Dymocks Bookstore

Ray Martin needs no introduction. Well known as the face of the Midday Show, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes, Carols by Candlelight... If you trust anyone on Australian television, you trust Ray Martin.

But Ray's was a less than stellar introduction to the glamorous world of television. Before he had even got to high school, he had lived in thirteen different places, in three Australian states, mostly in the bush. His father was a violent, drinking man who would lash out at his wife and children. His mother would uproot the family across to the other side of Australia to escape him. Ray's world was as far away from Hollywood and movie stars and the bright lights as is possible to imagine.

Here, now, in his own words, is the long-awaited, warts-and-all autobiography of Ray Martin. His exceptional career, his happy marriage to Dianne, and his lasting love-affair with the people of Australia.

Funny, thought-provoking and inspiring, this is the most compelling autobiography you will read this year.

Diana Gabaldon is the best-selling author of the Outlander series which tells the story of Jamie Fraser, a Scottish Highlander from the 18th century, and his time-travelling wife, Claire. Her books are difficult to classify by genre as they contain elements of romantic fiction, historical fiction and science fiction, in the form of time travel.

Although American by birth, Diana has become fascinated by the history of Scotland, England, France and the USA in the mid-18th century when the struggles that would determine the shape of the modern world were taking place.

An Echo in the Bone is Diana's latest novel. In the wake of a devastating fire in the mountains of North Carolina, Highlander Jamie Fraser and his English wife find themselves homeless and without family, in the midst of the gathering storm of revolution. And thanks to his time-travelling wife’s information, he knows what the coming spring of 1778 will bring.

The Australian Women's Weekly and Dymocks invite you to meet writer Di Morrissey.

Di Morrissey is one of the most successful writers Australia has ever produced and with fifteen consecutive bestsellers to her name she shows no sign of slowing down. Di trained as a journalist with Australian Consolidated Press and became Women's Editor for The Daily Mail Group in London and worked as a creative copywriter for Ogilvy and Mather Advertising.

She had her own television program in the United States on CBS and was a regular presenter on Network 10 Australia. In addition to radio broadcasting, she has written for TV, film and theatre.

The Silent Country is a vast and beautiful wilderness, a place which holds secrets and stories that are rarely spoken. TV producer, Veronica Anderson, travels to the Northern Territory to retrace the journey of an expedition that had set out fifty years earlier to film the outback, but which mysteriously ended in tragedy.

How well can you ever really know someone?

If anyone asked Larissa's husband, children or friends if she was happy, they would say yes. Sometimes too busy, sometimes irritable - but really, what in her wonderful life could be wrong? She has a happy marriage, a dream house, and everything she ever wanted at her fingertips.

Yet a chance encounter with a young man new to town hits her like a lightning bolt. Their connection is electric. Suddenly her lovely home life seems claustrophobic, and the familiar mundane. Irresistible passion drives her to contemplate the unthinkable. But if she dares to make the impossible leap, what will her life be then? Whatever choice she makes, someone will be betrayed...

It seems that dancing is not Paul Mercurio’s only passion and judging by the popularity of his foodie travel show "Mercurio’s Menu" it is a passion well shared.

Meet Paul and get your copy of Mercurio’s Menu personally signed.

Sydney - Book Signing

Terrigal - Dinner and Book Signing

Dr Karl has taken on Santa Claus, atom bombs, 'friendly' dolphins and 'killer' whales, meteors, black holes, string theory and camel's humps. In his 27 mega-selling books, he demolishes myths, tells readers how to spot bogus science and advises readers to be wise, sceptical and to always challenge authority. In his 28th book he continues his crusade to keep the world a rational place by answering vital questions like 'Are white cats deaf?' and 'Will lemon juice make you slimmer?'

Ray Martin needs no introduction. Well known as the face of the Midday Show, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes, Carols by Candlelight... If you trust anyone on Australian television, you trust Ray Martin.

But Ray's was a less than stellar introduction to the glamorous world of television. Before he had even got to high school, he had lived in thirteen different places, in three Australian states, mostly in the bush. His father was a violent, drinking man who would lash out at his wife and children. His mother would uproot the family across to the other side of Australia to escape him. Ray's world was as far away from Hollywood and movie stars and the bright lights as is possible to imagine.

Here, now, in his own words, is the long-awaited, warts-and-all autobiography of Ray Martin. His exceptional career, his happy marriage to Dianne, and his lasting love-affair with the people of Australia.

Funny, thought-provoking and inspiring, this is the most compelling autobiography you will read this year.

Book Signing

Dinner

Ray Martin needs no introduction. Well known as the face of the Midday Show, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes, Carols by Candlelight... If you trust anyone on Australian television, you trust Ray Martin.

But Ray's was a less than stellar introduction to the glamorous world of television. Before he had even got to high school, he had lived in thirteen different places, in three Australian states, mostly in the bush. His father was a violent, drinking man who would lash out at his wife and children. His mother would uproot the family across to the other side of Australia to escape him. Ray's world was as far away from Hollywood and movie stars and the bright lights as is possible to imagine.

Here, now, in his own words, is the long-awaited, warts-and-all autobiography of Ray Martin. His exceptional career, his happy marriage to Dianne, and his lasting love-affair with the people of Australia.

Funny, thought-provoking and inspiring, this is the most compelling autobiography you will read this year.

