Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Sing Like No One's Listening by Vanessa Jones on September first 2020, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Vanessa, as well as ten chances to win a finished copy plus a grand prize giveaway!
Sing Like No One's Listening
Written by Vanessa Jones
Contemporary, Mental Health, Romance, Music
Published September 1st 2020
384 Pages
Add to Goodreads
Purchase from Amazon or Indiebound
Written by Vanessa Jones
Contemporary, Mental Health, Romance, Music
Published September 1st 2020
384 Pages
Add to Goodreads
Purchase from Amazon or Indiebound
A moving story of grief and healing, sure to be a pure joy for any musical theatre aficionado.
Nettie Delaney has just been accepted into a prestigious performing arts school, the very same school her superstar mother attended. With her mother’s shadow hanging over her, Nettie has her work cut out for her and everyone is watching. To make matters worse, Nettie hasn’t been able to sing a single note since her mother died. Whenever she tries, she just clams up. But if Nettie’s going to survive a demanding first year and keep her place in a highly coveted program, she’ll have to work through her grief and deliver a showstopper or face expulsion.
All may not be lost, however, when Nettie stumbles upon a mysterious piano player in an empty studio after class. Masked behind a curtain, can Nettie summon the courage to find her voice? Or will the pressure and anxiety of performing come crashing down?
My Five Worst Auditions Ever by Vanessa Jones
In the very first scene in Sing Like No One’s Listening, the main character Nettie has a disastrous audition at the performing arts college she is desperate to get into. In honour of this, I thought I’d share my own worst audition experiences with you from my time as a performer in West End shows. Worryingly, there were lots to choose from!
Close the door on your way out
If I remember correctly, this was my second callback for Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre. I was up for the part of Fantine and, buoyed by the two successful auditions I had under my belt, I was feeling positive. Good, even. I knew my material, my voice was in great shape and I walked into the studio with the air of a girl who knows what she wants.
The song went well, I had a short interview with the panel, who seemed to like me, and that was that. No mistakes, no bum notes. Yay me! I thanked the team and went back over to the door, and that was when it all started to go downhill. I couldn’t get out of the room. The door was stuck. I pulled and pulled with all my might, rattled the handle, I even tried putting my fingers in the gaps at the sides to prise it open, but it was no good. I’ve had a fear of being locked in a room since I was little and the door handle came off the inside of my bedroom door, and my mind jumped straight to the worst case scenario, which involved locksmiths and the fire service and having to wait all day in a room full of important showbiz people who didn’t want me there.
After a minute, the casting director noticed that something was up. He asked me if I was alright.
No! I gasped. The door’s stuck. We’re trapped in here.
The corner of his mouth twitched. Darling, read the sign.
I looked up, and to my horror, saw a large sign reading Push. Humiliated, I touched the door and easily made my way out of the studio, the echoes of laughter following me down the corridor and pretty much all the way home.
Wishing you would somehow remember your words
This was my final recall for the part of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera. I was nervous beyond anything I’d ever known before. The first song the musical director asked me to sing was Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, which is one of Christine’s main ballads. I got through the first verse okay, but when the chorus hit, I blanked.
Shall we go again from the chorus? said the musical director, a little annoyed.
Uh, sure, thanks, I said. This was a one off. Put it down to nerves. Next time would be better, now that I had warmed up. He played me in, my brain going into overdrive to find the words. But nothing.
I’m so sorry, I said. Could you remind me of the lyrics, please?
The casting director looked at me as if I’d just told her Prince Charles was outside waiting to audition. It’s wishing you were somehow here again? she said drily. The... title of the song?
I’m still waiting for the call.
I’m only doing this for kicks
Dance call, can’t remember the show. Could have been Beauty and the Beast. Something with a lot of kicks, anyway. We’d learnt the routine and it was my turn to be called up to dance. Everything was going well until my shoe suddenly came loose (how?) and flew off into the air. The room looked on in horror as it connected with... the choreographer’s face. Ice was fetched, a chair brought out and a thousand grovelling apologies were made by me. When the names of all the people who had made the cut were read out, the casting director said Vanessa, actually, scrap that. I mean, fair enough.
