The Kardashians are Taking Over my Blog

Regular readers will remember that some time ago I wrote a short piece about the Kardashian sisters as they were releasing a new 'tell all' book. You can read the post here.  I wrote about whether in fact they really had anything left to 'tell' and also the immense popularity of these three ladies.

It seems I really had no idea how popular they really are. I am shocked to find nearly one year later this post is still coming up each week as the most popular post on my blog and this week the top five Google searches that brought people to my page is the kardashian sisters, kardashians, the kardashians, the kardasians (for those who can't spell) and kardashian book.

I can't decide if it is a good thing or a bad thing (I am also not immune to the irony that this post is probably just going to increase my 'Kardashian' rankings), but whichever way the dice rolls I am still puzzled. Is there anyone out there that can illuminate me what is so darn amazing about the Kardashians that they are able to take over my blog with one post?

Win: Last Summer by Kylie Ladd

In preparation for interviewing the divine Kylie Ladd last week, I was lucky enough to receive a special advance copy of her new novel Last Summer. Imagine my surprise at opening yesterday's mail only to find a second copy nestled innocently inside a brown shipping bag.

As I know this book is in high demand (even her agent took to Twitter bemoaning her lack of a finished copy) it is quite an exciting turn of events. Call it a twist of fate or divine intervention, but at the suggestion of the lovely author herself I am now putting this spare book up here for one of my WA Stylers to win.

All you need to do is hit comment below and tell me why you deserves to win this highly sought after tome. The most creative entry will win. Entries are open to all Australian residents and close Sunday June 19. The winners name will be announced here on Monday.

If you'd like to buy a copy of your very own (and why wouldn't you) Kylie's book will be officially available on June 27 from all good* bookstores, rrp $29.99.

* Clearly any stores not stocking this book is not a good bookstore. 

A Wonderful Day

How often have you had a really fantastic day? A day that genuinely makes you feel happy, content, challenged and inspired? I was lucky enough to have had one of those yesterday.

It started out with an early morning gym workout with the sensational Sean from Atlas Performance before gussying myself up to head over to UWA for the Perth Writers Festival. Although I had a frustrating 20 minutes trying to locate the box office to pick up my tickets for the publishing workshop, I then had the chance to chill out in the UWA club and chat with some other fascinating people attending the event including the lovely Sarah from the fantastic blog Ah, the Possibilities!

I found the publishing seminar I attended, aptly named The A-Z of Getting Published, a real eye-opener about the book publishing industry. Having worked in magazines and newspapers (and a few years as a record label manager) I have plenty of experience with magazine, newspaper and music publishing and although I have edited and published a few books for employers and clients - this is an industry segment I knew much less about.

The event was MC'd by Angela Meyer, a literary blogger for Crikey, and included a range of high profile speakers including publishers Meredith Curnow from Random House, Mandy Brett from Text Publishing and Clive Newman from Fremantle Press. We also got to hear from writer and manuscript assessor John Harman and and one of Australia's highest profile literary agents Lyn Tranter as well as writers, other publishers and lovely Scribe publicist Emma Morris.

There were so many amazing knowledge bombs they dropped on us throughout the course of the day, that I think this will call for another post in the next few days (so keep your eye out for that). Some statistics definitely reinforced the difficulty of becoming a published novelist, but the day also showcased the passion and enthusiasm people in the publishing industry have for what they do. If you get a chance to check out any of the other events over the long weekend for the Perth Writers Festival, I definitely recommend it.

If this workshop didn't make the day fantastic enough, I was then lucky enough to head straight from the event to pick up my husband and head down to Sandalford Winery to see Michael Buble live in concert. The tickets were a gift from my wonderful husband as nearly one year ago Michael's The Best is Yet to Come was our first dance together as husband and wife. Although this song didn't get a look in, the night was sensational.

We couldn't have asked for a better night, beautifully warm, a great vibe, some incredible support acts, good food and of course cheese and wine. Delicious!

Michael was highly entertaining all but breaking into a stand up comedy routine after his first song. He chatted to the crowd at length, shared some personal stories, introduced us to every member of his band in detail and even threw in some really out of the box numbers - even Michael Jackson got a look in.

I have to admit I fell asleep in the car before we even made it out of the car park, but what a day!

Exploring the Middle East (books anyway)

THe Middle East seems to be the thing for my books this week. I just interviewed the author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul over the phone from her new home in Mexico and I just received this title in the post from Harper Collins, looks like something right up my alley. Just the title Burqalicious, the Dubai Diaries grabs my attention!

I am looking forward to reading them both! Keep your eye on the Today section in The West to read my interviews and book reviews of these in the coming weeks. If you follow my Hancock Creative Facebook page, I will let you know on the day they appear.

Taking One Step at a Time

For a long time I have had the dream of writing a novel. Actually scratch that, I think I have had the natural urge to write since I could read (age 3 actually). I was writing epic adventures about a family of koalas in kindergarden, which my mum has lovingly kept.

The only problem is, now I have passed the big 3-0 and I may have had dozens (even hundreds) or articles published, I still haven't made that step into novel territory. I have made several attempts but life, self confidence and a whole range of other factors seem to get in the way.

I have decided to stop making excuses and make a real step towards my goal so I have enrolled in a creative writing course at the Sydney Writing School starting on Monday.

Yes, I am a bit nervous that I won't be very good at it. But I am trying to remember I am doing this for me and not anyone else so I am going to give it a red hot go. Fingers crossed the lovely ladies over there will be able to break through my years of writing habits and teach me how to let go of the facts and just make something up! Will keep you posted. Wish me luck!

This week I am reading...

This week I am reading What on Earth are you Wearing - A Michipedia of Fashion. What  bizarre but completely quirky fun little book! It's a spin off from the Michi Girl website - www.michigirl.com.au.

In a nutshell Michi is a completely fictional character, but writes books and sends out daily email updates about fashion and weather! I spoke to one of the authors the other day and will keep you posted when that interview appears.

The Kardashians tell all ... again

As if we didn't known enough of the personal nitty gritty details of the lives of the three Kardashian sisters, we will now be able to go out and buy their new tell all autobiography!

Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no doubt that Kourtney, Kim and Khloé have become pop culture icons. Not only have they had two successful reality TV shows they also attract six million visitors a month to their websites. 

Apparently this book will share such must have secrets as to how well the sister get along to "fun facts about their childhoods, their beauty and style secrets, the wisdom they learned from their beloved and famous lawyer father, and the street smarts they learned from day one from their mother."

This book goes on sale December 20 and will be $35. So now confession time. Do you love the Kardashians? Will you be bad mouthing this book while secretly buying a copy for your 'sister'? Are you an out and proud Kardashian lover? We want to hear about it. Hit comment below and tell us all!

Bringing home the Birkin

I am reading this book right now and I am really enjoying it. This is the story of one man who moved to Barcelona on a whim and then created a career on eBay from reselling Hermes.

It reads like a fiction novel so is keeping me really engaged but the fact that it's a true story is really intriguing and inspiring. It's certainly getting the entrepreneur side of me well and truly inspired. Wouldn't it be lovely to make a living from playing with such pretty things all day?

Last Night at Chateau Marmont

I just finished reading Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger of The Devil Wears Prada fame. This book was a birthday present and I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a light-hearted fun read but interesting enough that I didn't want to put it down.

For me the story felt a bit like The Devil Wears Prada (only the movie not the book) in reverse. Instead of Andrea becoming a workaholic to build her career and destroying her relationship with Nate in the process, 'Last Night' is the story of married nutritionist Brooke who after years of supporting her husband as he pursues a musical career, struggles to cope with his new found fame.

Definitely worth a read. I enjoyed it a lot more than Chasing Harry Winston and as much as Everyone Worth Knowing.

You can check out what Lauren is up to on her blog http://laurenweisberger.com/blog/ and read a great Q&A with her about this book here.

Queen of the vegie scene

As a vegetarian I can attest to how hard it can be sometimes to get a really good meal out. Often in restaurants you only have one or two choices available and more often than not they are the same dishes with little variation.

I was therefore quite excited to hear that after the Melbourne edition rushed off the shelves, the national version of The Australian Veg Food Guide is hitting the market.

A brand new nation-wide food guide for both locals and tourists that contains over 200 reviews and listings of as many vegan, vegetarian and veg friendly restaurants from all around Australia.

The book is only $17.99 but the bad news is the book won’t be available until November. Will keep all you vegos out there posted!

The Power of Mothers

While I do believe mothers to be some kind of incredible all knowing, all seeing machines, I am not sure what I think about this upcoming book release so I’d love to know what WA Style readers think.

The Power of Mothers is described as a hard-hitting look at our troubled society, the intergenerational cycle of crime and criminal families and the women who have the power to change things for the better.

“Author Celia Lashlie takes a look at the deep-seated issues underlying our appalling youth crime statistics. Telling it like it is, she reminds middle-class families that these crimes are not being committed by the children of ‘criminals’ - they are our children, and we are all responsible for them.”

What do you think? Do you think this authors right on the money or do you think this just puts even more pressure on women?

New book teaches kids about cancer

Regular readers of WA Style will know I had both friends and family members diagnosed with cancer and any opportunity I can get to support a worthy cancer-related cause, I will jump on it.

This is a particular interesting product as both the Cancer Council NSW and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre have pledged support for Susanne Gervay’s book Always Jack. This book highlights the challenges that children face when a parent is diagnosed with cancer.

I have seen how family and friends can be affected when a loved one has cancer and I think this challenge is especially difficult when there are kids involved, so I think this book is a great idea to help explain what is happening to the small people in your life.

Always Jack uses humour to break down the taboos surrounding cancer and encourages parents, teachers and children to discuss the subject openly.

A multiple breast cancer survivor herself, author Susanne Gervay faced cancer when her children were six and nine years of age, again when they were teenagers and yet again just recently. She clearly has firsthand experience of just how alone young people can feel when cancer touches their lives. 

While she found Always Jack an emotionally difficult book to write, Susanne is passionate about reaching children, parents, schools and the community. As a result, she is donating a percentage of her royalties to Cancer Council and NBOCC.

Always Jack also includes details of the Cancer Council Helpline for families and children in need of support. The book will be available from October 1 for the price of $14.99. For more information about cancer related issues visit www.cancercouncil.com.au or call the helpline 13 11 20.

Oxford dictionary moves with the times

I can’t believe the Oxford English Dictionary is hanging up the proverbial hat and admitting dictionaries are no longer needed as a hard copy product.

While it is good to see a company moving with the times, I do think there is something sad about losing this old tradition. There is something special about having so many words written down in the one place – or maybe that’s just me?

Bestselling British author and journalist Simon Winchester has backed the move by Oxford University Press to bring out the next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in online format only. 
 
Winchester, who is in Australia to promote his new book, Atlantic, says that Oxford University Press is doing what is right and proper for consumers. 


“My view is they are entirely prescient in bringing the OED out in digital format only,” he says. “Although I will certainly regret the Oxford English Dictionary’s passing as a book, this is a move that is being repeated all over the world and its really only bowing to the inevitable."


 
In case you are interested (or even if you're not), Oxford dictionary’s word for the day is bouillon. The online dictionary is available at www.oxforddictionaries.com

Christmas in September

Have you guys been into the city this week? I was in this morning and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw David Jones had already set up their Christmas display. It is just me or does it feel like it is getting earlier and earlier each year? It has only been spring for a few days!

Does this just mean Christmas is becoming even more commercial, or should we relish the opportunity to kick ourselves in to the celebratory season a little earlier?

