In line with the planned website upgrade of this site in the next month or so, we’re gearing up a notch. As of today we’re taking on several new reviewers to help Bec with the influx of review copies we’re receiving. Some of you already know Belinda Hamilton who prepares my newsletter, and Amy Parker who is the administrator of my messageboard, Parrish’s Patch. Well now I’d also like to introduce Jamie Marriage.

Some of the reviews upcoming are The Eternal Kiss, a paranormal antho, Meridian by Amber Kizer, Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Torment by Lauren Kate, Moment of Truth by Michael Pryor, and two Michelle Cooper Montaray books.

If you have a book you’d like reviewed or are a YA author who’d like to be interviewed then you are welcome to query us direct. Please submit your query to Bec Stafford at burnsbrighter at gmail dot com.

We’ve been talking to a lot of great people, and Bec’s got lots of reviews coming up, but I haven’t actually mentioned my book (the reason for this site!) for a while. Well the news to date is that it will be released in January, and I’m entering the last rewrite phase. Zoe is about to brief on the cover, and once we have a cover, the site will be redesigned by Austin Designworks. AD are responsible for the fantastic look of both my Marianne de Pierres and Marianne Delacourt sites.

I so love this book and impossibly impatient for it to come out!

Bec Says

Can you believe that such controversy surrounds some chick’s wardrobe update? I’m a lifelong fan of comics and thought Wonder Woman was the bee’s knees when I was a kiddie. I can’t say I paid too much attention to what she was wearing, though I doubt her fetish/hooker get up was aimed at 8 year old me. I read a snippet in The Courier-Mail and thought it was an interesting bit of pop culture info. Little did I realise that this news is *all* over the WWW. I mean, it’s probably been more widely discussed than Julia Gillard’s new job.

Isn’t it funny what catches the public’s imagination and has the capacity to generate such heated debate? We’ve got ongoing violence raging in Thailand, an oil spill crisis off the Gulf of Mexic Big Bang, and new rumblings on the asylum seeker front; yet, when I looked her up today, Wonder Woman and her new gear are sparking debates of equally epic proportions on news sites, forums, and blogs left, right, and centre. And I’m talking about publications such as The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and our own ABC News site.

Isn’t pop culture a fascinating beastie? Here I am, marvelling over this strange phenomenon and what have I spent the past 2 hours researching, myself? For shame! I can’t say I’ve made up my mind about the new design, personally. What do YOU think? It’s nice to see her less sexualised (and probably more comfortable, poor love)… And I will say this: her hair looks fabulous.

Clip: (Stronger than she looks)

Karen currently has six novels to her name and her seventh, Votive, the sequel to Tallow, will come out in May 2011;  the third instalment, Illumination, will  follow in November… All being well.
She’s also an Associate Professor of Media Studies at Southern Cross University where she lectures on media and popular culture using a psychoanalytical model. Her research is widely published in Australia and overseas. She’s also an award-winning teacher and travels regularly giving keynotes at various conferences and providing in-service training for educational professionals. Karen is also a columnist for The Courier- Mail and appears fairly regularly on Channel 7’s Sunrise and The Morning Show. She was also a member of ABC’s The Einstein Factor’s “Brains’ Trust”. On top of this, she’s a frequent contributor on national, state and local radio. Karen lives on five acres with her three dogs, the two resident (and warring) possum families, six very funny chooks, two horses and lots of beautiful birds, with her wonderful partner, Stephen. She has two gorgeous adult children, Adam and Caragh, who live in Sydney and the USA respectively; they say they miss her, but not as much as she misses them.

Tallow, (the first of your new trilogy, The Curse of the Bond Riders) was released in 2009. The second book, Votive, comes out in 2011. What inspired the series and the setting of Renaissance Venice?

The inspiration for the series came from, of all things, walking into a candle franchise that had just opened in a major shopping centre near where I used to live. I have always burned candles ( scented) and loved the moods and ambience they could evoke, simply through a smell. Entering this shop was sheer sensory overload… It was amazing. It was darkened but inviting and the scents that collected in pockets in various parts of the shop were incredible. I found myself transported. It had me thinking… Anyhow, I made some purchases, and on the way home began to read the pamphlet that the assistant had placed in the bag. It was a rudimentary description of how essences were instilled in candles in ancient times. An idea danced at the edges of my imagination and, by the time I arrived home, a story about a candle maker’s apprentice who was not what he or she seemed, had begun to take shape.

