‘The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex’ by Gabrielle Williams

From the BLURB:

A rock chick.

An artist with attitude.

A girl with a past.

A party animal.

Four lives collide when one of the world's most famous paintings is stolen. It's a mystery that has the nation talking, but while Picasso's Weeping Woman might be absent from the walls of the National Gallery, in other parts of Melbourne the controversial painting's presence is being felt by Guy, Rafi, Luke and Penny for four very different reasons.

Life, love, art and one giant party intersect in this offbeat comedy about good intentions, unexpected consequences and the irresistible force of true love.

‘The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author Gabrielle Williams.

So I had the absolute pleasure of reading this story when it was still a manuscript, and now it’s in my hot little hand as a finished book and I need people to know that it’s one of my favourites of 2015, and should be on everyone’s must-read list.

Allow me to explain …

This book opens with a history lesson;

On 2 August 1986, a group calling itself the Australian Cultural Terrorists stole one of the world’s most iconic paintings – Picasso’s Weeping Woman – off the walls of the National Gallery of Victoria and held it to ransom, demanding an increase in government funding for artists in Victoria. The painting was the subject of an international manhunt involving Interpol, Scotland Yard and the Australian Federal Police. 

The Australian Cultural Terrorists were never found.

Pretty cool, right? You can definitely see how this little slice of Aussie history got the wheels churning in Gab William’s very clever, writerly mind. The theft of The Weeping Woman has its own Wikipedia page and everything – and is even more intensely fascinating because there’s so many question marks hanging over the whole episode (that’s where Williams steps in with some creative licence for this story!).

‘The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex’ is narrated by an omniscient narrator, as we follow the four very different characters of the title (Guy, Rafi, Luke and Penny) each of whom is in some way touched by the disappearance of The Weeping Woman. I almost don’t want to say too much about any of the main characters, because it will give too much away about how each of them fits into this mystery puzzle like pieces of a jigsaw. I will say that through these four young characters, Gabrielle Williams explores everything from school atrophy, grief and mental illness, single-parenthood and egomania.

And while the whole story hangs on a famous piece of artwork – from one of the forefathers of Cubism, no less – the book isn’t necessarily about the transcendence or even the beauty of art. Instead it looks at a darker side of the profession and imagination – at the pursuit of beauty no matter the cost, and the manic-drive to create that which is in our heads, even at the day-to-day, hand-to-mouth struggle of most artists. There are even some very funny interludes in the form of letters-to-the-editor, where people complain about the ugly impenetrableness of art – and these had me laughing-out-loud.

I’ve got to say, Gab William’s exploration of the darker side to the art world is utterly refreshing. I’m currently struggling to chew my way through Jandy Nelson’s Printz-winning I’ll Give You The Sun which is lovely but full-to-bursting at the seams with talk of the magical, healing properties of art creation and appreciation and I’ve got to say … I roll my eyes at a lot of it. Going from that book to Gabrielle Williams’ is like taking a big gulp of refreshing, no-bullshit air. I especially appreciate Gab William’s frankness because the pivot-point of her novel is Picasso’s Weeping Woman, and there’s even some exploration here of the “great master” as kind of a misogynist – it feels like there’s some Guerilla Girls politics subtext in this book, for the way a male-driven art world is portrayed in none-too flattering light against the women who are sometimes trodden on in their pursuit of greatness.

I also loved this book for the reason I love most of Gab William’s books – Melbourne. From her first Beatle Meets Destiny to The Reluctant Hallelujah, I always love seeing my city through Gab’s eyes on the page. And Melbourne of the 80’s through Gab’s eyes is pure enjoyment;

The Crystal Ballroom was all sticky carpet and cigarette smoke and body-slamming music. The Withers had come and gone, and John Lydon (ex-Johnny Rotten) had just taken the stage. He gripped the microphone in his fist and yelled, ‘God Save the Queen,’ out to the audience, riling them up and making Penny feel chalky and brittle. She hadn’t realised punk was still such a big thing in Melbourne. She thought it had died back in the late seventies, but apparently not. Not if the spiky, safety-pinned crowd at the Crystal Ballroom was anything to go by.

I also loved ‘The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex’ because it’s a young adult book edging towards New Adult. There are characters in their early-20’s here who are so relatable for all the ways that their life is still hanging onto the dregs of childhood, and they have some tough times ahead that nudges them more fully into adulthood … but the same way that Gab takes the glowing sheen off the art world, she likewise portrays both teen years and early-20’s in equal hardships, highlighting the many ways we can all stand to grow up a little bit more.

I love ‘The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex’. I loved it in manuscript form, and now that it’s a finished book I love it even more. I can’t even begin to tell you how much you need this book in your life right now.

