paediatrician living in Adelaide with his wife, Bernadette, an ambitious event planner. His life consists of soul-wrenching days at the hospital and tedious evenings attending the lavish parties organized by Bernadette.
When an act of betrayal coincides with a traumatic confrontation, Hayden flees Adelaide, his life in ruins. His destination is Walhalla, nestled in Australia’s southern mountains, where he finds his childhood home falling apart. With nothing to return to, he stays, and begins to pick up the pieces of his life by fixing up the house his parents left behind.
Isabelle Sampi is a struggling artisan baker raising her hearing-impaired daughter, and has no time for matters of the heart. Yet the presence of the handsome doctor challenges her resolve. Likewise, Hayden, protective of his fractured heart, finds something in Isabelle that awakens dormant feelings of his own.
As their attraction grows, and the past threatens their chance at happiness, both Hayden and Isabelle will have to confront long-buried truths if they are ever to embrace a future.
Australian author Dean Mayes and Central Avenue Publishing are proud to present the official book trailer for Dean's highly anticipated new novel "The Artisan Heart", which will be released world wide on September 1st 2018. Featuring music from "Swear and Shake" with haunting vocals from Kari Spieler, "The Artisan Heart" trailer showcases the mood and the romance of Dean's long awaited return to his romantic roots in a tender story of damaged hearts and second chances.
Hayden Luschcombe is a brilliant paediatrician living in Adelaide with his wife, Bernadette, an ambitious event planner. His life consists of soul-wrenching days at the hospital and tedious evenings attending the lavish parties organized by Bernadette.
When an act of betrayal coincides with a traumatic confrontation, Hayden flees Adelaide, his life in ruins. His destination is Walhalla, nestled in Australia’s southern mountains, where he finds his childhood home falling apart. With nothing to return to, he stays, and begins to pick up the pieces of his life by fixing up the house his parents left behind.
Isabelle Sampi is a struggling artisan baker raising her hearing-impaired daughter, and has no time for matters of the heart. Yet the presence of the handsome doctor challenges her resolve. Likewise, Hayden, protective of his fractured heart, finds something in Isabelle that awakens dormant feelings of his own.
As their attraction grows, and the past threatens their chance at happiness, both Hayden and Isabelle will have to confront long-buried truths if they are ever to embrace a future.
THE ARTISAN HEART IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!
WIN WITH THE ARTISAN HEART.
To celebrate the release of the trailer for "The Artisan Heart" Dean is giving one lucky reader the opportunity to win a fabulous prize pack! In partnership with Janesce Australia and Swear and Shake, Dean is offering;
* A signed paperback copy of "The Artisan Heart".
* A Gift Certificate from Janesce Australia to the value of $50 (valid on-line or in-store).
* A copy of Swear and Shake's 2016 studio album "The Sound Of Letting Go" (which served as the musical inspiration for the novel).
WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
To be in the running to win, entrants can do either of the following;
* Visit Dean Mayes - The Hambledown Dreamer at Facebook. Like the page and share the pinned post featuring the trailer. Tag Dean in your post and include the hash-tag #TheArtisanHeart.
* Comment on this post below and tell Dean in 25 words or less what intrigues you the most about The Artisan Heart.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
For those of you who are active on Twitter, follow Dean's account @Hambledown_Road, like and quote re-tweet the pinned post at the top of Dean's feed. Tag @Hambledown_Road in your re-tweet and include the hash-tag #TheArtisanHeart.
For those of you who are active on Instagram, follow Dean's account - deanfromaustralia, like the post featuring the trailer for The Artisan Heart and repost it on your own feed, Mention deanfromaustralia in your post and include the hash-tag #TheArtisanHeart.
At this time, The Artisan Heart competition is open to entries world wide and will run from today until midnight on Sunday, July 15th 2018. Please join Dean and Central Avenue Publishing in celebrating the release of the official trailer for Dean's highly anticipated new novel "The Artisan Heart" - available in-stores and on-line everywhere from September 1st, 2018. DFA.
