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Available now!
Prime Minister's Literary Awards: Shortlisted; CBCA Notable Book 2021
Winner, Children's Book Council Australia, Book of the Year (Younger Readers) 2012; Winner, Patricia Wrightson Prize, NSW Premier's Literary Awards; Shortlisted, WA Premier's Literary Awards, Young Adult; Shortlisted, Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature (Children's Literature)
Shortlisted, 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Children's Fiction; Shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2010 (Upper Primary); Shortlisted, 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Children's Long Fiction
Kate Constable & Penni Russon
Joint Winner, Children's Peace Literature Award 2009
TUMBLEGLASS
Available now!
Bookings
- A latte beckons
- The blog of Kate Constable, children's and young adult author. Adventures in reading, writing and reading aloud. Among other things.
What I'm Reading
- THE LITTLE WHITE HORSE: Elizabeth Goudge
- THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH NANNY: Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy
- THE HUNTER: Tana French
- SONG FOR A DARK QUEEN: Rosemary Sutcliff
- INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA FOR DUMMIES: Prof Larissa Berendt
- THE PAINTED GARDEN: Noel Streatfeild
- THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY: Elif Shafak
- THE LADY AND THE UNICORN: Rumer Godden
- FIRST KNOWLEDGES: HEALTH: Shawana Andrews, Sandra Eades & Fiona Stanley
- LOOK BACK WITH ASTONISHMENT: Dodie Smith
Stuff I Like To Look At
Kate's Latest Books
THE JANUARY STARS
Prime Minister's Literary Awards: Shortlisted; CBCA Notable Book 2021
NEW GUINEA MOON
Crow Country
Winner, Children's Book Council Australia, Book of the Year (Younger Readers) 2012; Winner, Patricia Wrightson Prize, NSW Premier's Literary Awards; Shortlisted, WA Premier's Literary Awards, Young Adult; Shortlisted, Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature (Children's Literature)
Cicada Summer
Shortlisted, 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Children's Fiction; Shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2010 (Upper Primary); Shortlisted, 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Children's Long Fiction
Dear Swoosie
Kate Constable & Penni Russon
Winter of Grace
Joint Winner, Children's Peace Literature Award 2009
Always Mackenzie
The Chanters of Tremaris
I LOVE YOUR BOOK KATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from your big fan from australia!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI finally found The Singer of All Songs again! It got me into YA fiction when I was 12 or so. =) I now write YA fiction myself and am sending out to publishers. For the fifth time, haha. It made me so excited to find it. I get to read it again! =) =)
ReplyDeleteI love your books in the chanters of tremaris series but I really wish I could find the last one. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the message, Kira, so exciting that you're a writer now too (though it doesn't seem that long ago to me that Singer came out!) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAre you looking for The Taste of Lightning, Anon? It is available on e-book now, if that helps. If you're in Australia, you can still order it in a bookshop.
hi kate i'm from QLD in australia and i saw you at voices at USC I got some great tips from you! Thanks!
ReplyDeletemy friend recently got your book New Gueinia Moon and I have been bugging her and bugging her to let me read it. It looks so good!
ReplyDeleteHi there, lovely to hear from you! I had a great time at Voices and met so many gorgeous readers. I hope I get invited back next year :-)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSamera KamaleddineOctober 11, 2013 at 11:16 AM
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, I just stumbled on your blog via the Allen & Unwin site and am stoked to have found a gem in The Guardian Books: Children and Teenagers site! Had no idea this existed! Thanks for sharing this link with other writers :)
Is there only three books in the trilogy
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your question. There are three books in the Chanter sof Tremaris trilogy; however, there is a fourth book, The Taste of Lightning, which is not exactly a sequel, but does take place in the same world, 20 years after the end of the Tenth Power, and with (mostly!) new characters. I am currently working on a fifth Tremaris book, which features Calwyn's daughter. Hope that's helpful!
Kate
Hi!! I'm so excited that you're finally going to continue their adventures because the Tremaris series is some of the best books I have ever read. I think that your books are beautifully written and I have read and re-read them countless times. Thx for everything Kate for you inspired me to pursue writing and while doing that I also read plenty of books so many in fact that my friends secretly call me a bookworm.
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes, a great fan, Amber
True Very True :)
Deletecheck this website
Deletecheck this website
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Thank you Amber for your kind comments, that means a lot to me. Bookworms of the world unite! Hopefully I'll see your books on a bookshelf some day :)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, The Chanters of Tremaris series is so beautiful. All of them are gorgeous, I cant wait to meet Calwyn's daughter<3 I really want to be a writer someday, you are very inspiring:) I swear, your books are my favourites, right up there with Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Redwall series<3 KEEP WRITING love Margeaux<3 :)
ReplyDeleteTotally brilliant that your Aussie to!!!
ReplyDeleteMargeaux<3
Hi Margeaux, thanks for your lovely comment! I'm very flattered to be compared to Harry Potter and Narnia (they were my favourites too, as you may have realised!) Calwyn's daughter is coming along slowly but surely, I hope you can meet her before too long :) Best of luck with your writing, too!