To continue the Christmas theme of this post, I thought I’d also share one of the seasonal products that have already started arriving in my inbox. I thought this was pretty cool. This kids book True Blue Santa gives Santa and Christmas a distinctly Aussie twist. Not a bad stocking filler for the kids. It’s only $14.99 and will be available from October 1.

Nichole Richie talks about her new book

How did I not know Nichole Richie was an author? Apparently a previous book was a best-seller and she has now released a new book called Priceless. I knew about her family, her design label and half a dozen things I probably absolutely did not need to know, but didn't know about this.

So what is her book about? It's a 'fiction' book that follows tall, blond and willowy twenty-two-year-old Charlotte Williams who seems to have everything going for her – she’s rich and gorgeous, a talented singer, and has just returned to her Park Avenue penthouse after a year studying in Paris. But since her mother’s tragic death years ago, her father, an extremely successful financier, has been her only family –
and if she’s being honest, her only true friend.

Some life imitating art here? Get Nichole's take on her new book with this interview with her. What do you think? Is this a book you will want to read? It goes on sale October 1 and will be $19.99.

The freerange cook

I am all for freerange, freerange eggs, chooks, etc. But I've never before head of a freerange cook - does that mean she runs around in the wild while whipping up a mean meringue? Okay, probably not.

Annabel Langbein has just released the book The Free Range Cook and in her own words: "It’s not about impressing people with culinary acrobatics or turning out complicated plates in the theatre of a restaurant. It’s about having fun and celebrating what nature has so graciously provided for us."


According to the blurb:

Photographed at and around Annabel’s lakeside cabin in Central Otago, at the foot of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, The Free Range Cook is much more than a recipe book. Alongside the photographs of fresh, seasonal dishes, gorgeous images transport the reader into Annabel’s country life — where she cooks on a simple double gas burner and chops wood to fuel an outdoor bread oven. Here, luxury is a glistening fish just out of the water, a perfectly ripe peach or a beautifully aged piece of farm meat, rather than exotic, hard-to-find ingredients. It is this simplicity that inspired the idea of free-range cooking — where a pared back approach to food and cooking celebrates a spirit of resourcefulness and the ability to enjoy whatever is in season at its very best.

Recipes are organised according to their source: From the Garden, From the Farm, From the Oven, From the Larder, From the Orchard, and From Lake and Sea. Interspersed throughout the book are delicious menus taken from the TV series that provide three or four impressive courses to share with friends and family.

Annabel’s signature ‘Fridge Fixings’ — useful flavour bases, rubs, sauces and dressings — are flagged throughout the book and cross-referenced to a multitude of quick, easy recipes. Cooking methods are clearly explained, and handy preparation tips, serving suggestions and storage advice introduce every recipe. Thanks to Annabel’s clever cooking tricks and techniques, home cooks are offered the chance to recreate restaurant-style dishes they might once have thought were too difficult or time-consuming.

Annabel Langbein is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated food writers and cooks. She is the author and publisher of 17 bestselling books, which have sold close to 1 million copies throughout Australasia, North America and Europe. The Free Range Cook is on sale in WA on October 1, 2010 for $49.99.

Why men are necessary

Have you ever really pondered why are men necessary? I haven't. At least I hadn't until I heard about this new book dedicated to this very topic.

I actually considered the answer to this question fairly self-explanatory but turns out there really is a deeper meaning. Here's the blurb:

There are a thousand bleak books about Australian families - rent asunder by divorce, drugs, children in hoodies and the sheer horror of being alive. This book is not one of them. For once, Australian family life is being celebrated. Why Men Are Necessary and More News From Nowhere is a hilarious — and optimistic — book about Australian family life. It’s about the way most of us live — and the wild comedy of being part of a healthy, loving, back-talking, buoyant family.

