Amanda Hampson's Blog

It’s been a busy few months getting out with ‘Sixty Summers’ and talking to lots of readers. As well as a number of venues around Sydney, I did a tour to the Central West – Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Parkes, Mudgee and Grenfell – where it was mostly freezing cold. Now I’m headed up the East Coast from Forster to Port Macquarie, Grafton, Lismore, Ballina, Helensvale, Southport, Highfields, Carindale, Armidale & Tamworth.

So far the weather has been balmy and the readers delightful and have been able to divide my stays between friends up the coast and camping grounds. First time I’ve done the camper van thing and it’s been great fun.

I’m very excited about my new novel to be released in May 2019. It was a huge job to research as it follows the characters through six countries in Europe. In keeping with the plot, I had backpacked extensively in Europe in 1978 and so followed my own path to guide these characters on their later in life journey of self-discovery.

Having now crossed the threshold of sixty myself, it was so interesting to make the comparisons of then and now. To reflect on the choices that women of my generation made and why we made them. And, of course, the compromises we made.

My characters all have very different lives but each needs to pause and reflect ion the past in an effort to enrich the ‘third age’ of their lives.

We all get to be a bit more annoying as we get older, and the friends discover that travelling together forty years later is quite a different story from the first time around. As well as reflecting on life, they get into some mishaps and there are plenty of tears and laughter along the way. I hope you enjoy it!

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The writer’s life involves two extremes. We’re either hiding away working on the next book or out on the road meeting readers around the country. Both have ups and downs. When the writing is going well, with few interruptions, there’s nothing more blissful than being lost in your story. When it’s rocky, that’s another story altogether!

Going out promoting books and meeting readers is generally very good fun, and so interesting to meet people and hear their stories. The travel can get tiring but that’s only to be expected. I especially love visiting regional areas where people are particularly friendly and welcoming.

In this pic, I’m in Orange with Ros one of the librarians at the Central West Library, and obviously having a good time

My new novel was released at the end of April 2018 and I’ve been rellay thrilled with the reviews and feedback from readers – so far, so good. You can read the synopsis HERE and a couple of online reviews by book bloggers Mrs B’s Book Reviews and Theresa Smith Writes 

You can also read a glowing endorsement from Monica McInerney on my FB Page

I hope you enjoy it!

Read an Extract

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Not long until my new novel The Yellow Villa is in the shops. I’ll be out meeting readers and giving talks through May and June 2018 so I hope you’ll come along and say hello. If you enjoyed The French Perfumer, I think you’ll enjoy the new one even more!

See my events HERE

Synopsis The Yellow Villa

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It might seems as though authors suddenly pop up with new novels but there is a long lead time and quite an overlap. For example, I started writing The Yellow Villa in late 2016, six months before The French Perfumer was released now I’m working on the next one.

I’m in London and Europe researching my next novel Sixty Summers which is set in Australia and Europe. You can follow my research journey HERE

Sixty Summers – Synopsis

When Maggie, Fran and Rose backpacked Europe together in 1978, they had dreams and ambitions. Now, forty years later, they are all at turning points in their lives. In an attempt to recapture the sense of freedom and purpose they once possessed, they set off on an odyssey that will test their friendship, challenge their beliefs and redefine the third age of their lives.

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I often get asked for the titles of my favourite books and usually struggle to remember a single book I’ve ever read.

I probably read about 20-25 books a year and these are my stand-outs for 2017 (in no particular order). Each in its own way has brought me pleasure and/or sorrow and/or a laughter – all highly recommended.

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My new novel The Yellow Villa will be released in May 2018. It’s set in a small village called Cordes-sur-Ciel in the Tarn region of France.  I stayed in the area in late 2016 and was looking around for a house that my characters would buy ‘sight unseen’. I noticed this lovely old mansion on one of my many walks and used it as my model. How wonderful are the gates?!

I’ve seen the cover concept and the villa image is absolutely gorgeous – more news as it comes to hand!

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Earlier this year, I was very honoured to be invited to judge the memoir category of the Lane Cove Literary Awards. These awards are really well supported by the Lane Cove Council and local businesses with generous prizes on offer.

There were over 100 entries in the memoir segment to be sorted into long list, short list and a winner – quite a process but the standard was very high and it was an absolute pleasure to read all these stories.

The winner Bushwalkers Guide to Love and Other Worms by Linda Wells, was a real standout and there were so fascinating stories.

It’s great that writers get on with it and get their stories out there. Look out for the entry date in 2018.

Memoir Prize

Winner – Bushwalkers Guide to Love and Other Worms by Linda Wells

Highly Commended – War was Hell on the Home Front by Jim Brigginshaw

Highly Commended – La Miserable by Nikki McWatters

Highly Commended – Charlie and the Others by Tanya Vavilova

The Burns Bay Bookery Youth Prize (16-24 years)

Winner – Syria, No Not That Syria by Minass Richani

The Baytree by Ardency Senior Prize (Age 65+)

Winner – War was Hell on the Home Front by Jim Brigginshaw

Stone Real Estate Resident Memoir Prize

Winner – Whom Ringdoves See by Margaret Barnes

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Very thrilled to have the Italian translation of ‘The French Perfumer’ released today in Italy by Newton Compton Editori. Buon viaggio!

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