The many forms of Christmas

Here's a wonderful little view of the many forms of Christmas from Margaret Merrilees's Fables Queer and Familiar, complete with illustrations by Chia Moan. Every little vignette in this novel is equal parts touching and hilarious. Read on and you'll see what I mean … Mr Stretton, Victoria’s Reception teacher, has reached that pinnacle of school life – the end-of-year concert. Traditionally Reception and Year One open the show with a segment based around the manger. Since his first year…

The Stella Count 2014

The Stella Count for 2014 is in! This wonderful little study, conducted by the same people behind the Stella Prize, looks at gender (im)balance in book reviews across Australia. You can see the full results here. What's the take-home message? Most of the regionals seem to be getting things right. There are fairly equal numbers of male and female reviewers, ditto for the gender of authors reviewed. The nationals – the Australian, the Financial Review…

We heart Radio Adelaide

Just a reminder (on this lovely, not-too-hot Monday) of how great Radio Adelaide is. Diana Chessell, author of Adelaide's Dissenting Headmaster, was interviewed by the very well-spoken and engaging Ewart Shaw on Sunday. Listen to their fascinating conversation on John Lorenzo Young here. Meanwhile, Mag Merrilees continues her instalments of Fables Queer and Familiar at Radio Adelaide, all of which are available here. And then there have been interviews with Kate Strohm, Dino Hodge, Janis…

Fables Queer and Familiar launch ...

What's hilariously funny and poignantly tender, written by an award-winning Wakefieldian, and about to be a big Christmas seller? This guy! Launching as part of Feast Festival next Tuesday, with music by Triptick and wines by our very favourite sponsors, Fox Creek, Fables Queer and Familiar is one of our big (little) books for this summer. Written by the always-wonderful Margaret Merrilees, who's been shortlisted left, right and centre for The First Week, and adapted…