Fiona McIntosh Launches Tapestry in Clare

Forty odd dedicated souls stood in the freezing temperatures of a Clare valley winter evening to hear international bestselling author Fiona McIntosh launch her latest novel, Tapestry and to kick off fundraising for the Clare Writers festival of which she is patron. 

McIntosh regaled the audience with stories of the research trips required to write Tapestry, including a behind the scenes look at the Tower of London. The crowd were treated to tales of Hitler’s toilet (the one the Brits hand installed in the Tower) and how Fiona almost caused a break in 700 years of tradition.  If you’ve not had the chance to listen to McIntosh talk I’d advise getting along to a launch - if she hadn’t become a best selling novelist she might have had a career in stand-up.

Tickets for the launch were twelve dollars with funds going toward the festival, but I think I would not be alone in saying that we got a bargain, being entertained by such a wonderful storyteller.  

And being such a wonderful storyteller she sold me the book.

If you are a fan of reading about women who have been forgotten by history, then I think you’ll enjoy this book.  The novel grew out of the story of the Earl of Nithsdale’s audacious escape from the Tower of London, orchestrated by his wife.  A tale that would seem too ridiculous if not for the fact it actually happened.

Rather than a straight historical narrative McIntosh, like Audrey Niffenegger, has employed a time travel trope, in a story that will bring her two major audiences together.

The key to her future is trapped in the past.

In 1978, Jane Maxwell is celebrating her engagement to Will, a handsome American geophysicist, but though she should be deliriously happy, she is plagued by doubts. When tragedy leaves Will hanging between life and death, Jane's guilt makes her determined to save him ... somehow.

In 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale joins the doomed Jacobite rebellion for Scottish independence. But the cause is lost and the Earl is sentenced to be beheaded. On a desperate and dangerous quest to find some answers, Jane finds herself swept away and trapped in the past. Convinced that saving Nithsdale will also save Will, Jane embarks on a daring and audacious plot to rescue the Earl from the Tower of London. Past and present become entwined in a gripping race against time -- and both will be changed by one woman's determination...

Tapestry is available from Booktopia in both Paperback and eBook form.

---

Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to read more? You can subscribe to the blog through a reader, by Email or Follow me on twitter.

Adelaide Supanova 1

 

So yesterday I traversed half the state (maybe an exaggeration, looking at the map) driving the two and a bit hours into Adelaide City for our inaugural Supanova. I think it’s important to support pop culture events like this even if I suspect that they won’t largely by my thing.

First up, great location.  The organizers get bonus points for the venue at the Adelaide Showgrounds.  The entire event was hosted inside a huge pavilion with air con – very important when the crowds start milling in.

Cosplayers we a bit light on comparing it to my Brisbane experience but there were a wide variety ranging from the “thrown together in an afternoon” to the professional.  I tried taking some shots but have decided that I either need a new camera or a better photographer.  Storm troopers and Daleks were out in force, combated by a smattering of Jedi and a small cadre of Fez wearing Doctors.

As always the author signing table (provided by Dymocks Adelaide) was good value.  Located right near the entrance of the exhibitors pavilion it was easy to find.  The one thing I love about Supanova, indeed the only reason I really go is to meet and chat with authors.  Thank goodness they don’t charge signing fees.

I was able to have a good chat with Sean Williams – who despite living in Adelaide has been a hard man to track down.  I got to meet Joe Abercrombie in person (have recorded an interview with Galactic Chat) and discover his talent for signing.  Seriously, the man can sing.

It was lovely to meet Trudie Canavan who also introduced me to her talented photographer husband/partner Paul while being careful not to give me spoilers for her book. Trudie was another guest on Galactic Chat and although we were both at the Natcon we hadn’t met previously.

I had to sheepishly confess to Fiona McIntosh (whose workshop I attended last year) that I had not completed my manuscript  but had been writing short work.  I bought a book and she seemed okay, signing it with “keep writing”.

Sean introduced me to DM Cornish, whose name I had come across but whose work had a eluded me.  The surprise of the day was meeting up with Colin Taber, a Perth author who I interviewed last year who has his trilogy coming to an end and is now writing an alternate history.

If I have one criticism for the day its Supanova’s treatment of the non headline acts.  Now I know the big draw cards are the Felicia Days and the James Masters - they were held in carpeted arenas.  The comic book artists,writers and authors were held in the acoustic equivalent of a cordoned off shopping mall ie tiled floors high ceilings.  Consequently it was at times hard to hear them speak or they were interrupted by announcements. This isn’t an Adelaide problem, I observed the same thing in Brisbane last year.

I did take time to sit in on some of the big names – Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner did a wonderful free flowing talk about Jeremiah and show biz in general. They filled about half the seating area.  Felicia Day was standing room only, so to anyone who says she doesn’t have influence in the “Nerd/Geek/Scene” can go and eat their hat as far as I’m concerned.

Will I go again? I’d like Supanova to provide a better experience for fans of Comicbook artists, writers and authors in general.  While the MC for the author/comic book artist events was wonderful I felt that the venues chosen were poor and possibly effected attendance.

---

Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to read more? You can subscribe to the blog through a reader,by Email or Follow me on twitter.