All posts by Editor-in-Chief

Steve Heron

20 July, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Steve Heron’s passion is to write quality kids’ books that will touch and tickle kids’ hearts and foster hope. Steve’s first series of picture books that focus on social issues were released in 2007. His first middle-grade novel Maximus was published by Serenity Press in 2018. Steve completed a Diploma of Children’s Writing and Publishing in 2015 and in 2016 received an Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the social and emotional wellbeing of children. Ling Li’s Lantern is Steve’s first stand-alone picture book.

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Mama Ocean

1 July, 2020 Editor-in-Chief 2 Comments

Written by Jane Jolly, illustrated by Sally Heinrich

HB 32 | 250 x 300 | ISBN: 9781925227659
$29.99 | Picture book
MidnightSun Publishing | September 2020
Distributed by NewSouth Books

Mama Ocean had eyes that sparkled, like the sunlight on the sea, and tresses which tumbled and trailed through the tides.

But something is troubling Mama Ocean.

Who will help her? Continue reading Mama Ocean →

Uncategorized

Massive 30% Discount Sale!

8 May, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

COVID-19 SALE

During this time of isolation, until the end of June 2020, MidnightSun has decided to offer an unprecedented 30% discount on our entire range of published books (currently in stock) if you order over $50 worth of books. Plus FREE shipping anywhere in Australia. All you have to do is apply the code COVID19special at the checkout and it will happen automatically.

No Neat Endings cover — *No Neat Endings* cover

There are so many great books in our back catalogue, for readers of all ages. Why not delve into some clever short stories about frail Australian masculinity in Dominic Carew’s No Neat Endings or come along on an intense crime thriller ride in S.J. Morgan’s Hide?

Anisa's Alphabet cover — Anisa’s Alphabet cover

Read about a refugee girl’s search for a new life in the stunning picture book Anisa’s Alphabet by Mike Dumbleton and Hannah Sommerville or fly high in the sky with a pioneer aviator in Beverley McWilliams’ CBCA Notable book Born to Fly.

For 8-14 year-olds we have the thrilling adventure story Cryptosight by Nean McKenzie. Young adult readers can find escape in the dystopian love story River Stone by Rachel Hennessy.

Or why not try some more short stories? We have collections by single authors, such as the masterful Wild Gestures by Lucy Durneen, as well as amazing collections by many writers such as Breaking Beauty and Crush.

Now is the time to stay at home and read good books for yourself or for your children. The sale will be on until the end of June 2020 so you have plenty of time to order, but don’t wait if you know what you want. Some books are going to sell out.

Keep well and keep reading!

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The Friendly Games

1 May, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Written by Kaye Baillie, illustrated by Fiona Burrows

HB 32 | 256 x 216 | ISBN: 9781925227642
$29.99 | Picture book
MidnightSun Publishing | June 2020
Distributed by NewSouth Books

In 1956 Melbourne hosted the Summer Olympic Games. Student John Wing was so proud of his country, one of the friendliest places on earth. But when world tensions dominated the news, John wrote an urgent letter suggesting how to change the Closing Ceremony to bring all nations together Continue reading The Friendly Games →

Reviews

High Country Book Club review Hide

14 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

A big thank you to The Makers Shed, High Country Book Club and to Michael Burge Media for selecting S. J. Morgan’s terrific thriller HIDE as their recent book club read. Love the preview Michael has made for the book. Thanks for supporting Aussie authors.

See it at: https://www.facebook.com/MakersShedGlenInnes/videos/241854090344323/?t=0

Books, Launches

Two New Short Story Collections

2 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

MidnightSun Publishing is excited to announce the joint release of two short story collections: Life, Bound by Marian Matta and Rural Dreams by Margaret Hickey. These debut collections showcase two vibrant and original voices in Australian short fiction. The stories in these collections are sharp, funny, insightful and they linger with you long after you have put the books down. We are so proud to be bringing you two new voices in Australian fiction.

MidnightSun’s Anna Solding says she is excited to be releasing two new collections at the same time. ‘It’s always wonderful to find a short story collection that really grabs you, where every story is as compelling as the last,’ she says. ‘We are lucky enough to be able to offer two collections that are both distinctive and unique by immensely talented debut authors.’

