AustLit

'THE GULLY IS sheathed in mist and the air is water. Our footsteps crack along the pathway, and my breath, muffled in the hood of the rain jacket I bought at Big W just two hours ago, is warm and loud. The cockatoos are screeching. At first, it’s a few flying overhead, but the deeper we go into the gully the louder they are and the more there are, until the sky is no longer grey and cloudy but a swirl of white and yellow. They scream and scream, calling to each other. They’re not like magpies, whose voices are melodious and rich, and yet today the screeching is like a balm. My senses tingle, and each call sends a shot of pleasure down my spine.' (Introduction)          

'Shelf Reflection is our series where we explore the bookshelves and reading habits of writers. In this latest instalment, Melanie Saward talks to us about Blak lit, romance comedies and her new novel, Burn.'

'When a tragic bushfire puts two kids in hospital, Indigenous teenager Andrew knows the police will come after him first. But Andrew almost wants to be caught, because at least it might make his dad come and rescue him from suburban Brisbane and his neglectful mother.

'Growing up in small-town Tasmania, Andrew struggled at home, at school, at everything. The only thing that distracted or excited him was starting little fires. Flames boosted his morale and purified his thoughts, and they were the only thing in his life he could control. Until one day things got out of hand, and Andrew was forced to leave everything behind.

'Now as the police close in and Andrew runs out of people to turn to, he must decide whether he can put his faith in himself to find a way forward.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When I was a child, the water was a place of freedom. I remember throwing my body around with abandon, revelling in the joy of handstand competitions and long games of mermaids or lifeguards with my sister and cousins.' (Publication summary)

'Navigating fertility treatment as an Aboriginal person adds an extra layer of complexity to an already difficult process. What do you do when there are no Aboriginal sperm donors? What does it mean for a donor to help create a child who may not grow up in culture?' (Introduction)