AustLit

'Dissolve is a deeply personal, profoundly intimate reflection on love and female creativity in a man's world, and what happens when it all collides. Having lived through the humiliation and bewildering complexity of a time of failure, Nikki Gemmell eventually resurfaced. Decades later she has written a meditation on women's lives and creative desires.

'This is a conversation. A conversation with the beautiful young women of her teenage daughter's generation, and of course with men. With husbands and male artists.

'Dissolve is a hopeful, exhilarating book about women finding their voice.' (Publication summary)

'An illustrious family. A beautiful home. A shipwrecked young woman left on its doorstep.

'Don't think they're going to save her.

'Early 1800s. Thomasina Trelora is on her way to the colonies. Her fate: to be married to a clergyman she's never met. As the Australian coastline comes into view a storm wrecks the ship and leaves her lying on the rocks, near death. She's saved by an Aboriginal man who carries her to the door of a grand European house, Willowbrae.

'Tom is now free to be whoever she wants to be and a whole new life opens up to her. But as she's drawn deeper into the intriguing life of this grand estate, she discovers that things aren't quite as they seem. She stumbles across a horrifying secret at the heart of this world of colonial decorum - and realises she may have exchanged one kind of prison for another.

'The Ripping Tree is an intense, sharp shiver of a novel, which brings to mind such diverse influences as The Turn of the Screw, Rebecca and the film Get Out as much as it evokes The Secret River. A powerful and gripping tale of survival written in Nikki Gemmell's signature lyrical and evocative prose, it examines the darkness at the heart of early colonisation. Unsettling, audacious, thrilling and unputdownable.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'International bestselling author, Nikki Gemmell bring us an essay on the power of quiet in a shouty world.

'Australia's bravest and most honest writer explores the devastating aftermath of her elderly mother's decision to end her own life.

'Nikki Gemmell's world changed forever in October 2015 when the body of her elderly mother was found and it became clear she had decided to end her own life. After the immediate shock and devastation came the guilt and the horror, for Nikki, her family, relatives and friends. No note was left, so the questions that Elayn's death raised were endless. Was the decision an act of independence or the very opposite? Was it a desperate act driven by hopelessness and anger, or was her euthanasia a reasoned act of empowerment?

'After is the story of Elayn Gemmell - and the often difficult, prickly relationship between mothers and daughters, and how that changes over time. As anguished as it truthful, as powerful as it is profound, After is about life, death, elderly parents, mothers and daughters, hurt and healing, and about how little, sometimes, we know the ones we love the most.

'A deeply intimate, fiercely beautiful, blazingly bold and important book.'

'I write this in anguish. At the debasement of writers in this country. This is the most despairing time to be an Australian writer for as long as I can remember. Our Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, declared that an Australia of the future has to be agile, innovative and creative; and by his cosmopolitan nature once gave the nation’s artistic community hope that he would oversee a great flowering of the arts in the way a Whitlam did, or a Keating. We mistakenly assumed Mr Turnbull took pride in the worlds of artistic creativity and would nurture them as the mark of a mature and dynamic nation. That he would want the arts to flourish under his stewardship, to create a legacy of vision, daring and confidence.' (Introduction)

'YIPPEE! It's the holidays! Time for glorious summer days and fun with friends.

'Coco's mum is still travelling, but she arranges the BEST surprises.

'One surprise is in a box delivered by Coco's best friend, N.

'The next surprise is an invention called the Skip Back Machine. What does it do?

'And the biggest surprise is tickets to a concert by Coco's favourite pop star, Prince Louis!

'But . . . what if N isn't allowed to go? Coco has a big decision to make . . .' (Publication summary)

'Coco Banjo meets the Prime Minister in the hilarious second book of Coco's fabu-licious adventures!

'It's time for school camp and some spectacular, Coco-licious adventures!

'But two problems could ruin everything . . .

'Jay Page is hiding his pet rat in his bag.

'Worse, Coco's best friend N wants to join Belle's group.

