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"Harry's World" - Finalist in 2016 Beverly Hills International Book Awards

30/3/2016

My first success in an international book competition!
When I got up this morning and turned on my computer to check emails, I was greeted by an overnight message from the U.S. telling me that Harry's World had been named as a finalist in the crime category of the 2016 Beverly Hills International Book Awards.
Woo hoo! (That was indeed my first reaction).
My heartiest congratulations to the winner of the category, Brigitte Goldstein, for her Death of a Diva - From Berlin to Broadway.
From my own perspective, just thrilled to be named as a finalist. A great day here!
Cheers.
ABP

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FREE STUFF - My MA Dissertation on English colonialism and its literature

16/3/2016

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I really enjoyed every single study unit of the MA I did in English at the University of Sydney. However, given my love of detailed research (probably a hangover from my detective days!), I especially cherished my dissertation project.

In short, it was a study of the literary representations of the English colonial experience in the Orient, through the works of George Orwell, Graham Greene, and W. Somerset Maugham. It was a truly fascinating project and I got right into it, ending up with far more material than I could ever contemplate incorporating into the final dissertation.

The final paper earned a Distinction, so I was delighted with that. That paper, with some amendments following the feedback from the markers, is now available through the WORKS tab of my website under FREE STUFF.

Cheers.
ABP

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4 great hard-boiled crime writers I've newly discovered - Faust, Bruen, Guillaume & Raymond

15/3/2016

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I love reading crime, especially the hard-boiled variety, which is, of course, partly why I write that style. Apart from reading the classics by Chandler, Macdonald, and others, I do love finding new (at least new for me) authors writing in the hard-boiled and noir style. I've been on a bit of a binge on searching out and trying new experiences in the last few months, and here are 4 authors whose books below have given me huge pleasure. I highly recommend them all for hard-boiled fans. The variety between the 4 is significant, both in style and origin - The US, Ireland, France and Britain. But they are all fantastic reads, and I have either bought or ordered more novels from all of them except Guillaume (unfortunately only one of his works has been translated into English, and my French, whilst passable in conversation, is not up to a full-on read!).
Cheers and Enjoy!!!
ABP

Money Shot - Christa Faust

Christa Faust is an American author, amongst other talents. It's not a traditional PI setting, rather a former porn star who turns sleuth to sort some real bad people out. As you'd expect it is very sexy as well as hard-boiled. The protagonist, Angel Dare, is just great, a real kick-ass lady.
Actually I reckon Angel Dare would partner up beautifully with my Harry Kenmare, and I reckon the sizzling would be heard on both sides of the Pacific!
Excellent read in the wonderful American style.
I'm waiting on the next one in the post!

The Guards - Ken Bruen

Ken Bruen is an Irish author and his PI, Jack Taylor, hails from Galway. Taylor is an ex-cop (garda in Irish) and a massive drinker. This was my first taste of Irish hard-boiled and I loved it. I've actually read the second in the series as well - equally as satisfying.
I think it must appeal to my Irish ancestry, as well as my hard-boiled crime writing obsession. Oh, and did I mention the drinking???
Very Irish and very much its own style - fantastic.

White Leopard - Laurent Guillaume

Now I have read a number of French crime authors of various eras - it seems a constantly popular genre in France and they have produced some stunners.
I actually heard about Laurent Guillaume's novel on the Amazon page for my own novel - you know where it says "readers who bought this also..."? Anyway, I did a bit of research and the book looked up my alley, so I took the plunge. And was I pleased I did. The main man is a PI, Solo Camara, an ex-cop from France who is back in Mali - he is of mixed Malian and French extraction. This is really great hard-boiled in the traditional way, but its Malian setting gives it an altogether unique flavour in the crime reading I've done. I loved this and went looking for more, but, alas, no other works from Guillaume have yet been translated. I hope they hurry up!

He Died with His Eyes Open - Derek Raymond

And the fourth is from the man widely regarded as the father of British noir. Derek Raymond died in 1994, but authored a wide range of works, including what was known as The Factory series, of which this is the first. No PI here - rather we have a very hard serving detective sergeant in London. Interestingly, our main man remains nameless throughout. This is brutal at times and a bloody good read, as is the second in the series which I've recently finished too.

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Upcoming Library Author Talks - A.B.Patterson - Harry's World

13/3/2016

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My first author talk is done - Wollongong Library was a great evening last week.

So, what talks are coming up?

Well, the next is at Randwick Library on Wednesday 30 March 2016.

After that, I've recently confirmed with Canada Bay Libraries to talk at their Five Dock Library on Thursday 12 May 2016.

And then, and I'm very excited about a joint talk, Ashfield Library will be hosting myself and my friend Nigel Bartlett (author of King of the Road) together in June - date to be confirmed.

Watch my blog for further details.

Cheers.
ABP

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Wollongong Author Talk - A Great Evening - Thanks to All

13/3/2016

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My many thanks to all those who came along to my author talk at Wollongong City Library last Thursday, and my thanks to the staff of Wollongong Library for hosting the event.
I really enjoyed the talk and the great questions from the audience - we had a very lively discussion! I can't believe how quickly the time ran away from us.
Looking forward to the next one.
Cheers.
ABP

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Author Talk - A.B.Patterson at Wollongong Library - 10 March 2016

3/3/2016

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As I gear up for more speaking publicly as an author, I have been arranging a few library talks over the next few months.

So, my first library talk is at Wollongong Library on Thursday evening next week, 10 March 2016. It's 5.30 p.m. for a 6.00 p.m. start.

I'll be chatting about lots of things to do with my writing and all about Harry's World. And I'll be selling and signing books, of course.

Bookings (free) can be made through the Wollongong Library website.
Details are here:

Wollongong Library Event

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Author Talk - A.B.Patterson at Randwick Library - 30 March 2016

1/3/2016

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My second library talk to kick of 2016 has also been locked in, this time at the Margaret Martin Library at Randwick.

It's on at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday 30 March 2016.

Lots of discussion about everything that makes me tick as a writer and, of course, about Harry's World. Book selling and signing, naturally.

More details and bookings through the Randwick Library, as per this link:

Randwick Library Event

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"Harry's World" - Finalist in 2016 Beverly Hills International Book Awards

FREE STUFF - My MA Dissertation on English colonialism and its literature

4 great hard-boiled crime writers I've newly discovered - Faust, Bruen, Guillaume & Raymond

Upcoming Library Author Talks - A.B.Patterson - Harry's World

Wollongong Author Talk - A Great Evening - Thanks to All

Author Talk - A.B.Patterson at Wollongong Library - 10 March 2016

Author Talk - A.B.Patterson at Randwick Library - 30 March 2016

A.B.Patterson

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