Author Interview: AJ Betts

Originally from Queensland, Aussie YA author Amanda (AJ) Betts has lived in Perth for the last eight years and is avid cyclist. She has written two novels which means I frequently bump into her at writers events around Perth. ShutterSpeed (2008), and Wavelength (2010), which was shortlisted for the West Australian Premier's Prize in 2011, are both published by Fremantle Press. Amanda won the Text Prize in 2012 for her new novel, Zac and Mia, which will be published August 2013.

Please welcome Amanda (AJ) Betts!

I was the kind of kid who... would spend hours in the garden looking for insects.  

My mother always told me... to wear undies.

The biggest lesson I learnt at school was... don't try to please everyone (actually, I'm still learning that one...)

My first big crush was... shame, I can't say! He was sweet and brought me unexpected gifts.  

I earnt my first pay cheque... waitressing at my parents' cafe on school holidays.

I really hate it when... a driver abuses while I'm cycling.

I’m very good at… coming up with excuses.  

I’m frightened of… regret.

When I’m in the shower I sing… loudly! And brilliantly. Apologies to the neighbours.  

My road to publication was… scenic and winding, with lots of interesting foliage. I enjoyed the ride.

The last book I read was… 'The Big Picture' by David Suzuki.

I would love to meet… someone from the future.  

When I get the munchies I eat… anything that makes a satisfying crunch sound.

I’m currently working on… a speculative fiction set 300 years in the future off the coast of Tasmania.

I hope I never… give up.

Life is… a comedy. A surprise. A joy. 

Thanks for being a part of Aussie Author Month, Amanda!

Amanda on Goodreads

Amanda's website

My review of ShutterSpeed

My review of Wavelength

2010 WA Premier's Book Awards Shortlist Announced

The short-list for the 2010 Western Australian Premier's Awards was announced today here in Perth. They call them the 2010 lists because the books were all published throughout 2010, even though the awards are not announced until three-quarters of the way through 2011. There are six categories but as usual, I'm only going to focus on the children's and young adult nominees.

The YOUNG ADULT nominees are:

Anonymity Jones by James Roy
Happy as Larry by Scot Gardner
The FitzOsbornes in Exile: The Montmaray Journals 2 by Michelle Cooper
The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett
This Is Shyness by Leanne Hall
Wavelength by A.J. Betts

I've only read Wavelength by A.J. Betts but I have read Scot Gardner's most recent release, The Dead I Know and really enjoyed it so it might be time to pick up Happy as Larry. I've also heard good things about The Midnight Zoo from Nomes at inkcrush and also This is Shyness from Nic at Irresistible Reads AND Nomes again at inkcrush. I really must find myself a copy of This is Shyness because it sounds amazing. Unfortunately I don't really know much about the other two books. Has anyone read them?



In the CHILDREN'S category:

Henry Hoey Hobson by Christine Bongers
Mirror by Jeanne Baker
Sarindi's Dragon Kite by Janine M. Fraser/Illustrator Elise Hurst
The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody
The Three Loves Of Persimmon by Cassandra Golds
Toppling by Sally Murphy/Illustrator Rhian Nest James

I've only read one of these since I usually stick with YA but I made an exception for Toppling. It's a really heart-warming story and you can find my review on Goodreads. I've also had a flick through Mirror by Jeanne Baker and if you have ever seen any of her work, then you will know what to expect. Mirror is a very special book.



To see the adult nominations click here.

A MASSIVE congratulations to all the nominees, especially A.J. Betts because I loved her book and I've met her a couple of times :D

For the first time ever, the Australian public will be able to vote online in the brand new People's Choice Award from July 25 until September 2nd 2011.

The winners in all categories and the People's Choice Award will be announced in September. Stay tuned.

Wavelength by A.J. Betts

Title: Wavelength
Author: AJ Betts

Release Date: 2nd August 2010

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Oliver’s world has shrunk. It’s all about Year 12 finals. It’s about that magic 80% average he needs to get into uni, get his dream job and get cashed up. If only he can find a quiet place to study – away from the chaos and mess of living with two small kids and his Mum’s booming muffin business.

A study break in a small coastal town seems just the ticket. But Sunny Haven Recreation and Leisure Centre is like some weird parallel universe. He arrives cashless, bookless, phoneless and fuming in the back of his Dad’s clapped out Cortina only to find his new study space is home to an array of elderly citizens.

They’ve each got their own opinions on Oliver’s life plans and he “doesn’t wanna hear it!” But gradually, with their help, Oliver’s universe expands.

My Review:
I was really interested in reading this book because it is set in Perth (where I live) and Busselton (where I have holidayed). In other words, I am familiar with the scenery which is rare as not alot of books are set in Perth so a big shout out to local author AJ Betts! I briefly met Betts once when she came into the book store I was working in. This was before Wavelength had been released which is a pity because now that I have read it, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to tell her how much I enjoyed it!

The topic of Wavelength is something we can all identify with, our final exams, our TEE. For those of you not familiar with the Australian school system, the mark we get on this determines if we can get into the university course we want. Oliver's frustration is all too easy to identify with and I can remember back to when myself and my friends took our TEE exams and the stress we felt we were under to get great scores. If I remember correctly from our little chat, Betts is a high school teacher so she would be very familiar with Oliver's position, having witnessed it many times over. I also think that showing Oliver's home life reaches out to other teens because he is constantly having to take on other responsibilities due to his mum's job. This helps show that teenager's can have other things in life to worry about besides school. Being a teenager can sometimes be a very lonely time, and, one of the fantastic things about alot of young adult fiction, is that it helps teens understand they are not alone.

For those of you who have read the book, I personally can relate most to the character of Emma. While our circumstances were different, we both ended up going down the same path. I really admire the overall message in the book (well it's what came through the strongest to me anyway) and that's DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE. SOMETHING YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR. I could go on and on about this but it will probably get a little too personal and bore you all to tears so I shall stay on track shall I?

The character development was great and the teasing and banter between Oliver and Emma was really well done. I thought it was important to have Emma's character and her gradual feelings towards the exams revealed because, while Oliver does represent a large portion of year 12 students, not everyone views the exams as the be-all, end-all (because they're not) and I think this is a very important point to keep in mind. That said, this is not an anti-TEE review/book, more a reminder to do what makes you happy.

As a side note, I loved the scene where Oliver is learning how to make coffee for the first time. Very well written!

Sometimes I felt the language was a little off, that some of the words used would not be used by a 17-year-old boy, but ultimately this was a very enjoyable story that I would recommend and that I hope goes into high school libraries.