Book tea and tales with Jenny Pattrick – Community Read

Community Read kicked off yesterday at the Library at  Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre – Book chat, tea, and tales with bestselling author Jenny Pattrick. Jenny and her husband Laughton sang a little number especially composed by Laughton for the book launch of Heartland.

A heartwarming morning at Te Hapua with #JennyPattrick, cake and song! @teamshakunga @ChristchurchLib pic.twitter.com/RwvQNFFVha

— Crafty Wifey (@thatcraftywifey) August 18, 2016

As much as I hate the expression “where else would this happen”  it still crossed my mind.  Jenny  read excerpts of the book including the last chapter and answered questions from Roberta Smith, the chair.

Facts:

• Jenny has never belonged to a book club.
• Manawa is based on a small town where she has stays frequently and where her son lives.
• The three elderly Aunts and their tragic family story of soldier brothers was based on her own Great Aunts and family.

Although I have never lived in rural New Zealand Jenny Pattrick had me busting to read the book every spare moment.  To follow Donny Mac, the Virgin and the small number of character locals who permanently live in the dying community that is  Manawa. A very New Zealand story from a strong New Zealand author.

There’s more to come tonight and tomorrow, for adults and kids alike:

Jenny Pattrick’s Heartland brought to life by the Court Jesters – Friday 19 August 7pm to 9pm at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Experience Jenny Pattrick’s book Heartland brought to life by The Court Jesters.
Drinks and nibbles from 6.30pm.
Find out more.

Storytime for Songbirds with Jenny Pattrick – Saturday 20 August 2pm to 3pm at  at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Join Jenny for a special interactive, toe-tapping storytime featuring the enchanting The Very Important Godwit. Fly in with the whole family to enjoy a musical storytelling extravaganza!
Find out more.

• Borrow the book or the Wheelers eBook of Heartland
• Borrow The very important godwit
• Visit our page on the Community Read

Written from the heart – Jenny Pattrick’s Heartland, our Community Read

I wonder what it must feel like to have your book selected for the Library Community Read? To put your head on the pillow at night secure in the knowledge that all over Canterbury there will be folk propped up in bed, all of them reading your book.  Or readers will be meeting up at book groups to chat about it, and fans planning to attend events where you will be the guest of honour.

Because that’s exactly what has happened to Jenny Pattrick whose novel Heartland has been selected as the 2016 Library Community Read.

I know that I would be chuffed as, veering from inwardly proud to outwardly something of a pain in the proverbial. But it’s not going to happen to me. Instead, I get to read this marvellously heart warming book, host an event at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre which Jenny will be attending, and generally faff around getting caught up in this great event.

For someone who only started to write at the age of sixty, Jenny has turned out to be something of a role-model for creative seniors and New Zealand writers in general. Heartland is her tenth book. Well known for her works Heart of Coal and The Denniston Rose, she is also the author of popular children’s book The Very Important Godwit.

If you’ve ever driven through any beautiful, small New Zealand town, stopped for a mince and cheese pie and an L&P, then  wandered over to the Estate Agent notice board and turned to your significant other and said: ‘this is a great little place, and look at the house prices – we should move here!‘ then you will love this book.

It’s got everything. But most of all it’s got heart. Or as Danny the main character would put it: WooHoo!

• Read the Newsline article: Libraries to host bestselling author

Find out more about the Community Read

• Book chat, tea and tales with Jenny Pattrick. Thursday 18 August, 10am to 11.30am. Read Jenny’s book Heartland. Find out more.
• Experience Jenny Pattrick’s book Heartland brought to life by The Court Jesters.
  Drinks and nibbles from 6.30pm. Friday 19 August 7pm to 9pm.
  Find out more.
•  Join Jenny for a special interactive, toe-tapping storytime featuring the enchanting The Very Important Godwit. Fly in with the whole family to enjoy a musical storytelling extravaganza! Saturday 20 August 2pm to 3pm. Find out more.

Like a virgin

I am not at all a technophobe. I need wifi to live. I live a reasonable proportion of my life online. I feel naked without my phone being within arm’s reach.

And yet, until recently I had never read an ebook or listened to an downloadable audiobook.

Yes, I was a library digital download virgin.

Why?

I guess I just really like the heft and feel of a book in my hands. But, realising that it was actually a ridiculous thing for a web librarian to not have even tried digital library titles, and spurred on by our Community Read, I decided to give it a go and read New Zealand novel Magpie Hall on my phone.

