Category Archives: Books

Patrick Allington’s launch speech for We. Are. Family.

Patrick Allington
Patrick Allington

Patrick Allington launched Paul Mitchell’s We. Are. Family. with a terrific speech in Adelaide on Friday 9 September 2016. Several people have asked for the speech, so here it is, in all its glory:

What can I tell you about Paul Mitchell’s We. Are. Family? … What I won’t do is introduce the characters or give you a detailed account of the plot. You should experience those things for yourself. The story unfolds less like a flower opening (despite the arresting cover image) and more like the pulling of sticks, one at a time, from a great pile of wood. And when you read this book, Continue reading Patrick Allington’s launch speech for We. Are. Family.

Wild Gestures Review

Wild Gestures cover
Wild Gestures

The first review of Lucy Durneen’s short story collection Wild Gestures has appeared in Books+Publishing and we couldn’t possibly be happier:

‘This is an intriguing collection of short stories where things are seldom what they seem and characters are preoccupied by their past actions. Shaped less by plot than by precise and evocative imagery, they are psychologically acute portraits of people dealing with grief or change.’

‘The stories can be bleakly funny; when one character’s heart freezes over, she compares the spread of ice with the spread of cancer, coolly remarking that both seem inevitable if you don’t heed the standard warnings.’

‘There is something vicious at the heart of these stories, something dark which Continue reading Wild Gestures Review

Revealing the cover of First Person Shooter

First Person Shooter
First Person Shooter
MidnightSun has been working tirelessly to find the very best fiction for your reading pleasure. We are extremely proud to announce the first novel by word magician Cameron Raynes.

It is called First Person Shooter and tells the story of fifteen year old Jayden who has a terribly debilitating stutter and an interest in shooting.

Books+Publishing compares the book to the ‘works of Craig Silvey and Tim Winton, but with the darker edge of John Marsden’. We couldn’t agree more. Continue reading Revealing the cover of First Person Shooter

Magnificent Local Colour – Adelaide is on the way!

Local Colour - Jacaranda
Local Colour – Jacaranda
MidnightSun is excited to have sent our first adult colouring book to print!

There’s a bewildering variety of adult colouring books on the market right now, but this one is a little different. More than simply a colouring book, Local Colour — Adelaide explores many of the things and places that make Adelaide unique. Through quirky text and gorgeous illustrations we explore Adelaide icons, jacaranda and plane trees, the Hills and the coast. Continue reading Magnificent Local Colour – Adelaide is on the way!

Breaking Beauty Launch!

Breaking Beauty Book Launch 7 Nov 2014

It seems like a long time ago now, but back in November 2014 MidnightSun Publishing launched our first short story collection Breaking Beauty. It was such a great night that although months have passed we still enjoy talking about it!

The South Australian Writers Centre was full to bursting with a marvellous crowd, all there to support the 27 brilliant writers in the collection. We were thrilled that, despite the heat, so many people turned up to celebrate this very special book. Continue reading Breaking Beauty Launch!

Review of An Ordinary Epidemic in The Australian

Amanda Hickie’s terrific novel has had a great review in The Australian. This is what they had to say:

With Ebola, SARS, superbugs and the anticipated exhaustion of antibiotics, the question of how Australians might behave if a deadly pandemic hit our shores is an interesting one. We are, despite our vast expanses, one of the most urbanised nations in the world, ideal perhaps as a destination for diseases.

An Ordinary Epidemic (MidnightSun, 400pp, $28.99) explores these issues in a tight narrative that views the event from the perspective of a middle-class Sydney family. It’s the second novel from Sydney author Amanda Hickie, following her reimagining of heaven in After Zoe. Continue reading Review of An Ordinary Epidemic in The Australian

Reviews of An Ordinary Epidemic

The reviews have been coming in for An Ordinary Epidemic and they are fantastic! Here are a couple to give you an idea:

Books+Publishing, review by Jessica Broadbent, librarian and former bookseller

‘What would you do in an epidemic? Stock up your pantry, gather your family and wait it out? But what if one of your kids was away on a school excursion? An Ordinary Epidemic explores these decisions and considers how broader society might cope with unexpected change—for example, what would happen if all the power plant workers decided to go home to their own families? It’s utterly fascinating, a little gruesome and impossible to put down. Continue reading Reviews of An Ordinary Epidemic

An Ordinary Epidemic launched in style!

On Friday 8 May 2015 we launched Amanda Hickie’s thrilling novel An Ordinary Epidemic at the SA Writers’ Centre in Adelaide. A supportive crowd braved the autumn rain to join us in celebrating this terrific novel. In her launch speech Lynette Washington made everyone acutely aware that Amanda’s story about a deadly outbreak could have been about us. What would you do if the epidemic hit? How far would you go to protect the ones you love? Amanda Hickie emphasised the importance of ethics in all of our lives and told us how the idea for the book came to her when she was living in Canada during the SARS outbreak. Continue reading An Ordinary Epidemic launched in style!

Adelaide Launch of An Ordinary Epidemic!

Amanda Hickie
Amanda Hickie
Please join MidnightSun for the launch of Amanda Hickie‘s highly anticipated nail biter An Ordinary Epidemic. Editor and writer Lynette Washington will launch the book in style. As always, there will be plenty of drinks and nibbles. Bring a friend, dance, buy a book, chat with a writer, have fun! RSVP‘s much appreciated. Continue reading Adelaide Launch of An Ordinary Epidemic!