I chose the period because the Renaissance was a time of fresh ideas, when humanism and science were rising and institutionalised religion struggled to keep up. It was a fascinating era because alongside this was an explosion of art, a rebirth of interest in Classicism, and fashions and social relations were incredible. I have always had a love of Italy and its rich history. For some reason, when I thought of Tallow and began to map out my ideas properly, there was only one place to set it – and that was Venice. Only problem was, I’d never been there. So, I began to read everything I could get my hands on and to study the Italian language. Not long after I began, I knew I had my setting. Since writing Tallow, I have been to Venice twice… It is bewitching in every sense – positive and negative and I found that exhilarating.

In 2008, you published Consuming Innocence: Popular Culture and Our Children, a non-fiction text concerning the complicated relationship between today’s kids and this increasingly pervasive culture that influences them. Can you tell us a bit about the book and how you first became interested in this topic?

Gosh.. The book is basically a condensation of five years of intensive research and social commentary around young people and the complex relationship they have with all things pop culture. By popular culture, I mean TV, film, fashion, advertising, toys, corporations, the internet, video games, sexiness and body image. I had been deeply concerned about the sexualisation of kinderculture for a number of years, and the rise of corporate culture in terms of playing an influential role in childhood development. I think I just reached a point where I wanted to consolidate numerous articles, academic research papers and book chapters, as well as social commentary into the one accessible, easy to read place. I deliberately wrote it for a broad audience, pitching it at parents and teachers, as well as older young adults. I discuss everything from the history of childhood (how children have been perceived and treated throughout time – simply fascinating) to deconstructing the role of Barbie and Bratz dolls, why The Simpsons is basically a very conservative text, or why Buffy the Vampire Slayer imparted really important lessons to teens; and, why Disney deserves our scrutiny. I looked at violence in boy (and girl) culture, how much TV is acceptable and at what age, the role of censorship, the role of peers and peer pressure, kids’ magazines, and sexualisation. The more research my research assistant (Lisa Hill, who was terrific) and I did, the more alarmed we became – not just by what we saw and heard (I interviewed hundreds of kids and parents, went into too many shopping centres, fried my brain watching Teletubbies, became hooked on Lizzie Maguire, frustrated by the narrow stereotypes portrayed in Disney films), but by the continuous demonisation of this entertainment and information culture that kids use to help understand their world and which plays a role (smaller than we’re led to believe but nonetheless important) in shaping their identity. I wanted to both inform, entertain, lay some myths and concerns to rest, but also draw attention to areas that really need to be monitored and possibly require parental intervention – or, at the least, awareness.

I have always worked with young people my entire professional life – as a drama teacher, playwright and now, as lecturer at uni and writer. So the interest has always been there and it was terrific to be able to give a cohesive voice to not just my research, but the latest from around the world in all these areas.

Karen, we know you (among many other things!) as a pop culture commentator. What are your own guilty pleasures?  Are there any TV shows, celebrities, bands, magazines, or fads that you can’t get enough of? If not, what sort of research do you have to undertake for your media role?