ReplyDeleteCheers and thanks again, Kate
Hi Kate! I really love your books, The Chanters of Tremaris series! I am so looking forward to another book! The sad thing is that I can't really find your books in stores, but I will keep looking because I really want to have them! Thanks so much for writing them!
ReplyDeleteDear Lena Kubat,
DeleteI found the Chanters of Tremaris books online. Try that and see.
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteI LOOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEE the Chanters of Tremaris series. I am 11 and have already read the series 2 times and I am going to read it Again and Again and Again...
My Mum says that if I mention The Chanters Of Tremaris again she will have to kill me.
I only have one complaint. The series finishes! Please write another book or 3. I recommended it to practically everyone I know (even other authors).
I am a keen writer and I incorporate magic into my stories. I even tried to write a fourth book with my best friend who loves the series too.
Calwyn shall be the person I look up to for ever. All of the characters are really cool. My friend who I tried writing with and my other friend who is halfway through the last book have a nickname from this series. I am Calwyn, my writing friend is Mica and my other friend is Keela.
Surprisingly we are all like these characters, we can all sing as well!
Thanks for reading this long post
From Thirrin.
P.S I wish I lived in Antaris!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDear Kate, Please can you tell me if you will be appearing anytime soon near Sydney or Wollongong? I have the very excited daughter (see above) and far from 'killing' her, I would love to take her and her friends to meet you! It would be a dream come true :) Warm regards, Catherine.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI would dearly love to meet your daughter and her friends, it would be a real thrill to meet such enthusiastic readers. Unfortunately I don't have any visits to NSW scheduled for this year! But if you and your daughter are ever in Melbourne, do let me know and it might be possible to organise a meeting.
I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that there are such gorgeous, keen readers out there, it is a very special feeling for any author!
Best wishes,
Kate
Hi Kate, Thanks for your lovely reply. Will start looking for cheap flights for later in the year, maybe :) Thanks again, Catherine.
ReplyDeletehi, reply plz cus ur epic and yehhhhhhh. I likeya book its really interesting and it makes me feel dat im ther, from Robert
ReplyDeleteUm, thank you Robert!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your book Crow Country! I was solo hooked. It has amazing description and suspense. xoxo Love you Kate :)
ReplyDelete(I mean't) Sooo hooked.
ReplyDeleteThose comments were from Emelia xoxo :p ^^^^^
ReplyDeleteDear Kate,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the advise about bad guys. Opal and I have come up with a pair of bad guys (Pheonix and Ronxa) but we are still not sure what they are trying to do.
Our school Email accounts won't let us use Google Docs because it goes through the department of education. Do you know of another way to write on the computer besides emailing a word document back and forth?
Thank you also for the other advice you have given us. It has really helped when we get stuck.
Chapter one is coming along slowly but we are determined not to give up.
In the Chanters of Tremaris did you try to rely on what people already knew while describing scenes and objects? Our descriptions do get rather long and sometimes have too much detail but when we read it to Opal's next door neighbor, Tally, she needed more information to have a picture in her head.
Thanks again
From Thirrin
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteRead your post on collaborative writing and it seems a fantabulous idea. One of my friends and I write very similar things to each other and I think I will mention it on Monday.
We both adore your books and Elva is the one who got me on to them. We have read all of the books our school library has of yours and I have bought my favorites. Mind you they were terribly hard to find. Our local bookstore had to order them for me.
I have been flicking through the posts and the questions you answered for Thirrin have given me an idea of what to do. You know you could nearly have the tips for young writers halfway there from those posts!
From Verity
P.s It is great You're writing another Chanters Of Tremaris book! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Verity! You're right, I've been meaning to create this Tips page for ages and I never seem to get around to it. Actually I wanted to import my old tips page from my old website (now defunct) but I couldn't do it, and I couldn't face writing it all again. I wonder if I will give the same advice this time around?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your writing and I hope you and Elva have fun. Please give her my regards!
Cheers,
Kate
Dear Thirrin and Emelia,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry if it seemed that I ignored your posts! The truth is, I didn't see them until today… In fact I was in hospital on 30th April and a little distracted…So please accept my apologies (everything is fixed now and I am fully recovered)
I'm so glad you enjoyed Crow Country, Emelia. And Thirrin, it's hard to get that balance right with descriptions. Maybe think of descriptions like a sprinkle of salt -- you need a little to bring out the flavour, but too much can be overpowering and leave you begging for relief. Hm, I quite like that analogy!
Kate ;-)
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you were in hospital.
I like your analogy about salt too! As I can picture that clearly and it makes much sense.
I picked up Cicada Summer and have finished the first chapter and I already love it. :)
As to your collaborative writing post both Opal and I have read it and we are on the go again after quite a few weeks off writing.
Hope all keeps going well,
From Thirrin
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Thirrin,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you and Opal are back to your joint project! And I hope you enjoy Cicada Summer.