5/5

Reading Matters 2013 - The Reception

This weekend it was my absolute delight to attend the 10th biennial Reading Matters, hosted by the State Library’s Centre for Youth Literature. For those who don’t know, Reading Matters is Australia’s leading youth literature event – where local and overseas authors mix with their young readers in school’s day events, followed by a two day conference with teachers, librarians, teacher-librarians and other industry professionals. It’s epic. 

This was my first ever Reading Matters and I honestly didn’t know quite what to expect . . .  I knew that I loved the author line-up and the topics to be covered (everything from gate keeping to gender identity) piqued my interest. But I went along to the reception on Thursday night a little bit nervous and timid, afraid people would think that, as a blogger, I was encroaching on a professional space (then I felt a bit pretentious, having ‘Alpha Reader’ on my name-badge, like I was throwing a gauntlet down amongst all these fellow bookish types. I’m surprised nobody challenged me to a read-off). 

But, actually, quite a few people chastised me when I introduced myself as “just a blogger.” And then any nerves I had dissipated when I started talking to the authors. 

I got to meet Ambelin Kwaymullina, who I've long admired since reading (and loving) ‘The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf’ and interviewing her for Kill Your Darlings. I got the low-down on ‘Ashala Wolf’ #2 (due out in November) – and have been promised big revelations and a wee bit of romance. 

And then there were my other favourite Aussie authors – Gabrielle Williams, Vikki Wakefield, Fiona Wood and Myke Bartlett. All four are currently working on new books and spoke a bit about them– everybody, watch this space because there are some amazing stories coming our way! 

It was also my great pleasure to meet Jess, of Tales Compendium fame and a fellow blogger who became my conference bestie (bloggers, unite!). If you haven’t already, do check out her blog for some thoughtful and killer reviews (and because I think she might have a few giveaways up her sleeve following Reading Matters. . . ) 

I also got to meet Libba Bray and Gayle Forman at the reception (after spending a good hour quasi-stalking them around the room, then eventually getting the nerve to ask someone to introduce us). You guys. You GUYS! – these two are like rock stars. I’m not kidding. They’re cool like rockers, and they swear like sailors (I do believe Tim Sinclair even taught Gayle Forman some special Aussie profanity – like she needed more?). And they are horrendously hilarious – I thought they were funny individually, but get them together and it’s awesome-sauce. They are like the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler of the young adult scene . . . .don’t even get me started on what they said after we introduced them to the word ‘spunk’ (in reference to an attractive individual). I'm such a huge fan of both Libba and Gayle - and it was just the best thing to meet them and become even bigger fans of them as people, not just authors. 

 

And it was pretty cool when Centre For Youth Literature Program Coordinator, Adele Walsh (also known as Persnickety Snark) offered Gayle Forman an ‘If I Stay’ casting idea – Australian heart-throb, Brenton Thwaites . . . and the very next day Gayle actually mentioned him in a movie-news tumblr post! Argh! It’s like we were present to hear (possible) movie magic happening!

So, that was the Reading Matters reception; swilling wine, hanging out with some formidable authors and feeling an electric buzz in the air for what tomorrow would bring . . . 

. . . Notes on the 2-day conference will be posted soon!

The Inky Awards 2012 Shortlist Announced

★

Below are the details of the Inky Awards 2012 Shortlist! I had so much fun being an Inky judge; I got to meet some wonderful bibliophiles and had the opportunity to read and champion some fantastic books!

I owe a big thanks to the State Library, Centre for Youth Literature and Inside a Dog for inviting me to judge (and calling me an 'industry expert' - watch my ego inflate!)

Congratulations to all those who made both the long and short list (it was seriously tough competition), I hope that everyone who is eligible votes, and that everyone attends the awards on October 23 (I'll be there! With bells on!)

★

The Inky Awards are Australia’s teen-choice awards as voted for online by the readers of insideadog.com.au. It recognises home grown writing talent with the Gold Inky, and titles from across the ocean with the Silver Inky.

The judging panel consisted of four teenagers from around Australia; author and 2011 Gold Inky Award winner James Moloney; and industry expert Danielle Binks. Together they whittled down the 2012 Inky Awards Longlist to five Australian titles (Gold Inky), and five international titles (Silver Inky), for the 2012 Inky Awards Shortlist.

The Inky Awards – Vote Now!

Voting is now open on insideadog.com.au/vote.

Include your username while voting and you will go in to the draw to win the entire shortlisted books!

*If you’re not registered you can register at insideadog.com.au.

Voting is open to ages 12-20.

Voting closes on the 14 October 2012.

Winners will be announced at The Inky Awards event on the 23rd of October. Find out more about the event on the State Library of Victoria’s What’s On page.