And it wasn’t bad, actually. I thought I’d perhaps find the text too small, but I was pleasantly surprised. I chose to read in browser rather than download it. The  interface was uncluttered and the text smooth and screen-friendly. And though it was odd not to be able to see my progress via the turning of accumulated pages, Wheelers had thoughtfully included a percentage figure at the top right of my screen so I could tell when I was nearly halfway or approaching the end of the book. Nice.

Next up, I downloaded an OverDrive audiobook (and detangled my long neglected earbuds). This format was also pretty easy to use if you get yourself the free app. Having never tried an audiobook before I found myself enjoying how the reader interpreted the prose. Because I was reading, sorry, listening to something that was quite humorous and lighthearted in tone (namely, The Fangirl’s Guide to The Galaxy – expect to see a review on this blog in the near future) it was nice to have that echoed in the delivery. It wasn’t all that different to the voice I hear in my head when I’m reading something myself, albeit with an American accent.

I’ve since discovered that some audiobooks are actually read by the author, like As You Wish, about the making of the movie The Princess Bride, a book that I read on paper when I COULD HAVE BEEN LETTING WESTLEY READ IT TO ME WITH HIS LOVELY POSH VOWELS, OMG! There are also audio cameos in As You Wish, including Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal. I’d be willing to wager that Billy Crystal does a better version of his voice than the version of it I did in my head.

Similarly, I would happily listen to Carrie Fisher read one of her books because, someone once described her voice as “sonorous” and I’d have to agree that it’s very listenable. I love hearing writers read their own work. You never have to worry that they’re misinterpreting it.

From talking to other people who have more experience with audiobooks, it seems that a lot of the enjoyment of a book in this format can come down to whether or not the voice of the person reading it to you is a good fit. Timbre, accent, speed and intonation, if they’re wrong or jarring to your ear, can have a distracting effect. So it’s pretty handy that our downloadable audiobooks have a short excerpt available, right there in the catalogue. Just click and listen to see if the voice of the reader suits you or not. Easy.

So on the whole, I’d have to say my first fumbling forays into downloadable library content have gone pretty well. I still do like the feeling of a physical book, but I’ll certainly not look down my nose at an eBook every now and again (especially when travelling).

Feel like being brave and giving digital downloads a go? Then you may be interested in the following info –

• Browse new and recommended eBook and eAudiobook titles
• Information about the different formats of digital downloads we offer
• FAQs about eBooks and downloads

Updated:I totally forgot to mention that when I accidentally wiped all the data off my phone (don’t ask) and had to set it up from new, when I reloaded the OverDrive app it knew exactly where I’d got up to and asked if I’d like to start listening again from that point. Bloody clever!

Budgie Manor – Community Read of Magpie Hall

Part One of our Community Read of Magpie Hall by Rachael King was tea and tales (and cake) on Friday morning.

Part Two on Friday evening was a night of improv and laughs. South Library was the venue, and there was a good-sized crowd.

We had a nice introduction from Rachael, Councillor Phil Clearwater, and Libraries Manager Carolyn Robertson.

"Not v. often are libraries associated with taxidermy & tattoos" Councillor Phil Clearwater launches #chchreads Magpie Hall. ^DR

— ChChCityLibraries (@ChristchurchLib) August 7, 2015

"Don't let NZ books go the way of the huia". Yay @rachaelking70 is on soapbox promoting NZ writers. #chchreads ^DR

— ChChCityLibraries (@ChristchurchLib) August 7, 2015

Christchurch writers – if your ears are burning, it is because @rachaelking70 just called you out on a rollcall of honour. #chchreads ^DR

— ChChCityLibraries (@ChristchurchLib) August 7, 2015

Then it was onto the comedy. The two improvvers were very clever, making good use of some props, wordplay, and guest appearances from the audience. Magpie Hall became Budgie Manor in a variety of fast and furious skits, and roars from the audience peppered the show.

"What's a really spooky place to set a story in?" "GORE!" Harsh, improv audience! #chchreads ^DR

— ChChCityLibraries (@ChristchurchLib) August 7, 2015

The night ended with some book prizes being given out, and book signings.

Plus a little more cake.

See our photos of the Community Read events and Magpie Hall displays.

