All posts by Editor-in-Chief

New Submission Guidelines

23 November, 2018 Editor-in-Chief 7 Comments

We have recently updated our submission policy!

MidnightSun is always accepting submissions.

Please send a digital copy of your manuscript to submissions@midnightsunpublishing.com Please include a subject line stating your name, the title of your manuscript, and its genre (eg: Jane Doe, ‘High Tea’, Picture Book). Please attach your manuscript as a Word document titled, ‘Name: Manuscript Title’ (eg. Jane Doe: High Tea).

Send the first 20 pages only! If we are compelled to read more, we’ll ask for the rest. We want digital manuscripts with 1.5 or double line spacing. Choose Times New Roman or another easy-to-read font.

Please proof-read thoroughly and always Continue reading New Submission Guidelines →

Title

Heaven Sent

27 October, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

by S.J. Morgan

Angels come in many guises; some have broken wings …

Evie’s life is in tatters. She has a father she barely knows, a step-dad she’d rather she didn’t, and a best friend going off the rails. Then there’s the brace she has to wear for her wonky spine… Continue reading Heaven Sent →

Author

S. J. Morgan

27 October, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

S.J. Morgan grew up in the UK and arrived in Australia many years ago, via a twelve-month round-the-world air ticket. She lived in New Zealand for ten years before settling in South Australia. In her former life she was an Occupational Therapist, but she now writes full-time. She writes across several genres and has won prizes for short fiction as well as an Australian Society of Authors mentorship for her children’s writing.

She has been writing for over ten years and, in addition to short stories and articles, has written six novels. She won first prize for short fiction at the Salisbury Writers’ Festival and was awarded a year-long mentorship by the Australian Society of Authors. Continue reading S. J. Morgan →

Uncategorized

Another Guest Post by Fern

14 October, 2018 Editor-in-Chief 1 Comment

Hi all, it’s Fern again, MidnightSun’s favourite intern. Also their only intern, but I digress. In my brief time at the company I’ve mostly worked with Heaven Sent, the YA novel by S.J. Morgan. My tasks have been to find reviewers and speaking with writers’ festivals to invite Sue along. But that cannot begin to compare to the work Sue has spent writing the novel, and the time Anna and Lauren have spent refining and preparing it for its debut. The moment of truth finally arrived and MidnightSun was proud to launch Heaven Sent this past Sunday.

The hall the launch was held in was deftly transformed from what looked like an office into a cosy reading room, made even better by the inclusion of wine and nibbles.

Continue reading →

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Guest Post by Our Intern Fern

27 August, 2018 Editor-in-Chief 2 Comments

I’m Fern, the second intern to grace the halls of MidnightSun. I’m in my final year of studying Creative Writing at Adelaide University, and I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to look inside the world of publishing. I’m the sort of oddball who researches as much as they can about any given situation before heading into it, but the internet can only prepare you so much. Luckily, Anna has been a wise and gentle support in guiding me through this busy new world.

Continue reading →

Title

Beneath the Mother Tree

10 May, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

by D.M. Cameron

PB 336 | 154 x 233 | ISBN: 9781925227390 | $32.99 | Fiction
Also available as ebook | MidnightSun Publishing
August 2018 | Distributed by NewSouth Books

A spine-chilling mystery and contemporary love story, Beneath the Mother Tree plays out in a unique and wild Australian setting, interweaving Indigenous history and Irish mythology. Continue reading Beneath the Mother Tree →

Author

D M Cameron

10 May, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

Originally an actress, debut novelist D.M. Cameron is an AWGIE nominated radio dramatist, award-winning playwright and celebrated short film writer. She received funding to begin work on her first novel and was then selected for a Varuna residency to further develop this initial draft into what became Beneath the Mother Tree.

www.dmcameron.com

Title

Message in a Sock

9 May, 2018 Editor-in-Chief 1 Comment

Written by Kaye Baillie,
Illustrated by Narelda Joy

HB 32 | 271 x 294 | ISBN: 9781925227383
$27.99 | Picture book
MidnightSun Publishing | April 2018
Distributed by NewSouth Books

Tammy is safe at home, but her heart is with her father at the warfront. While her mother knits socks for the soldiers, Tammy slips a message inside each pair. But will her one special message find her father, and bring him safely home? Continue reading Message in a Sock →

Author

Narelda Joy

8 May, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

Narelda Joy grew up in a creative household with an inspired mum and a large sewing room, which contained a plethora of goodies with which she could use to create. She continues to create anything in two or three dimensions including puppets, models, creatures and illustrations. She considers herself fortunate to be able to create imaginary worlds anytime she wants to.

Narelda Joy lives surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna in the Blue Mountains, Australia. She has two dogs and a cat, as well as lots of native birds who visit her garden daily.