'Has Coco been UNFRIENDED? Can Miss Trample really ban Coco from the disco? Could this camp get any worse?

'Coco needs an amazing plan to make things right. Maybe the Prime Minister can help!' (Publication summary)

'Armed with the knowledge that their mum might still be alive, Kick, Bert, Scruff and Pin have vowed to find her. They'll comb the whole world if they have to! But it seems that Mum's last-known location was closer to home. So with a bewildered Uncle Basti in tow, and their mysterious friend Bone determined to tag along no matter what, the Caddy kids set off for Sydney. Secret tunnels and outback misadventures await!' (Publication summary)

'Coco Banjo to the rescue!

'Coco Banjo loves her life. She sleeps in a tiger onesie, wears her mum's diamonds just because she can, and has dolphins and penguins for friends.

'Today Coco's planning a Yay Day of fun on her secret island home in the middle of Sydney Harbour. But wait . . . what's that Secret Signal?

'Oh no, Narianna (known as N) is being bullied! Coco sets off for school to rescue her. But when cranky school principal Miss Trample sees Coco's school uniform (customised, thank you very much), Coco might be in even more trouble than her best friend. How will she get out of this one? ' (Publication summary)

'The mysterious Lady Adora has a plan for the Caddy kids, but it doesn't involve chocolate and games . . . Kick, Bert, Scruff and Pin are rejoicing - Dad's been found! But he's ill from his wartime experiences, and he's sent away to recover. Then a hint from the butler sets their hearts racing. Could their mother be still alive too? The four siblings begin a wild goose chase to search for clues. But it all goes terribly, horribly wrong when they're kidnapped. They're imprisoned in the Icicle Illuminarium - the most cold, lonely, and falling-down mansion in England. Luckily, there might be a secret friend or two to be found in this odd place. Can Bucket, their loyal dingo dog, help Uncle Basti to find them - before Lady Adora can set her plans in motion? Another feel-good tale about four fearless Aussie bush kids who won't take no for an answer - and certainly can't be cooped up for long, even if their captors think they can!' (Publication summary)

In Personally, [Gemmell] tackles a variety of subjects ranging from female bullying, tenderness, the urge to apologise and becoming an embarrassing parent, to celibacy and the tyranny of technology. Packed full of Nikki's trademark blistering honesty, insight and humour, this collection of columns and exclusive new essays will make you nod in recognition, disagree vehemently, laugh out loud and, above all, think.' (Publisher's blurb)

'The Caddy kids are home alone and they're having the best time ever. Until a stranger arrives with news . . .

'This is the story of how four loud, grubby urchins from the Australian outback find themselves in London for the first peacetime Christmas after years of war.

'But their new guardian hates children. He prefers the company of the hundreds of snakes in his house – the Kensington Reptilarium.

'Fate lends Kick, Scruff, Bert and Pin a helping hand when outraged citizens call for the Reptilarium to be shut down. With the police about to descend, can the Caddy kids warm Uncle Basti's heart – and have their Christmas wishes granted – before it's too late?' (From the publisher's website.)

'Under her Chanel suit and designer lingerie, Connie Carven is no longer the typical banker′s wife. Since Cliff′s dreadful skiing accident Connie has become a willing submissive to her husband′s every desire.

While at first she enjoys a perverse sense of freedom within the ever-tightening bonds of her marriage, this dark and seductive passion consumes her entirely. She finds herself surrendering to an act that will forever remind her that she belongs to her husband alone - to be unlocked only by him, whenever he pleases.

But it is this that awakens Connie from her slumber. In the communal garden of her Notting Hill home, she meets Mel and discovers the thrill of true intimacy.

As the author of the bestselling phenomenon The Bride Stripped Bare and the exquisite With My Body, Nikki Gemmell brought erotic writing into the 21st century; she now looks back to Lady Chatterley′s Lover for inspiration. D.H. Lawrence′s celebrated tale of desire is retold for today and the deliciously provocative I Take You is a modern love story, both earthily passionate and wickedly tantalising.' (Publisher's blurb)