Conceived and written in 2001 – Still Waters – was finally born on 2 April 2008...
Still Waters
What lies beneath...
Hidden fears, intimate secrets, dark motivations.
From the warm light of her sleeping baby’s nursery, the curve of her husband’s arm, the soft embrace of an old friend, the anonymous narrator of Still Waters whispers to you her intimate fears, her deepest held desires.
Mesmerising, confronting, revealing, her hidden secrets are a distorted echo of the emotions of everywoman: mother; lover; friend; daughter.
From its softly lit beginning to its explosive, emotional conclusion Still Waters takes the reader on a journey to the dark recesses of one woman’s heart and mind; within are the truths that are not spoken, the realities that are not written about. Still Waters is a taut, beautifully constructed book which, once begun, cannot be put down, told by a narrator who will not be forgotten easily. It engages and confronts; it will provoke discussion for years to come.
Camilla’s “Write 2 Space” Newsletter and Discussion Forum
I've set up the Discussion Forum to facilitate discussion on the issues raised in the book. I also welcome everyone to subscribe to my newsletter. I’m confident you’ll find it of interest.
What’s New!
Breaking news!
29 May 2008 — Negotiations are well advanced with a very respected publisher in Italy. Publication should be in early 2009, but I’ll post more details as they become available.
11 April 2008 — Still Waters has been accepted for publication by Orion in the UK. It will be called The Mother’s Tale and will hit the shelves there in January 2009, with a hard-back edition coming out first. They’re hoping to make it one of the ‘most talked-about books of next year’.
2 April 2008 — The arrival of Still Waters on Australian shelves was celebrated at a marvelous book launch at Shearer’s Bookshop. For a more detailed history of how it came into being, click here.
The launch was a great success with over 80 booklovers, friends and family coming along.
I’d like to give a very big ‘thank you’ to everyone for making it such a great night.
I’ve put up photos of the night so please check them out in the Photo Gallery.
Interest in the book is continuing to grow...all very positive and generating very strong opinions. It was always going to be a book that would provoke a strong reaction...
Still Waters and the issues raised in it are discussed in an interesting article by Rosemary Neill of The Weekend Australian. Obviously, the issue of ‘flawed mothers’ has entered the zeitgeist as other great authors such as Lionel Shriver (We need to talk about Kevin), Julia Leigh (Disquiet), Virginia Duigan (The Biographer), and Carol Topolski (Monster Love) started mining this topic at about the same time as I did.
Check out The Weekend Australian article and see what you think.
As always, I hope you enjoy Still Waters
What people are saying about Still Waters
’Noli’s debut novel is uncomfortably hypnotic. It’s got a creepy, dreamlike quality that draws you in even when all you want to do is look away...It’s a novel that holds up the most horrifying mirror of motherhood and dares you to contradict what you see...
Diana Jenkins, Who MagazineThis is the watercooler book of the year. Camilla Noli’s debut novel, Still Waters, is a chilling page–turner...and challenges one of society’s deepest taboos...
Alison Urquhart, Harpers BazaarStill Waters takes [the reader]...on a different journey altogether than the usual one of spilt milk and playgroup. Not only is the subject matter harrowing but the voice is cool and seductive, leading us inevitably to places we don't want to go; and yet, once there, unable to resist reading on. This psychological thriller is all the more terrifying because it touches on feelings common to more of us than we care to admit.
Dianne Dempsey, The Age NewspaperThe terrifying thing about this book is that it begins so normally...[but] for the reader the awful knowledge that something dreadful is going to happen creeps up with hideous certainty. I could hardly bring myself to keep reading in fear of what was coming. Noli admits that the ideas at the centre of the book are disturbing...indeed, every mother who reads this book will have at least somewhere, a flash of recognition of what the mother is experiencing. How and why we don’t carry that forward to Noli’s gruesome conclusion is a fascinating study.
In a word: Alarming
Mary Vernon, Townsville BulletinCamilla Noli has woven a confronting and chilling tale here [with] some deftly written sex scenes, an element of the thriller and nicely dramatised relationship negotiations.
Claire Sutherland, Sun HeraldThe narrator of Still Waters is a compellingly disturbing character, and this book is hard to put down.
Lucy Clark, Sunday TelegraphA well-crafted work of fiction...and a page turner. [Noli has] a fluent writing style.
Julie Samaras, City NewsAll mothers will find this book hard to put down.
Karen Hardy, The Canberra Times’I think this book is amazing. It’s confronting, it’s uncomfortable to read, it will polarise you in the same way
that We Need to Talk About Kevin did. It’s a shocking story and it’s beautifully written.’
Vanessa Radnidge, Publisher’It’s one of those ’OH MY GOD!’ books that completely throws you, utterly compels you, and you just have to talk
to someone about it. I’ll bet you won’t be able to resist talking about it.’
Jodie Mann, Hachette Sales Director’The last few chapters were almost read between splayed fingers because I really didn’t want to go there…
I could give you all the clichés in the world, but my advice is just read it… I promise you won’t be disappointed.’
Julie Juratowitch, NSW Account ManagerClick here for more reviews
Short stories for you to enjoy
I have placed some of my short stories on the short story bookshelf. They have been written over a number of years, in most cases for my own enjoyment.
I think these stories work well both as an introduction to my broader work and as suitable topics for discussion in my discussion room. With this in mind, each story also has what I’ve called "The Story Beneath" which explains some of the thinking behind, and inspiration for, the work.
So, please read, enjoy and feel free to comment on each and every work!
P.S. From time to time a new story will be added, so don’t forget to check back regularly!
A bit more about me...
I’ve been writing my entire life but only attempted my first novel in 2001.
Since then I’ve managed to complete drafts of my 2nd and 3rd novels and am partway through drafting my 4th novel.
Click here if you would like to know more or if you would like to contact me.
Readers’ Corner
As well as being a writer I am also an avid reader and a member of a number of formal and informal book clubs. I love receiving book recommendations from friends and I love having the opportunity to disucss thought-provoking books with other like-minded readers.
One of the things I was absolutely adamant I wanted in my iLounge was a discussion room where people can freely discuss my short stories and novels. Even if you are a member of a wonderful book club – which I hope you are – I’m sure you will find the discussion room to be interesting and thought provoking.
I will be popping in from time to time, to answer any questions and to see what about my works has really moved or provoked readers. I’m looking forward to it!
To start you off in the discussion space, you can use the suggested discussion questions in the back of Still Waters, which I have reproduced here. Or you can make up your own topic starter on either the novel or short stories!
In addition, for those of you who loved Still Waters I have included here a list of some other books which you might also enjoying reading.
Some of these books, such as Dr Hare’s fascinating book, Without Conscience, to some extent influenced my own book. Others I have "discovered" and enjoyed since and thought you might do the same!
Writers’ Library
I’ve taken the opportunity to include some information for writers about writing and publishing that I’ve found useful. I’ve also included a number of links to various other resources in this section.