Have you noticed how a bookshelf conveys much about its
owner? What lines the shelves? Is it full of books or ornaments? Does it have
nothing but big name hard covers or magnificently photographed coffee table
books or smelly, ancient books covered in dust? Fiction? Non-fiction? Crime?
Romance?
My home hosts a total of 7 bookshelves, 4 of which are in my
study. The rest are in bedrooms and a play area. Two are dedicated to
children’s books and are overflowing – but then again, so are all the others.
I thought it would be fun to take you on a virtual tour of some
of the more unusual books in my eclectic collection and see what you make of it
(and me).
1.
Encyclopaedia and Dictionary of Medicine,
Nursing and Allied Health
No, I’ve never been a nurse. But
I have been a hypochondriac. This
ancient tome was an absolutely indispensible source of self diagnosis in the
years before the internet. I didn’t only use it to misdiagnose my own ailments,
I used it to tell flatmates they had gout, siblings life threatening bacterial
infections and friends complications to pregnancies. Sadly Dr Google has
replaced its never ending wisdom so it’s found a new function – raising my
computer screen to eye level.
2.
World Tales/Grimm’s Fairy Tales
I’m a sucker for a juicy old
fashioned fairy tale. The older and stranger the better. I picked up World
Tales in a second hand bookshop in Bendigo (Victoria). It’s a glorious and rare
book, illustrated by world renowned artists. I fell in love with the striking
pictures and the background of each story’s origins. I hate the way modern
culture has sanitised our fairy tales (I’m looking at you Mr Disney). Fairy
tales should be dark and dangerous, violent and magical, not saccharine and
sweet.
3.
The Art of Sexual Ecstasy/Passionate
Marriage/Tantric Secrets for Men
I bought these a long time before
I started writing erotic fiction and they have become an invaluable resource
for my work. They reveal what a deeply connected erotic relationship might look
like. From these I gain much inspiration not only in a practical sense for the
sex I write but also to articulate an authentic and intimate relationship
between my characters.
4.
Erotic fiction collection
Anais Nin was the first author in
this collection. She’s been joined by Nikki Gemmel, Tobsha Learner (my all time
favourite), Susan Johnson, Linda Jaivin, Krissy Kneen, Emily McGuire, Dorothy
Porter (an Aussie poet who writes gorgeous love poems) as well as many more
lesser known authors. On a visit to Fremantle I discovered a bookshop with the
largest collection of old erotic paperbacks I’ve ever seen. Needless to say I
brought a bag full home and this collection now takes up a shelf and a half.
And that’s not including the digital ones on my iPad.
5.
Aboriginal authors
A few years ago I had the great
opportunity and privilege of working alongside Aboriginal community
organisations in implementing Australian Child Protection reforms. For a white
girl from the country it was a huge learning curve. I learned a lot about the
shameful truth of settlement in Australia and its continued devastating impact
on Aboriginal people. Up until then I’d been relatively ignorant of the still
largely denied or dismissed early wars that took place as Aboriginal people
tried to defend their right to the land they’d lived on for 50,000 years.
As a consequence I became
interested in Aboriginal authors. At a huge local second hand book sale I came
across an amazing collection of out of print books by Aboriginal authors,
including a signed copy of Long Live Sandawara by Colin Johnson (Mudrooroo),
one of the first Aboriginal authors to be broadly published and acclaimed in
Australia. I’m very proud to be caring for these books and hope one day to be
able to hand them back into the safe hands of the author’s descendents.
6.
The Benetton Campaigns – United Colors
There are times when words fail
and only a picture will do. I love this book because a) the photos are
wondrous; b) they make powerful political statements; c) the confronting images
were used to advertise one of the best known clothing brands in the Western
world. This was a bold campaign advocating for human rights while advertising a
product, probably one of the few worthy advertising campaigns in existence. If
you haven’t ever seen a copy of this book I urge you to do so. You will be
moved beyond words.
I can’t imagine a home without bookshelves. In fact, I get
nervous if I walk into a home without one. This is just a small sample of the
kinds of delights you’ll find on my shelves. I’d love a peek at yours, if
you’ll share.
What will I find on your bookshelf?
Kate is a multi-published author who writes dark, sensual
contemporary women’s fiction. She lives, writes and loves in Melbourne,
juggling her strange, secret affairs with her male characters with her much
loved partner and daughter and a menagerie of neurotic pets.
Kate holds a tertiary qualification in chemistry, half a diploma in
naturopathy and a diploma in psychological astrology. Kate believes in living a
passionate life and has ridden a camel through the Australian desert, fraternised
with hippies in Nimbin, had a near birth experience and lived on nothing but
porridge and a carrot for 3 days.
It’s 1978 in a country town and a dreamy fifteen year old girl’s world
is turned upside down by the arrival of the substitute English teacher. Solomon
Andrews is beautiful, inspiring and
she wants him like nothing else she’s wanted in her short life.
Charismatic and unconventional, Solomon easily wins the hearts and
minds of his third form English class. He notices the attention of one girl,
his new neighbour, who has taken to watching him from her upstairs window. He
assumes it a harmless teenage crush, until the erotic love notes begin to
arrive.
