'Set in England between the wars, this novel tells the story of an aristocratic family, a house, a mysterious death and a way of life that vanished forever, told in flashback by a woman who witnessed it all and kept a secret for decades.
'Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline. In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and only they - and Grace - know the truth.
'In 1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer. She takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories. Told in flashback, this is the story of Grace's youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties and the changes she witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever.
'The novel is full of secrets - some revealed, others hidden forever, reminiscent of the romantic suspense of Daphne du Maurier. It is also a meditation on memory, the devastation of war and a beautifully rendered window into a fascinating time in history.' (Publisher's blurb)
'Joe Cashin was different once. He moved easily then; was surer and less thoughtful. But there are consequences when you've come so close to dying. For Cashin, they included a posting away from the world of Homicide to the quiet place on the coast where he grew up. Now all he has to do is play the country cop and walk the dogs. And sometimes think about how he was before.
'Then prominent local Charles Bourgoyne is bashed and left for dead. Everything seems to point to three boys from the nearby Aboriginal community; everyone seems to want it to. But Cashin is unconvinced. And as tragedy unfolds relentlessly into tragedy, he finds himself holding onto something that might be better let go.'
Source: Publisher's website (Sighted 22/8/11)
Aims
This unit aims to:
- familiarise you with the scope, challenges, philosophy and practices of writing a sustained creative work.
- enable you to develop an original and engaging novel
- develop your editorial skills
- provide you with a constructive and critical workshop experience in a blended learning environment
support you in developing a critical understanding of a professional writer's praxis, and use your critical engagement to further develop your own skills.
Objectives
On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. understand and engage with the novel as a literary form
2. critically understand a professional writer's writing praxis
3. critically understand your own novel writing praxis
4. produce a significant portion of an original novel
Content
This unit includes face-to-face and electronic learning environments designed to develop professional reading, editing and writing skills. The unit will enhance skills needed to develop, research, write and submit a novel to a professional agent or publisher.
Description: (Summative with Formative) A chapter of a novel. Length: 5000-7,000 word novel extract + synopsis (about 500 words)
Relates to objectives: 1, 3 & 4
Weight: 60%
Due date: End of Semester
Assessment name: Folio
Description: (Summative with Formative) An exegetical detailing your creative and critical influences. Length: 1500 words
Relates to objectives: 2, 3 & 4
Weight: 40%
Due date: End of Semester
Assessment name: Editorial Critique
Description: (Formative) A multi-phase assessment based on 3 requirements:
i.submission of your own work for peer assessment, at least 3 times during the semester
ii.active and engaged participation in small-group editorial discussions, including preparation and submission of critiques, and
iii.active and engaged participation in group discussions and in-class writing exercises.
Relates to objectives: 2, 3 & 4
Due date: Throughout Semester