Cry Me a River
This one actually wasn’t funny at all. On my way to the audition, which I was running late for, a girl in my carriage on the train started having a fit. Alarmed, I went over to see if she was okay, which she clearly wasn’t. I was unsure what to do, apart from make sure her head was cushioned and that she wouldn’t hurt herself, which I’d read somewhere. After I’d done that, I called down the carriage for help. The other passengers looked up from their newspapers and phones, and then ignored me. Like, who does that? Panicking, I pulled the cord for the train to stop and waited for the paramedics to arrive. As soon as they did and I could see that she was going to be fine, I ran all the way to my audition, arriving sweaty, late, stressed, and angry that no one had helped me. Someone on the panel asked me if I was okay, and instead of saying, Yes, just a bit of a rush to get here or something equally as bland, I told them the whole story. And what’s worse, I ugly cried the entire way through, and continued to do this during my song, which unfortunately wasn’t the kind of song that lent itself to tears. They were sympathetic. I did not get the job.
High Enough For You?
This was a casting for a brand new, off West End show. The kind of job you hope you’ll land because it could be the start of something much bigger. A chance to create a role, the prospect of a West End transfer, an Olivier award... At this stage in development, however, they couldn’t even afford an accompanist on the piano, so it was stated on the breakdown that we would be asked to sing acapella. Which would have been fine if I hadn’t randomly decided to start my song almost an octave too high. When I realised my mistake, I stopped and changed keys, right? No. I decided to push on to the end. How difficult could it be? The result was an ending that was now something only dogs could hear, especially in my Lina Lamont voice, which was the only way I could get up there. No Olivier. This time.
Something I’ll never forget is when I came out of that audition, I saw a girl who’d been in the year above me at college, waiting to go to class in another studio. I told her I’d ruined my audition by singing too high, and she said, Oh, don’t worry about it, I’ve had so many bad auditions I couldn’t even count them. It’s part of the job.
It stayed with me, the way she was so unfazed. The more I thought about it later, the more I realised how right she was, failure is part of the job. As soon as I accepted that, not only did I start to do a lot better in auditions, but I didn’t stress as much about them. It’s like, yes, we all want to do well, but sometimes it’s okay to fail. You can just get back up and try again. Possibly learn something. And who knows? Maybe there’s something better around the corner...
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Giveaways
One person will receive a finished copy of Sing Like No One's Listening. US and Canadian residents only. Ends September 13th 2020. If you are under sixteen years of age, please ask your parents for permission.
Win a copy of Sing Like No One's Listening and a wireless bluetooth karaoke microphone. US and Canadian residents only. Ends September 13th 2020. If you are under sixteen years of age, please ask your parents for permission.
About The Author
Vanessa Jones trained at Laine Theatre Arts and went on to be a musical theater actor in West End Shows, including Sister Act, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, and Mary Poppins. She began her writing career with a stage play for a fringe theater and also works as a freelance copywriter and editor. She lives in England with her fellow chimney sweep.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for the Arts Mitch Fifield today announced the winners of the 2018 Prime Minister's Literary Awards at a ceremony at Parliament House. Winners across the six categories received one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government was proud to support Australia's outstanding authors through the Awards, now in their eleventh year.
Minister Fifield said reading has far reaching benefits, it expands our understanding and stimulates our imagination. These Awards reinforce the importance of literature and reading across all ages, this year receiving more than five hundred entries across the six prize categories, an exceptional response from our writers, poets, illustrators and historians.
From this competitive group of entries, the judges selected a diverse and deserving list of finalists and identified outstanding winners. Today we celebrate the nominees for the young adult literature award.
The Nominees
Living On Hope Street
Written by Demet Divaroren
Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Check the synopsis on Goodreads
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My Lovely Frankie
Written by Judith Clarke
Historical, LGBT
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Ruben
Written by Bruce Whatley
Dystopian, Illustrated
Published by Scholastic Australia
Check the synopsis on Goodreads
| 
The Ones that Disappeared
Written by Zana Fraillon
Contemporary, Magical Realism
Published by Hachette Australia
Check the synopsis on Goodreads
|
The Winner Is
Written by Richard Yaxley
Historical, War
Published by Scholastic Australia
Add to Goodreads
This is my blood, This is my song.
In the 1940s, musician Rafael Ullmann is sent to a Nazi concentration camp.
In the 1970s, Annie Ullmann lives a lonely life on a Canadian prairie.
Three decades later, in Australia, Joe Hawker is uncertain about himself and his future, until he discovers a song, written by his grandfather many years ago.
This Is My Song crosses three continents and timelines, chanting the need for each of us to find our own music, to sing to those we love most.
Beautifully written, Richard Yaxley’s unforgettable story strikes a chord and plucks the heartstrings.
The Judges Comments
There have been, of course, many novels about the Holocaust, including ones for younger readers. This book explores the way the terrible events of the Holocaust affect the generations following, sometimes in ways even they don't understand. This is My Song also explores the damage that secrets can do. It is poignant, memorable and intensely moving.