Oh dear – I am about to undermine my credibility completely. OK. I confess, I am a TV tragic. But, before I reveal my guilty pleasures, can I just say, I also read about three books a week – genre books and history or non-fiction mainly. The TV shows I cannot miss are: Midsomer Murders, Dalziel and Pascoe, Dr Who, Desperate Housewives, The Tudors and Masterchef… I tape them if I am out and have been known to take the phone off the hook when Dr Who is on. I also love action and sci-fi movies. There are no particular ‘celebrities’ I follow, though I always appreciate the talents of good actors and writers – artists and musicians, but there are just too many I enjoy to list. I read Time Magazine and New Scientist, and when I am in the supermarket (which isn’t often these days) I do pick up the magazines and read them – my husband keeps telling me it isn’t a library! I also use time in a doctor’s waiting room or at the hairdresser to catch up on women’s magazines.  I call it research 🙂 I also love Facebook and I do Twitter. Hey, someone’s got to do it :). Seriously, I try to read and watch as broadly as possible. If I have to offer an opinion on something, I will read as widely as I can and from different perspectives on the topic, or use the product, watch the show/film etc. before commenting. I often pass things to others who are much better qualified than I am to comment on a particular topic if I don’t feel prepared, or if it’s in my sphere of ‘expertise’. I learned early on, there’s no point trying to talk about something you know nothing or even very little about – you don’t contribute anything of worth! I also check out The Guardian and the New York Times – oh, and the Huffington Post. They are excellent for alternative viewpoints. I also like reading blogs – I read lots of blogs. There are some excellent ones out there!

Which of your many characters Burns Brightest in your mind and why?

What a great question. It would have to be Tallow. Can you be in love with a character? I am. Well, with two particularly, but Tallow is THE one. Tallow is a humble, passionate, but incredibly powerful being who is full of self-doubt, but also possessed of a generous heart. She has the capacity to bring out both the best and worst in people – they expose themselves emotionally and psychologically around her and that’s very daunting, particularly when you don’t know what to do with that. Taught to become ordinary, it is so exciting to turn this wonderful person into someone extraordinary. But, in order to do that, you have to forge them in pretty hot fires and you have to allow them to make mistakes – big, costly ones. It’s learning from those that will equip Tallow for what lies ahead. She also has a dark centre which is coming to the fore and she needs to learn to control it or else. I don’t want to give too much away! But Tallow is the kind of person I would want in my life – actually, I am so grateful she is there. In a very real sense, she has helped me through a very difficult time – now it’s my turn 🙂

Click here to visit the official Karen Brooks website.

Follow Karen’s Facebook over here.

Michael Pryor is a best-selling author of fantasy for teenagers. He has published over twenty novels and more than 40 short stories. He has been shortlisted for the Aurealis Award six times, and five of his books have been CBCA Notable books.

1. Your latest book, Time of Trial, is set in the war-torn country of Holmland and is based, in part, on your own historical research. Could you tell us a bit about your research process and where fact and fiction overlap in this book?

I’m a History buff, so I find research both interesting in its own right – and dreadfully seductive. If I’m not careful, I can follow byways and turnings in all directions and find myself far, far away from the ostensible object of my investigations. Having said that, some of the juiciest material turns up in this sideways wandering …

For a series like ‘The Laws of Magic’ I have two types of research. The first research into the general history of the period, including its major events, the parties involved and the outcomes. For ‘The Laws of Magic’ this meant re-looking at the period leading up to the First World War, which resulted in the books having a political flavour that I think adds a layer that is missing from many YA books. I also looked outside the political and military history to the broader history of the time – most particularly arts, sciences, but also social developments like the move towards women’s suffrage and the Fabian movement with its concerns for social justice.

After that, I needed to research the real nitty-gritty of how people lived at this time. It’s paradoxical, but writing fantasy (particularly this sort of quasi-historical fantasy) demands a kind of scrupulous realism. In order to help a reader come to terms with some of the more fantastic elements in the story, having consistently believable, recognisable elements is important. For ‘The Laws of Magic’ this meant getting background details right, such as the sort of lighting in rooms (gas? electricity?), the forms of transport (were they still using carriages? how common were motor cars?), the clothing worn (when were zips invented? what sort of hats were worn in the morning?), the furniture, the food, the forms of address …

It’s endless, and it can become consuming. Not long ago I spent a morning trying to find out how often letters were delivered in turn of the century London, and was fascinated to find that a householder could count on at least four or five visits from the postman each day. I love that sort of detail, and I was able to use it as a neat plot point.