Follow the Inky Awards experience via -
Twitter: @insideadog #Inkys Facebook: Inside A Dog

Gold Inky (Australian books)
★ Shift by Em Bailey
★ Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar
★ Act of Faith by Kelly Gardiner
★ Queen of the Night by Leanne Hall
★ The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams

Silver Inky (International books)
★ BZRK by Michael Grant
★ The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
★ Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
★ A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
★ Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

'The Reluctant Hallelujah' by Gabrielle Williams

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

"But there I go, getting ahead of myself. Skipping straight to the part where I was front-page news and they were calling me Dorothy, instead of starting at the beginning..."

When Dodie's parents go missing just as final year exams are about to start, she convinces herself they're fine. But when the least likely boy in class holds the key -- quite literally -- to the huge secret her parents have been hiding all these years, it's up to Dodie, her sister, the guy from school, and two guys she's never met before, to take on the challenge of a lifetime. So now Dodie's driving -- unlicensed -- to Sydney, and being chased by bad guys, the police, and one very handsome good guy.

** SPOILER alert – if you don’t know what the ‘package’ is that must be transported to Sydney, I do spoil the reveal in this review.

If you want to take your chances and spoil the surprise, then click on the Show/hide button below for my full review.

Otherwise, I highly suggest you go grab a copy of the book and enjoy the OMG! plot twist **

When Dodie’s parents don’t return home one night, she doesn’t immediately panic. Because Dorothy ‘Dodie’ Farnshaw has a few things on her plate… like exams. Like needing to study and pass her exams, get an amazing ENTER score so she’ll be accepted into a wonderful university and then figure out exactly what it is she wants to do with her life! So, no, Dodie and her younger sister, Coco, don’t go into red-alert because their parents are MIA for one day.

The panic sets in after. When Dodie arrives at school and a boy she has never talked to before, a boy nicknamed ‘Enron’ (insert sarcasm: because he’s not the smartest guy in the room) approaches Dodie and says he knows about her missing parents. More than that, he knows that there’s a basement in her house she has never known about, a hidden key in her mum’s wardrobe and a very important package that needs to get to Sydney in a matter of days.

Yeah.

Right.

Except when Dodie, Enron and Coco investigate, it turns out there is a basement, and a key … and that very important package? Well, it just so happens to be Jesus Christ. As in Jesus Christ, Son of God. Jesus Christ, the Messiah. J-to-the-C. Jesus freakin’ Christ!

Bad guys are after JC’s dead body, and it’s up to Enron, Coco and Dodie to get him safely from Melbourne to Lavender Bay in Sydney. They’ll need to do some urban exploration, avoid the bad guys and try to keep the miracles that follow JC on the down-low from the media.

Along for the ride are two odd disciples – Taxi and Jones, urban explorers who have been wrangled into moving the Messiah. 

This is going to be one hell of a road trip.

‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ is the much anticipated new YA novel from Australian author, Gabrielle Williams.

I have been craving this novel ever since I read Williams’s ‘Beatle Meets Destiny’, and subsequently vowed to read every single thing she ever writes. And then the cover was released (drool-worthy) along with a most mysterious blurb, and I became apoplectic with excitement. Now it’s here, I have devoured, and I was delighted! Hallelujah! 

Let me just start by saying I found it near impossible to write this review without talking about you-know-who. Because He is the mystery ‘package’ which Dodie and Co. must deliver to Lavender Bay. He is the Messiah Dodie’s parents have been hiding in their basement all these years … and He is a kinda big plot device in the book. So, I’m sorry if you have been spoiled but I have to talk about Jesus Christ as a character in ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah.’ Sorry, again. 

Dodie’s parents go missing and all hell breaks loose. A boy at school she never speaks to, ironically nicknamed Enron, tells her they have been kidnapped and that something hidden in the secret Farnshaw family basement needs to get to Sydney ASAP. But Dodie and her sister, Coco, were not prepared to find the Son of God chilling in their hidden basement – his ‘corpse’ is not quite resurrected, but warm to the touch and perfectly preserved (crucifixion holes and all). But Dodie and Coco quickly become believers, and agree to help Enron move JC to his next ‘location’, with the help of a mysterious network of devoted, who have been hiding the body in various unlikely places since his resurrection from the cave all those years ago… and, really, hiding the Messiah in Melbourne suburbia is kinda ingenious, if you think about it. 

Dodie, Coco and Enron cart Jesus through the Melbourne underground tunnels and drains – whereupon they meet Taxi and Jones, members of the ‘cave clan’ who explore the underground network for a bit of fun. Taxi and Jones are friends of ‘The Mover’, a cantankerous old cripple who is tasked with helping the kids get JC to his next secret location, before the bad guys get to him.

