Author: Emily

A nice surprise

A nice surprise

… when I scrolled down this post (I had been thinking about those beautiful hanging baskets… and wishing I could go to New York, in part because I’d heard from an old friend who lives there this week, and had been reading Sarah Laing’s brilliant comic 

Sydney Writers Festival

Sydney Writers Festival

… was totally fun. It was a while ago now, but I wrote some notes about being there: “In a departure lounge, newspapers take on a special pre-internet significance, as though this is the last word of home you’re going to get for a long 

It’s out!

It’s out!

My new book The Forrests has launched at Sunday Painters, with a really nice speech from Bloomsbury’s Kathleen Farrar (thanks Kathleen!), no book reading (quiet air punch), and lots of lovely people. There are some photos here (by Abba Renshaw of Allen & Unwin), posted on Beattie’s Book Blog. I’m still recovering but through my haze am very happy the book is out in the world. Thanks to everyone who came along and made it such a fun night.

I discovered on the night that Forrests winery (no relation to the characters), who kindly provided the wine, used to make wine from grapes my dad grew when he was living in Canterbury. It was a great surprise and almost like having him there.

And a late addition to the launch week – the lovely booksellers at Page & Blackmore in Nelson made this gorgeous window display for the book. Happy sigh.

Display and photo: Maclean Barker, Page & Blackmore Booksellers
Kia ora!

Kia ora!

Thanks for visiting my website. This is a new thing for me so I won’t commit to regular blog postings just yet, but will be updating this page with notes on bookish things, what I’m reading, what I’m writing, teaching, and so on. I will