Christopher O'Doherty, aka Reg Mombassa, has infiltrated our culture for more than thirty years with a unique, laconic view of our world ... and of his.

His wit, sense of mischief and larrikin energy resonated in the songs and performances of one of Australia's most beloved bands, Mental As Anything, whose music became the soundtrack to a generation's misbegotten youth.

His eye for the absurd and his unapologetic idealism captured another generation or three with his irreverent, frequently macabre and always distinctive designs for the original Mambo label.

Yet long before he became a Mental or transformed shirts into collector's items, Mombassa was first and foremost an artist. From his idiosyncratic pop art to the delicately realised fine art landscapes and images that celebrate and elevate the suburban, his artworks are sought by collectors around the world.

Who else could stage the biggest one-man art show in history at the Sydney Olympics? Who else could have Elvis Costello producing his records, or the likes of Johnny Rotten and Crowded House seeking his record cover designs?

But there is much more to Reg Mombassa, as fellow New Zealand-born writer and painter Murray Waldren shows in this illuminated journey. Illustrated with almost 300 original artworks and packed with photographs, posters and band memorabilia, this is a true collector's item.

The host of ABC TV’s The Gruen Transfer, Australian comedian Wil Anderson, is back, with a new DVD Wilosophy and a new book Friendly Fire.

Meet Wil in store and get your copies personally signed.

Rachel Griswood, the founder of Manna From Heaven shares her passion for food and the secrets to her most successful recipes!

Meet Rachel and get your copy of her book, Manna From Heaven, signed.

Luke Nguyen, of Secrets of the Red Lantern fame, is going home. Travelling on a personal and culinary tour through Vietnam, Luke visits his family and friends, and is invited into the homes of local Vietnamese food experts and cooks, to learn more about one of the richest, most diverse cuisines in the world.
Starting in the northwest of Vietnam, in the villages and hills around Sapa, Luke explores the roots of traditional cooking. Moving south, he travels to the capital, Hanoi, renowned for its French-Vietnamese cuisine. He explores the imperial cooking of Hue, discovers the famed cau lau noodles in Hoi An, and tastes a host of simple seafood dishes of coastal Nha Trang and Quy Nhon, his journey culminating in Saigon, where he is reunited with family.
The Songs of Sapa is a vibrant, visual essay of Luke's journey, the stories and recipes from each region, with stunning photographs bursting with colour and texture, capturing the beauty of Vietnam, her people and their deep connection to food.

Dr Karl has taken on Santa Claus, atom bombs, 'friendly' dolphins and 'killer' whales, meteors, black holes, string theory and camel's humps. In his 27 mega-selling books, he demolishes myths, tells readers how to spot bogus science and advises readers to be wise, sceptical and to always challenge authority. In his 28th book he continues his crusade to keep the world a rational place by answering vital questions like 'Are white cats deaf?' and 'Will lemon juice make you slimmer?'

Meet Don Burke and get your copy of his new book Organic signed.

Matthew Reilly is now the international bestselling author of: Ice Station, Temple, Contest, Area 7, Scarecrow, Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, the children's book Hover Car Racer, and one novella, Hell Island. Published in over 20 countries and known for their highly visual style, fast pace and large-scale action scenes, over 3.5 million copies of his books have been sold around the world. Matthew's novels have also - unexpectedly - become a major tool in the fight to get teenagers into reading. While written for a mature readership, Matthew's novels have become very popular with reluctant male readers.

In 1996, following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest, printing 1000 copies. He sold the book throughout metropolitan Sydney, one bookshop at a time and it was eventually picked by the fiction publisher from Pan Macmillan. His first industry-produced novel, Ice Station, proved so monumentally popular, that it had to be reprinted six times in its first two years.

Ray Martin needs no introduction. As the face of the Midday Show, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Carols by Candlelight, he is instantly recognisable. Indeed, after forty-five years on our television screens many people feel that they have come to know him. Meet Ray and get your copy of his latest book, Stories Of My Life, personally signed.

Meet Don Burke and get your copy of his new book Organic signed.

Matthew Reilly is now the international bestselling author of: Ice Station, Temple, Contest, Area 7, Scarecrow, Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, the children's book Hover Car Racer, and one novella, Hell Island. Published in over 20 countries and known for their highly visual style, fast pace and large-scale action scenes, over 3.5 million copies of his books have been sold around the world. Matthew's novels have also - unexpectedly - become a major tool in the fight to get teenagers into reading. While written for a mature readership, Matthew's novels have become very popular with reluctant male readers.

In 1996, following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest, printing 1000 copies. He sold the book throughout metropolitan Sydney, one bookshop at a time and it was eventually picked by the fiction publisher from Pan Macmillan. His first industry-produced novel, Ice Station, proved so monumentally popular, that it had to be reprinted six times in its first two years.

Childrens Book Reading by author Sandy Fussell, author of the Samurai Kids Series - just outside Dymocks Wollongong.

Childrens Book Reading by author Sue Whiting, author of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Taming Butterflies just outside Dymocks Wollongong.

Fairy and Pirates Day for the kids at Dymocks Wollongong
Parade starts at 11.45am
Prizes for the best costumes ($30, $20 and $10 Dymocks Gift Cards)
Age Groups under 5, 5-8 & 8-10
Boys and Girls categories