Karen Comer

Collecting Stories

The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone – book review

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I read a lot of fabulous books over the summer holidays, and this book, The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty, was one of my favourites. Miss 11 received it for Christmas, and demolished it over a day or two. And yes, Jaclyn Moriarty is Liane Moriarty’s sister – the latter wrote Big little lies and Truly, madly, guiltily among other books.

Perfect for girls aged 9-12, this book is about ten-year-old Bronte, who finds out that her parents were killed by pirates. As her parents left her with her Aunt Isabelle when she was a baby, Bronte is not exactly heartbroken by this news. But she’s alarmed when her parents’ will states she must visit her eleven aunts and bring them a small, specified gift.

This inconvenient adventure means Bronte must travel alone, visit aunts she hasn’t met, eat certain foods, be at particular places – all carefully orchestrated for reasons that Bronte can’t understand. If she doesn’t follow her parents’ instructions to the letter, her home town will fall apart.

The eleven aunts are all interesting, original characters who sail the seas, look after dragons or run small countries.

I loved the whimsical blend of realism and fantasy with such an original concept. It’s a wonderful quest story, and the ending brings together all the clues – and the aunts – scattered throughout the book.

It’s a thick book with a gorgeous blue and gold cover – enticing to readers who want a long book. I would encourage more reluctant readers to give it a go as it’s a satisfying read.

Readers might also be interested to know that Jaclyn wrote most of this book in a chocolate shop! You can hear more about how Jaclyn wrote her book in an interview on the So you want to be a writer podcast.

It’s always good to be reminded that chocolate can help creativity!

Podcast listening

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Young beautiful woman do the ironing.

As well as all the words I’m writing and reading, I’m also enjoying listening to words as well. I don’t think I could possibly iron a school shirt without listening to something! Sometimes ironing can feel like a guilty pleasure because I close the door in my tiny laundry and listen to a podcast. I am inevitably interrupted by someone wanting to know what we’re having for dinner and someone wanting to know where their gel pens are and someone wanting to know if they can have a friend over to play. But usually I can listen to something creative and inspiring while the shirts are moved from the to-be-ironed hook behind the laundry door to the have-been-ironed door knobs on the laundry cupboards. It’s all about the process!

This is what I’ve been listening to:

  • The Australian Writer’s Centre podcast So you want to be a writer with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait – all the latest in blogs and writing tips and writing books, for writers and readers of fiction and non-fiction. It’s a great balance for freelance writers and fiction writers, and I always come away with something useful. The author interviews are wonderful – if you’re a reader, you’ll be introduced to some great books and if you’re a writer, you’ll learn a few things about the writing habits and tips from various writers. Valerie and Allison are old friends and I almost feel as if I am eavesdropping on their conversation.
  • Your creative life with Vanessa Carnevale – this is a new podcast, and one that I am relishing. Vanessa has an amazing array of writers, agents and editors to interview and the subject matter is meaty and deep. Sometimes I want to put my hand up in the air and say, ‘Me, too, that’s how I feel!’
  • The beautiful writers podcast with Danielle Laporte and Linda Siversten – Danielle and Linda are American writers, who are passionate about the publishing industry and creativity. They start each podcast with a blessing, and interrupt the more serious questions with a rapid-fire volley of multiple choice questions. Beautiful, in-depth conversations.
  • Magic lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert – if you are a Liz fan, these podcasts are a must-listen. She chats to a creative person who is ‘stuck’ in some way and offers her suggestions. Then in the next podcast, she calls on one of her friends – we’re talking Cheryl Strayed or Brene Brown here – and discusses the creative person’s dilemma with them. The creative types range from writers, photographers, artists and so on.
  • Become a problogger with Darren Rowse – Darren has a lovely, melodious voice that is so easy to listen to, and makes his wise words seem even wiser. He has such great advice which comes from years of blogging. I intend to go back through his podcasts and take notes, rather than simply listening in the car – there is a wealth of information there for bloggers.
  • TED talks – TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. There is a huge array of topics, and the speakers are entertaining and perceptive. Whether you want to learn about vulnerability from Brene Brown, writing from Elizabeth Gilbert or happiness from Shawn Achor, you will find something to move, entertain or educate you.

I’m interested to know if you listen to podcasts, and which ones are your favourites. And whether you’re ironing or driving while you’re listening. Let me know in the comments!