Kate :-)
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteI loved Cicada summer! I read it start to finish in one night.
I have asked our school librarian to buy it but she said that she is out of money for new books until book week (week6) Pooh!
May I ask one question?
Ok maybe two or three.
1) Why do no book shops have your books in them?
2) Why do so many people love writing YA fiction?
3) Where could I find the Taste of Lightning? It is not in any bookstore!
Thanks
From Thirrin
So many questions! I'll do my best...
ReplyDelete1) There are a huge number of books published every year and bookshops can only stock a certain percentage of them, and they have very little room for back catalogue (books not published recently). So even truly excellent books like mine can get pushed out ;-)
2) That is a hard question, but I think part of the reason is because young people enjoy strong, interesting stories and don't have much tolerance for waffle! Also because that time of life between childhood and adulthood is such a challenging and unique time, and a time when everything is very intense and vivid -- you are turning into the person you will be for the rest of your life, and that is such a fascinating, emotional journey! Many YA writers have very vivid memories of their adolescent years, whethere they were good or bad, and find it easy to slip back into those experiences.
3) Taste of Lightning is still available on demand and any good bookshop should be able to order it for you! Or you can order directly fromthe Allen & Unwin website. It is also available as an ebook.
Hope that helps!
Kate
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteI tracked down the Taste of Lightning and bought it on Friday. I finished it yesterday.
Oh. My. Gosh!
I wanted to know more. I couldn't believe it when I found out Trout and Calwyn's role.
Now I can not wait for anything more Tremaris related.
I nearly cried when Tansy and Perrin parted.
How do you come up with such amazing ideas? My stories always start but never get anywhere with the complication.
And how do you come up with names? They are all unique and unusual but brilliant at the same time.
From (guess who) Thirrin
Hi Thirrin,
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that you a) found and b) enjoyed The Taste of Lightning!
I don't think my ideas are really all that amazing. Sometimes I spend ages just musing what if... what if... and sometimes a really obvious, logical, satisfying plot development will jump up and hit me in the eye. Sometimes not! Sometimes I have to write it out to discover what the story is about.
As to names, I usually play around with variations of names that already exist in our world -- change a letter here, a letter there...until I find something that sounds right. There's no formula, it's just playing!
Now I must get back to the next Tremaris book... coming along slowly, but it is coming along...
Kate
when did you write crow country
ReplyDeleteCrow Country was published in 2011, but I mostly wrote it during 2009-10.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps!
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you saw my post on The Corner of White, but basically I have just finished reading it.
I saw your last post while we were at Heathrow Airport in London and I was soooo excited.
My friend Opal is reading the Singer of All Songs and out of the one page (she has had it since Thursday, not a fast reader.) she has read, she loves it.
Thank you for your advice, and your books are amazing.
From Thirrin
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteYour books have yet again captured the imaginations of another child in year 6 at Nareena Hills PS.
Opal called me as soon as she finished the trilogy.
She loved it and now there are three of us hanging in there for another.
Merry Christmas,
From Thirrin
Happy to hear that, Thirrin! Thank you for sharing my books around :-)
ReplyDeletei read some other posts, IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ARE WRITING ANOTHER CHANTERS BOOK!!!!!!??????
ReplyDeletewhen will it be published???
DeleteHey Kate, I am in year 8 and my English class(all girl class) recently read your book Crow Country . Everyone really enjoyed it! you are a fantastic writer. My class has been studying Crow Country all term and we are now writing an essay on your book. All the students in my class have never done an essay before and it is a privilege that it is about Crow Country big fan!!!!!! x
ReplyDeletefrom Australia
DeleteHello Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased that you enjoyed Crow Country! If you have any tricky questions for your essay, feel free to let me know :-) Actually, maybe better not...
Thanks so much for writing, I appreciate it.
Best wishes,
Kate
Hello Kate! My best-friend and I have recently graduated from high school and both rediscovered your books. We both read them in middle school and fell in love with the Chanters of Tremaris and, since then, YA fiction as a genre. We were wondering if there will be any more books from that universe. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHello Unknown and Unknown's best friend :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you've rediscovered the Chanters books, that makes me very happy. I don't know if you're aware of the fourth Tremaris book, The Taste of Lightning, which is set 20 years after the end of The Tenth Power? I'm guessing you're in the US, TOL wasn't published there but it is available on e-book (or you can order it from Australia, if you're really keen!)
I was working on a fifth Tremaris book, but it hasn't worked out the way I wanted it to and I've shelved it for now. Maybe one day...
Thanks and all the best,
Kate
Hello Kate,
ReplyDeleteI have read a few of your books and have loved New Guinea Moon the most. I was hoping to email you and ask you a few questions?