I have another awesome guest post for you this week from one of my favourite writers and people in general, Pacific Nor-Wester Molly Ringle. Molly has amassed quite a formidable CV over the past few years, writing in both the romance and fantasy genres. Molly's latest release "The Goblins Of Bellwater" has been critically acclaimed and praised for its melding of the real world and the fantastical and she has proven time and again to be nimble and adaptable across the genres she has written in. I recently asked Molly, if she would like to explore a dangerous idea - something that she has been wrestling with both in life and in her fiction. True to form, Molly has come through with the goods and I'm so pleased to be able to present it here for you today. Please do check out Molly's work and interact with her - especially if you're into tea, chocolate, perfume...and Goblins!
Molly Ringle, author (image credit Molly Ringle).
When Dean approached me with the notion of writing a post on “dangerous ideas,” my mind immediately brought up some themes that have arisen in my work-in-progress. As with my recent release The Goblins of Bellwater, this story deals with troublesome interactions between fae and humans, and also between different types of fae, and for that matter between different humans. (Nearly every novel deals with that last one, I suppose.) Even though I’m writing fantasy, the reason this idea came to mind as “dangerous” is because it unavoidably brings up the specters of colonialism and race relations—which is not at all what I intended to do. I wanted to make up paranormal adventures and escape our fractious world, for goodness’ sake. However, our world and its problems have an insidious way of slipping themselves into our fiction despite our conscious intentions.
In my novel-in-progress, I've created an island that, up until a certain point in history, was inhabited only by fae (faeries of many types). The fae eventually let some humans ashore and allowed them to settle there, because they found humans intriguing; they brought novelty and different culture and, for that matter, new potential lovers. However, as inevitably happens in these situations, some of the fae came to resent the growing population of humans, living upon what had been the fae’s land. And violence between the groups escalated until a truce was called, but even that truce remains precarious. (And you just know I’m going to tip it over in my story.) On the surface, to many observers, including some of my human characters, the anti-human fae are entirely in the right: this was fae land originally. Humans should clear out. On the other hand…yes, the fae are essentially sentient forces of nature, so they are truly tied to the land, but are humans not part of nature too? If humans treat the land and their fae neighbors with respect, can’t they stay? Humans belong to the Earth too, after all. They have to live somewhere. And what of those who are the product of interbreeding, and are half fae and half human? Where do they belong?
(I’m American, and my ancestors have lived here for several generations, but we’re not of Native American stock, therefore I can’t exactly say the U.S. is my “real” home. However, surely if I went to Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, France—the lands of my ancestors—the natives of those countries would tell me I was most definitely an American and didn't belong there either. Do I and the many, many other mixed-breed, transplanted people of the world not have any “real” homeland? Do we need a real homeland, or is that in itself a dangerous idea, in that it can promote territorialism and tribalism? When I start putting the questions that way, I quickly see how they might qualify as controversial or dangerous—even when, honestly, I’m talking about faeries, not about different human ethnicities. I also see that I am not going to be able to answer these questions definitively, nor should I. In fact, it scares me a little, the idea of tackling themes like this, as they could easily be taken the wrong way or given interpretations I would never intend. But people say that if a project scares you, you’re probably on the right track, so I’ll keep tussling with this island and its turbulent relationships. The one-word theme guiding me, which I hope will keep me out of too much trouble, is “harmony.” Because that’s the only conclusion, the only goal, I can truly get behind: we are a world becoming more mixed and more mobile every day, and yes, that stirs up turbulence, not to mention it disturbs the natural ecosystem. But I can’t help believing that we can handle this; we can find a way to live together in harmony, and honor the land rather than possessively own it. Mind you, there are still some swamps and forests and volcanoes where highly treacherous fae live, and we might not be able to change their behavior, so you might just want to go on avoiding those.
Visit Molly Ringle here. Tweet with Molly here. Connect with Molly here. DFA.
This past week, I was pleased to be the in-studio guest of Melbourne based writer and podcaster Madeleine D'Este on her weekly program Write Through The Roof.
Over the course of an hour or so, Madeleine and I discussed my writing career, the techniques and quirks I employ as a writer and I was given the opportunity to drop some tid-bits about my forthcoming novel "The Artisan Heart". If you're on iTunes, you can listen to the episode here. If you're on Stitcher, you can listen to the episode here. For all other podcatchers, subscribe and download the episode here.
