Am gosh-darned-blown-away by this lovely review over at But Books are Better !

Me talking about career, characters and pigeons over at Theresa Smith Writes. Thanks for having me, Theresa!

A very kind and lovely review from 1girl2manybooks.

It’s been a scary/exciting/nauseating two weeks knowing that the book is out in the world now and that [shock horror!] people may actually be reading it. But reviews like this make all the late night cheese-eating seem worth it.

The first review of The Book of Ordinary People!

‘…a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel’ – lovely words from Sharon Peterson at Readings St Kilda.

https://www.readings.com.au/review/the-book-of-ordinary-people-by-claire-varley

I’ll be launching The Book of Ordinary People on Sunday August 19, 3pm-5pm at Neighbourhood Books in Northcote.

Catering by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, sparkling on arrival, an uncomfortable and panicked speech from me… what’s not to like?

RSVPs here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-the-book-of-ordinary-people-by-claire-varley-tickets-48405924423

In news both exciting and nauseating*, you can check out the first 20 pages of The Book of Ordinary People at the link below. Publication day draws ever nigh and you’re most welcome to pre order here for paper books and here for ebooks. [Presses ‘post’ and runs off to hide under bed for the next few months].

*for me. Hopefully not for you.

Exciting news! The Book of Ordinary People will hit shelves on July 31 this year!

Pre-order now:

• Booktopia – https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-book-of-ordinary-people-claire-varley/prod9781743536261.html
• iBooks – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/au/book/the-book-of-ordinary-people/id1383591888?mt=11

Here’s me on the magic of re-reading Terry Pratchett over at Spike, Meanjin’s blog:

https://meanjin.com.au/blog/what-im-reading-claire-varley/

My short story ‘A quiet afternoon on the bay’ is part of this year’s collection in Going Down Swinging #38.

I remember the first copy of GDS I bought back when I was young, wide-eyed and recently moved away for university. I thought it was the absolute beez-kneez and – a bit like a wanker – was so inspired I filled in all the blank spaces around the poems and stories with words of my own. Then I clutched it to my chest, much like Gollum or a cast member from The never-ending story, and whispered, dramatically, ‘one day, you will be miiiiii-iiine.’

It took 13 years, but I got there. So when my copy arrives in the mail next week I suppose the only thing to do is to extract it carefully, pull it to my bosom, and whisper, dramatically, ‘I told you, you will be miiiii-iiiine’, then lurch-scurry back into my eery cave-dungeon for another decade or so.