Kind Regards,
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
ReplyDeleteThat would be fine. You can contact me at kate(at)kateconstable.com
Cheers,
Kate
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI have a question about your Singer of All Songs book, (the first one I have read so far). I'm wondering how old Calwyn and Darrow are. Because in my mind I imagine her as 12 and him around 20, and hope this isn't the case as that would be rather creepy.
thanks in advance, anonymous
Hello! You're right, that would be very creepy. Calwyn is sixteen in the first book, I hope that's a little less uncomfortable? Though she is still quite a bit younger than Darrow!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kate
Kate
A howdy from a fan from Maine, USA.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to send fanmail for a good while now and just found this blog. I am not kidding when I say your books are what made me love reading.
When I was 12, I was a bit delayed compared to my classmates and still relied on picture books. When I picked up The Singer of All Songs, something clicked. I no longer loathed reading longer, pictureless books and found myself mesmerized from The Chanters of Tremaris. I fell in love with your characters-- Calwyn, Darrow, Tonno, etc; I especially was fond of Darrow and his dynamics with Samis.
I am now 25, I like to write short stories and character biographies as a hobby. Writing is one of my passions that I could not separate from my identity. You've helped me attain a greater quality of life and I thank you so much for that.
You're an inspiration,
Nick
Dear Nick,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this wonderful message! Though it makes me feel quite old to think that the Chanters books have been around that long. It makes me so happy to think that my books were your gateway to reading and writing for pleasure; that's the dream for every author and it makes it all worthwhile.
Thank you so much for taking the trouble to let me know that the Chanters books made a difference to your life, I am more grateful than I can say. I wish you all the joy in the world from your writing and for the days to come.
All the best,
Kate
Hi Kate!
ReplyDeleteI started reading your books after I picked up The Singer of All Songs at a local market. I absolutely loved the magic of it, and the way you crafted Tremaris and the characters we adore.
I have two questions:
I read the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy through my school library, but now I have graduated and would like to buy them for myself. Where would you recommend buying them? I want to make sure you're getting money from the sale.
Secondly, the copy I have has the blue coloured drawn one that says it was designed by Sandra Nobes. Are there copies out there with matching designs for the later books? I really loved the illustration in this one.
I hope you're having a good day!! :D
Hi Claire,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you discovered Tremaris :-)
You can order the other two books of the trilogy (and the sort-of sequel, The Taste of Lightning, if you're really keen) from any bookshop, or online from Readings, or direct from Allen & Unwin.
The first two books had cover designs drawn by Beth Norling, but when The Tenth Power came out, the publisher re-designed all three volumes, and if you order them now, you will receive the new covers. But I have seen the original version of The Waterless Sea in second hand shops, so it's worth keeping an eye out for it (in fact there is a copy on the Brotherhood Books online bookstore right now!)
I honestly don't mind if you buy them second hand, the Tremaris books have been very good to me and I'm just happy that people are still reading them.
Thanks for taking the time to write, I really appreciate it.
All the best, and happy reading,
Kate
Thanks so much for your quick response Kate! I actually just ordered The Waterless Sea from Brotherhood Books haha, thanks for the recommendation!
Delete:)
Ha ha, I get just about all my books from Brotherhood Books these days! Way too many!I hope you found some more treasures while you were there :)
DeleteCheers,
Kate
Hello Kate, just wanted to tell you about the super-special experience we had with Crow Country.
ReplyDeleteMy niece has just started high school and has literacy problems. Her class is studying Crow Country, so, to help her out, we read the book like a radio play (complete with sound effects of crows cawing!). At the end of each chapter, we talked about what happened and really got into the layers of the story.
It was such a lovely experience - and we all learned heaps!
I wonder if you would consider visiting the school? It's on the Mornington Peninsula. Or alternatively, if you have any public events coming up that we could attend? We would love to meet you!
Thanks again for the wonderful story and experience we shared reading it!
Andrea Staunton
Hi Andrea,
ReplyDeleteWow! That sounds amazing! You sound like an incredible family. My daughter has dyslexia so I understand the extra effort needed -- I am currently reading her Richard III :-/
I don't have any public events coming up. But I do school visits. Bookings are handled by my speakers' agent, Booked Out. There's a link to their website on the front page of my blog.
Thanks for writing and do wish your niece all the best from me!
Cheers,
Kate
Thank you so much for your kind reply, Kate.
DeleteMy niece is tickled pink about your message and has told her teachers that it might be possible for you to visit her school (Padua College). I'll pass on your booking agent's details to her teacher. Thanks again - I think she felt 10 feet tall when she told them she had a message from you! :-) Warmest regards, Andrea
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteOur school library is currently trying to locate an audio-book version of Crow Country but haven't had any luck in finding one. We have a special needs student here, studying the book, who would really benefit from an audio version. Does it exist as a CD or a digital download? Can you direct me to a publisher or supplier? Any assistance appreciated. Thanks. Glen
Hi Kate
ReplyDeleteSome of my students have recently enjoyed reading Crow Country as part of their literacy learning. They are wanting to write you a letter (perhaps with some questions for your). How could they get this letter to you?
With thanks,
Earle
Hi Earle,
DeleteI'd be happy to hear from your students (as long as it's not too many!)
They can email me at kate(at)kateconstable(dot)com
Cheers,
Kate
Thanks Kate. It will be coming through soon. It is just the one letter from 4 students who consider themselves the best readers in my class!!