Originally growing up in Tasmania, Madeleine D’Este now lives in inner city Melbourne surrounded by books. After studying law (and never practising) and travelling the world, Madeleine now lives a double life, immersed in the corporate world by day and writing female-led speculative fiction by night. Madeleine hosts a weekly speculative fiction review radio show/podcast on artdistrict-radio.com as well as the podcast for writers Write Through The Roof.
When not writing, Madeleine enjoys podcasts, knitting, forteana, indie films, kettle bells and likes her coffee as ‘black as midnight on a moonless night’.
So I've been sitting on some news for quite a while now. I've been steadily working away for the past year or so on a brand new novel. Now, thanks to the amazing team at Central Avenue Publishing in Vancouver, Canada, I'm able to share the news that later this year, that new novel will be released to the world. Rather than recount the news in full here, I'd like to invite you to click through to Central Avenue Publishing's official blog and read the sneak peek Michelle Halket and the team have shared there. Of course, I can't help but share the amazing cover art that has been put together by Michelle. We nutted this design out over a few email back and forths and we had some late, breaking inspiration from my 8 year old daughter who, in her enthusiasm for Daddy's new project, was inspired to try her hand at some artwork of her own. Her inclusion of the railway tracks in her design ended up transitioning across to the final design. I think you'll agree it's a beautiful addition.
The Artisan Heart - final.
Concept Art by Lucy Mayes - aged 8.
I'm excited to tell you so much more about this novel but I'll hold off for now and share some more insights with you as the clock ticks down to September this year. For now though, let me know what you think in the comments and, if you're keen, sign up for my exclusive newsletter updates as we roll forward towards the Southern Spring/Northern Fall.
One thing I've done in support of marketing my books is to put together a book trailer. It's not a new concept and plenty of authors are doing it. With a little bit of imagination, and some patience, book trailers can come out looking pretty good.
Of course, You Tube is the best avenue for uploading and promoting your book trailers, but Facebook, Amazon and Goodreads all offer a similar facility for uploading video trailers.
Here are three trailers I've put together for my three books so far.
One of the best pieces of advice I've received in creating book trailers is that no trailer should be more than roughly a minute long. Attention spans for an unknown or obscure quantity are only good for about a minute, after which, you can be guaranteed they'll switch off.
I think I've broken that minute rule with every one of these trailers. Did you last? Let me know in the comments.
DFA.
2016 International Teaser Trailer for "The Recipient" by Dean Mayes.
2012 International Teaser trailerfor "Gifts of The Peramangk" by Dean Mayes.
2010 International Teaser Trailer for "The Hambledown Dream" by Dean Mayes.
The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle My rating: 5 of 5 stars Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out.
Skye, a young barista and artist, falls victim to a goblin curse in the forest one winter night, rendering her depressed and silenced, unable to speak of what happened. Her older sister, Livy, is at wit’s end trying to understand what’s wrong with her. Local mechanic Kit would know, but he doesn't talk of such things: he’s the human liaison for the goblin tribe, a job he keeps secret and never wanted, thrust on him by an ancient family contract.
Unaware of what’s happened to Skye, Kit starts dating Livy, trying to keep it casual to protect her from the attention of the goblins. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Kit, Skye draws his cousin Grady into the spell through an enchanted kiss in the woods, dooming Grady and Skye both to become goblins and disappear from humankind forever.
