AustLit

'Chiperoni: term for a kind of fog, drizzle rain, experienced in the Shire Highlands of southern Malawi during the cold, dry season; name derived from Mount Chiperone, an isolated mountain peak at the southern extremity of East African mountain ranges, covered with montane forests and surrounded by diciduous woodlands.

'Adele Ogier Jones has lived and worked in Malawi over different periods since 2007. Poems in Counting the Chiperoni were written between 2017 and 2018. They are grouped in three sections, opening with those related to 'chiperoni', the weather phenomenon coming from Mozambique, affecting Malawi's southern Shire Highlands around Blantyre. Then 'bush and plantation' includes poems on changing land use; followed by the longest part of the collection 'and its people', which moves between local people's memories rewritten here as poems, and the poet's own reflections on present-day life, work, and customs affected by environmental and economic changes.'  (Publication summary)

'Beginning after the American Revolution, the temperance movement spread to England and Ireland in the 1830s with temperance societies encouraging moderation as well as the more extreme teetotalism. In Australia, this movement gave rise to an architectural phenomenon called Coffee Palaces – elaborate buildings offering tea rooms, reading rooms, restaurants, accommodation and stabling, all with the promise of a peaceful environment undisturbed by rowdy drinkers. They were, in effect, alcohol-free hotels which, by the 1880s, could be found in every city and most towns in the country. The Coffee Palace in Berrigan, in the New South Wales Riverina, was built to service locals and travellers arriving by horse, coach or on the newly opened railway. It was, over the years, a prominent part of the story of a community, but less visible and less known was the personal story – that of the family which built and operated the Berrigan Coffee Palace. Midst the hardship and heartache, there is the story of innovation, determination and innovation, and the fulfillment of a dream.' (Publication Summary)

'Josh Hammond’s not who he says he is.

'If he’s to stay alive, he must guard his identity, existing isolated from his former life and those he loves. The one enemy he can’t outrun is his failing health—and time is short. Desperate for a solution, Josh leaves the protection of his safe house unapproved. Instead of a cure, he’s left powerless against a cunning adversary. Determined to reclaim his life, he grasps an opportunity for escape, but things go drastically wrong. Can he find a way to expose the lies of a criminal mastermind, or will he be silenced? Forever.' (Publication summary)

'The poems in this collection were written in Pristina and Prizren (Kosovo), and in Dubrovnik - each with their rich stories and heritage. The title represents a new era for the Balkan region, beyond the historical conflict of Kosovo's 'Blackbird Field', so poems are grouped in line with sunset, evening, or night falling on tranquil landscapes, beyond war. Early dawn promise is reflected in the later Dubrovnik section, with a final tale set on Mostar Bridge which has come to symbolise freedom and peace.' (Publication summary)

'Blaine Colton is pulled into a chilling conspiracy when he discovers embryonic clones with his name on them. Convinced the research has breached ethics agreements, he brings close friends, Sophie and Jett Faraday, in on a scheme to find answers. Immediate threats reveal not everyone is happy about his discovery. The reappearance of an identity from Blaine's past unsettles him further, and then a crisis fractures his world. Assuming his research objections and the tragic events are linked, Blaine pursues justice. But someone is watching him. Someone wants him dead.' (Publication summary)

'Trust the science - unless your life depends on it.

'Blaine Colton had been handed a genetic death sentence until revolutionary gene therapy changed his life. Living a relatively normal existence, he is called to an unscheduled post-treatment appointment just weeks before his eighteenth birthday. Informed that his life saving procedure was never approved, he is held against his will for his status as an apparent illegal GMO. Subjected to constant testing, refused contact with his parents and deprived of life sustaining medication, Blaine begins to suspect that something is wrong. Wanting answers, he escapes the Institute and ambitious Chief Scientist, Dr Melissa Hartfield. Now a fugitive with a failing body, Blaine must find Professor Ramer, the developer of his therapy. But the Professor has vanished and time is running out. Fast.' (Publication summary)