DeleteHey Kate, I'd just like to thank you for signing the Strike for Climate letter, it hasn't gone unnoticed =)
ReplyDeleteHi Kate! I just finished reading New Guinea Moon and I absolutely loved it! Will you write a sequel? Please, please, please do! I want to know what happens to Julie, Simon, Hannah and the Crabtrees. And I'd also like to read another book set in New Guinea.
ReplyDelete/Ellen
Hi Ellen,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your message. I'm so glad you enjoyed New Guinea Moon, it's very dear to my heart. I don't think I will write a sequel, though, to me Julie and Simon's story is complete. You might have to write your own version :)
But I'm pleased that you'd like another book set in PNG, it is a neglected subject in Australia I think.
Thanks again,
Kate
Hi Kate, I am a teacher of year 5/6 students and was recommended Crow Country by our lovely librarian to read in class to my students. We are about to conduct an author study on yourself and I thought it would be cool if you were able to reply with a little message to the students to begin that lesson?
ReplyDeleteThey are ear 5/6 students at Singleton Primary school who are loving your book at the moment and enjoy going back in time and discussing the characters :)
Thanks in advance,
Sam Brown
Hi Grade 5/6s from Singleton Primary,
ReplyDeleteI believe you have been reading Crow Country! I hope you're enjoying it so far...
Here are five facts you might not know about me:
1) I grew up in Papua New Guinea.
2) My first job was making doughnuts in a bakery on Phillip Island.
3) I once won $5000 on Sale of the Century.
4) I share my house with a dog, a rabbit and a bearded dragon (as well as my husband, two daughters and my mum).
5) I have a new book coming out next year, called The January Stars.
I really hope you like Crow Country. Keep reading!!
All the best,
Kate
Hi Leonie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your message. I've gone back over my research notes but unfortunately I can't find the exact reference to that story. I took notes of several Waa legends from a book called 'Aboriginal Myths, Legends and Fables' by A. W. Reed, but this doesn't seem to be one of them! I'm so sorry I can't be of more help.
Kate
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI've been loving your book Crow Country and I would love to know what your inspiration was behind your book.
This will really help me for an upcoming exam,
Thank you in advance
Nina
Hi Nina,
DeleteThanks for your message, I'm glad you've enjoyed Crow Country.
I'm giving you a link to the publisher's website where you'll find some excellent teacher's notes about Crow Country, I think you'll find them very useful.
Good luck with the exam!
Cheers,
Kate
https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/childrens-fiction/Crow-Country-Kate-Constable-9781742373959
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteI spent a magical week reading your Chanter of Tremaris novels as a youngster on school holidays. It made my imagination run wild with the thoughts of mountains, bees and music! I don't think I gave many other children a chance to read your books considering how often I borrowed them out after those holidays!
Now starting a collection of books for my own children, I find myself once again reading the series. Superb! They are just as magical and vivid as I had always remembered!
Thank you for your beautiful works! You created such a mark on me in my childhood, I cannot wait to share these with my own kiddos!
Much love and many thanks!
Eli.
Dear Eli,
ReplyDeleteThat is incredibly kind of you. I'm so glad you enjoyed the Chanters books so much. I had so many books that I loved when I was young, the thought that other people might have lost themselves in my books in the same way is very humbling.
I hope your (future?) children like them too, though I must say it makes me feel pretty old to think that they might be travelling into another generation :) But in a lovely way!
Thanks again for writing, I really appreciate hearing from you, you have made my day.
Best wishes,
Kate
hi your book is fansststttstststtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttaaaastic I just luuuuuvvvvvv it ps we get to learn all about it at schoooool yaaasssss
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I hope you enjoy learning more about it.
DeleteThanks for the message, and happy reading,
Cheers,
Kate
Hi kate, I found your blog and thought I'd write you a comment. I'm an 18 year old student in nsw and when I was around 12, I found your book 'cicada summer' in a library. The cover art is what attracted me to the book at first but after reading it, I was attatched to it. I remember being so sad when my mum had to return it to the library. For years afterwards I checked every library, every bookshop (we dont have many in my area) and never thought to look online. Eventually, my mum found a copy online and bought it for me as a gift about a year ago. Even though i was only 12 when i last read it, seeing that book brought back all of the amazing feelings and memories that cicada summer gave me when I first read it. I kept it in a special box so it wouldn't get damaged. However, during this lockdown, I've picked it up and began reading it again. Even though it seems like a book for younger kids, I love it even more now that I'm older and love how you write. I will hopefully be able to purchase your other books soon. I think cicada summer is one of those forever favourite books for me. Thank you for creating such an amazing book.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Aimee
Hi Aimee,
DeleteWhat a light you've brought to my morning with your lovely message. It was those forever favourite books I read when I was young (and still love reading now) that made me into a writer, and it's the most wonderful feeling to think that perhaps one of my books has been just as special for you. Cicada Summer does have a gorgeous cover, doesn't it! My publisher said we shouldn't expect much from it as it was such a 'quiet book' but I think sometimes it's those quiet books that manage to lodge in our hearts.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I hope you find many more forever favourites as the years go on.