Narelda’s picture book Message in a Sock with Kaye Baillie was published in May 2018.

Uncategorized

Exciting new acquisition

17 October, 2017 Editor-in-Chief 3 Comments

MidnightSun acquires debut novel Beneath the Mother Tree

MidnightSun has acquired world rights to playwright and radio dramatist D M Cameron’s debut novel Beneath the Mother Tree for publication in 2018.

Beneath the Mother Tree is a ‘fast-paced’ mystery and love story set in an Australian town similar to the one in which Cameron grew up, and uses Indigenous and Irish mythology to create a spiritual subtext.

‘We are thrilled to have won the rights to this exciting novel, which generated a great deal of interest as a manuscript,’ said MidnightSun publishing director Anna Solding. ‘There were several other publishing contracts on the table, and we had to fight for this book!’

Solding said she sees ‘potential’ for the novel in the international market. ‘We anticipate Beneath the Mother Tree will garner interest overseas, with its Australian setting, contemporary love story and universal themes,’ said Solding. ‘We will be taking it to both London and Frankfurt Book Fairs.’

Title

Plane Tree Drive

26 September, 2017 Editor-in-Chief 4 Comments

by Lynette Washington

Peer through the windows and doors on Plane Tree Drive to find a streetscape that is humorous, heartbreaking, real and surreal. Here, the loneliness of domestic isolation and the joy of connection weave together to form an interlaced map of suburban life.

‘With each story in this complex fresco, layers are peeled away and others added, slowly revealing a delicate portrait of hurts and hopes, vulnerability and strength. Plane Tree Drive is a stunning and sensitive exploration of people, place and relationships.’
–Michelle Wright, author of Fine

Continue reading Plane Tree Drive →

Title

Crush

23 August, 2017 Editor-in-Chief 6 Comments

Edited by Simone Corletto, Amy T. Matthews, Jess M. Miller and Lynette Washington

Bursting with affection, wit, loss, sex and a whole lot of love, the authors in this collection face the burning beauty of love and write of both the blaze and the ashes left behind. Crush will quicken the pulses of cynics and believers alike as it reimagines everything that makes the heart leap.

‘A delicious and captivating look at love in all its wonderful and varied forms. I’d love to read more from these fresh voices!’
–Rachael Johns

Continue reading Crush →

Title

Papa Sky

18 July, 2017 Editor-in-Chief 1 Comment

by Jane Jolly and Sally Heinrich

HB 32 | 300 x 250 | ISBN 9781925227291
$27.99 | Picture book
MidnightSun Publishing | October 2017
Distributed by NewSouth Books

Another stunning picture book from the
award-winning team who brought you One
Step at a Time, Honour Book in the CBCA
Awards 2016.

Papa Sky sits where earth meets sky, until one night the wind blows him down, down, down through the cloud forest, where he lands with a bump.

What will happen next? Who will help him? Continue reading Papa Sky →

Books, Reviews

Wild Gestures wins Saboteur Award

16 May, 2017 Editor-in-Chief

The MidnightSun team would like to congratulate Lucy Durneen on her win for best short story collection at the Saboteur Awards in the UK. We are so proud of her and of the collection, Wild Gestures, that is finding enthusiastic readers around the globe. Such wonderful news!

http://sabotagereviews.com/2017/05/14/saboteur-awards-2017-the-results/

Hear what the award voters had to say about Wild Gestures:

Lucy’s work is nothing less than exceptional. Her words and content take my breath away. She is also a hard working full-time academic, single-mother of four, who somehow still finds the time to dream and write. This alone should be worthy of an award.
Lucy’s collection is a tremendous work of humanity at its best and worst, its strongest and most vulnerable. Every story is packed with beautiful, unexpected and original imagery — to the point of enabling the reader to perceive a fresh perspective on their own life predicaments. This is a rare achievement in recent times and must be recognised and commended in the wider arena.
Because this is one off the most exquisite short story collections ever published. It is funny, sad, tender, cheeky, insightful and so, so clever. Lucy Durneen may be a new star in the literature hall-of-fame but she is certainly there to stay.

Books, Launches

King of the Outback Book Launch

15 May, 2017 Editor-in-Chief

MidnightSun launched Kristin Weidenbach‘s and Timothy Ide‘s gorgeous picture book King of the Outback yesterday. The hall was packed, the speech by Dyan Blacklock was strong and supportive, but most importantly the vibe was great! So many friendly faces in the crowd, many of them friends from the writing community. Thank you so much for once again supporting a local writer and publisher. Without you, there would be no books!

MidnightSun acquires debut novel Beneath the Mother Tree

Publishing Brilliance