Paula Morris strikes again

The talented New Zealand novelist Paula Morris has had her third novel, Trendy but Casual, published by Penguin Books who describe it as a smart comedy of manners.
I suppose that is a fair description although it may be something of an understatement. I have to say I started laughing on the first page and hardly stopped until I reached the end. In fact I am still smiling several days later.

New Zealand novel writers are not noted for their humour. Our created literary landscape in fact is pretty bloody bleak. With the occasional notable exception, like the wonderful Sarah Kate Lynch, most Kiwi novelists tend to write sombre, dark, brooding novels.

So Paula Morris, and who can forget her wonderful Hibiscus Coast, is like a breath of fresh warm air with her new uproariously funny novel.

The city that I know best, and love the most, outside of New Zealand and Australia, is New York. I visited what was once known as The Big Apple many, many times during my publishing life and for the past 14 years have had family living there so still manage to visit most years for several weeks at a time.

Trendy but Casual has a New York setting so it had a special appeal for me as I recognised many of the settings and locations as well as the language and attitudes of the characters.

The story features 20 something Jane Shore who works in the PR industry, (a field in which Morris has personal experience), and whose life is rather falling apart.
The book really is a send-up of both the PR industry and the phenomenon known as chick-lit. And it is exceptionally well done. And at almost 400 pages it is a big read.
If you are flying to New York sometime soon take it with you to read during the long flights. You will arrive in a happy state of mind.

Paula, endlessly energetic, and a superb self publicist, last week started her own blog, called Trendy but Casual ,(of course), is assistant professor of English at Tulane University, in New Orleans.

I am looking forward to her appearance on the KIWIS FLY panel with Stevan Eldred Grigg, and Rachel King at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival '07 on Friday 25 May at 11.00am at Auckland's Aotea centre.