Kate Shayler at Springwood Library

On Wednesday we had the pleasure of playing host at Springwood Library to Kate Shayler. 

Now living locally, Kate is the author of three books.  As Kate told us, she wrote the first book, The Long Way Home after friends, hearing some of her stories, urged Kate to write a book about her experience of life in Burnside Homes for Children during the 1950s and 60s. Then after many requests from readers, Kate followed up with A Tuesday Thing which tells what happended to Kate after she left Burnside.

Kate’s latest book, Burnished: Burnside Life Stories is a collection of stories from other ‘Burnside children’. It was these ‘children’ that Kate spoke of so movingly on Wednesday. Kate had spent several years driving up and down and across Australia to meet and interview these people and to listen to their stories. It was clear from her presentation they had all left a deep impression on her.

Kate’s talk, an effortless hour, was followed by morning tea and the opportunity to buy Kate’s books at a special price and have her sign them. Afterwards Kate and her publicist, Fiona Turner, were interviewed for the Library’s podcast channel, Listeners in the Mist. Watch out for that becoming available soon.

Look out for more author talks. Here are a few dates to put in your diaries:

• Next Saturday, 8th December Blaxland Library is playing host to the authors of Seven Bones, Waiting at the Gate and Fighting Blind, Jason Foster, Robyn Caughlan and Peter Seymour. Be there for the start at 2pm.
• Shamala Ratnesar will talk on The Total Life Diet at 2pm on 6th February 2013 at Springwood Library.
• Patti Miller will talk on The Mind of a Thief on 28th February 2013 at Katoomba Library – time to be confirmed.