Castlemaine author Kirsten Krauth has launched her second long-awaited novel, Almost a Mirror.
The book was seven years in the making and was developed while Krauth completed her PhD. It explores music of the 1980s, what we make of memories and what they make of us.
Like fireflies to the light, Mona, Benny and Jimmy are drawn into the elegantly wasted orbit of the Crystal Ballroom and the post-punk scene of 80s Melbourne, a world that includes Nick Cave and bandmate Roland S Howard and Dodge, a photographer pushing his art to the edge.
With precision and richness Krauth hauntingly evokes the power of music to infuse our lives, while diving deep into loss, beauty, innocence and agency. Filled with unforgettable characters, the novel is above all about the shapes that love can take and the many ways we express tenderness throughout a lifetime.
As it moves between the Blue Mountains and Melbourne, Sydney and Castlemaine, Almost a Mirror reflects on the healing power of creativity and the everyday sacredness of family and friendship in the face of unexpected tragedy.
The author and arts journalist had planned a series of fun launch parties combining songs from the ‘mix tape’ that forms Almost a Mirror and extracts from the book at The Taproom at Castlemaine’s Shedshaker Brewing, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne but unfortunately all this has had to be placed on hold for now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, all those who ordered the book for the Castlemaine launch will have their copy home-delivered thanks to the team from Northern Books!
The book has been shortlisted for the Penguin Literary Prize and the author was also thrilled to win the Canberra University’s Parker Medal and was set to visit Canberra to receive her award.
“It’s the only time a piece of creative writing has won the medal so I was pretty honoured and excited but it can’t be helped,” Krauth said.
Feeling low and concerned about fellow Aussie authors set to launch books in 2020 and the impact on our publishing industry Krauth formed the Writers Go Forth (Launch, Promote, Party) Facebook page and has been overwhelmed by the response.
“It’s been amazing. The page has almost reached 2000 members including fellow writers and the readers that love them. It’s been really humbling, many of us have committed to buying one book a week. We are supporting each other and we are hopeful that this time will see more people supporting the literary industry,” she said.
The Just a Girl author and mother of two has also used her time in isolation to work on some podcast pieces with musician Peter Fenton weaving her text with songs from the book.
These will feature in an online Q&A event and book club discussion scheduled for Wednesday April 22 at 7pm. Anna Hedigan will be the host. Stay tuned to The Taproom – Shedshaker Brewing Facebook page for details.