Meet the sexy and feisty Jocasta; confront teenage rebellion in the form of a fish called Wanda; do battle with magpies the size of small fighter jets; and try to work out which font you use when speaking the language of love. In Richard’s stories everyday life becomes vivid, magical and laugh-out-loud funny.

Richard Glover is the author of twelve books, including the bestsellers In Bed with Jocasta, The Dag's Dictionary and Desperate Husbands. He writes a weekly column for the Sydney Morning Herald and presents the comedy show Thank God It's Friday on ABC local radio.
So what do you think. Are men necessary? Are you running out to buy this book (if so, better hold off it doesn't come out until October 1 - RRP$27.99).

How far would you go for your child?

Australia has the highest per capita rate of parental child abductions in the world, with around 150 Australian children abducted each year. How scary a statistic is that? Who would have though Australia would rate higher than places like the Middle East or even the US?

The Retriever is a new book by Australian private investigator Keith Schafferius and Grantlee Kieza. For the last three decades Keith has specialised in child retrieval cases, slipping into countries like Poland, Yemen and the Philippines to retrieve children taken overseas against court orders after the breakup of their parents’ marriage.

It’s a tale of clandestine meetings with CIA contacts, forged passports, and the threat of being thrown in jail – everyday challenges in Schafferius’ line of work. Over the years Keith has built up a vast array of contacts, paid thousands of dollars in bribes to officials, been on international wanted lists and found himself in many terrifying situations, including being shot at and pursued by police.

This book talks about Keith’s six year enlistment in the Royal Australian Air Force and part secondment to ASIO, and of the incredible and often unbelievable retrieval missions that have taken him to all parts of the world in his bid to reunite families torn apart by parental child abduction.

Sounds like a gripping (if terrifying read). Available from September 1, $35rrp

The secret life of Coco Chanel

Acclaimed author and journalist Justine Picardie has spent the last decade puzzling over the truth about Coco Chanel, attempting to peel away the accretions of romance and lies. The result is a new book Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life.

Justine says the story of Chanel begins with an abandoned child as lost as a girl in a dark fairytale. Uncovering remarkable new details about Gabrielle Chanel’s early years in a convent orphanage, Picardie explores what lies beneath the glossy surface of a mythic fashion icon.

Based on personal observations and interviews with Chanel’s last surviving friends, employees and relatives, the book throws new light on her passionate and turbulent relationships and gives a fresh look at how Coco Chanel made herself into one of the most powerful women in fashion.

Justine Picardie is the author of four books and was the former features director of Vogue and editor of the Observer magazine. You can visit her blog at www.justine-picardie.blogspot.com.

New book from Devil Wears Prada author

Who could forget the Devil Wears Prada? Meryl Streep sashaying and pursuing her lips in a way guaranteed to make your whole body quiver with inferiority. I am sure my smart and knowledgeable readers will know that before the movie came the book from Lauren Weisberger and was rumoured to be about her experiences working with notorious Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

As well as Devil Wears Prada (the book is quite different from the movie by the way) Lauren has written several other books and her latest – Last Night at Chateau Marmont – has just been announced for an Aussie release date of September 1.

As someone who has read all her books (the last few before they were published) I am very, very excited about this release. I have already added this to my birthday wish list (October in case anyone was wondering).

If you haven’t read any of Lauren’s books yet definitely grab Everyone Worth Knowing definitely my favourite. It goes inside the insane world of high-profile PR.

About her new book:
Two college sweethearts are living a happy, rather ordinary life in New York but there’s a slight twist — she’s the breadwinner, supporting her musician boyfriend. Until the tables are turned when he’s discovered by a Sony exec and their worlds are turned upside down.

Soon they are holidaying in the Hamptons, adorning the cover of Vanity Fair and attending every glitzy party in town — all the while his career is reaching new, dizzying heights. 

But the trappings of this elite lifestyle mean our heroine must face the wrath of the US press.


One final note – I also discovered Lauren is also on blogspot! Check out her blog at www.laurenweisberger.blogspot.com