Dodie is reluctant to go on this heavenly road trip (not least of all because she’s unlicensed!). But her parents are missing because of this Messiah, so the begrudgingly agrees to see Him safely hidden away again;




'People kill for their religion,' he finally said, still facing the wall. 'They go to war for it. They fight in the name of it, detonate themselves because of it, refuse to le their children marry people outside of it.' He turned his wheelchair back to face me. To face us. 'That's how people are. That's human nature. If they knew about Him,' and he tipped his head towards Jesus, 'Holy War would break out without a doubt. Your parents knew this. They thought He was worth protecting. And now, they're not here and you're the next best thing.'
Along the way roses will bloom. Lakes will glow and Dodie will learn a thing or two about loyalty, belief and bravery. 

Gabrielle William’s new novel is definitely quirky, to say the least. Throw the corpse of Jesus Christ into any modern-day novel and it’s going to raise a few eyebrows (and maybe a few ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ comparisons)… but, here’s the weird thing, after the initial shock of Dodie finding JC in her basement, the whole ‘Messiah’ thing becomes pretty quickly accepted. Weird, I know. And it’s especially weird because brilliant little miracles do follow Him on the journey – like roses suddenly blooming en masse in a church garden. Or a lake glowing neon in the night. His body though technically ‘dead’, remains warm to the touch and perfectly preserved – and when Dodie touches His cheek, she feels radiant warmth wash through her body. This is definitely JC (as if the facial hair and whole ‘hey I’ve seen your miniature on a cross before!’ weren’t enough of a giveaway). But I really liked the fact that Williams turned JC into just another character, along for the ride.

Sure, the kids do have conversations about Him being in their backseat. Enron is a firm believer, and doesn’t appreciate the suggestion that JC should go in the boot. Dodie is sceptical, but cannot deny what she felt when she touched Him. Some of the conversations about their precious cargo are pretty hilarious, but urban explorer (and super-cute-boy), Jones, offers some of the best and most skeptical zingers;


'So how do you end up driving to Sydney with You-Know-Who in the back seat?'

'Voldermort?' Jones said. 'Voldermort is in the back seat?'
But the brilliance of letting JC chill in the backseat is that the story doesn’t revolve solely around Him. Instead, the real heart of ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ is in His group of rag-tag, unlikely ‘disciples’ and temporary saviours. Taxi and Jones have two of the most heart-breaking stories, both of which Dodie eventually comes to learn about. Taxi carries rocks with him to try and learn forgiveness, while Jones risks his life (caving and dare-devilling) because nobody cares what happens to him. Taxi and Jones were, hands down, my favourite characters in this novel. Two very special boys, and when you learn about them you realize what unlikely helpers they are to JC.

There is a rather big gap in the novel… concerning just how JC came to be freed from his tomb and his body hidden all these years. Williams offers up a few cryptic clues and explanations, but for the most part she keeps an air of mystery around Jesus Christ and the ‘bad guys’ who are looking for him. And, at first, I did want to know more… until I realized that Dodie and Co. don’t need to know the in’s and out’s of JC’s resurrection and subsequent hiding. They just need to have a little faith. They need to trust that they’re doing the right thing, that it’ll all work out in the end and that what they are doing is for a good cause. Blind faith, it’s a wonderful thing.

There is a little romance in this novel, between Dodie and cute cave clan man, Jones. I really liked this, especially since the unlikely and quickly blossoming romance almost felt like another little miracle, courtesy of JC in the backseat.

I will admit that I screamed at the ending, but overall ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ is a very special little novel, from a favourite new Aussie YA author. Gabrielle Williams has taken an utterly quirky plot and turned it into a story with lots of heart, laughs and poignancy. Jesus on a road trip from Melbourne to Sydney is exactly as awesome as it sounds … but you’d be surprised at the minor miracles to be found in the novel too. 

5/5   

Interview with Gabrielle Williams, author of 'The Reluctant Halleuljah'

★

I was so lucky to receive an early copy of 'The Reluctant Hallelujah' a few weeks ago. Since reading the book I have been bursting to share my thoughts and praise... so I am thrilled that today is the book's launch, and I had an opportunity to ask the author, Gabrielle Williams, some burning questions!

This is Gabrielle's second time sitting a Q&A with me, and I am once again very grateful for her time and patience with my long & quirky questions. And a big thanks to Penguin BTL for being equally fabulous!

'The Reluctant Hallelujah' hits stores today - rush out and buy a copy, because it's amazing!
Can I get a 'Hallelujah'?!

★

P.S. - There are some potential SPOILERS in the below interview. If you don't know what the super secret 'package' is at the center of the story, and you don't want to be spoiled, then I suggest you hold off on reading this interview until after you read 'The Reluctant Hallelujah'. You have been warned!

★


Q: Where did you come up with the (ludicrously quirky) idea for ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’?

As with most ludicrously quirky ideas I have, it snuck up on me quietly, and by the time I noticed it, it had been sitting beside me for a good few hours so I was kind of used to it by then. In fact, by the time I really noticed it and thought maybe it would make a good idea for a book, it seemed completely and utterly sensible!