All the best, and thank you again,
Kate
Can't help with goldengrove but there is a pdf of parcel of patterns here. https://book4you.org/s/parcel%20of%20patterns?order=date
ReplyDeleteOoh, thanks Fiona, I will check it out (though I'd really prefer a book... but I am getting rather desperate!)
ReplyDeleteHi, is there a reasonably priced audio version of your book, Crow Country? My dyslexic daughter is studying the book at school no can’t keep up with reading and following the story. The school won’t provide a audio copy of the book.
ReplyDeleteDo you know if there are any online audio store/sites that support or provide audio books for students with dyslexia?
Thanks
IG
Hi, is there a reasonably priced audio version of your book, Crow Country? My dyslexic daughter is studying the book at school no can’t keep up with reading and following the story. The school won’t provide a audio copy of the book.
ReplyDeleteDo you know if there are any online audio store/sites that support or provide audio books for students with dyslexia?
Thanks
IG
Hi IG, there is indeed an audiobook of Crow Country available through Audible, Kindle and other audio providers. It costs about $10. I hope this is helpful to your daughter. Audiobooks were a way into reading for my own dyslexic daughter so I hope they help your daughter too. All the best,
DeleteKate
hello. I'm writing an translated version of your book, "crow country" in Japanese. may I have your permission? as soon as its done, ill send it to you. I will also try and get permission from A&U. at the monument I'm trying to get permission from Kadokawa, and Japanese company. if I manage to get an response from either, I will comment again with the same name and the last sentence of chapter 19 to stop a faker. I've also got a few questions.
ReplyDelete1. what would Sadie's looks be?
2. would Sadie's tone be effeminate or the opposite? ( in Japanese there's different ways of saying 'I' like in "I am Kiki" )
P.S I really liked the book! I liked how the crows saved Sadie and Walter!
Hi Kiki, I'm happy to grant my own permission but I think Allen & Unwin might have the final say, I hope you get a reply from them. I'm so glad you enjoyed Crow Country.
ReplyDeleteI didn't specify what Sadie looks like, I like that it's left open so the reader can imagine her any way they like.
I'm not sure what you mean by effeminate? She identifies as female so I guess she would use the feminine way of speaking?
Thanks for your interest in Crow Country, and all the best with your translation.
Kate
Hi Kate, I would be very interested in purchasing a copy of Marianne and Mark for considerably less than £1000! Do you still have it? Or could I rent it from you? Curious to see how the story unfolds after all these years. Best wishes, Caroline
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline,
DeleteYes, I still have Marianne and Mark and I'd be happy to lend it to you. It's very different from Marianne Dreams, though. Maybe shoot me an email at kateconstables(at)gmail.com and we can organise a loan??
Cheers,
Kate
Hi Kate. I am an English pre service teacher who got handed a copy of Crow Country today and am currently doing my level best to both race through it so that I am ahead of the kids and give it serious literary consideration. But a little googling has left me a bit surprised. So far it seems like a story that is mostly about the intrusion of the past on the present and fear about past (and specifically familial and community) sins. I know it's about a lot of things, most good books are (and I'm quite enjoying it, actually), but I am completely baffled by the fact that apparently I am the only person that thinks this is a Gothic novel. I feel like Crow Country sits comfortably within the Gothic literary tradition, and while I have another 80 or so pages to go I don't suspect my mind will be significantly changed, but I was curious to about your opinion on that. Australian Gothic is an underpopulated genre, so it can be difficult to make general statements regarding it, but I feel like Crow Country's engagement with the legacy of colonialism and its framing of personal interaction with familial history woth that broader colonial history more generally, especially in the way we see multiple generations of two families play out and re-enact some of the same behaviours, as grounding it quite firmly in Gothic tradition (supernatural elements aside).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I was just wondering if anyone has asked you about this before. I'm not sure if you set out to write a Gothic novel specifically, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. Does it surprise you at all to hear someone say that? Because I can't seem to find any reviews making that direct comparison.
Anyway, I'm quite enjoying the book, but curious to hear back from you about it.
Hi William,
DeleteThank you so much for your long and interesting comment. As far as I know, you are the first person to describe Crow Country as a Gothic novel. I certainly didn't set out to write a Gothic novel and to be honest I'm not entirely sure what the definition of Australian Gothic is! That is an intriguing take and one I will need to think about. Could you give me some other examples of Aust Goth to compare?
My starting point for writing the novel was actually wanting to write a fantasy story, but one set in Australia, which quickly led me to the realisation that I'd have to incorporate First Peoples' myth, story and history -- which opened up the whole project in ways I hadn't anticipated. Interesting to think it might have led me down a Gothic pathway!
I'm glad you are enjoying it so far.
Thanks and cheers,
Kate
Thanks for the reply Kate!
