Amra Pajalic

So much to rant about. The interview I just watched on Channel 9 with Christian Lander, the author of the book and blog Stuff White People Like. Christian Lander wrote a book poking fun at white people’s privileged lives and how they try to hard to be individual with their consumer choices, and end up being mediocre. On the topic of religion: ‘It’s not that white people don’t like religion or aren’t religious, religion is fine as long as it’s not the religion their parents believe in. So Budhism, Hinduism, Kabalism, Scienteology, all fine.’ The two interviewers so did not get the book and it just whizzed right over their head. It was just excruciating. The response from the male interviewer to white people’s mode of transport.  ‘Yeah, you don’t see a black guy riding a Vespa.’ Ugh, wanted to puke.

The bogan bookshop worker I spoke to at a chain bookstore. So I went to my local Angus Roberston store and got them to order a few copies of my book which I went in and signed. A few former high school friends who are facebook buddies said they bought copies of the book. So I got excited and started calling other bookstores in the area in order to see if they had copies of my book to sign. So bloody depressing. It’s so hard to get your book into bookstores. I’m discussing the book with a bookshop worker and say how it’s in the Western suburbs and there isn’t much literature set in this area. This store is a few suburbs away, but within a 20 minute drive. ‘Where is it set?’ she asks. ‘St Albans,’ I reply. ‘Oh,’ she says. ‘Not many people around here would know where that is.’ WTF. Do people know where Forks is, the town Meyer set Twilight in?

Or maybe I should rant about the coup of having a blurb in the Herald Sun Weekend Edition where my novel was called ‘a spirited debut,’ and ‘insightful.’ What’s there to complain about, right? Well the spelling mistake in my name. It seems I am Amra Pagjalic. Thankfully there is a photo of my cover  next to it. Sometimes you just have to take the joke life plays on you in your stride.

But for me, the bookshop worker is the one that has really gotten under my skin. That comment has been grinding away at me and each time I remember it, which is quite often, my teeth grind together. Maybe it hit too close to home and made me question the relevance of my book to the world at large. I mean if people who live in this area don’t think it’s interesting to have a book about it, why would the rest of the world. Still a novel is about more than geography. It’s about universal themes and I think my book scores points there. The few opportunities I’ve had to interact with potential readers has surprised me at how they relate to aspects of my book. So hopefully with this rant I can let down the mantle of outrage and move on.