Q: How long did it take you to write ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ – from first idea to final manuscript?

My first draft took 17 days – I kid you not. As soon as I noticed the idea (sitting beside me), all I had to do was write it up. It seemed to be fully formed and ready to go. My hubby told me to write a chapter a day, and being the obedient wife that I am, I did it. Actually, I’m not that obedient a wife, but I found it intriguing to see if I could actually write a chapter a day. Of course, the first draft was completely unreadable, but at least the idea was down on the page, and that’s always the hardest part for me. Unfortunately, the rest of the process took a lot longer than 17 days – probably 18 months from start to finish.

Q: I just love the insanity of a road trip with Jesus! So I’m curious how you ‘pitched’ this idea to your agent and Penguin publishers. How did you ease them into the odd-ball story?

I’m lucky that I’ve got a brilliant agent who is open to anything. And a brilliant publisher who is also open to anything. They were absolutely fantastic and they ‘got’ the book straight away. I didn’t really tell them what it was about, instead I just sent it through saying that it was this idea I had and I thought it was really interesting. However, my American publisher completely freaked, and said there was no way they could publish it. They said it would be waaaaay too controversial over there, and suggested I change Jesus to Elvis (insert gobsmacked smiley-face icon here!!!!!).

Q: I’m guessing it’s no coincidence that Dodie is short for ‘Dorothy’ and the novel involves her going on a journey with a rag-tag bunch of friends? What made you include the ‘Wizard of Oz’ references? And I wonder if I missed any (or just made wrong ones up?) Hume Highway like the yellow brick road? Could the Messiah be ‘The Wizard’?

Oooh, you’re good. Yes, there’s definitely a Wizard of Oz-ish element to the whole book. I always knew this was going to be a road-trip type book, and what more famous road-trip is there than The Wizard of Oz? I started off with Enron as the scarecrow, Taxi as the cowardly lion, and Jones as the tinman, but as I got further into writing the book those characterisations fell away and the characters developed their own distinctive personalities. But it was definitely a good starting point, and certainly structurally I stayed fairly true to it. Emerald City – Sydney. Yellow Brick Road – Pacific Highway. But I don’t think Jesus is The Wizard. Or maybe he is. I’m not sure.

Q: One reference I really loved in the novel was to Melbourne’s Cave Clan. Which is a group dedicated to urban exploration – they wander around the city’s underground network of drains, and Dodie bumps into a couple of them when she, Enron and Coco are smuggling Jesus out of her family’s basement. In your acknowledgements you do give a little shout-out to some clan men: ‘Ath, Draco & Apex from the Cave Clan for being brilliant guides to the underworld of Melbourne.' So I’ve got to ask… how did you first find out about urban exploration, how did you get in touch with the mysterious ‘Cave Clan’ and did you actually go underground?

The drains of Melbourne are the great untapped resource for all young, single girls of Melbourne – so many cute, cool guys go down there, interested in graffing (that’s cool-speak for doing graffiti) and exploring and just having a bit of an adventure. Of course, it’s completely illegal and really dangerous so I can’t tell you how to contact them or any of those juicy details because my publisher would kill me. And maybe the police would arrest me. And there are probably loads of parents who wouldn’t be terribly impressed with me either. But yeah, it was definitely an experience, going down with those guys. The worst part was climbing down into the drains – I’m scared of heights, and scared of the dark, and the description in the book of Dodie climbing into the drains is taken very definitely from my first-hand experience.

Q: Still on the cave clan … did you think they’d be a good fit for the novel because Jesus did, rather famously, spend some time in a cave?

Ah, that’s hilarious. I hadn’t even thought of that, but now that you mention it, definitely. It’s weird how many strange coincidences happened while I was writing this book. One of the strangest ones was when I was working on my first draft: my husband was driving past a church in Elsternwick, and the board out the front proclaimed ‘Jesus Lives’, and someone had graffitied underneath ‘in my basement’! Which, as you know, is exactly what happens in my book. Bizarre!

Q: I also really loved the fact that in the novel, Jesus’s ‘saviours’ are the most unlikely group of kids. This spoke to me, because I can imagine a lot of very devout, deeply religious people would be horrified at the thought of JC spending time with the youth of today (and all their London rioting, drunken, sexting behaviour!) but, actually, Dodie and Co. do a pretty good job of coming to the rescue. Did you think it would be interesting to see Jesus hanging out with today’s generation? And all the trouble they could get into?

I think Jesus stills lives in people’s imaginations – whether they’re Catholic or not – because He was such a good bloke. That’s my impression of Him. I think He would have been ace fun to hang out with, and probably had a really good sense of humour. And I’m sure He would have been totally into bands and music and partying. A lot of the stuff in my book is written from that standpoint. I think He’s the opposite of judgmental, and people were drawn to Him because He was very charismatic and interesting and saw things differently from the way everyone else saw them. And when you think about it, all the people He hung out with in His day were people living on the edge, so I don’t think He’d have a problem at all hanging out with kids today.

