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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'Jemma Musk is settling into her new home in the bustling goldfields town of Wombat Hill, wanting to establish herself as a painter and an independent woman. But word has gone out that she saw a young girl brush with death. Instead of saving her, she sketched her. What kind of woman does that?
This is not the last time that Jemma Musk will find herself hounded by gossip and scandal. Even after she has married Gotardo, an Italian-Swiss dairy farmer, and given birth to their daughter Lucy, happiness is denied her. A tragedy sets Jemma on the run from the law, and a legend - that of the beautiful outlaw Musk and her accomplice Byrne - is born.
The passionate and headstrong Jemma, determined to live the creative life, is a heroine in the mould of Sybylla from My Brilliant Career. She will win your heart in this tumultuous and enthralling novel by the author of Night Surfing, Last of the Sane Days, and the award-winning That Oceanic Feeling.' (Publisher's blurb)
This is not the last time that Jemma Musk will find herself hounded by gossip and scandal. Even after she has married Gotardo, an Italian-Swiss dairy farmer, and given birth to their daughter Lucy, happiness is denied her. A tragedy sets Jemma on the run from the law, and a legend - that of the beautiful outlaw Musk and her accomplice Byrne - is born.
The passionate and headstrong Jemma, determined to live the creative life, is a heroine in the mould of Sybylla from My Brilliant Career. She will win your heart in this tumultuous and enthralling novel by the author of Night Surfing, Last of the Sane Days, and the award-winning That Oceanic Feeling.' (Publisher's blurb)
Notes
-
Dedication: To my niece Rebecca Wilson and in memory of her son Jack.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
-
Migrating from Nonfiction to Fiction – A Practice-Led Approach Drawing on a Literary Journalist’s Notional Tool-Box
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: TEXT : Journal of Writing and Writing Courses , April vol. 16 no. 1 2012; 'This paper reflects on a literary journalist's practice-led approach to migrating from nonfiction to fiction and the decision to situate a narrative about the challenges and achievements of women in Victoria's mid-19th century goldfields in a novel in the subgenre of historiographic metafiction. It addresses the lacuna in the traditionally masculinised history of the gold rush era, opening a window onto the 'herstory' of the period, describing the courage of women who overcame poverty, isolation and the limited gender-based expectations of the time in which they lived to set the pattern for the social infrastructure we take for granted today. The first author's doctoral novel 'A Respectable Married Woman' embodies this migration and is informed methodologically by both journalistic and creative strategies. The study focuses on the role of site visits in practice-led research as it applies to literary journalism to create a sense of 'being there'. The interlocutory reader (Widdowson 1979) is drawn into a narrative construct which hangs evidence-based 'fictionised truths' in a factual framework in order to facilitate a greater understanding of a critical period in the growth of Victoria and, in particular, the contribution of women. Drawing on literary theorists including Hutcheon (1998) and Kundera (2000) and referencing writers Ricketson (2006), Sedgwick (2004) and Quindlen (2004) among others, this paper aims to encourage other nonfiction writers to make use of the literary journalist's notional 'tool-box' to take an imaginative leap into the world of credible historiographic metafiction.' (Author's abstract)
-
An Anthropological Turn?
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , Spring no. 192 2008; (p. 88-92)
— Review of On a Wing and a Prayer 2006 single work novel ; The Lost Dog 2007 single work novel ; Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel ; The Solemn Lantern Maker 2008 single work novel ; The Biographer 2008 single work novel ; The Spare Room 2008 single work novel ; They Called Me the Wildman : The Prison Diary of Henricke Nelson 2008 single work novel ; Many Years a Thief 2007 single work novel ; Jamaica : A Novel 2007 single work novel ; The Good Parents 2008 single work novel ; Black Sheep : A Dystopian Novel 2007 single work novel ; Misconceptions 2008 single work novel -
In Short : Fiction
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 12-13 July 2008; (p. 30)
— Review of Sea of Many Returns 2008 single work novel ; Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
Women Under Pressure
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian Literary Review , July vol. 3 no. 6 2008; (p. 22-23)
— Review of Beneath the Bloodwood Tree 2008 single work novel ; The Steele Diaries 2008 single work novel ; Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
Poetic Mix of Fugitives and Legend
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 14 June 2008; (p. 12)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel
-
[Review] Musk and Byrne
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: Bookseller + Publisher Magazine , March vol. 87 no. 7 2008; (p. 37)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
From Palette to Page
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 10 May 2008; (p. 12)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel ; The Biographer 2008 single work novel -
Myth-Making and Its Pitfalls
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 24 May 2008; (p. 25)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
Futile Quivers
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , June no. 302 2008; (p. 25)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
Poetic Mix of Fugitives and Legend
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 14 June 2008; (p. 12)
— Review of Musk and Byrne 2008 single work novel -
The Family Curse
2008
single work
column
— Appears in: The Age , 19 April 2008; (p. 15) -
Skirting around the Law
2008
single work
column
— Appears in: The Age , 25-26 April 2008; (p. 16) -
Migrating from Nonfiction to Fiction – A Practice-Led Approach Drawing on a Literary Journalist’s Notional Tool-Box
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: TEXT : Journal of Writing and Writing Courses , April vol. 16 no. 1 2012; 'This paper reflects on a literary journalist's practice-led approach to migrating from nonfiction to fiction and the decision to situate a narrative about the challenges and achievements of women in Victoria's mid-19th century goldfields in a novel in the subgenre of historiographic metafiction. It addresses the lacuna in the traditionally masculinised history of the gold rush era, opening a window onto the 'herstory' of the period, describing the courage of women who overcame poverty, isolation and the limited gender-based expectations of the time in which they lived to set the pattern for the social infrastructure we take for granted today. The first author's doctoral novel 'A Respectable Married Woman' embodies this migration and is informed methodologically by both journalistic and creative strategies. The study focuses on the role of site visits in practice-led research as it applies to literary journalism to create a sense of 'being there'. The interlocutory reader (Widdowson 1979) is drawn into a narrative construct which hangs evidence-based 'fictionised truths' in a factual framework in order to facilitate a greater understanding of a critical period in the growth of Victoria and, in particular, the contribution of women. Drawing on literary theorists including Hutcheon (1998) and Kundera (2000) and referencing writers Ricketson (2006), Sedgwick (2004) and Quindlen (2004) among others, this paper aims to encourage other nonfiction writers to make use of the literary journalist's notional 'tool-box' to take an imaginative leap into the world of credible historiographic metafiction.' (Author's abstract)
Awards
- 2010 shortlisted Australian Book Review Fan Poll
Last amended 28 Jul 2021 12:02:56
Settings:
- Victoria,
- 1850-1899
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