This humorous story about an American poet and critic who attends a literary conference in Australia and meets up with a number of Australian and international friends and colleagues is written in the 'roman a clef' mode. Readers acquainted with the Australian literary scene will probably recognise many of the characters in the story, including the author and the recipient of the Festschrift, and the satirical style itself is a tribute to the latter.
'A Gold Coast based story in which Vlad arrives from Transylvania to offer a rellie the kiss of eternal life, and so take her out of the humdrum life of being a writer. The city serves as a backdrop to the seduction of their waiter and the passing of the gift to an unquestioning narrator' (Jason Nahrung, 'Vampires in the Sunburnt Country,' 2007, p.49).
