Who dunnit? Who won the Ned Kelly awards?
News bites
It was a big fortnight for awards announcement, the Ned Kellys, the Miles Franklin and the Children's Book Council Books of the Year, all rolling in. From a self-publishing industry perspective, news of the merger of the Create Space with Kindle Direct was the big news globally.Lauren Chater, a well-read cookie, crunches answers
Author Q&A
Every time authors come to dine with Word of Mouth TV, we ask them questions about their latest book, their next project and, of course, their relationship with food and their take on the intersection between food and literature. This episode, Lauren Chater, talks about her blog, The Well Read Cookie, her love of baking and ... chocolate!Straight from the authors’ mouths
Recommended reads
Looking for something to read in your next quiet moment? Never fear! Word of Mouth TV is here. Lauren Chater, author of The Lace Weaver, Kate Forsyth and Sarah Mills serve up the best books they've read lately, and a couple of their favourite cookbooks.The Lace Weaver – Lauren Chater
Sarah's review
A charming debut novel from author Lauren Chater, The Lace Weaver is set in Estonia, just prior to World War II. Squeezed between the two major powers of the Soviet Union and Germany, Estonia is coveted by both. Maintaining independence is all but impossible, and the Estonians endure great hardship as two evil empires - the Russians, then Germans - occupy their land. The people take great heart from their traditions, particularly lace weaving.Lauren Chater’s Estonian lamb, mash and root veg
Portrait of a recipe
The Lace Weaver, the novel by our guest Lauren Chater, is set in Estonia during World War II so I thought I’d cook a feast inspired by that country’s Slavic cuisine. The recipe for Estonian Lamb Shanks is based on one I found on the BBC website, from ‘The Hairy Bikers – Northern Exposure’ show". The Hairy Bikers are David Myers and Simon King, who first met while working behind the scenes on a TV show and soon discovered they shared a passion for cooking and food.The Lace Weaver – Lauren Chater
Kate's review
A heart-wrenching novel of love, war and resistance set in Estonia in the 1940s, The Lace Weaver tells the story of two very different young women and their struggle to survive in a country caught between two of the greatest evils of the 20th century: Stalin’s Red Army and Hitler’s Third Reich. This is a novel of love and war, heartbreak and hope, and the bonds between women, delicate as lace and yet as unbreakable as steel.Episode 5: Lauren Chater – The Lace Weaver
We are so excited. This week we feature our first debut author Lauren Chater, who has written a beautiful novel set in World War II Estonia, called The Lace Weaver. It's a story of love and courage in one small country caught between warring powers. We cook Estonian ribs and investigate Lauren's blog The Well Read Cookie.