Q: I also loved that Jesus didn’t ‘overpower’ the book. He is the Messiah, after all, he could have stolen the whole show … but the book really focuses a lot on the kids; Dodie, Enron, Coco and particularly Taxi and Jones. Was it hard to let the young protagonists shine, when they’re sharing scenes with the Son of God?

I wanted Jesus to take a back seat (quite literally, in the case of the road-trip) to what was happening with the kids in the book. He’s the catalyst to the action, but he definitely isn’t the main character. It’s about having trust and faith in people. It’s about being a part of something that’s bigger than yourself. And it’s about rocking out to AC/DC on the outskirts of Merimbula.

Q: Now, be honest, how many ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ jokes have you heard about this novel?

Well, we managed to keep the whole Jesus-lives-in-my-basement under wraps for most of the last 18 months, but now that’s it’s getting out there and being reviewed, there are starting to be a few ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ comparisons. Which is fine with me, because the book has a light-hearted feel to it.

Q: Some people might be reluctant (ha!) to read the book, purely because of Jesus in a modern setting (in a young adult road trip novel, no less!) but you really are respectful to the Messiah throughout the book. And the story really is about faith. So what would you say to those people who will flat refuse to read ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ because they assume it’s disrespectful?

I’m sure there are plenty of people who will assume ‘The Reluctant Hallelujah’ isn’t their thing because of the whole Messiah thing. And that’s fine. Personally, I don’t think there’s anything particularly religious about the book (except admittedly, the head of the Church is one of the characters) but if people think it’s not for them, then maybe it isn’t.

Q: I’ve got to ask (and because you mentioned it at Penguin’s ‘between the lines’ open day) – are we ever going to get a ‘Beatle Meets Destiny’ sequel?

I did have a bit of a tinker with a sequel in the early days, and then put it to one side, and then picked it up again, and have put it to one side again. I’m not sure. When I write, I try to write from a genuine perspective, not from a ‘readers are looking for the sequel’ perspective. If it happens, it’ll happen, but I’m afraid I’m not a clever enough writer to be able to engineer a whole book without having my entire heart and soul in it. I have to wait for the idea to flutter into my head, and then I’m off. Until then, I just bash away at the keyboard, trying to stumble upon the idea that is going to capture me as much as it hopefully captures the people who subsequently read it.

Q: What are you working on at the moment? And when can we expect your next novel?

I’ve got this idea that I’m really excited about at the moment. It’s about the world’s most awesome party that happens on one night in Melbourne, and changes people’s lives for ever. It’s like a cross between Peter Seller’s ‘The Party’ and ‘Romeo & Juliette’. Which reminds me … when can we all expect YOUR new novel, which I’ve heard secret rumours about?

Extract from 'The Reluctant Hallelujah' by Gabrielle Williams

Enron helped me move the couch. We pushed all four of Grandma’s tables to one side. Enron hoisted the coffee table off the floor with one hand and left it on the couch with all the cushions. Something Mum would definitely not approve of.

‘Last thing,’ Minty said, nodding down at the Persian rug that took up a large chunk of the lounge room floor. Enron took one corner, Minty took the other and I went to the middle and we peeled it back, like the pastry lid of a pie dish.

In the middle of the carpet was a neatly cut square, slotting perfectly into the pattern so you might miss it if you weren’t looking, but easy enough to find if you knew what to search for.

We stepped back from it a moment. Instinctively I looked towards the front windows, even though the shutters were closed.

We lifted the square of carpet, and there it was.

A solid iron trapdoor. With a lock. An ornate, old-fashioned lock that would fit an ornate, old-fashioned iron key perfectly.

I’d seen enough NCIS to know that two missing parents and one locked trapdoor is a combination for great TV but not so great in real life.

I slung a glance at Minty. She was watching me carefully, ready to sweep me up in case I fell to pieces.

And at that moment, we heard another key in the front door. Turning in the lock.

We looked to see who it was. More than anything, I wanted it to be my mum. I wanted it to all be some ridiculous misunderstanding. I didn’t care what was in the basement. I didn’t care that we had a lock in the middle of our lounge room floor. Mum could tell me it didn’t involve me, and I’d be fine with that. Better than fine. Great. I would never peel that Persian rug back again. We could put that ornate old key back on the mantelpiece and forget about it. We’d put the couch back. Take the coffee table off the furniture. Put everything back the way it was.

Including my life.

The front door clicked shut. Not so quietly this time.

Coco walked down the hallway, heading for the kitchen. Eyes down, headphones in, texting as if everything was good with the world. As if everything was fine. No problems here, thanks for asking.

I felt like smacking her.