Morbid, grotesque, exhilarating: Magpie Hall by Rachael King

This morning a good-sized crowd was treated to book chat, tea and tales with award-winning author Rachael King – 11am to 12pm at South Library, Friday 7 August. Oh, and a Magpie Hall cake.

It was a cracker of a session. Rachael talked us through the journey to Magpie Hall and illustrated the tale with pictures and photos. She described researching a novel as a bit like “Alice falling down the rabbit hole” – and this session was our glimpse into the rabbit hole and the “accumulation of images, ideas, and themes” that made Magpie Hall:

• Sailor tattoos
• Circus freaks
• Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads …

Taxidermy

Female taxidermists piqued Rachael’s curiosity – these two in particular:

Claire Third – Lyttelton taxidermist – see her in this CTV doco

Julia DeVille – taxidermist jeweller

The Dead Zoo

These places inspired Rachael – animal dioramas, slimy things pickled in jars: “Morbid, grotesque, and somehow exhilarating”.

• Dublin Natural History Museum
• The Hunterian Museum

Tattooing

Someone with a lot of tattoos was called a collector.

In the late 1900s, the aristocracy took to tattooing. Even royals got inked.

Victorian literature

The influence of books like Northanger Abbey and Wuthering Heights is part of the soul of Magpie Hall. In its intertextuality, it is “a novel about the Gothic novel itself”.

If you are familiar with Victorian Gothic, you might pick up the references. Rachael talked of:

laying Easter eggs in the book for readers.

On writing

Rachael wanted to write a booky mystery. It was a very organic process. After doing a lot of research, in 2008 she didn’t write for two months – then suddenly the whole thing came together in my head”.

Rachael read two excerpts – one rather terrifying encounter with a ghost at a window, and one about the skinning of a tiger.

What next?

Look for Cafe Continental in Rachael’s upcoming work.

The Cafe Continental [between 1906 and 1909] CCL Photo Collection 22, Img01266

The audience asked some good questions, and we all went away sated.

---

Photos from the event and display at South Library.

If you missed this morning’s event – or if you want some more Magpie Hall – come along to tonight’s event at South Library from 7.30pm to 9pm (Friday 7 August). Join an improvised comedy team as they improvise themes from Magpie Hall. See you there!

Channelling Dora for today's Community Read – Magpie Hall @rachaelking70. Come along today at 11 & tonight 7.30. ^DR pic.twitter.com/xTa5uw26Pi

— ChChCityLibraries (@ChristchurchLib) August 6, 2015

This month’s special – The 10pm Question by Kate De Goldi – the eBook!

On Friday 22 August we are having our Community Read 2014 : One book one community with The 10pm Question by Kate De Goldi.

For this month thanks to Allen & Unwin and Wheelers everyone can read the 10PM Question as an eBook at the same time!

You can read the 10 pm question as an e-book from our Overdrive collection and Wheelers collection.

10 pm question  is also available as a paper book and an audiobook.

What is your 10pm Question? Get on board with our Community read

I spied a poster in the library that has put a real spring in my step: Community Read 2014. The reason for this spring is a visit to Christchurch City Libraries by Kate De Goldi. She is coming to talk about her novel The 10PM Question and I can’t wait.

I read this book a number of years ago and at the time it struck a real chord. Frankie Parsons, a twelve year old boy, is on the verge of change. He has a head full of worries and Frankie’s Ma listens patiently to his 10pm questions. I had a son who also had a head full of worries and at the time I found The 10PM Question a reassuring read. Kate De Goldi deals sensitively and perceptively with the issue of anxiety and the challenges faced by Frankie and his family.

Kate is an award winning writer who cannot be missed.

Knowledgeable

Articulate

Thinking

Engaging

Dazzling

Enthusiastic

Gem

Observant

Lover of Literature

Dynamic

Insightful

I had the pleasure of listening to Kate a number of years ago and I promise you will not be disappointed. Come along to this free event on Friday 22nd August, 11-12pm, at the South Library Colombo Street, Christchurch. In the evening (7.30pm to 9pm), join the Court Jesters for some 10pm questions. Share your 10PM question and be in to win an iPod touch. The Court Jesters at South Library will improvise your 10pm questions!

Kate de Goldi – and many more authors – will also be appearing in a variety of sessions at the WORD Christchurch Writers and Readers Festival.

I don’t have a 10pm question but I do have plenty of 2.30am questions! What is your 10pm question?