DeleteAs far as "Australian gothic" is concerned, I've mostly seen it thrown around as a term in relation to works like Kate Grenville's Secret River. Personally, I see it as the intersection of the Gothic traditions fear of the past resurfacing and its irrationality and sins dragging us down or destroying us recast into the Australian context of colonial treatment of Indigenous Australians.
Much like Southern Gothic's engagement with the uneasy, moral ambiguity of the wealthy families of southern communities being built upon a moral atrocity and often has a fixation on the decline of the well to do of the post war South, I read Crow Country as being about the uneasiness of rural Australia with its past. People like the Mortlock's have a family past with Indigenous Australia that we see recapitulated over generations, both with Craig's outright hostility to David and his later acknowledgement of his work as a couch being a shadow of his Grandfather's appreciation of Jimmy's work but refusal to respect him as a human being the way the that Hazzards do, as well as Lachie's excuses for his father's behaviour and his refusal to acknowledge the way his own behaviour reflects his family history (so far, I still have enough pages left in the book for him to turn it around I suppose). We also see Sadie repeating her mother's actions somewhat with her relationships with Lachie a
Oops, hit publish by accident.
DeleteWas going to say that Sadie seems to start to repeat elements of her mother's life and go through the same process of being placed in a position of desiring to respect Indigenous Australia while also desiring acceptance from a society still pervasively racist enough to not take her seriously for that. The narrative takes us through two families repeating their behaviours towards Indigenous Australians, with Sadie struggling to finally bring the generational injustices to light in a way that her family could not in the past. These supernatural element of the Crow literalises the intrusion of past injustices in Australian society by sending Sadie back to bear them witness in a way that is disturbing and distressing to her, but that she gradually accepts and takes responsibility for.
I feel like Crow Country really does check all the academic boxes for Gothic literature. I said to my mentor teacher that it's a shame it was written for children, but then retracted that statement because kids deserve serious literature too. Thanks for getting back to me.
I had another point about "Australian Gothic" to make that I forgot to mention, that being that the element of fear in Gothic fiction is often a manifestation of an irrational fear that current circumstances are a result the sins of the past. The tension between wanting to see past crimes redressed and the fear of what it will mean for us now to do so. Australia is founded on moral atrocity, and I think Crow Country does a great job of engaging with the uneasiness many Australians have with addressing that fact due to family history. The moment in the graveyard is a great Gothic moment, not because of the setting (although that too) but because it is about Sadie's fear that people really might get what is coming to them, and the implications of what that means for her generation.
DeleteThanks, William. It certainly does sound as if Crow Country falls under that definition! It's interesting how these things intersect and overlap. It was definitely intentional to have the same patterns of relationships repeating down the generations, but in fact that idea came from trying to include a sense of the perpetual present tense of the Dreaming and the notion of the world as endlessly cycling through seasons, years and generations; not from any explicit desire to conform to a Gothic template.
ReplyDeleteIt's been so interesting to hear your thoughts, thanks for taking the time to get in touch! I really appreciate it.
Cheers,
Kate
PS I could argue that some of the best literature is children's literature -- but then I would say that, wouldn't I! ;-)
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI read your Chanters of Tremaris trilogy back in middle school (I'm 22 now!), and absolutely loved them. I found my old copies of the books while cleaning my room and started re-reading them. It's so special whenever I meet someone who has also read this series here in the US. I still consider this one of my favorite fantasy series of all time, and I wanted to thank you for all the great memories I have from reading this series.
Thanks!
-Jessica
Thank you so much for taking the time to send me a message, Jessica. It means so much to hear from a Chanters fan, those books are as old as you are, but I remember writing them as if it was yesterday. They became a bit of a cult favourite in the US, you are part of a select club! ;-)
DeleteThanks again for writing, and I hope you are still a keen reader!
All the best,
Kate
Hello Kate, You came to our school the other day and we did not get a chance to ask you these questions. If possible could you please answer these for us. Thank you very much8D.
ReplyDelete“Why does Sadie sometimes call her mum, mum, and sometimes call her mum Ellie?”
“Is it realistic that Lachie suddenly forgave Sadie and Walter so quickly?”
“Why did you choose to have Sadie and Walter to come close?”
“How did Sadie and Walter not get in trouble with the police for trespassing on Lachie’s property, is that realistic?”
“What is the reason that the book is named crow country?”
“Was this the first version of the book you wrote.”
“Where there any events in the book that you can relate to?”
“Are cross creek and lake Invergarry the same thing?”
“Do you think its realistic that Lachie suddenly forgave Sadie and Walter so quickly?”
Hello 8D, thanks for having me the other day and thanks for your questions. I'll do my best to answer them!
ReplyDeleteI think that Sadie always calls her mother 'Mum' when she's speaking to her, but in the text she sometimes refers to her as Ellie just for clarity.
Perhaps there was a little Waa magic operating to help reconcile Lachie, Walter and Sadie...
Sadie and Walter have quite a bit in common, as they are both new in town and feeling perhaps a little lost and lonely? And every adventure is better with a friend!