‘Are you right there?’ I said, feeling furious that she didn’t even care less whether Mum and Dad were okay or not. ‘You right? Texting like everything’s tickety-boo.’

She looked at the furniture all butted up against each other, and peeled her headphones out of her ears.

‘What’s going on?’

‘Mum and Dad still aren’t home.’

She faltered for a moment, looked over at Minty and Jools and Enron, the white cord of her iPod dangling from her hand, and I could see her brain starting to grasp the fact that something was wrong, but struggling with what that could mean. She plunged her iPod into the side pocket of her school dress and zipped the pocket up, an instinctive reaction. I could feel myself getting teary again.

They say you can take the measure of a man by how he deals with stress. Well, here was my measure. I was a basket case.

I couldn’t stop crying. It wasn’t my problem anymore. Coco was going to have to deal with it. It wasn’t fair that just because I was two years older I was supposed to take control. Didn’t mean I was two years better at coping with stuff. In fact, being older made it worse, because I felt more pressure. If something happened, I was expected to deal with it.

I wasn’t up to it.

‘Dodie,’ Coco said, dragging my hands away from my face to look me square in the eye. ‘Have you called Mum and Dad? Have you tried to ring?’

‘There’s something down there,’ I said, and nodded towards the trapdoor. ‘Once we’ve got rid of it, we’re calling the police.’

Coco didn’t say anything. It was as if she didn’t trust her mouth to come up with any kind of response.

‘They were looking after something,’ Enron was saying, his voice soothing and deep. Calm. ‘I’ll get it. You don’t need to come down, and once I’m gone you can call the police.’

I looked across at Coco to see how she was reacting. She was frowning at him, not saying a word.

And then Enron knelt down and put the old key that was still in his hand into the lock in our floor.

☼

Publication date: 22 February 2012

Q and A with Gabrielle Williams

'Beatle meets Destiny' quickly became one of my new favorite books, and Gabrielle Williams one of my favorite new Young Adult authors. From the iconic Melbourne setting to the wonderfully dubious title characters - this book is *AMAZING*. And even more amazing is being able to have a chat with Gabrielle Williams herself, and ask her all those questions that have been bubbling up since reading the last line of 'Beatle meets Destiny'.

Without further ado - I give you, Gabrielle Williams!

♥

Q: Was there ever any doubt in your mind that the novel would be set in Melbourne?

If I'd gotten Government funding I might have been persuaded to set 'Beatle Meets Destiny' in Paris and lived for a year in a garret, wearing stripy t-shirts and eating baguettes. But no funding meant no Paris meant no way I was going to set it anywhere but Melbourne.

Q: You are clearly a proud Melbourne gal (after my own heart!). What’s your favourite thing about the city?

Hm. Favourite thing? I think it's precisely the lack of a favourite thing that is my favourite thing, if you know what I mean. There is no particular touristy attraction you'd take an out-of-towner to. The weather isn't as balmy as up north. People from overseas might skip Melbourne if they were only visiting Australia for a short time. But it's precisely this lack that seems to give Melbourne its soul. It's the people and the culture and the insider-knowledge that have built up over years and years that make Melbourne so loveable, not some brassy, shiny bauble.

Q: Character names are quite integral to the plot of ‘Beatle meets Destiny’. . . did your entire story idea sprout from the names of John Lennon and Destiny Mcartney, or did the plot come first followed by the names?

I always knew I wanted it to be about a guy who's very likeable, but who cheats on his girlfriend nonetheless - Roy and Amelia were early versions. However as soon as Beatle and Destiny dropped into my brain, the book just about wrote itself.

Q: Were you already a fan of the ‘Fab Four’ before you started writing the book, or did your love grow with inspiration?

Actually, I'm more of a Stones girl myself, but after coming up with idea of calling my main character John Lennon, I started noticing the Beatles more, listening to their songs, choosing their playlist on my iPod, to the point where these days I'm blown away by how fabulously talented they were.

Q: One of the things I loved about your novel was all the gray areas. Like the character of Beatle - he’s a really great guy (total crush material) but he is, technically, a ‘cheater’. Or Winsome’s romantic dalliance with a certain teacher. How hard is it to write these ‘tightrope’ characters and dubious situations?

'Tightrope' characters - I like it. It's a good phrase. I might use it next time, if you don't mind. In a funny way tightrope characters are easy to write because there's so much going on. You've got someone who's a great guy, but who's unfaithful to his girlfriend, and lying to his friends and family in order to not get caught, but also lying to the new girl because he doesn't want her to know the truth, plus trying to juggle everything and everyone without dropping the bundle - easy! There's pages and pages worth of character right there.

Q: The internet is abuzz with ‘Beatle meets Destiny’ movie adaptation news – can you give us a status-update on the film?