Solomon knows he
must resist, but her sensual words stir him. He has longings of his own,
although they have nothing to do with love, or so he believes. One afternoon,
as he stands reading her latest offering in his driveway, she turns up
unannounced. And what happens next will torment them forever – in ways neither
can imagine.
Purchase Links
Other Titles
The first in a series of
erotic novellas, featuring different women whose lives are changed by
Ramon Mendez, a handsome, charismatic lover...
Grace is a
beautiful woman in complete control of her world. A long time ago she
chose a career – as Associate Professor of Social Science - over
children and marriage, and has never regretted it.
Then Ramon Mendez walks into her office.
Ramon
is about to commence his PhD, a work on erotic literature, and from the
outset there is something about him that makes Grace's blood run hot.
Aware
of the need to maintain her professional reputation, she rejects his
subtle advances, but he persists. And during their intimate supervision
sessions, her defences start to crumble.
For Ramon's ‘work' is to expose desires within Grace she never knew existed…
~~~
The second in a series
of erotic novellas, each featuring different women whose lives are
changed by Ramon Mendez, a handsome, charismatic lover of women...
Thirty-six-year-old
Emma's life looks as perfect as could be. She loves her straight-laced
husband Gary, who has given her three beautiful children and a secure
life. But something is missing in her marriage. Gary hardly notices her
anymore and she feels frumpy and invisible.
Her friend, Lisa,
talks her into joining a social boot camp class at the local gym. Emma
immediately recognizes their instructor as the gorgeous runner she sees
each evening while walking her dog in the park. He introduces himself as
Ramon Mendez. In spite of herself Emma is besotted.
Before long
her mind is filled with guilty fantasies of him. One evening, when
things at home have become too much to bear, she bumps into him alone in
the park. An opportunity presents itself and no one need ever know.
Ramon promises and delivers everything that's missing from her marriage -
passion, romance and excitement - but Emma must discover if they are
the things she really wants.
~~~
Order up! 5 servings of
food themed tales of love and lust available now. These Australian
authors know how to take the heat from the kitchen and provide a
smorgasbord of sensual delights guaranteed to whet your appetite!
Flavor of the Month – Bianca Sarble
When
Cate Gallagher thinks her day can’t get any worse, Patrick Garrett
comes along to prove her wrong. The sexy stranger awakens her long
forgotten libido but she knows from past experiences his type is best
avoided at all costs.
Patrick is sure the chemistry between them
will set the sheets on fire, if only she would give him a chance. He
hatches a seduction plan to show her exactly how right they could be.
But
getting the girl isn’t the only obstacle to their Happy Ever After.
Misunderstandings and assumptions bring their heat level to boiling
point and threaten to scorch their love.
Can Cate overcome her past and let Patrick show her she’s not just the Flavor Of The Month?
The Chocolate Affair – Imogene Nix
Deanna
has one love. The Scheherazade Chocolate Factory. When it’s bought out
by an off world consortium, they send someone to inspect their purchase.
JD Ruan is their expert investigator. But JD has a secret. He’s a demon. And not just any kind of demon –a Pleasure Demon.
Secrets, abilities and hidden truths will find their way… especially when chocolate is involved
My Lord’s Table – Alysha Ellis
Gently-bred
Susan arrives in 18th century London starving, penniless and desperate
to find a job. When a chance-met acquaintance offers to help, Susan
happily accepts a position as housekeeper in the home of Lord Winslade.
But
the position is not what she expects it to be. She is greeted by a grim
manservant, who locks her in a room and orders her to wear the
scandalous costume she finds there.
She is forced to attend an erotic banquet of carnal and epicurean delights, presided over by the darkly sinister Lord Winslade.
Susan’s expectations of domestic service shatter as she is seduced into fulfilling appetites of an entirely different order.
The Banquet – Kate Belle
Banquet
is a moment in the life of James, a less than attractive chef and
restaurant owner who is obsessed with celebrity chef, Sheba. Sheba’s
famed erotic recipes have saved James from a life of involuntary
celibacy. After impressing Sheba with a special dessert of his own
creation, James finds himself invited to the most exclusive and
mysterious event on the hospitality calendar. Everyone who’s anyone in
the hospitality industry knows of it, but the banquet itself is shrouded
in secrecy.
Nervous and out of his depth, James attends and is
introduced to a world where the boundaries between food and sex are
entirely blurred.
Never on a Sundae - Seanna Smythe
Delicious
delights you’ve dreamed of, but Never on a Sundae. Would his beloved
Evie cater for the kind of party Aidan had in mind?
The sign advertised catering for parties, but he doubted they catered for the kind of party he had in mind…
Evie
is running away from love and when things get a little too hot with
Sydney-sider, Aidan, she disappears to Newcastle to buy an ice-cream
parlor, Never on a Sundae. But fate conspires against her, and she finds
herself out of business and places to run.
As she’s wrapping up
things up, Aidan rides into town on his Harley looking for a unique idea
for an ice cream cake for his brother’s bachelor party. He’s been
searching for months for the only woman who can do wicked things with
chocolate…and his heart.
