I’ve been waiting for aaaages for Sony to launch their ebook reader in Australia, and today they finally announced it.

The Reader—it boggles my mind how Sony could possibly have trademarked such a common word—features the E-Ink Pearl display, which I believe is the same type of screen that the newest Kindles have.

Book Bee has all the details, the most important being that the Reader will integrate with REDgroup’s online bookshops, which includes Borders Australia. The device will be sold at Borders (online and bricks and mortar shops), Angus and Robertson, Myer, Sony Style stores and Sony centres.

Update: CNET reports that Readers will start from $229 and on Twitter I’m told that the 6″ model is around $259. I haven’t seen an official price list. (more)

Blameless by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate, Book 3)

After the cliffhanger that was Changeless, the latest instalment in the Parasol Protectorate series brings us back to romance territory.

After Changeless, I was very frustrated. It was a total cliffhanger, and I went as far as DMing Gail Carriger on Twitter to ask what was going to happen next. She very nicely replied, I’m very sorry but I can’t tell you. Fortunately, Kat got a review copy of Blameless last Friday, which coincided with Carriger’s visit to Galaxy to randomly sign things. She assured us that, as a believer of happy endings, she always makes sure everything ends with a HEA. (more)

Last night’s Jennifer Byrne Presents special, in place of ABC’s regular First Tuesday Book Club, was an interview with author and controversial political activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali. If you haven’t heard of Hirsi Ali, she has written two memoirs, Infidel and Nomad, and has been called the feminist counterpart to Salman Rushdie.

Hirsi Ali talks about the evolution of her ideas and the experiences that influenced her. Here’s the excerpt from the transcript, in which Hirsi Ali talks about the empowering ideas she found in romance books (any emphasis is mine):

JENNIFER BYRNE: But you did have exposure to European things, your father had been educated there.

But also, you started reading English books. Things like Enid Blyton and Barbara Cartland, which I just found hysterical to think were considered completely challenging to authority. How could Barbara Cartland be challenging to authority? (more)

Tracey O'Hara (Winner, R*BY Award -- Romantic Elements)

There was no shortage of glamour in last night’s Romance Book of the Year (R*BY) awards where Sophia James took out the top prize in Australian romance fiction, winning the Long Romance category for Mistletoe Magic (in Christmas Betrothals, Mills & Boon/Quills), beating Christine Wells and romance veteran Stephanie Laurens, who was nominated twice in the category.

Tracey O’Hara received the R*BY in the Romantic Elements category, which goes to novels of any length  or genre in which romance plays a significant—though not necessarily a central—-role in the story. Her book, Night’s Cold Kiss (HarperCollins/Eos), was the only speculative fiction work shortlisted for the R*BY.

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Ann Gracie as Dame Barbara Cartland (RWAus 2010 Cocktail Party)

Last night I attended my first ever  Romance Writers of Australia conference event: the Harlequin-sponsored cocktail party. What? You thought I was going there to work? No, no, I signed up for all the parties!

The cocktail party is a themed event and this year it was ‘Fantasy Island’. Never say that writers aren’t a creative bunch because some of the costumes were pretty amazing. Anne Gracie was awarded the best costume prize for her fabulous Barbara Cartland.

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Keri Arthur (left) and Tracey O'Hara

For the first time that I can remember, Galaxy had TWO paranormal authors in to sign books. And they brought a New York agent. And a soon-to-be-published debut author. And a partridge in a pear tree. OK, maybe not that last one.

The gathering at Galaxy was nice and informal, so we got to spend some time chatting with Keri Arthur and Tracey O’Hara while they signed our books.

The cover for the second book in Tracey’s Dark Brethren series, Death’s Sweet Embrace, has been redone and I think it looks better this way. Its style is more like the Night’s Cold Kiss cover, so I think the new cover ties the books together as a series better than two differently styled covers.
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Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Chronicles of Nick, Book 1)

If you’ve read (or are planning to read) the Chronicles of Nick, these are cheat sheets you won’t want to miss. Decadence summarises what we know about Nick Gautier from the Dark-Hunter series. You can read the first two parts here and here.

The Mavromino, Noir

Noir is a first generation offspring of the Source, making him the closest thing to the source of creation short of the source itself. For some as yet unknown reason (maybe just because he is the source god of darkness?), he turned against the Source and tried to take over as the major power.

The source gods had the Sephirii as their security, so Noir created the Malachai as their natural enemy to wipe them out. Despite setting traps that reduced Sephirii numbers, they were poised to decimate all the Malachai, until they were betrayed by their leader, Jared. (more)

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Chronicles of Nick, Book 1, US hardback)

If you’ve read (or are planning to read) the Chronicles of Nick, these are cheat sheets you won’t want to miss. Decadence summarises what we know about Nick Gautier from the Dark-Hunter series. You can read part 1 here.

So what the hell is a Malachai?

In short, one of the most powerful beings on the face of the planet.

When the Source of creation’s darkest power known as the Mavromino turned against the Source and tried to end the world, he created the Malachai to wipe out the Sephirii (companions to the first order of gods, and soldiers who upheld the original laws of the universe and kept its fabric from unravelling, they’ve been likened to fallen angels) who opposed them. But although many of the Sephirii flew into the Mavromino’s traps, they looked set to destroy the Malachai until they were betrayed by one of their own, Jared, and the battle ended in a truce. (more)

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Chronicles of Nick, Book 1)

If you’ve read (or are planning to read) the Chronicles of Nick, these are cheat sheets you won’t want to miss. Decadence summarises what we know about Nick Gautier from the Dark-Hunter series.

Origins of Nick

Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier (pronounced Go-shay, the Cajun way) was born to 15-year old Cherise, whose rich parents disowned her when she fell pregnant with Nick. Without a complete education, she became an exotic dancer to support Nick, but never resented him for the direction her life had taken. Cherise used to take Nick to the clubs with her so that she could remind herself why she did her job and find the will to keep doing it. She was a loving and nurturing woman who even tried to feed Acheron while she worked as Sanctuary’s chef and bartender. (more)

Bronwyn Parry’s third Dungirri book shelved

In case you missed her announcement, Bronwyn Parry is no longer working on her third Dungirri book. If there’s one thing I admire in an author it’s knowing when to let go of a book or series. The good news is that Parry seems to have a new book in the works, so yay for her and for us readers!

FANGtastic Fiction’s change of focus

I noticed that our friends over at FANGtastic Fiction have decided to stop selling books directly but have become a kind of portal for book recommendations. If you love your books with a touch of the supernatural, it’s worth checking out the site. (more)