Aussie Readers discussion

We are getting together on Saturday, May 21st at a venue yet to be decided, but it will be somewhere in Brisbane's South Bank area.

If you are interested, please put your names down in this thread, and I will advise you by private message with details of the venue once the numbers are confirmed. Please DON'T mention any questions about location details here in the thread for security reasons - you can private message me with questions.

Date - Saturday, May 21, 2022
Time – 11am for lunch
Location - South Brisbane
RSVP – 14th May 2022

The Mystery Book Swap is always fun, so we'll do it again.

Mystery Book Swap

1. Bring along one book to the venue to give away – any genre, it can be a new book but a gently-loved book in good condition is also perfectly acceptable.

2. Wrap the book in whatever paper you have at home.

3. Place a tag on the wrapping with the description of the genre.

4. Each participant's name will be placed in a hat, and when your name is drawn, you can select a mystery book from the pile.

And feel free to bring along any books that you’d like to find a new home for. You are very welcome to ask other people for books even if you don't have any to actually swap - most of us just want to clear our shelves so there's room to buy more books! If you want to list books here to see if anyone's interested so you don't have to lug them all in, you're very welcome to do that as well!

Definites:
Kathryn
Allan
Jane
Alda
Lynne

Maybe

I missed the last one, so I'd like to RSVP yes to this one please!

Angela wrote: "I missed the last one, so I'd like to RSVP yes to this one please!"

Wonderful, Angela! I'll send you a private message with details.

People will be able to combine their voting Kathryn!! Lucky you - have loads of fun :)

Brenda wrote: "People will be able to combine their voting Kathryn!! Lucky you - have loads of fun :)"

Indeed, Brenda!! Although I'm hoping the pre-polling for the week or two beforehand will still be freely available. I think that makes much more sense than everyone having to queue up on the one day! Not that I've always had to queue, but it is annoying when you pick the wrong time! And I don't see why we should all have to vote on the one day - where is the benefit??

Totally agree, especially with covid still hovering! We're going to do postal voting.

I'm good for that day Kathryn. Looking forward to catching up with everyone again.

Got it! Thanks Kathryn!!

Looking forward to this! It has been ages since I had lunch in Brisbane and ages more since I got to catch up with GoodReaders. It will be the treat if the day, after doing my duty and voting...

I’m looking forward to it as well! Our last one was about 6 months ago and we missed you, Deborah! I don’t think I have any books to list to give away - I haven’t been reading as much as last year, and not many of my own books either.

Kathryn wrote: "I’m looking forward to it as well! Our last one was about 6 months ago and we missed you, Deborah! I don’t think I have any books to list to give away - I haven’t been reading as much as last year,..."

Likewise! I have been using the library a lot and not buying books unless I really REALLY want them.

I've been really lucky winning ARC's recently so I have the following to give away if anyone is interested:

The Curlew's Eye by Karen Manton
The Russian Wife by Barry Maitland
The Long Game by Simon Rowell
Exit .45 by Ben Sanders
Just Murdered: Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries by Katherine Kovacic

I would have loved to come along but I work Saturdays from midday! maybe I'll take the day off for the next one or find someone to swap a shift around.

Jane wrote: "I've been really lucky winning ARC's recently so I have the following to give away if anyone is interested:

The Curlew's Eye by Karen Manton
[book:The Russian Wife|..."

The Russian Wife sounds great - I will put my hand up for that one.

Said wrote: "I would have loved to come along but I work Saturdays from midday! maybe I'll take the day off for the next one or find someone to swap a shift around."

That sounds good, Said! There's been a bit of upheaval this year with COVID and floods, so we haven't had a catch-up since late last year, but maybe we'll try for another one soon-ish to make up and we'd love to see you! We'll see if we can come up with some possible dates in the near-future next weekend!

And I do hope it's better weather than this Saturday next weekend for heading into town!!

I was going to go and vote today to get it out of the way, but there was a queue and it was raining, so I just drove away!! But I see you can vote until 8pm throughout the week, so I might go Monday evening after work.

I don't think it's meant to be better weather this Saturday, after all!! I'm looking forward to catching up, but I'll probably look like a drowned rat!

I have my surprise book organised, just have to wrap it and label it (and put it in a plastic bag to keep it dry!!).

So looking forward to this catch-up! See you all tomorrow :)

Hello all. I'm so sorry but I'm going to have to cancel. I was really looking forward to seeing you all, some Greek tasty food and great conversations, but I ended up with a double shift last night and I'm exhausted.

That’s a shame, Deborah, but understandable!! We’ll have to try for another one soon!

We'll miss you Deborah, sorry you can't make it - seems ages since you made one :(

It has been ages! before covid. I just don't think it would be safe to put me behind the wheel for that long. You all have a great time and I hope to make it for the next one.

Just a heads up the cafe doesn't open until 11:30 according to Google.

Thanks Jane, I'll aim for 11.30 in that case.

That’s OK - Alda and I are here and chatting whenever everyone turns up!!

There are signs of life in the cafe!!

Cool, I'll make my way over now :)

We forget to take a group photo, yet again!

lol!! But did you have a good time Jane?

Jane wrote: "We forget to take a group photo, yet again!"

I know! - I thought of that as I was heading home!

And it was an utterly miserable day, as far as the weather went! But it was good to talk about books and other things.

I scored The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan in our surprise book swap, which I'm chuffed about! (Thanks, Jane!) I've remembered to cancel the holds I had on it!

Hi all - glad you had a good time, sorry I could not make it.

Yes we did have a good time Brenda despite the rain. It's amazing what we end up talking about other than books; COVID and voting at the fore of course!

Great news Jane!! It's good to have a few hours to just forget everything else and chat, laugh and have fun. I'm certainly missing our meetups in Sydney.