B OOKS
Is it Happy hour? By Hayley Saunders
HAPPY Hour is Australian author Jacquie Byron’s first novel, and it takes us on an amusing, heart-warming journey across some deep themes of grief, loneliness, friendship and love. Since the tragic death of her husband and soulmate Frank three years ago, Franny Calderwood has deliberately chosen to turn her back on her friends, family, and acquaintances. Franny can’t cope with conversations about Frank, or the pitying looks she receives whenever his name comes up. Instead, she now fills her days with art, cooking, walking her dogs Whisky and Soda, and watching the clock until cocktail hour starts.
Unfortunately for Franny, when the Salerno family move in next door, they also start to move into Franny’s life. Single mum Sallyanne is trying to protect her children from their abusive father, and sullen teenager Dee, and slightly eccentric eight-year-old Josh are not coping very well. Fabulously flamboyant Franny offers a fun escape for the kids, introducing them to a world of art, costume design, and fine food and in Dee’s case, fine liquor. However, Franny’s tough veneer is close to cracking and underneath is a volcano of sorrow and pain waiting to erupt. As the anniversary of Frank’s death approaches, Franny’s fondness for Happy Hour starts to have serious repercussions for her health and Franny is forced to let friends, old and new, help her process her grief and find a new way forward. To grab your copy head to Berkelouw Books, Eumundi or look online at www.berkelouw.com.au/stores/eumundi
B E R K E LO U W B O O KS E U M U N D I A R E G E N E R O U S LY G I V I N G AWAY A C O PY O F H A P P Y H O U R BY JAC Q U I E BY R O N Send us an email with your name and your postal address to hello@yourlocallifestyle.com.au and you will enter. Good Luck!
THE COOLEST KOALA IN NOOSA FIZZI’S connection for many years to the Noosa tourism industry gave her a desire to honour the delights of Noosa with a story about an icon or mascot that locals or tourists could take away as a memento of this glorious destination. Fizzi and Lili have been best friends since they were 10. Fizzi as a lawyer always dealt in words. Lili has a magic watercolour talent. They wanted to collaborate on a story. So they developed a series of books dedicated to the koala’s in our local area. “Koala spotting in the Noosa National Park has always brought joy to locals and tourists, young and old. Our local koalas are cherished, but sadly under threat for their very existence,” Fizzi said. “While telling an entertaining story we also wanted to ensure that the book sales directly contributed to the conservation and preservation of the local Koalas to whom our book is dedicated. Horrific recent bushfires sweeping through Koala habitats have highlighted this threat to us all.” Selling around 4,500 books so far, this duo have raised over $3,800 for local koala conservation, preservation and the invaluable Nipper program. With 3 books published and another two in production they are an inspiring success.
To find out more about the book series head to www.karlathekoala.com.au/
G iveaway
W E H AV E A G R E AT K A R L A KOA L A G I V E AWAY B O O K PAC K FO R O N E L U C K Y R E A D E R . This fantastic pack has 3 of the latest Karla Koala books plus a gorgeous handmade baby toy koala. Send us an email to hello@ yourlocallifestyle.com.au for your chance to enter. Good Luck!
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