So I do preliminary research before starting a book (or series) but I also have to do ‘On the Spot’ research, as above. Having done all this, however, I am conscious of the failing of so many historical novels – and quasi-historical fantasy novels. Just because I’ve done the research and found out all these highly interesting things, it doesn’t mean they all have to make their way into the novel I’m writing. I wince when authors drop chunks of information into their stories, undigested. I can just hear them saying to themselves: ‘I’ve spent days finding out about this, so I’m going to use it – whether the reader needs it or not.’ Shudder. That sort of thing can bring the story to a grinding halt, and the reader can feel like they’ve lurched into a lecture rather than a narrative.

In ‘The Laws of Magic’, the more I researched the events of the period, the more uneasy I felt about actually setting my story at that time. I wanted more latitude than the historical events allowed me, and that’s why I’ve cast a thin veil over the real world to produce my world where Britain is Albion, France is Gallia, Germany is Holmland and so on. Some readers enjoy the puzzle aspect of making the connection with the real world and its history, but it’s not a mandatory part of enjoying the story – I hope. Broadly, the events are the same: after a competitive arms build-up, certain countries on the continent bring the world to war thanks to a complex arrangement of treaties and agreements. I shift some details, but that scenario remains true – and I add magic into the mix.

2. What are three things that you can’t do without when you’re writing?

I’m a reasonably adaptable writer. I’ve written in many different places, with many different set-ups – usually because of a deadline or two. But some things are essential to my operating at peak writerly efficiency.

1. Coffee. I enjoy good coffee, but I’ll make do with bad coffee if I need to. A top quality espresso and the five minute break that goes with it, keep me going.

2. A run (or walk) in the morning. I take my dog, Darcy, and the exercise clears my head, gives me a bit of thinking time, and sets me up for a day of writing.

3. Clean glasses. I’m very picky about this, and I keep a small bottle of spectacle cleaner right next to my computer.

3. If you could be any of your characters for a day, who would you choose and why?

I’d like to be Sir Darius Fitzwilliam. Sir Darius is the father of Aubrey Fitzwilliam, the main character in ‘The Laws of Magic’, but he’s fascinating in his own right. His back-story is only hinted at in the books (he was a highly awarded military commander, he was a prize-winning yachtsman, a crack shot, a superb golfer – and heir to an ancient aristocratic title that he has given up in order to pursue a life of politics) and is intriguing enough, but in the series he is the Prime Minister of a country that is doing its best to prevent a war while, at the same time, making sure that Albion isn’t unprepared if this war does eventuate.

I’d like to be Sir Darius for a day because I’d enjoy seeing the complexities of running a country in such difficult times, and dealing with all the concerns – political, military, social – that come from being in such a parlous situation. I’d be keen to see how such an idealist manages to maintain his integrity while having to chart a course through negotiations that inevitably offer compromise as the simplest solution. Could I remain strong and uphold my principles of even handedness, strength and honour? I think I’d enjoy being put to the test.

And, of course, being Sir Darius Fitzwilliam would give me a chance to meet the astonishing Lady Rose Fitzwilliam …

4. Which of your many characters Burns Brightest in your mind and why?

That’s a hard one. I’ve published twenty-five novels, so I have lots of characters to choose from.

On consideration, it would have to be Aubrey Fitzwilliam from ‘The Laws of Magic’ series. Aubrey is a complex, absorbing character. This young man has more than a few flaws (most obviously, he’s teetering on the brink of death after a magical experiment went disastrously wrong) but his heart is in the right place. He’s brave, resourceful, compassionate, articulate and he happens to be extremely good with magic, which is something that I’ve always thought a handy talent. Aubrey is very loyal to his friends, quick-witted and not afraid to do the right thing – even when doing the right thing is extremely difficult. He veers between daring confidence in his own abilities and crushing self-doubt, which I think is a reasonably normal state of affairs for many people.

Aubrey burns bright for me because he has the qualities of a memorable person, one who would leave an impression long after he had left the room. I like the way that he develops a capacity for self-examination and self-awareness, a sign of the way he grows over the course of the series.

And he’s funny: he enjoys a quip, he can play with words, he’s adept with banter.

Aubrey Fitzwilliam burns bright for me, and the more I write about him, the brighter he burns.

Follow this link to Michael’s must-read website!

Here’s Michael’s very own YouTube channel: