In a literary celebration Flinders’ NY Times bestselling author releases novel creation while Facebook non-fiction sells best for Bloomsbury, and first-year psych student tests her acting forte in the US.
Facebook analysis bestseller
A book that investigates the structure and organisation of comments on Facebook has been named bestselling monograph (specialist book on a single subject by one author) for 2018 across publisher Bloomsbury’s linguistics list.
Dr Matteo Farina’s Facebook and Conversation Analysis – The structure and organisation of comment threads was published last year through Bloomsbury Academic.
Her book provides previously undocumented insights into the structure of threads, demonstrating a meaningful rather than casual organisation of comments.
Dr Farino’s research was supported by a large data sample, with findings based on 213 comment threads including more than 1,200 comments exchanged by 266 contributors.
As social media continues to grow in relevance across every aspect of 21st century living, this publication makes an important contribution to better understand communication on a dominant platform.
Rave review for NY Times bestselling author’s new book
Lecturer in creative writing and accomplished author Dr Sean Williams is celebrating his newest novel, the original and imaginative Impossible Music, which explores deafness from the perspective of a guitarist who suddenly loses his hearing.
The idea for the book came from Dr Williams’ passion for music and his own fear of losing what he loves most – writing.
“Impossible Music came out of a very complicated period in my life, one in which I faced the possibility of abandoning my career,” Dr Williams says.
“It’s been a labour of love for many years, and signals a departure from my usual style, being in a realist mode rather than speculative. In fact, it’s set in Adelaide, in the here and now.”
Rather than abandon his plans for a career in music, the novel’s young protagonist sets out to find a new form of music that all can appreciate, including people who cannot hear.
Comments from reviewers include “profound, inspiring” (Booklist), “honest, satisfying, and surprisingly original” (Kirkus) and “smart, authentic, brilliantly executed and sometimes blackly funny” (Readings).
Dr Williams is a #1 New York Times-bestselling author of more than forty novels and 120 short stories for adults, young adults and children, and the coordinator of four topics in creative writing at Flinders.
Impossible Music is his first novel set in Adelaide and is a marked departure from his usual fantasy fiction.
Read more on InDaily and keep an eye out for a profile on the author, poet and screenwriter in Flinders in Touch soon.
First year psych student one to watch
Fresh to Flinders University this year, psychological science student Luca Sardelis has been spending her mid-year break in the United States auditioning for several projects.
With an 11-year acting history including performances in the film Storm Boy, together with several TV shows including The Nowhere Boys, Deadlock and Barracuda, good news from her US trip is unlikely to come as a surprise.
The 18-year old achieved an ATAR of 98.75 last year, as evidence of her impressive achievements balancing studies and acting over many years. Featured in the Sunday Mail over the weekend on a story profiling South Australia’s young achievers, Luca Sardelis’ journey will be followed with interest.