Zoom Review: The Grand Finale Celebrates the Grand Beginning - 11am, Saturday, 12 December 2020
A Zoom Review:
Mentone Public Library's Grand Finale Celebrating the Grand Beginning: Reunion with the Local Authors of "An Author for All Seasons: Series One"
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Mentone Public Library
celebrated its 95th year
through local author talks,
hosted on Zoom by
Julia Reichstein in 2020.
The 12th of December was the finale of
“An Online Anniversary
Celebration for All Seasons”.
This session regathered authors
who presented at the inaugural
local author talk series
which launched in 2011 -
Shirley Randles , George Ivanoff,
Elsie Johnstone and Graeme Johnstone.
 |
| Graeme & Elsie at their debut appearance for the first ever series of "An Author for All Seasons" on Saturday, 10 December 2011 |
There were also performances
by musician
throughout.
The session finished with an amusing
“Author Appreciation Ceremony”.
Alongside them were kind speeches
from City of Kingston's
 |
| Mayor Cr Steve Staikos pictured with Mayor's Best Friend! |
and
Mentone Public Library president
They praised the author talks and the library.
Mark McGurgan performed
an introductory piece,
an ode to the problems of 2020.
One
standout lyric was:
"It’s okay to not be okay.
Let’s not be okay together.”
Julia then introduced
the pioneering local author of
"An Author for All Seasons",
Also dubbed by Julia as her literary “buba”,
a word taking its roots from the Russian “babushka”.
For 20 years Shirley interviewed authors on “Write Now”, a Southern FM radio program which Gaytana Adorna now hosts.
 |
| Shirley (at left) together with Gaytana at Mentone Public Library in 2013 |
Shirley spoke of her experience at the library.
"I had the honour to be the first Saturday morning guest writer to speak at this library in 2011.
My published book
described my life as a child of
migrant parents living in Shepparton…
I recall on another Saturday morning
(at Mentone Public Library)
when I also spoke with other women writers who had overcome cancer,
or as Julia called it, overcome adversity.
This was a session in which we all agreed
how much we were determined
to enjoy our lives, and to keep writing.”
Following Shirley,
Mark sang about George Ivanoff
on piano accordion,
with the humorous hook
“Too much coffee and chocolate,
never enough Dr Who.
These are the words of George Ivanoff.
He’s got a story for you…”
And so he did...
 |
| George Ivanoff's debut appearance at Mentone Public Library for "An Author for All Seasons: Series One" - Saturday, 27 August 2011 (Pictured in front row: former Member for Mordialloc Janice Munt & former Mayor of Kingston, the late Bill Nixon OAM.) |
George recounted how in 2011, as a less-known author, it was invaluable to have strong support from Mentone Public Library.
He was invited back several times after his first appearance,
particularly for the finale each year.
Now a successful Australian author of young adult fiction and other literature, it was great to hear his story of growth.
This year, he has released a box set of his iconic “You Choose” series in a new format, and “The Human Body Survival Guide”.
He is developing a third installment with the working title...
“The Supernatural Survival Guide”,
A real joy to be a part of.
Much-loved friends of
Mentone Public Library;
gave riveting presentations about
some of their works.
Elsie spoke of hers and Graeme's
first co-authored novel showcased at
Mentone Public Library's
"An Author for All Seasons: Series One"
covering domestic violence;
"Lover, Father, Husband, Monster"
uniting again four years later to co-write
Book Three:
 |
| Elsie & Graeme returned to co-present "The Aftermath" & their other repertoire of titles at Mentone Public Library in 2017 |
Elsie then focused on "Ma’s Garden".
This work of historical fiction was inspired by the story of Graeme’s own grandparents' (Ethel and Christopher Johnstone) relocation from the city in 1902 for a new life in a small Gippsland town.
 |
Webpage Scan Sourced from National Library of Australia Trove Catalogue: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/612 |
The centre-pieces of their story revolve around Ethel's much admired garden and their founding and running of the country newspaper:
"Trafalgar and Yarragon Times"
Elsie has also published a myriad of autobiographical poetry compilations,
such as:
and
Whenever Elsie talks about her work,
she draws people in with her passion
and talent of painting vivid images
with her words.
Graeme was expressive
as he spoke of his memoir about the first female member of Australian Parliament
and
musical playscript
"Normie"
chronicling the rise of
Australian 1960's entertainer
Graeme also discussed his long-running
association with
local community radio station
88.3 Southern FM
as host of news and variety program
In breaking news...
Graeme alerted us to
his latest scripted musical
now in the early stages
of production:
"The Arc of Love".
We shall update you further
once Graeme's second
musical venture
has indeed come full circle.
With his self-deprecating
sense of humour,
Graeme also talked about
his poetry anthologies:
"OK Boomer and Other Radio Poems"
being the popular comeback that people of a younger generation might say to people of his generation
and
being somebody who claims to care about all the popular social issues but continues to go about their privileged lifestyle -
he quipped that he was a
‘chardonnay socialist’
himself.
At the end of their
individual presentations,
Elsie performed
"Groundhog Day"
- about the recent
lockdown in Melbourne.
Graeme performed his poem
written only days prior
to his online appearance for
Mentone Public Library's
Grand Finale:
"Varying Views on the Vaccine"
about differing opinions surrounding
the coronavirus vaccine.
"An Online
Anniversary Celebration
for All Seasons"
to mark Mentone Public Library's
95th birthday virtual commemoration.
It was a light-hearted way
to celebrate such an ‘unprecedented’ year.
Mentone Public Library expresses our gracious thanks to the local writers, musicians and library patrons who traversed with us into the Zoomosphere to keep our birthday
and local literary celebrations going.
It would not have been possible
without your support and input
helping us to navigate
this new world together.
2021
TO BOOKMARK FOR YOUR CALENDAR:
Details of
"An Author for All Seasons:
Series Eleven"
will be released between
mid-February / start March 2021.
In the meanwhile...
Mentone Public Library
look forward to welcoming you
back into our library home in 2021 :)
Here's to
a safer
and
happier
New Year.
Enquiries:
03 9005 6300 / mentonepubliclibrary@gmail.com
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