Both Hickey and Matta are equally thrilled that MidnightSun is championing the art of the short story. ‘What I felt when Anna called me was, “at last”,’ says Hickey, ‘because she is the one to have picked my work and recognised the potential. MidnightSun is to be credited, not only for publishing excellent and award-winning works, Continue reading Two New Short Story Collections →

Author

Margaret Hickey

2 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria.

Hickey’s work has been shortlisted and won prizes in many awards, including the AAWP/ASSF Short Story Award and the Grace Marion Award. Margaret holds a PhD in Creative writing and teaches English at La Trobe University.

Margaret’s short story collection, Rural Dreams, was published by MidnightSun in October 2020.

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Rural Dreams

2 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief 2 Comments

by Margaret Hickey

Margaret Hickey’s Rural Dreams takes a look at life outside the big smoke, introducing us to the kind of characters you might expect in the country, as well as some you might not.

Funny, heartbreaking and true; the characters in Rural Dreams are the people we know and grew up with. Some of them might even be us. Continue reading Rural Dreams →

Author

Marian Matta

2 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

For decades Marian Matta wrote whatever was called for, from medical articles and historical research to film scripts, but she began concentrating on the short story format in 2006 after being inspired by Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain.

Her stories have subsequently appeared in several anthologies, but Life, Bound is her first solo collection. A grandmother, history tragic, internet junkie and circus student, she lives in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges with her husband, and is pleased to call Heath Ledger her muse. Optimism is her watchword.

Marian’s collection of short stories, Life, Bound, was published by MidnightSun in October 2020.

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Life, Bound

2 April, 2020 Editor-in-Chief 1 Comment

by Marian Matta

Marian Matta’s Life, Bound moves through time and place, following characters who struggle to escape the past and strive to shape the future.

Free agents or captives of our past? In Life, Bound, characters find themselves caught in situations not of their own making, or trapped by ingrained habits, walking in grooves carved out by past events.

An artist’s progress is pleasingly channelled Continue reading Life, Bound →

Appearances

Interview with S. J. Morgan

5 February, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Here is a fabulous interview with S. J. Morgan about her menacing crime thriller Hide. It will be available as an audio book this year and we are so proud!

https://www.sistersincrime.org.au/you-can-run-but-can-you-hide-qa-with-s-j-morgan/

Author

Hannah Sommerville

2 February, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Hannah Sommerville is an award-winning picture book illustrator from the South Coast of NSW. With over a decade of experience in illustration, Hannah has now illustrated more than a dozen picture books.
In 2022 her book Jetty Jumping, written by Andrea Rowe, published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, was awarded the CBCA Book of the Year — Early Childhood. Her illustrations, which include watercolour, gouache, coloured pencil and digital mediums, are inspired by the playfulness and tenderness of family life and are drawn from her own memories of childhood and experiences as a mother.

Author

Mike Dumbleton

2 February, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Mike Dumbleton is an award-winning picture book writer with 10 ‘Notable Books’ selected by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. His book, Muddled-up Farm, was the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year, 2004, and Cat was a CBCA Honour Book, 2008.

Additionally, Anisa’s Alphabet gained international recognition as a White Ravens reading recommendation (2021 Munich). Mike has also received a Federal Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Improving Literacy for his work as an educator and a writer over an extended period of time.

In his spare time, Mike enjoys reading, travelling, trying to keep fit, listening to jazz and watching sport.

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Anisa’s Alphabet

2 February, 2020 Editor-in-Chief

Written by Mike Dumbleton, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville

HB 32 | 280 x 240
ISBN: 9781922858269 | $17.99
Picture book | March 2020
MidnightSun Publishing
Distributed by NewSouth Books

For many refugees the alphabet represents the start of a new language and a new future, but Anisa’s Alphabet is different.

A poignant and highly imaginative telling of one girl’s story which will appeal to children and adults alike … Come with Anisa, and see things through her eyes. Continue reading Anisa’s Alphabet →

Author

Dominic Carew

2 February, 2020 Editor-in-Chief 2 Comments

Dominic Carew is a lawyer and writer from Sydney. He has practised law in Sydney, London, Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands in leading global law firms and financial institutions. He has an MA in Creative Writing from UTS, for which he received an Outstanding Student Award. Dominic has won or been shortlisted for many major short story awards, including the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

No Neat Endings is Dominic’s first collection of stories.

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