Check out all the nominations and winners in their respective categories on the Department of Communications and The Arts here.
GiveawayYou can win a young adult book pack containing all of the young adult literature nominees, including the Prime Minster's Literary Award Winner, This Is My Song by following and retweeting on Twitter here.
Twenty seventeen. The year where I can't remember anything.
Fifth blogaversary giveaway
I'm celebrating five years of blogging with a giveaway. Thank you to everyone who has followed, commented, engaged me on social media and recommended wonderful new reads.
Enter to win a book of choice. Winner will be chosen at random. For an Australian winner, your book of choice will be chosen from Booktopia. For an international winner, please ensure The Book Depository ships to your country. If you are under thirteen years of age, please ask parental consent before entering.
Click here to enter via Twitter.
The year that was in Australia
In Australia we were Googling how to make Beef Stroganoff, how to make slime and Sophie Monk was the most searched Australian on the internet. We wanted to read about Cyclone Debbie and North Korea, Harvey Weinstein and the Australian Open. We still have no idea what a Bitcoin is. The distracted boyfriend meme took social media by storm, mocking Sponge Bob mocked us and Meryl Streep continued to yell abuse. Parents continue to call their spawn Charlotte and Oliver and we're still watching The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.
Women in their thousands shared their experiences of sexual abuse across social media using the #MeToo hashtag, while actors like Matt Damon insisted decent men deserve a parade for not sexually assaulting women. I hope to see #mattdamonisawanker trending shortly. Australia's disgrace continues to be the refugees of Manus Island and the neglect of asylum seekers. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre continue the tireless work towards human rights, join the conversation by using the hashtag #BringThemHere. We also continue to demand the government to change the day in which we celebrate Australia's colonisation by the British, resulting in the genocide of Indigenous Australians. Australian's, demand we #ChangeTheDate.
Politicians were resigning over the Citizenship debacle, Australian Conservative Cory Bernardi is an even bigger wanker than Matt Damon and Malcolm Turnbull thought it was a great idea to have the nation note on Marriage Equality. Australian's voted yes. Go fuck yourself Cory Barnardi. Victoria is the first state to legalise Euthanasia. Magda Szubanski is the darling of Australia for her tireless work throughout the LGBTTQQIAAP community. Currently researching if we can elect a member to parliament without their knowledge.
Australia was listening to Ed Sheeran. Beauty and The Beast was the highest grossing film. Richmond are the AFL premiers, Melbourne Storm won the NRL grand final, Rekindling won the Melbourne Cup. Isaiah Firebrace represented Australia at Eurovision. Yeah, we don't know why we're there either. I also surpassed half a million views. Totally bitching.
And we read!
Favourite #LoveOzYA reads
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Favourite Contemporaries
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Favourite middle grade reads
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Favourite fantasy
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Cover reveals
My twenty eighteen goals
I'll live in the moment and blog whenever I damn well want to.
Written by Nicole Hayes
Contemporary, Romance, Survival, #LoveOzYA
263 Pages
Published January 30th 2017
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
Then, things were looking up for Tessa. Her mum was finally getting her life back on track. Tessa had started seeing Nick. She was making new friends. She'd even begun to paint again.
Now, Tessa and Nick are trapped in the car after a corner taken too fast. Injured, stranded in the wilderness, at the mercy of the elements, the question becomes one of survival.
But Tessa isn't sure she wants to be found. Not after what she saw. Not after what she remembered.
Sixteen year old Tessa is conscious, her arm dislocated, bloodied and bruised as the car left the highway that promised a new direction. Nick rests behind the wheel and on a lonely, isolated road in country Victoria, the fragmented debris a contrast to the Australian landscape.
After her father's passing, the darkness emerged. Her mother unable to care for her only child and used alcohol to paralyse her grief while her daughter felt isolated and alone. Alcoholism is an illness that in many cases also accompanies domestic violence, incidences which continue to haunt Tessa. During the depths of despair, the handsome and intelligent Nick reaches out to Tessa and offers her solace from the alcoholic fueled violence of home.
The narrative is profoundly resonating. Alcoholism and domestic violence are issues rarely encountered in young adult novels although predominant within our communities. Ellen is an alcoholic. Throughout the nonlinear narrative Ellen is determined to maintain her sobriety after the breakdown of her former relationship, her partner abusive and creating a toxic environment. The remnants of abuse and neglect weigh heavily upon the parental and daughter relationship and understandably, Tessa is reluctant to place her confidence in Ellen.
