Cirrus@Austlit

'Jesse Blackadder (1964–2020) was twice awarded  the prestigious Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Arts Fellowship, travelling south to Davis Station in 2011 to work on her novel Chasing the Light and again to Mawson Station in 2018. Conversations with her in late 2019 fed many of the first thoughts about the possibility of an Antarctic edition of Griffith Review: her introduction connected Griffith Review with the team at AAD, which ultimately enabled this publishing partnership.

'This memoir combines private diary entries from her second voyage south, in late 2018, with published blogs from the same period. This voyage – longer than her first – saw her travel with and collaborate across various projects with Jane Allen, another AAD Arts Fellow, including a series of YA novels and a television script.

'Through this short memoir’s combination of exploration and meditation, it’s possible to glimpse – through an intimate and generous window – some of the realities of the experience of living and working at the end of the Earth; of distance, silence, loneliness and creativity, and an extraordinary demonstration of the process of transforming that life, that experience, into words that can be shared with readers in what might be thought of as the ‘real world’ beyond.

'Thanks to Jesse’s partner, Andi Davey, for permission to collate and share some of Jesse’s words in this way.' (Introduction)

'For those living and working in the world’s last great wilderness, words and language are critical to survival. But amid this new vocabulary of Antarctic life, the bigger things – the staggering beauty, danger and immense isolation – are harder to put into words.' (Publication abstract)

'Without a saddle or bridle, all that’s left is the truth. Dream Riders is an exciting new middle-grade series about horses, friendship and being true to yourself.

Living in a remote reach of The Pocket, twelve-year-old Storm is a hippy home-schooler Medievalist who knows almost nothing about the modern world. After taking out the archery prize at the local show, Storm spots the horse of her dreams, Morning Mist, on the jousting field. Inspired by Frankie’s demonstration of natural horsemanship, the headstrong Storm immediately decides to join the Dream Riders and buy Morning Mist with her prize money. But she’s told to forget it in no uncertain terms by the owner, Margery, a crotchety widower and champion marmalade-maker who has no time for hippies. As Storm begins learning natural horsemanship with the Dream Riders her extraordinary talent becomes clear. She could ride just about any horse – but she’s not prepared to give up on Morning Mist.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Frankie’s dream is more like a nightmare when her new horse turns out to be Zen – a shaggy, disobedient clown of a pony, who will totally wreck her chances of fitting in at Pony Club in her new town. Zen is everything Frankie doesn’t want – until the magnetic horse whisperer Shannon shows her just what Zen could be if ridden freely. Natural horsemanship opens up a whole new way of riding and a whole new world of connection between Zen and Frankie. But Frankie’s dad is getting more depressed after her parents’ divorce, star rider and star mean girl Violet has it in for Frankie, and her best friend Kai is keeping a secret. Then Shannon announces she’s closing down her riding centre. Frankie’s got an idea that could save it … but can she and Zen rise to the challenge?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Grief. Recriminations. Redemption. Will tragedy bring a family closer together or tear it apart? The Brennan family have recently arrived in the warmth of Murwillumbah, leaving behind a tentative affair, a broken friendship and overly supportive family in freezing cold Hobart. Artist husband and father Finn works at home on his metal sculptures, while also minding treasured two-year-old son Zac. Bridget, his wife, leaves the house daily for her new job as an environmental scientist. Fifteen-year-old Jarrah is finding it hard fitting into the new school, but the family is delighting in their new surrounds and the novelty of a backyard pool.

'One morning, when Bridget loses sight of Zac for only minutes in the rush for breakfast, tragedy strikes. Zac is found drowned in the swimming pool. The finger of blame is pointed at Finn and he numbly accepts responsibility. In her grief, Bridget withdraws from her husband and finds companionship with a work colleague. The stakes jump further when authorities move to prosecute Finn as an example to other irresponsible pool owners. Defending the prosecution will take every cent the family possesses.

'Meanwhile, fifteen-year-old Jarrah is coping with the hole left in his life by Zac's death, as well as seeing his parents retreat from him in their grief, while also confronting his sexual identity. Sixty Seconds treads confidently, but sensitively and poignantly, into the tragic aftermath of a child's death. It explores the immediate explosive consequences, and the slow ripples that wash out over the wider community.' (Publication summary)

'Twelve-year-old Ashley is going to stay with her Aunt Micky who lives near Byron Bay. Micky has spent many years looking after rescued wildlife, but when a freak storm hits and they discover a baby koala and his mother, Ashley is drawn into the reality of what caring for wildlife, such as koalas, really involves.' (Publication summary)

'From deep in the Kimberley Desert comes a legend of wild brumbies with Arabian bloodlines, who can run like the wind. Paruku, the young bay stallion, flees from humans who invade his desert sanctuary, but is haunted by an ancient memory of being ridden. Thirteen-year-old Rachel is fast outgrowing her first pony. When her father, an equine vet, is offered the job of capturing wild brumbies for the endurance stables of Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, Rachel travels with him into the remote desert landscape of the Kimberley. Captivated by the wild power and majesty of Paruku and his kin, she is torn by the prospect of taking away their freedom. But is there a chance she could keep Paruku for herself? From the award-winning author of STAY: THE LAST DOG IN ANTARCTICA comes a moving tale inspired by the true story of the Kimberley brumbies and their journey to Dubai.' (Publisher's blurb)

'Based on the true story of a fibreglass Guide Dog who was smuggled to the southern continent in 1991 and is still there today, Stay: The Last Dog in Antarctica follows Stay's adventures as she is hidden, liberated, repatriated and dognapped all over again. Antarctica is full of adventures, but will Stay ever manage to raise money for the Royal Guide Dogs and find a way to get it back to Australia?' (Source: Author's website)

'"I am awaiting my castle and the Queen is waiting for love."

Scotland, 1561. A ship carries Mary, the young Queen of Scots, home from the French court to wrest back control of her throne. Masquerading as a male crew member, Alison Blackadder must find a way to gain the Queen′s favour so she can win back her family′s castle and lands, cruelly stolen by a murderous clan a generation before.

Surrounded by treachery and deep suspicion, the Queen can trust nobody in the Scottish court until Alison, with her flair for disguise, becomes her most valued confidante and spy. But Alison′s drive to reclaim the Blackadder birthright is relentless, setting off events that threaten to bring down the monarchy. Alison discovers lies, danger and betrayal at every turn. Then, unexpectedly, she finds love ...' (From the publisher's website.)

'Byron Bay, 5 December. On a cool, moonlit night, a group of eccentrics gather for a dinner party hosted by feng shui consultant ‘Black Dragon’. Before the night is through, a relationship will implode, a teenager will overdose, a woman will fall in love with the wrong person, and a robust fish curry will lead to a murder investigation.

'As far as parties go, it’s a disaster. But Byron Bay has more surprises in store for Black Dragon, when her perfectly designed life is turned upside-down by an anonymous lover, a possible pregnancy and an unresolved past.

'Between the steamy rainforests of the hinterland and the turquoise ocean, colonised by cane toads, fortune tellers, acrobats and tourists, death and destiny hover, waiting to pounce...

'Full of subversive wit, After the Party is a sensuous, passionate story about life-changing moments and collisions with fate.' (Publication summary)