Castlemaine-based journalist, writer and community musician Valerie Colyer has released a new book Tales That Talk to You.
Tales That Talk To You explores theme of identity, social justice, feminism, ageism, crime and political trends with down-to-earth humour.
A special launch event to celebrate the new work will be held at the Albion Art Bar in Wesley Hill this Friday January 24.
The launch will include a performance by the Bob Wills Poor Relations Band with whom Colyer regularly moonlights on piano accordion.
Colyer worked as a journalist across various metro publications including The Age, and released her first book a non-fiction Hysterectomy-Whose Choice? through Random House in 1990. She has also worked as a community radio broadcaster and Tafe teacher.
Colyer founded the ‘Reds Under The Bed Activist Cabaret’ troupe in 2005 with some feisty gals passionate about music, writing and politics who shared a great sense of the ridiculous.
These talented women created infectious original songs, satirical cabaret, musicals and black comedy sketches that were performed widely in Fringe Festival shows across Victoria and Melbourne.
Their close friendship and community involvement extended until 2020 when Colyer made the treechange to Castlemaine.
A short time later one of Colyer’s beloved Reds friends died and this was the impetus for her to write this book to encapsulate their works, their friendship and a unique snapshot in time.
“The work draws on the wonderful solidarity ‘The Reds’ achieved together and shows what’s possible when creative subversives unite,” Colyer said.
The book also includes some of her original works and has a overriding story featuring quirky characters from the MacIntossed Women’s Prison and the O’Connor family, which weaves the songs and poems together into an entertaining ‘hybrid’ book of tales where society’s sacred cows are challenged using absurdity and insight.
“We were standing up for issues we were passionate about, but we never took ourselves too seriously. There was always a bit of fun thrown in,” Colyer said.
“It was a wonderful collaboration of like-minded spirits.
“For example you’ve got ‘Donna, where’s your trousers?’ inspired by the old Scottish song ‘Douglas, where’s your trousers’ in which Donna O’Connor undertakes a naked protest at the MacIntossed Women’s Prison to take a stand against strip searches.
“And trainee nurse Muriel Flickett, who is mistakenly jailed for fraud and decides to get revenge by devising a scheme to defraud ‘Censurelink’ by creating a host of aliases.”
The cover has been designed by Colyer’s talented son Tom Farfalla and also features some of her quirky illustrations, which are also sprinkled throughout the pages.
“The book is self-published thanks to the support of Legion Office Works in Castlemaine and I hope it brings a smile to people’s faces,” she said.
Friend and local reviewer Dr Robyn Walton said Colyer’s book reflected on our society in the second half of the century in ways older readers would appreciate.
“The stories are indeed ‘tales that talk to you’. They’re colloquial, personal and pressing. There’s a loud and clear protest in different voices and versions of self, plus subversive black humour. Each contribution tends to progress toward some sort of therapeutic hope or affirmation,” Walton said.
The launch will kick off at 6pm at Albion Art Hotel in Duke Street, Castlemaine. To RSVP or for more information, call 0437 686 813.
You can get your copy at Stoneman’s Bookroom or Legion Officeworks Castlemaine.