It’s a midwinter night’s enchantment as Livy, the only one untainted by a spell, sets out to save them on a dangerous magical path of her own. I had the opportunity to read an early version of The Goblins Of Bellwater by Molly and this forms the basis for my review. The Goblins Of Bellwater, in many ways, marks a significant left turn for Molly Ringle after the rather epic Chrysomelia Stories. True to her talents as a story teller, and a nimble one at that, Molly Ringle returns with a one shot novel that, it could be argued, packs just as powerful a punch as her re-imagining of the Persephone mythology. Taking inspiration from the works of Christina Rossetti and the visual genius of Brian Froud, The Goblins Of Bellwater offers a fantastical premise, complete with an ancient curse and a hidden population of goblins, which Molly injects seamlessly into a contemporary Pacific North West setting. The balancing act from the very beginning of this story is perfect and, through the character of Skye - the victim of that curse - we are invested, experiencing her terror and helplessness as she endures it from behind a veil. Likewise, her sister Livy is a vividly drawn character, struggling to cope with something she interprets as something far removed from dark magic, but a something that is no less frightening. Into the mix, comes Kit, an unwilling witness to the machinations of the Goblins, while his cousin Grady, who falls for Skye in the midst of her ordeal, is unwittingly drawn into a conflict that threatens both his and Skye's very existence. Livy's trajectory in the story is, perhaps, the most compelling as it is she who has to find courage and the resources to confront this ages old curse as well as a tribe of beings who have only ever existed in imagination. The Pacific Northwest, once again, leaps from the page in all its color and life and vibrancy, and I had no trouble immersing myself in a place that I can see is very special to Ringle. And, as she did with her Chrysomelia Stories, Ringle takes an established mythology and turns it on its head, resulting in fresh storytelling that crackles anew and surprises and delights. The Goblins Of Bellwater is Molly Ringle at her fantastical finest. The Goblins Of Bellwater hits bookshelves on October 1st 2017.
Molly Ringle (image credit: the author).
Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She likes thinking up innovative romantic obstacles and mixing them with topics like Greek mythology, ghost stories, fairy tales, or regular-world scandalous gossip. She's into mild rainy climates, gardens, '80s new wave music, chocolate, tea, and perfume (or really anything that smells good). She has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of her life, aside from grad school in California and one work-abroad season in Edinburgh in the 1990s. (She's also really into the U.K., though has a love/stress relationship with travel.) She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, kids, guinea pigs, and a lot of moss. DFA. View all my Goodreads reviews
It never ceases to feel special to me, whenever I type the words "The End" on a writing project. For my latest work in progress, a romantic fiction novel that carries the working title "Walhalla", I reached that milestone yesterday - and I almost couldn't believe it.
I've spent just short of a year working on this one, if you include the time that I spent *not* working on it because of some health challenges, and it was because of those health challenges that this milestone feels all the more sweeter. When I lost my voice after I had surgery on my throat and vocal cords, I mistakenly believed that I would actually throw myself into the project during my enforced convalescence at home. In truth, I lost all motivation for writing. My writer's voice had become just as silent as my physical one and there were times when I thought I would abandon "Walhalla" completely. I grew to hate writing and I grew to hate myself because I hated writing. What pulled me out of the hole I found myself in?
She... (image credit Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Carrie Fisher's death in December of last year had an impact on me. Apart from the fact that she was my most favorite "bad-ass princess" throughout the now 40 years of Star Wars, Fisher was widely regarded as a brilliant writer and script doctor - able to weave complex narrative tapestries and turn the most parlous of screenplays into something special. And she did all this while waging a none to secret battle with mental illness. In the ensuing obituaries and reflections on her life, I guess I received something akin to a kick in the pants from her. Somehow, I clawed my way out of the hole and I recommitted to this story. I realized that I actually loved it. For this is a story that I think will likely be my most personal one.
"Walhalla" is set in a little mountain town in Victoria, Australia - a place I have known and loved my entire life. Steeped in history and the site of one of the biggest gold rushes in 19th century Australia, Walhalla has refused to die - even though it was thought many times that it would. Somehow it has endured and is undergoing something of a renaissance, thanks to a renewed interest in its history and the opportunities afforded to it by tourism. For me, Walhalla serves as the setting for what I hope will be an engaging love story between a Doctor who has returned to his home town after the failure of his marriage and a Baker whose tragic past has instilled her with a steely determination to succeed with her nascent business. Walhalla - the story, like the town - is filled with a cast of quirky characters, all of whom are derived from people who have been a fixture in my life and I hope their presence will leap off the page as I develop the story further.
Because, even though I have typed the words "The End" on this first draft - it is really just beginning. Editing is a process that I love. It is challenging, frustrating and rewarding all at the same time. Once I have completed my first pass over the manuscript, I'll have a team of people to whom I will pass a second draft onto to get their insights, advice, criticisms and recommendations. I will incorporate all of those into a third draft - and then I'll be at a stage where I hope to submit it to my publisher. I hope you might like to join me on this journey. I'll keep you updated - not too frequently - about my progress and I'd like to share a little bit of ephemera about the actual town Walhalla and how it has influenced me over all these years. DFA.