Abuzz? I wish. More like 'averyverytinyblip', but if we get the word out there, we might have the internet abuzz before the week's out! I was very glamorous recently and met with the director who is working on the screenplay at the moment. Actually, I wasn't glamorous, but she was. She's this really interesting German woman called Anna Justice (you can Google her if you're interested - she's won quite a few awards for her films) who worked in LA for about 15 years before returning to her native Berlin. She's finishing the script as we speak, and was bandying about all kinds of ridiculously famous actors for certain roles, but I don't want to say anything more about that because I might jinx it. Beatle isn't the only person who's extremely superstitious.

Q: Since we’re talking about the film (and if you haven’t answered this via the previous question) can you shine any light on the biggest rumour of all, that ‘Beatle meets Destiny’ might be filmed in Ireland?! (to be sure, to be sure. . .)

Your sources are good! Either Ireland or Canada are the hot spots at the moment.

Q: One more film-related question (last one, I promise!) who would be your ideal cast for the movie?

That's a tricky one - any suggestions?

Q: Astrology, destiny and fate all play a pivotal (if sceptical) role in the lives of all your characters. But did you know that people’s star signs have changed because of the Earth’s realignment with the sun? It’s true: I'm not telling you this just to be geeky and impressive. . . I'm wondering if this *SHOCKING* and *AMAZING* news will prompt you to write a sequel to ‘Beatle meets Destiny’? Pretty please?

That is SHOCKING and AMAZING news, and in a way I think it would be really quite fun to revisit Beatle and Destiny - in fact, you've just given me a brilliant idea for my next book …

Q: ‘Beatle meets Destiny’ is an iconic Aussie YA read. The minute my eyes read the last line, I knew the book was a keeper and one I would be passing around to my friends. What are some of your favourite Australian books, and what Aussie authors have been big influences for you?

I'm rapt that you would call it an iconic Aussie YA read - I'll slip you that cheque later. Some of my favourite Aussie books are: 'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak; 'Liar' by Justine Larbalestier; 'Eucalyptus' by Murray Bail; pretty much anything by Sonya Hartnett; 'Raw Blue' by Kirsty Eager; 'Addition' by Toni Jordan; and the list goes on and on and on.

Q: You started your career as an advertising copywriter (a pretty darn cool job!). What prompted you to write a novel, and is it something you’re now devoting yourself to, full-time?

Working in advertising as a copywriter was fantastic fun when I was young and single, but once I had kids it started being a bit more difficult. Once I chose to switch to part-time I seemed to get the crappy briefs and the less interesting clients which in turn made the work less satisfying creatively. So I decided to start writing my own stuff because I was sick of clients and account service bossing me around and telling me what to write (take that! bossy clients and account service people).

Q: You have two teenage children. Did they offer you insights and suggestions while writing ‘Beatle meets Destiny’? And were they pleased that you weren’t writing about underage sex, drugs and all that typical angsty teen stuff?

Oops. Three kids. Don't worry, it's a common mistake. Somehow our youngest boy got overlooked in my bio, and he's been overlooked ever since. Poor kid. I usually even forget to cook him dinner, it's gotten so bad. My oldest girl (who's now 21) was fantastic giving critical feedback. She read an early draft and told me in no uncertain terms where it sounded fake or try-hard or preachy, so I took all those bits out, added some other stuff, showed it to her again, took out more fake/try-hard/preachy stuff (repeat indefinitely) until finally I refused to show it to her anymore, and sent it off to Penguin instead for their feedback!

Q: Do your kids think it’s really cool that you are writing for their demographic?

Funny you should ask that - I think they find it embarrassing, but in a kind of proud way. For example, our middle boy only invited one of his buddies to my book launch, even though I told him to invite all of them, because he wasn't sure what I was going to do or say. But then, when he was overseas recently, he asked me to send a copy of his book to his American girlfriend. So … embarrassed, but proud.

Q: I loved ‘Beatle meets Destiny’ so much! (seriously, if this book were a Trampoline Ice-cream flavour it would be ‘Divine Passion Sorbet’ - it’s that amazingly delicious). What other books are you working on and when can we get our hot little hands on them?

I've got a book with Penguin at the moment, and I'm just waiting to hear from them about whether or not they want to take it on. It's about five teenagers who take a roadtrip from Melbourne to Sydney (two sisters, one guy from their school, and two homeless guys) who have to deliver something very important to Lavender Bay in Sydney. I can't say much more than that, because otherwise I'd have to kill you. Oh, and a sequel to 'Beatle Meets Destiny' which you gave me the idea for a few questions back (I'm not kidding).

Q: Last question, and it has to be asked (but I’ll see if I can make it quirky). If you were trapped in an elevator, which ‘Beatles’ song would you like to be on replay while you await the rescue firemen?

You ask the best questions! Seriously. Okay, let me think. It would have to be 'Help!' wouldn't it?