Atmospheric and vibrant, the portrayal of our arid land was immaculate as the two adolescents attempt to survive. The arduous Australian climate scorching the barren Victorian landscape while on the horizon, fire approaches. It was captivating.
A Shadow's Breath is a compelling nonlinear narrative, breathtaking and atmospheric. Resonating and personal, a reminder of human fragility.
The narrative is profoundly resonating. Alcoholism and domestic violence are issues rarely encountered in young adult novels although predominant within our communities. Ellen is an alcoholic. Throughout the nonlinear narrative Ellen is determined to maintain her sobriety after the breakdown of her former relationship, her partner abusive and creating a toxic environment. The remnants of abuse and neglect weigh heavily upon the parental and daughter relationship and understandably, Tessa is reluctant to place her confidence in Ellen.
Family violence. No one had been brave enough to use that term, given there were no charges, no evidence.
Atmospheric and vibrant, the portrayal of our arid land was immaculate as the two adolescents attempt to survive. The arduous Australian climate scorching the barren Victorian landscape while on the horizon, fire approaches. It was captivating.
A Shadow's Breath is a compelling nonlinear narrative, breathtaking and atmospheric. Resonating and personal, a reminder of human fragility.
When Nicole Hayes isn't yelling at the Hawks on TV or sharing hosting duties on the all female AFL podcast The Outer Sanctum, she teaches writing and writes fiction, essays and scripts. Her debut novel, The Whole of My World was published in 2013 and was shortlisted for a Young Australians Best Book Award and longlisted for the Gold Inky Award. One True Thing, Nicole's second novel, won the Children's Peace Literature Award, is a CBCA Notable Book and was shortlisted for the WA Premier's Book Awards.
To celebrate our love for A Shadow's Breath, Nicole Hayes is giving away a choice of two of her titles and a $20.00AU gift voucher. To win, simply head over to Eugenia's Instagram page for more details.#ashadowsbreathcontest
Giveaway
Twenty sixteen. The year that took so much and gave so little in return.
The Year That Was
In Australia, we were Googling the United States election and recipes for pancakes, parents were calling their children Charlotte or Oliver and the highest grossing film for twenty sixteen was Finding Dory. Collectively, we mourned the loss of cultural identities Prince, George Michael and David Bowie among others and for readers, none more so than Alan Rickman. A man who brought the beloved Severus Snape to life in the Harry Potter series adaptations.
Racism and ignorance created a volatile United States with the new President Elect, Donald Trump. We witnessed the Bastille Day terrorist attack in Nice, atrocities Iraq, Belgium and Syria, the Orlando nightclub massacre, Brexit and the ongoing genocide in Aleppo. In Australia, we elected our first Muslim and first Aboriginal female to the House of Representatives. We still have Indigenous Australians dying in custody, Asylum Seekers on Naru and Manus Island being denied human rights and we continue to campaign for marriage equality while protesting against Neo Nazi Australians and for Black Lives Matter, along with our American counterparts.
Kanye West announced, I actually don't like thinking. I think people think I like to think a lot. And I don't. I don't like to think. Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston were an item, then not. We stood with Her, we marched against domestic violence and domestic violence within our Indigenous communities and Clementine Ford encouraged women to push back against patriarchy.
And of course, we read.
And of course, we read.
Favourite #LoveOzYA Reads
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My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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Favourite Contemporaries
My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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Middle grade awesomeness
My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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Fantasy Favourites
My Review
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My Review
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My Review
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Most Anticipated #LoveOzYA reads
 Add To Goodreads |  Add To Goodreads |  Add To Goodreads |
Most Anticipated International Reads
 Add To Goodreads |  Add To Goodreads |  Add To Goodreads |
Fourth Blogaversary
As the new year approaches, I'm celebrating four years of blogging with a giveaway. Thank you to everyone who has followed, commented, engaged me on social media and recommended wonderful new reads. Thank you to Kynndra who continues to be a source of support and motivation and I miss dearly. Thank you to the Australian Young Adult Bloggers and Readers group, my fellow administrators and our friends from New Zealand who continue to support our community, our authors, publishers and most of all, our fellow readers.
Enter to win a book of choice or an Amazon giftcard to the value of $15.00AU. Winner will be chosen at random. For an Australian winner, your book of choice will be chosen from Booktopia. For an international winner, please ensure The Book Depository ships to your country. If you are under thirteen years of age, please ask parental consent before entering.
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