We Need To Talk About Melina Marchetta

So we filmed and posted this video back in March and tweeted out the YouTube link a few times but didn’t put it on the blog for some reason, and what the hell, past us?! I mean, the very reason this blog exists is because of our eternal love for Melina Marchetta and her books. As if we don’t put this video on here? HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT.

So anyway, to celebrate the release of TELL THE TRUTH, SHAME THE DEVIL *cough* 1 month later *cough*, hows about you give this video another watch, even if you’ve already seen it? 13 minutes and nineteen seconds of glorious content including bloopers and this intense moment concerning Jimmy Hailler and you also get to hear about my weirdo fantasy involving Lucian of the Monts. Go on, you know you want to.

You will, however, need to ignore the fact that the release of TtTStD means it now needs to be updated (fuuuuuuuuuuuck).

– Rachel

Penguin Presents Melina Marchetta

So in order to explain one of the photos for our next location properly, you really need to first watch this mini-documentary Penguin did with MM. Quite aside from the fact that we want you to, you should also watch it for no other reason than it’s an interview with Melina Marchetta, talking about her books and her life… In short, it’s really interesting!

– Rachel

The Planning Of A Roadtrip

We thought it necessary to  explain a few things before continuing as we will most likely make reference to certain aspects of our journey, which won’t make sense to readers unless we do.

We mentioned briefly in our introduction that a lot of planning went into this road trip. We both read the four books again and then took two books each and made a list of locations. Annette did Saving Francesca and The Piper’s Son. I did Looking For Alibrandi and On The Jellicoe Road. We both watched Looking For Alibrandi (any excuse to watch Kick Gurry as Jacob Coote over and over again. If there was ever a character in a book-to-movie adaption that was perfectly cast, it was him). We met up numerous times to add to the list of locations and cull any locations we couldn’t visit because they were too far away, didn’t exist or were no longer there or weren’t significant enough. Eventually, we ended up with 40+ locations. The Gorgon In The Gully also deserves a mention as we both read it again, but unfortunately, it didn’t have any locations we could add to the list. Anyhoo, Annette then put it all in Excel spreadsheet like the cute little organiser she is and she was responsible for deciding where we went on what day (although this did change depending on the weather and our rising hatred for driving in Sydney). I was responsible for making the playlist (70+ songs in total). While in Sydney, Annette was the driver and I was the photographer.

– Rachel

Introduction; (n) A preliminary part, as of a book, musical composition, or the like, leading up to the main part.

As is customary with any new acquaintance (and what we hope to become a great friendship), an introduction; our story is not of epic proportion, but one worth telling nevertheless.

A couple of years ago, we were both doing our youthful duty of working in a supermarket. We worked some shifts together and chatted enough to become Facebook friends but that was all there was to it.  Until one day, Rachel posted ‘I sit there and listen to the history of my family, who set out on their separate journeys that day not realising the tragic ironies and joys of that collision of worlds on the Jellicoe Road. And of the people they would never have met if it hadn’t happened’ on her Facebook page. Not only is this quote from our favourite (and lets be honest, the best) book of all time, but it was also the start of a great friendship. We couldn’t believe that we had worked together for almost 2 years and hadn’t realised that we both shared a mutual love for anything and everything written by the brilliant Melina Marchetta.

While our shifts at Coles still dragged on, minute by dreary minute, our new found friendship did make those minutes slightly more bearable. There was even talk of starting our own territory wars, based on who ‘owned’ which register (which gives you an idea of our immense dislike of our role as check out chicks and our infatuation with Melina Marchetta books). A long story short, we had the brilliant idea of going on a roadtrip to Sydney (we live in Melbourne) to visit all the locations mentioned in Melina’s books.

So, after much preparation and accumulation of annual leave, we embarked on the journey of lifetime on October 6, 2012. Avid book readers will know that when you read a brilliant and well constructed story, the characters leave the words on the pages of the book and become real people and, often, dear friends. This is certainly how we feel about Josephine Alibrandi, Francesca Spinelli, Taylor Markham, Thomas Mackee, and all the other characters who make these imaginary worlds come alive. So it shouldn’t have been a shock to us when we had to constantly remind ourselves that, no, Tom didn’t kiss Tara here, because Tom and Tara are fictional characters.

Our journey (not a trip) was incredible, exciting, momentous, heartbreaking, exhilarating, hilarious, sad and everything in between. Soon, we will start posting pictures, stories and the odd video of our trip in the hope that you are able to share this amazing experience with us.

(It is necessary to make a special shout out to Annette’s aunty, Taylor Owynns, who allowed us to invade her home for a week and suggested that we share our experiences to the world via a blog. Taylor is a marvellous celebrant located in Sydney and we recommend you check out her website Taylormade Celebrations).