I imagine that the Mortlocks might have chosen not to pursue laying charges with the police, and in a small town that might have been a wiser decision.
I went through many, many names before settling on Crow Country, which was clearly the best possible title :)
This version of Crow Country is very close to the first draft, there was not a lot of rewriting needed for this book.
I can certainly relate to Sadie arriving at a new school, as I changed schools seven times due to moving around PNG.
Lake Invergarry is the name of the lake, Cross Creek was the name of the town in the first version of the novel.
Last question: see question 2.
Thank you all very much for taking the time to ask your questions, it was lovely to visit you the other day.
Thanks and cheers,
Kate
Dear Kate,
ReplyDeleteI have just finished eagerly devouring your book, Crow Country. My students have loved reading it; hooked from one chapter to the next. Thank you for writing and sharing this story; it is an important story to share, and it certainly helped me to realise how the Dreaming is ever-present. I believe every student, and adult, should read this novel.
Thank you again.
Thank you so much, what a lovely message. I'm so glad you and the students got something out of the book, that's wonderful to hear.
DeleteThanks again.
Hello Kate! I've adored your Chanters of Tremaris trilogy since I was a kid, and just ordered the trilogy to reread them a decade later! I'm so stoked to dive into the series again. Much love, and hope you're well
ReplyDeleteHi Noor,
ReplyDeleteThat is so spooky, I've just finished reading a novel about (and then watched a film about) your namesake, Noor Inayat Khan. I'm so glad you enjoyed the Chanters books, and I hope they stand up to re-reading. Thanks so much for letting me know, it's lovely to hear from a reader :)
Thanks again and happy reading,
Kate
Hi Kate, I've just gotten around to starting the series again and have to admit that I'd forgotten about the age gap between Calwyn and Darrow. I wanted to ask about the thought process behind this choice?
DeleteThanks for your time
Hi Noor, I must admit that I didn't think about it very hard at the time. Calwyn was young and sheltered, Darrow was a more experienced and worldly person who could teach her about magic and the wider world of Tremaris, so it made sense for him to be older than her. Perhaps if I was writing the books today, I would narrow the gap between them. I don't feel that their relationship is exploitative though, despite the age gap, by the end of the trilogy they are definitely equals in my mind. I hope it's not too uncomfortable for you!
DeleteHi Kate,
ReplyDeleteWe (Year 5/6 class) are reading Crow Country as a classroom modelled reading text but next Term plan to use Crow Country as our basis for narrative writing. I have some of your Teacher Resources as a guide. We are in a rural and remote location so we have connected well to your text. I was wondering if you have made any clips, perhaps on YouTube about your writing process so my students can gain an insight into other author's styles of writing organisation? I'm hoping to hold an in--school Writers Workshop for the students in Week 10, Term 1 and it would blow their minds if they saw you talking about how you construct your stories.
Kind regards Debra
Hi Debra,
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased you've been reading Crow Country and using it as a jumping off point! I'm afraid I don't have any YouTube clips about my writing process and I'm not sure that I have a style of writing organisation as such! I usually start with an idea or a situation or a subject (eg Australian magic, or multiple time slips set in a single house) that interests me and mull around it for a while until I have a vague idea for a story. But there is typically a lot of muddling and many, many drafts before the manuscript comes together properly.
Best of luck with your writers' workshop and please say hi to your students for me.
Cheers,
Kate
Hi Kate. I am from Boort. My Son is reading Crow Country. Wondering what the connection you had to Boort.
ReplyDeleteHi Matthew, nice to hear from a Boort person! I don't have any direct connection to Boort. In the first draft of the book, it was set in a fictional town called Cross Creek, but when Gary Murray read the manuscript, he said, the town you have described here is Boort! So I changed the name of the town (and the name of the footy team) -- they were the only changes I had to make. I did come up for a visit to check the details were okay. It's a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the message, and I hope your son enjoys the book. Say hi from me :)
Cheers,
Kate
Thanks Kate. Good to know, I often get asked about the reference. I will be interested to see what Charlie makes of the book. Thanks. Matthew
DeleteHi Kate! The Chanters of Tremaris was one of my favorite series growing up. Is there any way to order the trilogy (or any additional sequels) in the US? I’ve been trying to track down copies and am not having a lot of success.
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm pretty sure the trilogy (and the sort-of sequel The Taste of Lightning) are all available on ebook, if you have a Kindle or another e-reader. I doubt they are in print anymore, but you might be able to find them second hand somewhere. It's lovely to hear that you enjoyed the books growing up, I hope you are able to revisit them. Let me know how you go!
ReplyDeleteHello Kate, it's Jane Pearson here from Text Publishing jane.pearson@textpublishing.com.au
ReplyDeleteI'd love to tell you about a wonderful new book by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman that I think you would like. I won't go into detail here, but please be in touch and I'll email properly.
All best wishes,
Jane
Hey Kate
ReplyDeleteWould love to interview you about Tumbleglass. Please email me pjbuckley16@gmail.com
Thanks. Trish